Author's Notes: Hi everyone! I know this fic is probably not a great pick to update amidst the coronavirus outbreak, but I have two reasons for doing so. One, I received a lovely review from anon that made me want to update it. Two, I think in this difficult time for our planet it would serve us well to remember the medical workers who are risking their lives and making difficult choices to save as many lives as they can. So, this chapter is dedicated to the doctors, nurses, and volunteers out there helping their communities.
Chapter 7
Savage Hunger
When Breakdown returned to headquarters his first stop was going to be to Megatron, but at the last moment he chickened out. He had managed to get so little energon; two regular cubes and one cube of medical grade. It wasn't enough to ration fairly, and Breakdown had lost Dead End to the Autobots in the attempt. No, he would not share his treasure with Megatron. If anyone asked about Dead End, then he didn't see anything.
His paranoia was turned up to eleven once he actually made it back to the Nemesis. Soundwave might have recorded him leaving with Dead End, and then he would know Breakdown was lying! Or worse, the Reflector triplets might've seen. Those guys were so creepy, especially Viewfinder with his stupid giant camera lense on his chest. Breakdown was one step away from muttering incoherently to himself as he made his way through the cold dank hallways.
He couldn't go to Megatron, but he also wasn't going to tell Motormaster; at least not right away. He would go to Hook first. Hook was the one who could use the medical supplies, and Scavenger needed that anti-rust cream. Breakdown just hoped Scavenger didn't die. He had actually grown to like the Constructicons over the course of his medical training, and Scavenger was actually a lot of fun to be around despite his odd hobbies and weird smell.
When Breakdown made it into the medbay he saw that all six Constructicons were gathered around Scavenger's berth. Such camaraderie. Breakdown didn't think his own gestalt team would do that for him. Wildrider wouldn't remember, Dead End might show up (maybe), but Drag Strip and Motormaster wouldn't care. Breakdown was always taking care of them, but he got so little of that same attention in return.
"Ah, Breakdown. Where have you been?" Hook asked, sounding tired but welcoming, "I need you to scrub that berth over there. Scavenger leaked transmission fluid on it, and we had to move him to prevent further rust setting in."
"Yes, sir," Breakdown replied dutifully, "When I'm finished I have something to show you."
"Did you injure yourself?" Hook asked apprehensively, "If it's too serious I can't treat you."
"No, sir. It's something good," Breakdown assured him.
"Well then you might as well show me now," Hook replied, "I could use some good news today."
Breakdown went over to where the other Constructicons were, and kept his focus squarely on Hook. He didn't know how the other Constructicons were looking at him or if they approved of him being there, but he did know he would lose his nerve if he saw their glaring red optics staring back at him.
Breakdown went to a supply tray, and then emptied his subspace of every piece of medical equipment he had stolen from the Autobots. The other Constructicons looked at the haul with amazement, not even noticing Breakdown had left to go on the raid. There were tools, loose wires, and so much more! The last thing Breakdown pulled out was the two cubes of energon, followed by the cube of medical grade energon.
"This is amazing!" Scrapper exclaimed approvingly, "I don't know what you did Breakdown, but it obviously worked."
"Well...only kind of," Breakdown replied shamefully, "I snuck into Autobot HQ with Dead End so we could steal their supplies, but they captured him. I barely made it out with anything."
"The medical grade means we might be able to conduct a small raid on one of the humans' power plants," Hook noted, "And these supplies mean I might be able to get some work done around here."
"Laser scalpels in four different si-sizes," Mixmaster rattled off as he counted up the loot, "Joint cream...pro-pro-processor scanner. We might be able to sell that to Swindle for something we can t-trade with the humans."
"Trade with the humans? Are you off your rocket?" Bonecrusher scoffed, "We should crush the humans and take what we want!"
"If we do that then that'll alert the Autobots, and those well-fed slaggers will wipe the floor with us," Scrapper countered, "No, Mixmaster is right. We need things to trade. If the humans work with us willingly then we have a better shot of ending this famine."
"That's a good thing, right?" Breakdown asked hopefully.
"It's a very good thing," Hook replied with a grin.
"Something's wrong," Mixmaster suddenly piped up, and everyone turned to regard him, "There are many many good things here Breakdown, but there's no no no anti-rust gel. We don't have anything to g-gi-give to Scavenger."
Breakdown involuntarily gasped at the news. He knew Mixmaster had to be wrong, so he started frantically rummaging through the items himself to see if he could find the missing medicine. The other Constructicons hung their helms while Breakdown continued his fruitless search. They knew he wouldn't find it, because it simply wasn't there.
"No! No! No! No!" Breakdown roared as he banged his fist against the tray; sending its contents spilling all around the room, "Why wasn't I more careful!? Why didn't I look harder? It was those stupid Autobots. Distracting me! Taunting me! Stalking me! Hunting me down like an animal! Now Scavenger is gonna die, and it's all my fault! I had one job!"
