Ch. 3

Ratchet was already looking himself over, welding the cuts and abrasions he could reach.

The medic scowled when Optimus approached him with Starscream's request, "Talk? He wants to talk?" Ratchet waved the Prime away, "He resurrects Skyquake with the use of dark energon, putting us all in danger, and then expects to have a little chat with me?! Well, if he thinks he's going to get away with that..."

Ratchet dissolved himself into grumbles, welding a cut along his palm.

"I understand your reluctance, old friend," Optimus said gently, "but I have a strange feeling that talking with Starscream will be a beneficial act, even if you do so for only a few moments."

The medic paused in his work, frowning up at Optimus, "We're in no position to waste time on this. Bumblebee is unconscious-"

"Was unconscious," Bulkhead rumbled, helping the yellow mech walk to the rest of the group, "He seems alright now."

Bumblebee beeped that he felt fine, but was a little sore if anything.

"Op, bop, bop, you are not a licensed physician," Ratchet interjected, "We were all exposed to high levels of dark energon and I still have many little repairs to make on myself."

Optimus helped the medic to his peds, "If you see it best to go back to base for repairs and check ups, then that is what we will do. Give me a moment to speak with Starscream."

Ratchet looked behind the Prime and shrugged, "Don't bother, I think he already knows."

Optimus turned to see the seeker walking away.

Starscream didn't have time for them to muddle his offer over. He had to know what was going on. How he got to this place, this time, and if messing with anything would effect anything else. So far, he had ensured Soundwave's safety. At least he thought so. Without the Autobots knowing about the shadow zone, they couldn't use it against the silent mech later when they boarded the Nemesis...

He paused in his walk, thinking. There was so much he could change, that he could sway in his favor. But again, the smallest alteration...

"Starscream."

The seeker flinched, growling as Optimus approached him, "If your medic refuses to speak to me, then I want nothing to do with any of you," he narrowed his optics, "And I highly doubt that your base, let alone your resources, are adequate enough to hold a prisoner."

The Prime didn't move, "I will neither confirm, nor deny, your assumptions, Starscream. But what I do know is that you saved Ratchet from being killed, and I wanted to thank you for that."

Starscream rolled his optics. He didn't want this. He just wanted to fly off and call for a bridge.

"Look, don't ever mention it again. And now if you'll excuse me, I need to go."

"I would like to ask that you reconsider my offer."

The seeker sighed, "Prime. No."

Optimus spoke lightly, "You do not have to continue down this path. Help us bring peace, Starscream."

Starscream shook his helm, "... I can't talk to you right now. I need to go."

The Prime didn't look happy, but he didn't stop the seeker. Starscream took a couple steps forward then jumped to transform when he felt something inside his chassis stab into him, hard. He collapsed, curling in tightly and snarled when Optimus came to his aide.

"Stay away from me!"

The Prime ignored the order, "You are damaged, you need repairs-"

Starscream panted roughly as he tried to sit up, "Yes, I know, and I will get them on my ship, with my medic, on my terms."

"Starscream-"

"Shut up!" he snarled, "Just leave me alone! Go back to your base, scold the children for following you onto the battlefield, whatever, just leave me alone!"

Optimus frowned with concern but he knew he couldn't force the seeker to do anything unless he took him as a prisoner. Perhaps he would do just that.

The Prime stood tall, looking down at the ailing mech, "Starscream, I am placing you in the custody of the Autobots as a prisoner of war."

Starscream rolled his optics again, "For Primus' sake, you're not doing this. You won't do this."

Optimus ignored the seeker and lifted him up by the arm carefully, "Starscream, you do not know what I am willing to do in this war. And if I have to take you prisoner to make sure you are medically treated properly, and to ask you some questions, then that is what I will have to do."

The seeker winced, snarling, "Let me rephrase. You CAN'T do this. Now let me go!"

Starscream pulled hard to get away but Optimus's grasp was firm, despite not trying to injure the mech further.

"Bulkhead, I need your assistance," Optimus called back.

The green mech looked up from some of the wounds Ratchet had sustained and smirked as he walked over, "I guess we're finally taking in old Screamy, huh?"

