A/N: Hiya everyone! Thank you so much for the awesome reviews! I had the worst day today and you guys cheered me up! I had to be up at 5 so I could be to work by 7 and I ended up with a flat tire! Thankfully, I made it to work on time, but it was really hectic. We had a huge catering order (the reason I had to be so early) and then we were busy on the front line too! Just a crazy day.

Anyway, I did a bunch of research for this chapter and extrapolated a few things, so please don't be upset with me taking creative license. If you are interested in where I got my information just pm me or ask in a review. I answer all logged in reviews! Thanks again! Love you guys!

Optimus woke to darkness. For the first time in recent memory he was not in pain. It was almost a shock. Looking around he realized he was not in complete darkness. The soft blue glow of energon to his right lit up the room enough for him to make out vague outlines. He was still in the medical bay. He wondered how much longer that would last. He had no doubts that he would be moved as soon as the medic gave him the all clear. The medical bay was too important to waste it on a prisoner.

The door slid open and he squinted against the sudden brightness.

"Awake are we? That's good. As soon as I finish up a few final things you'll be out of my way." Knockout looked better than the last time Optimus had seen him. There was still visible damage, his bare arms proof enough that he'd not had time to completely repair himself. "Lord Megatron has returned. He wanted you to know that he'll be coming to see you soon. It's kind of ironic that the last time you were aboard this ship you were going by Orion Pax and calling him friend."

"I have no memory of that."

"Of course you don't. Well, you won't forget this visit." Knockout took a cable from the monitoring equipment and attached it to Optimus. A slender digit tapped his chin while he watched the readout. "Well, while that is running I'm going to take care of a few things."

Optimus watched him turn to his workbench, carefully sorting out the tools he would need. Optimus noted that he was just as particular about his things as Ratchet. He attention to detail obviously carried over from himself to the things he took care of. The hum of a buffer soon filled the air. Then it was on to finer detailing. Optimus had never seen a 'bot so intent on making sure every surface gleamed. There were still places that would require greater attention, the door panels and the gash on his helm primarily.

It was quite some time before Knockout seemed somewhat satisfied with his handiwork. The monitoring equipment had been done for a while, but Optimus wasn't about to disturb the little medic. He finally seemed to remember Optimus was there. A bright smile lighting up his features as he read the data.

"Well good news! You are nearly fully healed. Though I would refrain from any strenuous activity with that repaired servo and you might experience periodic numbness in your legs." He inscribed the information on a data pad. "All together wonderful work on my part. I doubt your medic could have done any better."

"Thank you."

The self-satisfied smile faded. For a moment no expression registered then red optics narrowed. "Don't thank me yet, Prime. You haven't seen what Megatron has in store for you."

"I have no doubt that he will enact justice as he sees fit."

"Why do you do that? Why are you always so-so . . . emotionless?!

Optimus blinked, surprised at the outburst. Knockout continued as he paced, "No matter what happens you are always so calm, so rational. Is it the Matrix, does it turn you in to some kind of unfeeling automaton? If that's the case I'd rather deal with Megatron's moodiness than have to suffer under someone who never shows any hint of what they are feeling."

"That's not the case."

"Really? Is it just you then? Did all that time as a librarian drain you of your personality?"

"If anything has drained me, it has been this war." It had been wearing on him harder of late and the loss of the keys and then the lock itself had been further blows he still wasn't sure how to counter.

"So why didn't you stop it?"

"Why didn't Megatron?"

"Good question. I'm not asking."

Maybe I should, Optimus thought. Interrogations can go both ways. How long had it been since he and Megatron had truly had a dialog? Ages. Not since the Council had named him Optimus Prime.