"Breakdown, control yourself!" Hook demanded and roughly grabbed the younger mech's shoulder guard, "Breakdown, I know you feel bad. You're supposed to feel bad. You're a medic, and your patient is dying. Every medic feels this way; wondering if they could've done more...wondering where they went wrong. I know, because I feel that way right now; just like you do."
"I don't wonder anything. I know I screwed up," Breakdown growled, angry at himself but ready to take it out on Hook, "The Autobots have probably beefed up security by now. I only had one chance and I blew it. I'm not a good warrior, I'm not a good spy, and I'm not a good medic. I'm nothing!"
Before anyone could reply Scavenger started coughing up a burnt orange colored fluid in his recharge. It was obviously dried energon stained with flaking rust.
"Sit down, Breakdown," Hook ordered sternly, "We will discuss your failures later. For now just stay out of our way. My comrades and I need to tend to Scavenger."
"Yes, sir," Breakdown sighed, and sulked as he walked away from the green and purple mechs.
Breakdown knew Hook was angry with him, but also knew Hook wasn't like Megatron or Motormaster. Those two loved rubbing Breakdown's nose in his mistakes and punishing him for his shortcomings. Hook however was a classier mech, and for reasons Breakdown didn't understand the Constructicon would just as soon cover over Breakdown's mistakes rather than punish him for them. Somehow though, disappointing a mech like that made Breakdown feel worse than anytime he failed his brother or even the Decepticon leader. He hated letting down the only one that truly believed he wasn't a screw up.
It had been several hours since Breakdown came in from the raid, and the Constructicons were taking turns watching Scavenger to see if he needed anything. They couldn't give him the medical grade energon just in case a mech with a more salvageable condition needed it. All they could do was keep him comfortable, and fortunately for them Breakdown had managed to steal some pain suppressors. At least with those Scavenger wouldn't feel the rust eat him away.
It was oh-one-hundred hours, and Hook was the one watching Scavenger after relieving Long Haul from the job. Scavenger's condition was getting worse, and it was painful to watch him deteriorate like that. After all the battles they had fought, after all the damage they inflicted on their enemies as Devastator, it was all going to end like this. Death by rust-poisoned energon dregs. It just felt so...anticlimactic.
Hook was almost in recharge himself as he sat in a chair beside his gestalt kin, when Scavenger suddenly rasped "H-Hook..."
"Eh?" Hook roused himself awake to see what Scavenger needed.
"Hook...I smell cobalt treats," Scavenger groaned, his vocalizer barely above a whisper.
"No you don't," Hook sighed, "They don't make cobalt treats anymore. That was a specialty of Tarn fuel smelters, and I'm pretty sure the last one died on Cybertron 5 million years ago."
"No...I smell it," Scavenger argued, "They smell just like Coolant's. Coolant used to run the fuel smeltery when I was a sparkling. I was sparked to work as a backhoe in Tarn, and after work if I had any credits to spare I would go...to Coolant's for cobalt treats, and sometimes vorn-old copper-infused energon. It was cheaper if you waited, and I didn't mind that it turned green. Mmm...Hook? Can I have some cobalt treats? I promise I can handle it."
Hook felt his vocalizer tighten. He knew Scavenger was delusional, but he didn't know what to say. Scavenger had told him before about his time in Tarn, but he had forgotten all about Coolant's. Hook hadn't known Scavenger as a sparkling. While Scavenger was sparked as an expendable drone and dug into the hard metallic ground for his daily rations Hook was asleep in his comfortable home with his two loving parents. Hook hated thinking about the life Scavenger had led before they met each other.
"I want some cobalt treats..." Scavenger said in a groggy voice, barely able to stay online.
"Not right now," Hook finally replied, "First you need to get better. When you're well, then we'll look into concocting a recipe for cobalt treats. I'm sure Mixmaster can come up with something. He's the best chemist in the universe, you know."
"I wanna go to Coolant's..." Scavenger replied deliriously.
"Rest..." Hook replied firmly as he injected Scavenger with a recharge aid Breakdown had stolen for them, "We can discuss it tomorrow, Scavenger. Just get well for me, okay? We still need you. Once the energon shortage is over Devastator will rampage throughout this miserable planet once again. We will be just as glorious as before. Okay?" Scavenger was in recharge by this time, so Hook answered himself with, "Okay."
Hook knew Scavenger would be in recharge for several hours, so he took the time to wipe the purged energon from around Scavenger's face and berth. He then checked for any leaks, and found a new one on the right side of Scavenger's torso. Hook then used a piece of mesh and a welding torch to plug the hole. He knew working on the fuel line was pointless. The problem was the armor that kept rusting all around Scavenger's frame. Hook would have to monitor him carefully until they could find a way to get that anti-rust gel.
Just as Hook was about to continue cleaning around Scavenger's berth he got a transmission on his comm.
