Nano-klik = 1.273 seconds

Klik = 1.2 minutes

Breem= 8.3 minutes

Joor = hour

Groon = 1 hour 15 minutes

Orbital Cycle =1 day

Mega-cycle = 93 hours

Orn = 13 days

Deca-cycle = 3 weeks

Stellar cycle= 7.3 months

Meta-cycle = 13 months

Solar cycle = 11 years

Vorn = 83 years (16 Vorn, by the way, is only five or six years old.)

~I AM SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! But I have no excuses, only hope that none of you have abandond this story just yet. To those of you still with me: Enjoy.~

(OH! And I forgot to mention, when they turned into sparklings they reverted by to their Cybertronian alt. mode)

Ratchet was not looking forward to this.

Oh yes, he remembered having Bumblebee as a patient when Ironhide was his acting guardian And while he had taken his medicine like a true mech, nothing, and he meant nothing, could make the youngling sit still for injections. Not even the promise of 30 tons of rust sticks and Scrapheap Chunk cones.

One time, he remembered, over a million Vorns ago, he had had to call in the entire staff of his small clinic to hold down the yellow menace while he was given his weekly pain dampeners.

He didn't even want to think about what the ex-Decepticon Second in Command would be like. He hadn't treated many a seeker, but the ones he had had never, ever been a pleasant experience.

Thank Primus he had had to fix all the Arks crew member's before he had needed to think about it too long, but now they were all fixed, more than fixed, even. Neither Sunstreaker nor Tracks had so much as a scratch on their finely waxed chassis to whine about.

So, it was the tiny terror's turn. Oh joy.

Mimicking something he had seen Sparkplug do, Ratchet ran a tired servo over his optics, almost as though to wipe away the wariness.

Deciding he had delayed as long as he dared, the Hatchet started making his way over to the main room of the medbay, and to his decided doom.

Palming open the door, he stopped in surprise when the lighting increased to their normal setting upon his entrance.

Strange, the lights only ever dimmed when no one was in the medbay, but Wheeljack had left only two kliks ago and Ironhide and the sparklings should still have been in there...

::Ironhide, this is Ratchet, where the frag are you?::

::Ratchet? I'm jus' taken 'bee fer a walk outside the Ark, slaggin' young'ins got too much energy. Why?:: Ratchet straightened from his unknown hunched position, ready to bellow at his oldest friend, when he realized Ironhide had only mentioned Bumblebee.

::Just Bumblebee?:: He asked, and then regretted it. He didn't much agree with how his friend treated Starscream, even if it was Starscream, but he also knew that when Ironhide had an opinion of someone, he stuck with it. '

::Yeah, I left the lil red pit spawn back in the medbay with 'Jack.:: Ratchet heard his friend pause and could almost see the curious/questioning/suspicious and ever present angry expression on his friends faceplates. ::Why?::

::No, reason.:: Ratchet answered in his usually gruff voice, trying not to give anything away. ::The youngling just caught me by surprise, is all.:: 'Cause, you know, I kinda thought he'd be here when I was ready for him. Needless to say he didn't say that. ::I need you to bring 'Bee back here, it's time for his and Starscream's... checkups.:: He could feel Ironhide shudder in horror. Neither of them were looking forward to this in the slightest.

::A'rihght, but Ah can't promise it'll be fun when we get thare.::

::And I can't promise it'll be pretty.::

Cutting the comm. Ratchet quickly opened a new link to the security room, he needed to track down that seekerling. Preferably without Ironhide's knowledge that he had even left.

