Don't think anyone's comments have influenced my writing. Anything that happens to pop up, or not pop up, in this story has been predetermined. No spoilers. No guesses. Cause glitch be Ratchet.

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Smokescreen had never seen the seeker run so fast in all his function. Sure, this was a pressing and concerning matter, but he was easily outrun by the mech within the span of a few kliks. And with those heeled peds of his…

The blue mech frowned, knowing where Starscream would be running to anyway. He decided to go there as well, for at least an explanation if nothing else. The yelling and hollering was already reaching his audials from ahead at the end of the hallway, from the command deck. Starscream's screeching wasn't exactly hard to miss. And when Smokescreen finally arrived at the doorway, leaning against the frame to rest a moment, he certainly was given the privilege of witnessing the seeker's outburst.

"How dare you bring them here!" Starscream shrieked, pointing dangerous claws at Ultra Magnus while the blue mech remained calm and silent, "You know what they did to me, and if they find out I'm here I will be torn to shreds! There will be no rebuilding my chassis because it will become little more than dust! You inconsiderate half-processed glitch!"

Magnus allowed the seeker to vent. It was clear he had expected this. Starscream continued to yell, standing on the tips of his peds to get better optic contact with the larger mech. But the more his angered words escaped him, the more it was apparent that he was tiring from it.

Ultra Magnus waited until Starscream had paused to regain his intakes before smiling lightly, almost amused; almost, "Have you regained your composure, soldier?"

Starscream scowled and flared his wings, claws flexed, but said nothing.

Magnus walked carefully to a window, peering out, "I understand what the Predacons did to you. And I would have informed you sooner of their arriving had I been the one to invite them here."

The seeker's wings flattened against his back and he cringed, "You didn't… But- Shockwave said-"

"Shockwave asked them to come here shortly after Breakdown's checkups revealed he was safe enough to keep here," the blue mech explained, "But I did not give him the authority to do so. When he told me later that he needed their help, I had Soundwave amend the message to make it sound like a much more diplomatic and productive meet rather than such a scientific venture."

Starscream growled angrily, his claws in angrily trembling fists. Darn it all, Shockwave… Then what was he supposed to do?

Magnus walked back to the gray mech's side, a servo set upon his shoulder armor carefully, "I understand, Starscream. And I am not simply going to leave you as vulnerable as you feel."

The seeker scoffed, failing to pull himself back together, "What, me? Vulnerable? The word has never once entered my vocabulary."

"Which is why you clearly entered this room with such hostility, anger, and uncontrollable rage," Ultra Magnus hmmed.

Starscream's optics flickered in surprise and he turned his helm away in guilt, grumbling to himself quietly. But the other mech's servo never left his shoulder.

"It's all right to be worried, concerned, even afraid, soldier," Magnus smiled lightly, a slight frown on his faceplates, "But this could be an excellent opportunity for you as well. Should we keep Predaking and the other two calm enough, this may become your chance to talk to them," as he pulled his servo away, the expression on the seeker's faceplates told him this was too soon, "But if you think it better to leave that for another time, then I assure you that you will be watched and protected until they leave. They will never know we took you in."

Starscream all but squealed happily, landing on his knees, "Oh, thank Primus!"

Magnus helped him up after a moment, "Thank Primus after they have gone. For now, I think it would be best if you stayed on deck here, with me, until they land. Predaking has requested that I meet him outside and direct him to the med bay to see Shockwave and Ratchet. But I don't know if he'll request anything more."

The seeker only nodded, his wings perking. As long as he didn't have to see those monsters, he was fine.

But Ultra Magnus is right; you could use this as a way to settle the pains you were inflicted with. You could talk to Predaking and show him your improvements.

Starscream scoffed, almost laughing, "The cycle I settle things with those processor lacking beasts is the cycle I lend Bulkhead my wings."

Magnus's optics flickered as he slowly walked passed the seeker, nodding slightly, "Of… course," he said slowly, "If that is how you feel about the situation, then I will be sure no one mentions ever having heard from you after you left here before Optimus's passing. We will be very careful."

Starscream coughed and simply smiled wide, "Ah… that would be appreciated… But what do I do until then?"

Smokescreen lightly waved from where he was at the other side of the room, resting against the door's frame, "Maybe I can help?"

The blue mech wandered over, looking the other two over, "We need to get Starscream around them, right? Well, why not just get him off the ship and hide him in the city until they're done here? That shouldn't take too long."

Magnus shook his helm, "I am not certain about what Shockwave wants to ask of them. It could be as simple as a few CNA samples to as complex as full chassis scans. He refuses to tell me much, but Ratchet assures me this is important."