/Blitzwing to Hook! We got two patients coming in!/
/Now? I'm rather busy,/ Hook snapped, /Is it an emergency?/
/Duh! Why else would we need a medic?/ Blitzwing rudely retorted, /Blast Off and Wildrider are coming in, so you better get ready, Doc!/
Blitzwing then hung up the comm before Hook could say anything else, and Hook prepared potential tools and supplies that could be needed for whatever the emergency might be. He wished Blitzwing would've told him something. Then maybe he could be more efficient in his preparations. As he raced around his medbay something Blitzwing had said suddenly struck him.
Wildrider.
Blitzwing had said Wildrider was one of the injured mechs. He was a Stunticon...Breakdown's gestalt brother. Breakdown had already gone back to his quarters in disgrace, knowing that Dead End was captured and Scavenger was dying. If the poor mech found out about Wildrider he would be devastated. Hook decided then. He wouldn't comm Breakdown for his help. He would just patch up Wildrider and Blast Off and hope Breakdown didn't learn of any mishaps that might have happened.
Blitzwing ran through the door carrying Blast Off, with Wildrider running behind them. When Hook got a good look at his patients the horror of the scene became a bit more clear.
Blast Off's right arm had been ripped off his body, and he was holding it with his left arm so he wouldn't lose track of it. He was leaking what precious little energon he had left. His helm had been punched in. That wasn't the part that stunned Hook however. Wildrider had energon stains on his mouth and his denta. His eyes were a little brighter than they had been before. His servos were also stained with energon. What really told the tale was the large footprint denting his chassis. As if he had been kicked.
"What did you do?" Hook immediately demanded to know.
Wildrider didn't seem to notice he was being addressed however. He just kept looking between the walls of the medbay and Blast Off, and Blast Off was glaring viciously at the Stunticon with what little strength he had left.
"Wildrider attacked Blast Off," Blitzwing answered for him, "He ripped off the fragger's arm and started drinking the energon that spilled out. I gotta tell you, it's been a long time since I've seen a starving mech try something so desperate."
"Just get Blast Off on the berth," Hook sighed wearily, "You've actually come to my office at an opportune time. I can treat the energon loss, but just barely."
"How can you treat energon loss with no med grade?" Blitzwing asked.
"I have one cube left in resevere for emergencies such as this one," Hook explained.
Hook was truly grateful that Breakdown had raided the Autobots now. That single cube of medical grade energon was going to save Blast Off's life. After he secured Blast Off to the berth however, he suddenly heard an unholy howl! He turned around to see Wildrider lunging for him, and Blitzwing grabbed him just in time!
"Gimme!" Wildrider demanded as he fruitlessly clawed at the air near Hook, "Gimme that energon! Now!"
"It's not for drinking," Hook told him, "It's medical grade, and can only be safely administered intravenously."
"I don't care what planet it's from!" Wildrider raved, "I need it! I'm shrinking! Gimme that energon!"
Hook of course could see Wildrider was not shrinking. It was clear that starvation was slowly shattering his already fragile grip on reality. Blitzwing, also deprived of energon, was too weak to keep a firm grip on the unruly Stunticon. Wildrider forced Blitzwing down and then stepped on him as he ran toward Hook! Hook tackled him, but Wildrider didn't fall. The two mechs struggled as Wildrider tried to get at the cube that could save Blast Off. The titular shuttle-former had already passed out, thankfully. Hook knew his patient would die if he couldn't get Wildrider under control.
"Outta my way, Constructicon!" Wildrider growled viciously at Hook, "It's mine. It's mine! You can't kill me! I quit!"
Hook used every ounce of his strength to fend off Wildrider. His patient depended on his strength and his clear thinking. He had to get the Stunticon under control so he could treat Blast Off. It wasn't just Blast Off's life at stake after all. He was part of the combiner known as Bruticus, and if he died then the other Combaticons wouldn't receive their rations. Megatron could afford no drain on resources, and he would abandon a combiner team that became useless.
"Stop...I'll give you fuel, just stop fighting me!" Hook grunted as Wildrider continued to grapple with him.
Wildrider didn't hear him however. Hook didn't know what gruesome realm Wildrider's processor had sent him to, but he clearly was no longer among the mentally functional members of this ship. His hallucinations and hunger drove him onward, and Hook unfortunately was the roadblock standing in Wildrider's way. If nothing was done, Wildrider could kill every mech in that room.
Just as Hook felt his strength might give under the pressure of Wildrider's assault, a steel tool tray suddenly flew through the air and clonked Wildrider on the helm with great force; knocking him unconscious.
At first Hook didn't know what to think. He looked at Blitzwing, but he was still groaning on the floor. Blast Off was still passed out. Hook then turned to the berth, and saw Scavenger awake with his arm still outstretched from the motion of throwing the tray. Hook didn't even know Scavenger had woken up, and wondered briefly what type of cheap recharging meds the Autobots were using.
Before Hook could thank his brother however, Scavenger fell back against the berth and lost consciousness again. As he impacted his berth another piece of his rusted frame fell off and to the floor, causing Hook to sigh mournfully. The Nemesis and it's crew were falling apart, and it seemed Hook was always the one left to pick up the pieces.