::Ratchet to Security Chamber.::

::Oh! Hey Ratchet! I didn't think I'd be hearing from you when I began my shift! That's cool, I always enjoy talking to you-:: Great, Blustreak was on security detail today, which meant Inferno must have finally gotten Red Alert to take a break. Oh well, Ratchet supposed he preferred the chatty Datsun over the paranoid security director in this case. ::-but I'm still surprised you called. I haven't seen Sides pulling any pranks and there haven't been any fights lately outside of that bout with the Decepticons so I don't know why you'd need to comm. Boy, that fight really came out of nowhere, didn't it? Not even Prowl knew that the 'Cons were on the move before we got that distress signal. Shows you you can't really predict the future, huh? At least, I don't think you can predict the future, but there are some pretty crazy Sigma Abilities out there, so you never know. Unless there's a Sigma Ability for that too, but anyway, what did you need, Ratchet?::

Picking his jaw up from off the floor, Ratchet cleared his ex-vents in embarrassment. No matter how many times you got caught on the receiving end of it, you never got used to Bluestreaks rambling. Even Prowl, who had raised the mechanoid since younglinghood, still found his processor numb after a one-sided conversation with the gunner.

::I just need you to tell my if you see any... small mechling's running around.::

::...small mechling's? You mean like the minibots? Well, I wouldn't exactly call them mechling's, not even Bumblebee is -was- much of a mechling before... the incident, and he was the youngest of all of us, but no, they're all still in their quarters, recharging after the battle like you told them to. Is that why you called? Because you think they're going to ruin all your hard work?::

::No Blue, I'm looking for Starscream, Ironhide took 'Bee for a walk around the base but he left Starscream in the medbay without my knowledge, now our beloved ex-Adult isn't anywhere in here. I'm wondering if you've seen him.:: Blunt. He needed this done quickly, Ironhide would be back with Bumblebee any klik now.

::Oh... no, I'm sorry Ratchet, I've only been on duty for a couple kliks now, I haven't seen much of anything yet. But I could go back through the feeds! You said he'd only been missing as long as Ironhide had been outside, and that's only been a couple of joor, so I'll just go through those kliks in fast forward and see if the camera's caught anything. Don't worry Ratchet, I'll find that missing Seekerling before-::

::WHAT!:: Ratchet could only wince as a third voice cut through Bluestreak's rant -obviously having heard the current situation- and effectively ending the conversation as Ratchet cut the line. Of course, from where he was on the ship opposed to Bluestreak, he was too far away to even hope to get to the gunner before the clearly peeved Security Director. Thus he could do nothing more than pity the unfortunate mech.

~/~/~/~/\~\~\~\~

Bluestreak froze as the horribly familiar silhouette of Red Alert loomed at him from the entrance to the shadowy security room.

"Oh, hi Red Alert. I thought you were supposed to be with Inferno getting energon in the rec room. You know, I heard Sideswipe whipped up a new batch of-" The gunners monologue was cut short by the low hiss of the door closing ominously behind head of security as he stepped further into his domain.

Not good. The Datsun thought, silently praying to Primus he could get away from Red Alerts wrath before the Lamborghini could do something they would both regret.

"What. Do. You. Mean. Missing. Seekerling?" Red Alert hissed, horns sparking blue ever so slightly.

"Ah..." Bluestreaks optics flicked back and forth rapidly between Red Alert and the now closed security room door, before they fell upon a large red button right by his right servo.

In Case Of Emergency

...It was better than getting slagged by his superior officer, he reasoned, as the palm of his servo landed loudly on the klaxon trigger.

~/~/~/~/\~\~\~\~

Much to Blaster's surprise, and possibly horror, it was another two groon before anyone noticed their little visitor was gone.

That is, if the blaring sirens echoing throughout the halls of the base were anything to go by.

Sighing, he grabbed the startled seekerlet and held him close to his broad chest plates, attempting to comfort the now sobbing sparkling.

He sighed. Trust Red Alert to make a sparkling cry without even having seen them yet.

And he had been so enjoying having someone to listen to music with.

"Shhhhh, 's OK little S, 's just Red Alert, nothing to be twitchy over." He cooed in Starscream's audio receptor, bouncing the youngling gently as he walked out of his room.

Pressing his free servo to his own audio horn, he quickly pinged Inferno to let the Fire Truck know he had Starscream, and that Red Alert could quit the light show.

