"Starscream, thank you for joining me," Optimus said, rising from his seat behind his desk. Bluestreak waited patiently outside the door to Starscream's… disappointment. "How have things been so far?"

Starscream sat down slowly in a chair in front of the desk. "…Things are fine," he said. "No complaints."

Optimus tilted his helm as he sat back down. "Not even about Red Alert?"

Starscream shrugged, hiding some surprise that Optimus had already heard about that. "He was just doing his job. I'm sorry I couldn't tell him what he wanted to know."

"Your stance is… laudable; I understand that you don't want them to get hurt. I wish we could find a way to peacefully end this conflict, but I find myself increasingly out of options. Especially now that the war has tipped in favor of the Decepticons."

Starscream tensed. This… was not exactly what he wanted to talk about.

"Things had been in a stalemate for a long time," Optimus continued, his optics watching Starscream's wings hike up higher on his back. "The Autobots and Decepticons were pretty well-matched for numbers and quality of soldiers. We also had the humans to thank for giving us an edge on resource collecting. But that changed when Megatron brought in the Stunticons and you brought in the Combaticons."

Starscream looked down at his servos that he had politely folded in his lap.

"Megatron has three teams of combiners. And while Devestator and Menasor are not the smartest of the bunch, Bruticus is. The three of them wreak havoc and destruction wherever they go. But we had Superion, and combined with the rest of our forces, we could match their small advantage. We benefited from the Decepticon's lack of coordination and their continued infighting. Until the Aerialbots that form Superion left the Autobot faction with Skyfire."

Starscream shifted quietly in the ensuing silence. "I'm not sure what this has to do with me."

Optimus's optics glittered. "Surely you have some guesses." He continued to give Starscream and unnerving stare and then sighed. "It was not too long ago that you and I were in this room talking about what my officers had just done to you. I offered to let you stay here, but you were chasing something else, I think, and went back to the Decepticons."

Starscream clenched his jaw for a moment. "And what do you think I was chasing?"

Optimus shrugged. "I wish I knew. I got the impression that you were not looking forward to your new state of being once the pacification program ran it's full course." Optimus leaned back in his chair. "Perhaps you wanted to try starting over with the mechs that were once your friends. Maybe you were chasing a quick death. Maybe you were chasing Megatron. I cannot say."

Starscream wished again that he could just talk to the mech he used to be instead of having everyone else interpret him for him.

"After you left to go back to the Decepticons and the whole situation was brought to light, a lot of our flightframes protested what had happened to you. But it was more than that. They said that we as a faction should no longer be involved in this war at all. We had crossed a threshold; that we had sunk so low that we would even consider pacification, even a temporary version of it, as a means to get ahead was unconscionable."

Optimus sighed. "And in the face of this criticism, I made a mistake."

Starscream thought perhaps he should be impressed that Optimus could admit he made a mistake, but he found himself not caring. A leader should admit when they were wrong, he thought.

"At first, I reprimanded Prowl and Jazz for their decision to try out the program on a prisoner of war, but then later I did not accept their resignations and I defended their decision to try and find a way to make the Decepticons less threatening. They did what they thought was right, and I could not fault them for trying. The Decepticons have done plenty of things that were worse, and I explained to Skyfire and his growing cohort of malcontent that sometimes even if we do the wrong things for the right reasons, the intention is still an important component to how things should be perceived. I said that even if nothing else, this was a mistake that we could learn from.

"Skyfire asked me, what had I learned, exactly? One thing that has been the same from the time before his accident to now was that certain mechs are considered expendable. They are the other. Flight frame. Beastformer. Decepticon. It didn't matter what it looked like now, but it seemed like we hadn't learned anything from this war at all.

"I'll be honest with you, Starscream. I had never really thought about it. Any type of frame discrimination was not something that came up in my life before becoming Prime. I never crossed paths with those that were affected and the people I interacted with said it wasn't a big deal, that it was their own fault.

"The wage of ignorance is pain. I know this now.

"When Mirage tried to kidnap you to fix the problems developing despite our promises to leave you out of the future conflicts, Skyfire snapped. He said I had no control over the Autobots. He said that he could not condone any more behavior that would endanger you. I demoted Jazz and Prowl to try and assuage them, but it didn't matter. Skyfire, the Aerialbots and a few others left to start a neutral faction."