Starscream's faceplate grew flustered, "Old? Old?! How dare-" he wrenched his arm away painfully and scuttled back a few steps, holding his side as he activated his COMM, "I need a bridge at my location! Now!"

Optimus grabbed Starscream's arm again and the seeker struggled to pull away a second time. Bulkhead was now looming over him beside the Prime. There was no way the seeker could fight the both of them off, even if they weren't trying to hurt him. Where was that bridge?!

Starscream yelled into his COMM as Bulkhead helped Optimus apprehend him, "I need backup! The Autobots-"

Optimus turned off his COMM, but not in time. A bridge opened behind the seeker a few hundred feet away.

The Prime transformed his servos into blasters, aiming at the bridge, as Bulkhead put Starscream into a headlock and pulled him in front of his chassis. The seeker snarled and struggled to get himself free, quietly cursing at how far away the bridge was from his location and how they usually only did that when...

Starscream's optics widened, "Oh slag, it's Megatron."

No sooner had he come to that realization than did said mech come walking through the bridge, a handful of drones, and Knockout, at his side.

"Optimus," the warlord said in that tone of his, that fake 'good to see you' way, "I see you've apprehended my second in command."

Optimus glared, blasters unwavering, "Megatron. I am surprised he made it this far considering the condition he is in."

Megatron sneered, "Yes. Quite resilient, isn't he? But perhaps his latest reminder of who leads the Decepticons will be his last. He may have actually learned his lesson," Megatron's optics locked onto Starscream as he glared darkly, "this time."

The seeker looked around nervously. This did NOT happen before. Megatron didn't even find out about the whole Skyquake incident until later on. This was a whole new lob game. He had to get free and get the Decepticons out of the area before things changed too much.

"Allow me to outline my simple proposal for you," Megatron chuckled, "Return my second and I will not have your troops torn limb from limb."

Starscream scoffed quietly to himself, "That is not a good deal, this is such a joke."

Bulkhead heard him, growling quietly, "We know that. Megatron sure likes a show though, doesn't he?"

The seeker wanted to laugh. Yes. The old bucket head really liked to draw things out. Glory from the gladiatorial days he thought.

Optimus still stayed in his defensive position, "Starscream will be coming with us, Megatron. Whether he, or yourself, likes it or not."

Nope. That was not going to happen.

"I'd give apologies, but that's not quite my style," the seeker murmured quickly.

Bulkhead's optics flickered in confusion, then widened when he felt Starscream's pointed elbows hit him in the sides. He let go in surprise and the seeker ducked at the first round of shots that came from the drones, diving so Bulkhead or Optimus couldn't grab him again. Optimus returned fire and pushed Bulkhead back towards Ratchet and Bumblebee, the Autobots finding cover behind a pile of boulders.

Starscream scuttled over to the Decepticon's ground bridge and went to rush in when he felt a clawed servo grab his arm roughly.

"You and I," Megatron hissed, "are going to have another long conversation."

Knockout smirked, "Ooo~ someone's in trouble," he snapped his digits for emphasis.

But Starscream frowned, if only to give himself something else to concentrate on rather than his wounds, "Very well, if that is what is required. When we return to the Nemesis, I will answer anything you ask."

The warlord nearly carried the smaller mech through the bridge, being none too gentle as he growled, "Preferably," he added, "without a lie or omission in your explanation."

Knockout followed the two through the bridge, the handful of drones going in after them.

Bulkhead looked confused as the portal closed, scratching at the marks left by Starscream's rather minor assault to escape his hold, "Well, that was different."

"As treacherous and deceitful as Starscream may be, Megatron would never risk losing him to the enemy," Optimus said, transforming his blasters away, "Starscream knows too much to be lost to the Decepticon cause."

"Oh, well that too," the green mech shrugged, "But I meant how he got away from me. He has those spikes on his elbows that could gut a mech. And he didn't bother to use that much force. I thought Screamy was the type to leave no mech standing."

Ratchet took a careful look at the scrapes and scoffed, "Bah, just a paint scratch. Just feel lucky he didn't have the presence of mind to finish the job."

Bumblebee beeped in agreement, sighing happily as a ground bridge for them opened. Optimus watched his Autobots file through and hummed to himself. He wasn't so sure Starscream had unintentionally left Bulkhead alive at all...