Halfway to the medbay the alarms finally quieted, making it easier for Blaster to calm down the shivering seekerlet.

Looking down at Starscream black helm, he rose a servo to softly stroke it, playing a melodious tune through his speakers as the last of the Seekerlets sobs quieted to soft hiccups.

Placing a large black servo on Starscream's back, his attention was instantly drawn to the quivering winglets. For a moment he just stared, hypnotized by the nervous fluttering. The boom box 'former had heard many a story about seekers, many of them unflattering, but probably the most common was that the wings of a seeker -similar to a Praxians doorwings- were extremely sensitive. (Though, he supposed they would have to be, seeing as how seekers spent most their time flying.)

He had often come across a distraught Bluestreak, suffering from either a scare from a recent battle or the aftermath a another recharge flux, and had found that softly stroking the grey Praxians doorwings helped sooth the gunners nerves, and he couldn't help but wonder if it would work for the seekerling.

Tracing the red stripe running down the wing, he felt the seekerlet tense in his grasp before all tension seemed to bleed from the small frame. Chuckling slightly, he nearly stopped his hurried steps in surprise when the sparkling in his arms purred. Looking down in surprise, he chuckled again at the sight of the seekerlet practically a puddle of goo in his large arms.

Continuing his walk, Blaster arrived at the medbay in time to see an irritated Ratchet storming across the now mostly empty medbay towards him, his favorite wrench swinging menacingly by his side.

"Hey, Ratch'. Dun s'pose ya've been lookin' for this one?" Blaster asked, indicating the quiet, but now very twitchy seekerlet with the servo he had been using to stroke Starscreams wings.

Coming to a stop before the tape-deck player, Ratchet pinned the slightly taller mech with a glare that could level cities.

"I don't suppose you have a good explanation as to why one of my most delicate patients is up running around with you of all mechs?" The medic practically growled, neither of the adults noticing how Starscream balked at being called delicate.

"Wha'? You think I had somethin' ta do with-"

"I honestly don't care what you did or didn't do! Right now, you should just be thankful I noticed Starscream was missing before Ironhide did! Though I'd be astonished if he still didn't know, thanks to a certain paranoid GLITCH." Turning toward the nearest camera, Ratchet held up his wrench in a threatening gesture. "You'd better start praying to Primus right now, Red Alert. 'Cause as soon as I'm done here I'm coming to weld your aft to the ceiling!" He snarled.

A soft giggle drew his attention back to the mechs infront of him, and he couldn't help but smile ever so slightly. Starscream peeked out at the loud white mech from where she had tucked her face into Blasters chest piece, a shy grin on her face half hidden by a tiny blue servo.

It was at that moment Ironhide practically flew into the medbay, plowing into Blaster in the process and sending both mechs and their charges onto the floor.

Starscream let out a cry of pain as a heavy and much larger frame landed on top of her. She could feel the sensitive metal of her wing give way under the unexpected weight, bending and twisting as it was pinned between the floor and the bulky form above her.

She writhed in agony, trying her hardest not to scream. It would be bad if she screamed.

"Primus! Starscream, I'm so sorry!" the frame above her cried, and suddenly she was no longer being crushed. She was lifted of the floor in warm strong arms, tiny frame shuddering with every withheld sob.

Blaster looked down at the shivering seeker in his arms, a look of anguish on his face when he spotted her left wing.

"Ratchet!" He almost whined. The medic looked up from where he had been inspecting a dazed and crying Bumblebee, and a furious and guilty looking Ironhide. A single glimpse was the only he needed to spot the problem.

Standing up, he gestured for Blaster to put Starscream on the nearest berth and went to a shelf, retrieving a few choice tools.

Walking over to the now seated sparkling, he took a moment to notice Blaster rubbing soothing circles on the undamaged wing. Taking note of it, he shooed the mech out of his way so he could better inspect the injury.