Starscream stilled and watched Prime carefully. "I'm not sure you did yourself any favors by storming the Decepticon base then. That seemed to endanger me more than anything else so far."

Prime nodded. "I understand why you would say that, but we didn't have much choice. Things have come to an impasse with Skyfire. He's no longer even listening to me, and the situation is untenable. We had gotten word that there were additional dangers developing as well. Bounty hunters have gotten wind about you, and… a pacified seeker is of high value."

Starscream barked out a bitter laugh. "Of course they are. And you think I will be safer with the Autobots than the Decepticons?"

"Well, the Decepticons couldn't seem to protect you. Twice."

Starscream's optics blazed a little. "They were doing an admirable job. I chose to go with your soldiers."

"You're right. You did. And it was that decision that I want you to tell Skyfire about. I didn't want to sit here and debate the mistakes we have made up until now- we have made many, and we understand that. But I can't risk losing this war over one mech, Starscream, no matter how important you may be.

"But I do need your help. I need you to try to convince them to come back to the fold."

And that was what this was all about. Starscream had a minor feeling of smug satisfaction at how severely it seemed the Autobots had fragged up here and they had really just done it to themselves. They could blame the Decepticons, they could try and even blame the mech that Starscream used to be, but ultimately it was their fault, and they knew it. But Starscream couldn't really be content with this either as he needed to start treating the Autotbots as less of an enemy. He might not want to actively help them against the Decepticons, but they were also sheltering and feeding him.

Still. He wasn't going to help them make more mistakes.

"Sir, if they believe that strongly in their conviction, I'm not sure my opinion will matter to them. I'm not informed enough on this war to have any kind of debate with them that wouldn't bring up my ignorance as a significant flaw. I… don't know if I can do what you are asking. You can't change someone's mind without evidence, and I just don't have it.

"I'm not convinced that their minds need to be changed. They… might be right."

Optimus was not happy to hear these words, but he also wasn't angry about it. Optimus seemed like the antithesis to Megatron on this; he got what he wanted more through looking disappointed than getting angry. "Time will help inform that opinion. You'll see how we are losing this war and bots that you'll befriend will get hurt at the hands of the Decepticons. Then you might understand. You will have the ability to change it. To stop it."

Starscream's shoulders sagged. Prime was shrewder than he looked. Maybe he understood how pacification worked more than anyone else, and he knew exactly how to manipulate Starscream into doing what he wanted. Because already, the thought of Bluestreak getting hurt didn't exactly fill him with happiness.

Could he close himself off from getting close to anyone? That would prevent him from being manipulated and serving to the whims of the Prime. But deep down he knew he couldn't do that. His drive for connection to anyone was strong and he would not be able to stop seeking the closeness that he had lost.

"But I honestly don't want it to get to that point," Optimus continued. "So, I have a deal in mind: talk to Skyfire for me. Explain to him why you came here- and please, tell him the truth. Tell him about the Combaticons. Explain to him how you are treated here, and how you are integrating. I know it won't be perfect, but I do think this will be a better place for you than the Decepticon base. In return, I will get you in contact with your trine. And maybe we can arrange to let you see them face to face, in person."

Starscream knew he had lost this fight as soon as Optimus had mentioned his trine. It wasn't even a battle he truly believed in anyway; bringing the Aerialbots back into a faction and ideology that they may not believe in anymore frankly didn't really concern Starscream one way or the other. Still. He was surprised at how summarily he had just been beaten.

"Please don't hold this over me," Starscream started. His voice was quiet. "You hold all the power here, and I recognize that. My situation is that I have to trust you to keep your word. Please don't promise me this and just keep stringing this out for the next thing you decide you want. I will pour my spark into talking to Skyfire to try to convince him to come back with your precious combiner, but please, please don't promise me the ability to talk to mechs I love and then take it away again. If you do, I promise you I will just call Skyfire and tell him to frag off."

"Could you even do that?" Optimus said easily. "Tell him to frag off?"

Starscream's optics widened slightly. Optimus had figured out a lot of the nuances of his condition and was throwing it back in his face. "…Possibly. I would certainly try to make it difficult for you."