Their conversation apparently finished, Knockout went back to seeing to his own repairs. Optimus found his mind wandering. Wondering what the others were doing, if Ratchet and Wheeljack were alright, how the children were doing, if June was safe? He shifted suddenly filled with the urgent need to move, to be doing something, anything. The Matrix was pulling, tugging at his mind, like it had before they'd lost the Ark, back before they'd found Earth. As then, he couldn't tell what it wanted him to do, only that something needed to be done. But how was he supposed to accomplish anything while a prisoner? He would simply have to do what he'd done before and wait and see what opportunity presented itself.

He glanced over hearing a strange noise from Knockout. He had a nearly empty vial of Energon in his hand and was peering at it.

"Someone must have messed up the processing of this batch, horrible aftertaste."

Optimus started to say something when a movement out of the corner of his optic caught his attention. Something small had darted from behind the workbench. The Nemesis didn't have scraplets did it? Just the thought made him shudder. They'd had an infestation once in the lower levels at Iacon. No 'bot had wanted to brave the tunnels for several orn until an extermination team had finally managed to contain the infestation. Then there was the infestation that had plagued the base a short time ago. The base . . . A rush of anguish hit him like a megaton bomb. He shuddered, optics squeezing shut. He couldn't dwell on it. There was no changing what had happened. They had to move on. But it seemed like they were always moving on. Cybertron, Velocitron, Junkion, all the places he'd been were now under Megatron's power. It was like he was a dark herald, trying to flee the wrath of his one-time brother, yet only seeding destruction in his wake. Maybe it was time to stop running.

Knockout coughed, a sharp rattling sound that snapped Optimus out of his dark musings. "Knockout?"

"What . . .just a bit of extra kick in that energon or something."

Optimus frowned watching him. Something was off. The medic was shaking. "Knockout, what's wrong?"

"I-I don't know . . . Something . . . Something is wrong."

"Let me up."

"I ca-can't do that." Knockout stumbled and doubled over clutching his midsection. "Oh primus . . . What was in that?"

"Let me help you."

"No! St-stay there! I just need to find out whats wrong. It feels like the energon is overcharging me but that shouldn't be possible." He staggered forward. It took him three tries to get to the diagnostic computer by that time he could barely hold himself up.

"Knockout, something is making you sick. Just let me up and I will help you. You know I will."

"Yes . . . I know, but I don't want help from some Autobot."

"You may not want it, but you need it. Will anyone else come to your aid?"

Knockout was silent except for the rattling of overcharged systems. He was in obvious pain. It wasn't the typical overcharge from high grade, this was something very different, something Optimus had never seen before. When Knockout didn't answer Optimus spoke.

"I know you don't trust me and why should you, but I am defenseless and have no reason to harm the person responsible for repairing me when I was on the brink of offlining. I owe you a debt Knockout. Please let me help you."

"Fine." It was a low growl. A servo slammed down on the locking mechanism and the restraints slid back. "But you have to go back as soon as we figure out what's wrong."

"I promise."

Optimus stepped down from the table and reached down to help Knockout up. The medic whimpered, his shaking becoming more pronounced. He was overheated, his mesh hot to the touch. "Easy does it."

Optimus helped him up onto the table alarmed at the heavy ventilations that did little to dispel the heat building in the smaller bot.

"It has to be the energon. The only thing different."

"I agree."

Clamping the diagnostic cable to Knockout, Optimus watched the wildly fluctuating readout. "I'm going to need a sample to test, is there any left."

With a weak nod, Knockout gestured to the bench. The vial still contained a fair amount. It looked just like the others, no discoloration. Picking it up he was careful as he placed a small amount into the receptacle. The computer hummed as it worked and he turned back to Knockout. The smaller bot had his optics shut tight. Walking back over to the table Optimus placed a hand on the bare arm.

"Don't worry. We'll figure it out."

The computer chimed, signaling it was done with the test. The readout scrolled across the screen. Optimus wasn't quite certain but something looked off in the chemical chain sequence.

"Hmm. This doesn't look right."

"Let me see it." Knocked levered himself up on an elbow. His normally bright red optics were faded and he seemed to be having trouble focusing. Optimus pulled the monitor closer.