All in all it didn't look too bad, but of course, looks are always deceiving He could see the slightly swollen appearance of the wing, meaning enough energon lines had been ruptured to fill the wing, also the sparking sounds cooing from within meant that one too many circuits had been crushed. The pain Starscream must be feeling at the moment was undoubtedly excruciating, the sparkling should have been on the floor kicking and screaming.

Curious.

Leaning in closer to the quivering frame, he set his vocalizer to the softest setting possible.

"Starscream?" He asked. When the sparkling turned his head slightly to face him, the seekerlet pinned him with a pained yet still questioning look.

"Starscream." He repeated, this time with more urgency. "Your wing is broken, and in order to fix it, I'm going to need to remove it." At the seekers hesitant nod, he reached for a syringe, quickly filling it with a thick blue substance lanced with green.

"Now, I'm going to sedate you-" He was caught off by a sharp gasp and the seeker in front of him practically flying of the berth.

"HEY! GET BACK UP THERE!" Ratchet heard Ironhide snap, and quickly pinned his oldest friend with a glare worthy of Unicron.

Of course, he was ignored.

Ironhide stomped over to the now trembling seekerlet in the middle of the room, an air of resentment resonating off his frame.

Starscream took one look at the large red angry mech towering over her, and decided she didn't feel fine with being hit by him anymore. Finally, she burst into tears.

It was too much, So much had happened, so much had changed, she just didn't know what to do.

Falling down on her aft, Starscream brought her small blue servos up to her optics, cleanser tumbling down her faceplates as silent sobs rocked her frame.

"IRONHIDE!" Ratchet snapped. Ironhide had the decency to look rather guilty.

Feeling something brush past his leg, Ratchet looked down in time to see Bumblebee dart past Ironhide and fling himself at the other youngling, tiny yellow arms encasing the sobbing sparkling.

Spark melting, Ratchet took a step toward the two mechs, only to be unintenionally shoved to the side as Blaster beat him to it.

"Shhh," The boom box cooed, dipping to one knee and scooping both younglings into his arms, mindful of the still damaged wing.

"Shhh, little S, 's alright. Jus' ignore Ironhide, I ain't gonna let 'im touch ya, ya dig?" Blaster murmured in Starscreams audio, hiccuping sobs escaping her vocalizer.

"Set him down on the berth, lets fix up that wing." Ratchet instructed, sedative still in his hand. And to think he was going to try and calm down a panicked sparkling while holding it.

Instead of putting Starscream on the berth, however, Blaster sat down on it himself. Positioning both younglings so each was on a knee, Blaster gently turned Starscream around so her back was facing Ratchet, hoping not being able to see the needle would calm the youngling down some.

It didn't.

Thanks to the air pressure sensitiveness of her wings, Starascream knew exactly what the big white medic was approaching her with. However, she decided panicking had gotten her nowhere (as it often didn't), and simply leaned the opposite way when the medic reached for her with the needle.

"Hey, hold still!" He grummbled. She liked his voice. It was gruff like the red mechs but kind like Blasters.

She leaned forward this time.

"I said hold still!" He shouted. But she didn't want to hold still. If she held still, then he would be able to fill her with that horrible stuff that made her helm feel funny and hard for her to think.

She didn't like not being able to think, it made her feel helpless, even if her Cara said she had one of the most powerful Sigma abilities on the planet.

She leaned to the left.

"SLAGGIT!"

"Ratchet," a new voice called from the entrance, causing everyone in the room to jump and turn to stare.

Starscream recognized the imposing form almost immediately as the truckformer she had rode in to get here.

Hmmm. He looked bigger up close.

"I believe you should mind your language near the younglings, old friend, it would not do to have them spewing curses before their third upgrade." Mind his language? HA! That was rich! Her older brother said worst things when he clipped a wing, and he was only thirteen Vorn older than herself.

Her frame jerked roughly as Starscream felt a sudden poke in her exposed neck cables. Helm whipping around, she gave the smug white medic a glare that would freeze over the pit before her vision started to go fuzzy.