Optimus nodded. "I promise you, the Autobots are honorable. If there is a way to get in contact with your trine, I will do it. All I need you to do is try and talk to Skyfire for me."

Starscream looked down at the ground. "I accept your deal then. You must be very desperate."

Optimus stood. "You have no idea." He watched Starscream carefully as he also rose from his seat. "I am glad you are back here, Starscream. And I know I am being heavy-handed with you, and I am sorry for it. But I can't let Megatron win this war."

Starscream wondered what it would be like to be a leader of a faction. Would he have made similar decisions regarding Starscream as Optimus and Megatron had done? Would he have to make hard decisions that ultimately blew up in his own face?

There was a tiny part of him that thought he could do a better job than all of them. But he didn't have anything to base this on. Besides, his condition would make things rather difficult to lead a people.

"I wish I could say I understand and that it was okay, but then I would be lying, sir. But at the very least, I will go along with your plan to the best of my ability."

Optimus paused for a moment and then nodded curtly. Starscream took that as dismissal and left the room, with Bluestreak meeting him at the door. It closed behind him and they began to walk down the hallway.

"Are you okay?" Bluestreak asked with concern.

Starscream tried release the tension in his wings. "No," he said with a smile. "I don't think I am."

Bluestreak nodded. "Talking with the big mech is intense. Especially when he doesn't have good things to say." He gently pat Starscream on the shoulder. "But I have a plan to help you relax. What is your favorite kind of high-grade? Do you like additives or just straight? We can get you whatever you want."

Starscream tilted his helm. "I've… never had high-grade. At least as far as I can remember."

Bluestreak's optics went wide.

"Listen-"

"Absolutely not! Get him the frag out of here."

"No, but listen to me-"

"Bluestreak. I'm warning you. I don't want to see him; I don't want him near me. It's bad enough they assigned him to you, I just can't."

"Sunstreaker! He's never had high-grade before," Bluestreak said, his smile lighting up his face.

Sideswipe actually paused. "Wait, he's had to have had some. He's like older than we are?"

"Yeah, but he doesn't remember it!"

"Didn't the 'Cons give you any? I thought they got drunk all the time," Sunstreaker sassed.

Starscream shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it never came up," he said looking at the wall of paintings. "These… are amazing. But they don't look like the planet we are on."

"… they are of Cybertron," Sunstreaker groused. "Don't touch them."

"I wasn't going to," Starscream said with a small smile, but still took a step back. "I think I was going to get to go there soon before I left the Decepticons. It would be nice to see it if it's as pretty as your paintings."

"It's not," Sunstreaker said angrily. "This is from the past. Before the fragging war."

Starscream's smile faded and he looked to Sunstreaker and then to Sideswipe. "Oh," was all he said. "Sorry."

"Regardless," Bluestreak said. "Let's let loose a little tonight with some high-grade, okay? It'll be fun."

Sunstreaker was still incredibly skeptical that drinking with a seeker could possibly be anything other than a problem, but one look to his brother who was already sold on the idea made him sigh in acceptance. "Fine. Come over after shift."

Bluestreak squeaked in delight and gave Sunstreaker a huge hug. "We'll be there! I gotta finish showing Starscream around for a little, but we'll see you tonight."

Sunstreaker huffed and pushed Blustreak off of him and out the door. "Fine, sure, whatever," he finished. Starscream and Bluestreak smiled and turned to leave as the door closed.

"That was cute," Sideswipe said, smirking.

"Shut up," he said, throwing an empty energon cube at his twin's helm to raucous laughter.

"This is weird, TC," Skywarp whined. "I don't like it."

"I know," Thundercracker said patting his trinemate on the back. He wasn't quite healed enough to leave the medbay, but even though he still hurt, he had to give it his best shot.

Skywarp huffed. "Who did you say we were meeting again?"

Shockwave turned to look at him with his optic. "I didn't."

Thundercracker tried not to let Skywarp's nervousness affect him, but he was right to be unnerved by the situation. Shockwave had given them coordinates and said nothing about who they were meeting. They had no way to prepare and Shockwave was a loose ally at best.