"Scrap. There is zinc in it. No wonder."

"Zinc?"

"Its a mineral, quite common on this planet, but apparently, according to this it's making the energon breakdown too quickly. I'm going to have to purge my entire system or I could end up with a bacterial infection and tank corrosion. Test the other vials too."

Optimus did as he was asked. The other three were clean of zinc. He looked back at Knockout who had collapsed on the table, his whole form twitching and jerking. He was going to suffer serious damage if the mineral was not removed from his system and clean energon infused.

He looked around the medical bay, at a loss as to what to do. Knockout was no longer responding and it wasn't like he could call for help.

"Optimus."

He twisted around, optics wide at the sound of the familiar voice. "June! What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!"

"I know I shouldn't." She smiled up at him from her vantage point on the bench. "But I am and it looks like I need to fix a mistake I made."

"A mistake . . . You did this? How?"

"So simple it was kind of stupid. I just wanted to slow him down, not kill him. I wanted to see if I could get you free."

"June, you are very brave, but don't you think this is going a bit far?"

"Yes, yes I do. Now you have a bot to save. His systems are red lining fast. At this rate he won't have to worry about an infection. I shouldn't have used all four batteries. I never thought zinc would have this kind of an effect on your bodies."

"Well, mixed with energon the chemicals would react very differently."

"I understand that now. Can you help me? I need to see what kind of instruments he's got and I can't see them from here."

Optimus held out his hand. June smiled as she stepped into his palm. "Alright let's see what we've got. I'll have to give you instructions as we go along."

"Instructions?"

"Yes, I can't handle these instruments so you are going to have to."

"Oh, alright."

"First we need to siphon out the bad energon. What's the best way to do that?"

"I have no idea."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"You don't have like . . . A drain or something."

"We aren't vehicles, June."

"Yes I understand but there has be something similar to our anatomy where you get rid of waste, exhaust, whatever it is."

"Oh, well yes, when you put it that way."

"Alright then, lets get to work."

By the time they were done, Optimus was never so glad he was not a medic. He was going to have a talk with Ratchet and let him know just how much he appreciated what he went through with them. He brushed at the tacky energon still drying on his arms. June was safely out of harms way on his shoulder.

"I never thought such a small bot could hold so much energon."

"Hey at least he puked it up and didn't-"

"There is no need to finish that thought June."

He smiled as he gently laid Knockout back down. The medic was in recharge, the induced purging and then refueling having worn him out. The shaking was gone and his mesh was now a normal temperature. Optimus turned to June.

"June, I have a favor to ask. Please never tell anyone of these effects. It could easily be used against us."

"I understand. I won't say a thing. In fact I'm sorry I thought of it. I never meant to cause him so much pain. I mean I hit him with the truck and now I poisoned him . . . I think my revenge is complete."

Optimus nodded his eyes on Knockout. "I can only hope he has come to trust me a little more given this incident. I've always wanted everyone to have a choice. And I hope that he now realizes that I am not the 'bot he's been lead to believe."

"Oh really?"

Optimus started, jerking around to see the bay door open, Starscream lounging against the wall.

"And just what would you have us believe Optimus?" He straightened and sauntered forward.

Optimus turned, shielding June from view as she scrambled down his arm. He curled his servos around her, backing away from the seeker as he did so.

"The same thing I've always believed in. The right of all life to freedom."

"Yes but freedom from what?" Starscream scoffed and waved a hand at Knockout, "Knockout is going to get in so much trouble for this. Lord Megatron left him stuck in the bulkhead of the ship as punishment for his last failure with Smokescreen. Somehow I think his punishment this time might be more . . . .severe."

"There is no reason to punish him. I am still here."

"Indeed you are, and walking about, so now would be a good time to escort you to the brig. Eradicons!"

A trio of the fliers entered the room, one with a pair of stasis cuffs. Optimus stood patiently as they were put on his wrists. Starscream smirked at him.

"The next few orn are going to be very interesting indeed."