"Alright, Knockout, you can do this. You can so totally do this. You've done this before. You just need to go in there and..."
Knockout quit his pacing and brought a servo up to his faceplates, resting a pair of digits on closed optics.
"Talk to him."
The day went by so quickly, Knockout felt like he had little to no time to prepare for this moment, especially after what happened at the meeting.
As promised, Bumblebee got the two of them an early audience with the Council. Despite having Bee by his side, Knockout was still extremely nervous when proposing his idea to the other 'Bots. Their reactions weren't all that different from what Knockout was expecting.
Bulkhead thought it was a really bad idea and did not take too kindly to it.
Both Windblade and Jazz voiced their concerns, seemingly trying to keep an open-mind despite most likely sharing the same opinion as Bulkhead.
Ratchet didn't say anything and just sat there with an unreadable expression on his faceplates.
After hours of debating and getting nowhere, the Council adjourned to take a short recess to discuss their options in private. About another hour passed before they came back in and told Bumblebee and Knockout that they called Optimus Prime, believing that his decision should be the final one. Whether that was legal or not, Knockout didn't really know, and at this point, didn't really care.
Then, they proceeded to relay to Knockout and Bumblebee what Optimus told them: it's risky, and many would do anything to prevent it from happening, but everyone deserves a second chance, and they wouldn't know how it will work out if they don't try.
Just like that, Optimus Prime, willing to give Knockout and Bumblebee a chance, gave the Council permission to greenlight the mission. Optimus, however, did express one condition: they are only allowed to colonize a planet that isn't ruled over by a dominant species. He doesn't want them taking over someone else's world like tyrants. They will colonize a new world, and hope it works out for the best.
Knockout smiled to himself as he recalled the events of the day, then frowned when he remembered the condition that Ratchet sprung upon him afterward.
"Okay, Knockout, just suck it up and go in," the red mech told himself. He stood where he was for another few minutes before finally forcing himself to move.
The medic showed his ID to the guards standing outside the building, and once they confirmed it was him, allowed him inside access. Knockout put his ID card in his subspace as he walked down the brightly lit hallway.
"Still as bare and eerily quiet as ever," Knockout said to himself. "Nothing could possibly be more creepy than something that reminds you of Earth's horror movies. Just waiting on that jump scare, not really."
Knockout continued to talk to himself in order to keep calm. He reached the end of the hallway, which branched off in two separate directions: a short hallway going left, the other right, and both with heavy-duty doors and a security panel and camera at the ends. Knockout glanced left then turned right. He punched in the code for that wing while leaving his other servo on the palm scanner. A few seconds passed before a beep and a click sounded.
"So much easier when I do both at the same time," Knockout admitted out loud before opening the door and passing through. He let it slam behind him as he walked down another corridor, this one darker with dim lights glowing in the ceiling.
"Still not as creepy as the other one."
Knockout turned at a bend, walked down the hallway, and arrived at another door. He punched in the same code as before, but this time, he didn't need to use a palm scan. The door unlocked and he walked through. Knockout was now in a large, spacious room, with a bench on each side of the wall, a shelf full of data pads, and security cameras in every corner. An empty table stood next to the glowing bars of the isolation cell. Behind the bars was a winged mech, lying on their side on a berth.
"I didn't think you were coming today, doctor," the mech rasped. He didn't budge so much as a single millimeter; he already knew who his visitor was, as they were the only one who ever came to see him.
"Turn around and look at me, Starscream," Knockout demanded. "We need to talk."
"Oh, you're sounding a little different today. Do tell, what's the special occasion?"
Surprising Knockout, Starscream actually listened to him and turned around. The medic still couldn't get over how different his ex-friend was now: bigger, stronger, not to mention more confident. Unfortunately for him, the Seeker is still experiencing catatonia and other emotional breakdowns...
"I'm going on a mission, and you're coming with me."
. . . resulting in Ratchet's added condition.