"He's here," Shockwave said as loud thrusters cut out nearby.

Skywarp made an angry noise. "You are kidding me."

"Good afternoon," Skyfire said in his low, rumbling voice. Thundercracker realized he shouldn't be surprised, but at the same time… he was very, very confused. He looked between Shockwave and Skyfire, his optics narrowing with thought. He pulled a servo up to his helm as the mental strain trying to figure them out threatened to bring back the pain of his injuries.

"You two? Really?" Skywarp said in a much more succinct way than Thundercracker had been planning. He had to crack a tiny smile. Trust 'Warp to get to the heart of things quickly.

Shockwave nodded. "Our partnership made sense once I started delving into Starscream's condition more. Skyfire had more knowledge than I did when it came to the history of pacification and the effects."

"But… he's an Autobot."

"Not anymore," Skyfire said. Thundercracker noticed he wasn't wearing a brand at all. "But in some ways, I wish things had played out differently. Optimus went after Starscream because when I left, the Aerialbots went with me."

"And therein lies our plan," Shockwave said. "Optimus is going to try and use Starscream to get Skyfire and the rest of the new neutrals back into the fold. We will have a way to try and confirm Starscream's condition and well-being."

Skyfire was looking down at the ground with his arms crossed. He looked like he was weighing something in his mind and then looked up and saw that Thundercracker was staring at him. He smiled softly. "I'm sure he is alright."

Skywarp huffed angrily. "He's not alright. We've spent the past month getting to know him again and how his condition works; the Autobots know nothing. He hasn't been alone at all for all of his new life, and I guarantee they don't know that. He's different and I know they are going to hold onto grudges, whether they mean to or not. We couldn't even seem to do it, and we're his own damn faction! The Autobots only care about him as some kind of… of honeypot or something!" he said angrily, throwing a servo at Skyfire. "And you are so eager to get involved here- what exactly are your motivations?"

"'Warp-"

"No, don't ''Warp' me," Skywarp said, his voice a little raw. "I just want him back."

Skyfire looked incredibly sad, almost as if he agreed with Skywarp but didn't want to say it out loud. "I… made a promise to Starscream before he lost his memory. I would do anything to help his new self if I could. I just want to hold up my end of that promise."

Skywarp clenched his jaw and folded his arms angrily. "Well. That's all we want, too."

Thundercracker sighed. "So if he is happy, then we agree to let him live his life as he has chosen. If he is not… then what do we do?

Shockwave's optic focused on Thundercracker and stayed there for a long moment. "Skyfire and his neutrals will assist in a rescue operation under the guise of complying with Prime's wishes. But… I'm afraid even the Decepticons might not be a safe place for him anymore."

"What?" Skywarp said incredulously. "Of course it will be."

Shockwave's shoulders sagged just a little, and Thundercracker would have missed it if he weren't paying close attention to him. "Megatron is not convinced of Starscream's value anymore. And given that this operation may be beyond his explicit sanctioning, I don't think he would be happy to receive Starscream back into the Decepticons without repercussions."

Skywarp looked incredulous. "No, what? No, Megatron knows- Megatron promised," he said. "He promised Starscream he would take care of him."

Shockwave did not often radiate any kind of emotion, but Thundercracker thought he looked… bereft. "I know. I wish I could tell you differently."

Skywarp's wings fell behind his back and he frowned. "I'm… I can't. No," he said. Thundercracker could hear him breaking.

"'Warp, can you head back to the base for me? I need you to try and clear the way so that I can sneak back into the medbay."

Skywarp looked to him and stared for a moment before nodding and taking off.

Thundercracker turned to look at Shockwave then. "That's not what Megatron said, is it?"

Shockwave stared back at him, saying nothing.

"In fact," Thundercracker said, quietly. "I imagine it was quite the opposite, wasn't it?"

Shockwave lifted his face up, but again said nothing. A sentinel to not betraying Megatron, but also not wanting to give him what he wanted.

"Unfortunately, I must leave for Cybertron tonight, so I will not be able to assist you in this operation," Shockwave said after a few tense moments. "But you three can contact each other for future moves. I hope you succeed should you be needed."

Thundercracker nodded and decided to take off into the sky after Skywarp.