Moaning, she pressed a tiny blue servo to the punctured cables. Losing consciousness as quickly as she was, she couldn't stop the low, piercing whine that escaped her vocalizer before her world went dark.

~/~/~/~/\~\~\~\~

Ratchet removed Starscream from Blasters arms the moment the youngling went limp, laying him on his cockpit to get a better view of the damaged wing.

And instantly sighed in exasperation.

"What?" Was Blaster immediate query, worry evident in the tape players speech pattern. "Wha's wrong?"

"Seeker wings are a whole lot more complicated than a Praxians wings, that's what wrong."

"What's happened?" Ratchet looked up from where he was propping up the seekerling to glance at his leader.

"Bucket-mac-maladroit over there ran into Blaster earlier," Ratchet explained, jabbing a thumb in Ironhides general direction. "while he was holding Starscream, making him fall and land on the younglings wing. Now guess who has to fix it." that last part was muttered under his ex-vents, though he was pretty sure he felt Blaster shift uneasily next to him.

"So what are ya gonna have ta do? From what I've seen, all ya need ta do ta fix Prowl or Blue's wings when they're jacked is remove 'em, ya dig?"

Ratchet sighed in aggravation. "Yes, but both Prowl and Bluestreak are Praxian. Their wings are connected to their backs by hinges on the outside of their armor, since their alt modes have the wings press firmly against the rest of the vehicle. Seekers, on the other servo, do have hinges, but they are under the armor, since their wings jut out and need to be re-enforced. So, in order to remove Starscream wing to repair it, I have to remove his chest armor. Ya dig?" Ratchet rolled his optics at the last part, now focusing his attention on finding the latches to the youglings armor.

Ther was silence for a moment before a rather intelligent "Oh" made it's way past Blasters lip components.

"How long will the sedative last, Ratchet?" Optimus asked from his new position leaning against the opposite wall, watching with a fascinated glint in his optics. Ironhide huffed irritably and situated himself beside his leader, a grumpy looking Bumblebee by his pedes.

"Hopefully long enough for me to do this. Since I have no idea how old Starscream is, what his weight is, or if he was paranoid at even this age, I had to give him an approximate measurement, if even one of those is off, he could either wake up early, or he will wake up in a mega-cycle."

There was silence for roughly two nano-kliks before the sound of a latch opening had everyone's attention focused on the seekerling on the table. For reasons unknown to them all, they had all been horribly curios as to what the ex-Decepticon looked like under his armor for Vorns, now they had the chance, even if he was a sparkling.

With servos as still as a practiced surgeon preforming a merical, Ratchet dug his digits into the red armor beside the cockpit, pulled, and immediately pushed the armor closed again, faceplates draining of energon so he was paler than before.

"Ratchet?" Optimus's voices called from across the room, quickly follwed by the sound of heavy foot steps moving toward him.

Ratchet's head snapped up to be met by three worried pairs of optics. For a moment he stared at them, not really sure what he had just seen.

Looking back down at the seekerling propped up infront of him, he let out a long, resigned sigh, before slowly pulling the chest plates open.

Ratchet could feel all of the mecha in the room staring at the revealed second layer chest plating, something only femmes had, regardless of weather they were seeker or not.

Blaster was the one to finally break the admittedly awkward silence. "So... my main S, 's a femme?"

~/~/~/~/\~\~\~\~

Bluestreak had just entered the medbay, hell-bent on getting the new dent in his wing fixed, when he heard Blasters question through the closed door on the other side of the room. Pausing to listen more closely, he confirmed what he had heard and practically bounced out of the room. Damaged wing forgotten in favor of spreading the news to the rest of the Ark.

~So, hope you enjoyed it, and again, I'm sorry it took so fraggin' long. Hope the size of the chapter helps ease the pain abit. An I know I don't deserve it, but comments do help me write faster, so... REVIEW FRAGGIT!~