Starscream scowled again, "So I could be out there as long as a cycle? How fair is that?"

Smokescreen shrugged, "It's better than being eaten."

A low roar and the sound of wings startled the seeker and made him drop to the floor. He quickly scuttled under a console and pulled a chair in the way to hide.

"All right, so this place isn't exactly ideal," he admittedly sourly, "How do we get off the ship without one of them finding me? There are three to deal with, you know."

Ultra Magnus patted Smokescreen on the back, "Soldier, I'm putting you in charge of the wreckers for the time being. Gather up Bulkhead and Wheeljack and let them know of the situation. All you need to do is keep them from finding out we have Starscream here and get him off the ship. Can you manage that?"

Smokescreen smiled, "Can do, sir. It'll be easy."

The seeker frowned as he heard them both talk and poked his helm out from under his hiding place, "Wait, why not simply bridge me to a new location? Wouldn't that just be easier?"

Magnus sighed, going over to the console and pulling the chair away so Starscream could crawl back out, "That would have been my first inclination to solve this had Soundwave not decided to run a bug check on the bridge's systems. They'll be inoperative until later this evening. And I think you'll agree that is far too long a wait for you."

Starscream pouted, "So I have to sneak out then."

Smokescreen walked over and put an arm around his shoulders, "Hey, you stick with me, Bulk and Jackie and we'll be out of here like a breeze. No worries. Just keep a calm helm about you and we'll get out of here with as little drama as possible."

You will be fine, Starscream. This is quite the test for you. The Predacons facilitated your greatest transformation, they influenced your change. They may not have made you-

"But they did break me," the seeker grumbled quietly to himself.

Only physically. You have not once given up since then. You have always at least tried. I am here, as I have always been.

Starscream nodded, sighing, "Well, at least I can take some solace in that," he murmured a little louder.

"Good," Smokescreen smiled, patting his back as he walked his way quickly to the command deck door, "because we're going to need you to be an integral part of this escape team. Optics and audials open, Screamer, we're all going to be alert," he near ran out the door, beginning his search for the wreckers.

Starscream whimpered slightly, Magnus coming up behind him, "This is going to end badly…"

Ultra Magnus said nothing at first then began carefully, "It will only end as you fear if you allow it to. And, as I should think you do not want it to, then I have faith that you'll escape this with little more than the memory of it all."

The seeker glanced back, smiling slightly, "Well, then I'll thank you for the positive reinforcement," the collection of pedfalls ghosted back to him from down the hall and he shuddered, knowing how quickly this was going to happen, "Do you really think this will work?"

Magnus nodded, "The wreckers are known for their… less than formal approach to matters, but they're very good, Starscream. You should know their skill by now."

Starscream folded his digits together nervously then ducked instinctively when he heard another low roar and another glide of wings overhead, "By Primus, why the frag don't they land already?!" he snarled.

Ultra Magnus looked up at the ceiling, where he thought the Predacons to be flying, "Perhaps they are taking the courtesy to wait for my arrival before landing. I really cannot guess, soldier. I do know that some mechs, whether beast or otherwise, like to show off their strength and power in some ways, don't they?" he looked down to the seeker, "And I can think of nothing more intimidating than three large monsters slicing through the skies and roaring down at us. Can you?"

Starscream shook his helm, opting to remain silent. He knew the Predacons weren't doing what they were doing to be mean, though the act was a cruel reminder to him of what he survived, but they were doing it to show the rest of the ship's inhabitants that they were not playing games. They were here to conduct business and they were not going to fool around or be tricked into anything.

Smokescreen poked his helm in before the seeker could get lost in thought, "Hey, we're ready when you are, Screamer."

Starscream sighed lightly and Magnus walked passed him, going out into the hallway, "I will go to them now and escort them to the med bay," he glanced at the mechs, "Keep Starscream from being harmed."

Wheeljack smirked, cracking his digits excitedly as he and Bulkhead entered the room after Smokescreen, "We got this, sir," he called back, "Get this pair of wings from point A to point B with no injury," he nudged the green mech beside him, trying to hold back a laugh, "It's going to end up like the maneuver we pulled back a few vorns ago."

Bulkhead laughed loudly, then hushed his companion, "Oh, no, no, quiet, Jackie, we don't need to scare Screamer with that one…"

Starscream's wings fell flat again. He was doomed.

If anything should happen this day, Starscream, know that I will not allow any harm to come to you. I will keep as strong an optic out for you as I can. Nothing will happen and these mechs here will make sure of that as well.

Like he said before, he was doomed.

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We're all doomed, you know. The more I write, the closer we come to the end. And then we are doomed to have a completed story. And there will be no more chapters. A bitter sweet doom. The recipe includes nuts.