Ch. 30
Bulkhead came out of the bridge into the Autobot base with the data cylinder and ran right into a mess of chaos.
"I need him in the quarantine showers! Now!" he heard Ratchet yell and he watched as Bumblebee and Optimus carried an unconscious Starscream down the hall.
Arcee ran to Ratchet with some medical equipment as the doctor grabbed up some gloves and other supplies before charging after his new patient.
The green mech wandered to Arcee, who watched Ratchet follow the group down the hall, "'Cee! What happened, what's going on?"
Arcee shook her helm, "Right now, it's only a guess..." she started walking down the hall, gesturing for Bulkhead to follow.
The green mech set the data cylinder on Ratchet's desk, following close behind; he gestured to some new dents and minor scratches on her plating, "Scuffle?"
Arcee shrugged, "Airachnid," she pointed ahead, "I didn't think we'd ever have to use this room."
"The quarantine shower?" Bulkhead murmured; the two peeked inside and watched as Ratchet, Optimus and Bumblebee began scouring Starscream's chassis down with scalding hot water, "That bad? What did old Megs do to him?"
Optimus looked up, "We do not believe this was Megatron's doing."
Ratchet started adding base solvents to the water to ensure Starscream was decontaminated, "Besides, how did you know Megatron was even there? I only told you we had obtained Starscream in critical condition."
Bulkhead looked to see if there was anything he could do to help, then shrugged, "Had a run in with Breakdown and Knockout. They're the two Starscream said he had to talk to before he said anything. They got the heads up from Soundwave. Seems the silent creep joined in with them in the past few days."
Bumblebee beeped in surprise but Optimus looked almost hopeful, "Did they say anything about Starscream's behavior?"
The Wrecker shook his helm, "No, but if... when he comes to, we can tell him they side with us. At least then he can tell us what he knows."
Ratchet turned off the hot showers and quickly checked his equipment for any readings, nodding with a sigh, "Contamination is clear, but I still need to open him up and check for any burns. If this is what I think it is, then he's going to need a lot of rest to overcome the ToxEn."
His helm hurt. Really hurt. Just to the side-waaaait. He'd been through that before.
Starscream didn't bother trying to roll over this time. The weight of the cuffs on his wrists told him he had been caught... But by who?
"Megatron! Set Starscream down and back away from him slowly!"
He had heard that just before he passed out. Optimus had said it. To Megatron. So Megatron must have stopped him from falling down into the volcano. Hm. He didn't like that thought. It scared him.
But was he now in the Autobot base? Or on the Nemesis?
The seeker felt a tiny body crawl onto his chest plate then down to his cockpit, and heard a whimper from just beside him, a whisper, "Miko! Get away from him! Ratchet and Optimus will be back any minute!"
Autobot. Great.
A raspberry answered, "Oh, come on, Raf! Pull your eyes away from your computer and check him out! Or... at least take a picture of me standing on him so I look cool."
Another voice popped up, "Guys, this is serious. What if he wakes up and finds you walking all over him? He's not going to be happy. And then he's definitely not going to talk with Optimus. Get down."
Miko laughed, "Ah, but I am now the great Starscream conquerer! Quick Raf! Get a picture of me doing THIS!"
Starscream couldn't take much more. He onlined his optics and sat up the best he could, glaring at Miko as she stared back at her friends. Jack and Raf backed up and the girl frowned, scratching her head.
"Uh, guys? More picture taking, less gawking," she turned around and gasped, staring right into Starscream's optics.
The seeker frowned, growling, "Get. Off. Me."
Miko smiled nervously and laughed, "Ah, yeah, sorry about that. Just wanted some pictures..." she slipped off him and landed on the med berth, crawling down the side of it easily.
Starscream grumbled and blinked his optics hard, trying to get rid of the ache that was growing in his helm. He heard the smaller human, Raf, mumble something and he peered at him lazily, sighing.
"What?" he asked as softly as he could.
Raf tensed up, "U-um... I was j-just wondering if you were feeling better?"
The seeker shook his helm. Humans...
"Yes," he murmured softly, lying back onto the berth, "much. ... Thank you for asking."
Heavy pedfalls alerted the group to new arrivals as Ratchet and Optimus walked in, the doctor scowling lightly when he saw where the children were standing.
"Now, what did we tell you three?" he scolded, "He needs to rest, go back to doing homework or something productive!"
Miko grumbled as they stalked back up the stairs to their game area, "You know, he's looking pretty chipper to me."
Ratchet narrowed his optics at her.
Optimus approached the berth side cautiously, "How are you feeling?"
Starscream shrugged, "Fine. Now let me go."
The Prime shook his helm, "We cannot do that, Starscream. And I am afraid we will not release your bonds so you can escape again."
The seeker sighed, "I figured as much."
"We were hoping that you'd be a little more chatty this time around," Ratchet huffed, taking out a scanner so he could run a few basic tests, "Considering we got the green light from your friends."
Starscream scoffed, "I don't have friends."
"Knockout, Breakdown and Soundwave," Optimus said deeply, "wanted us to inform you that they have sided with our cause."
The seeker slowly glared and growled, trying to tug his wrists free, "I highly doubt that! Now let me go!"
"You're not getting away this time," Ratchet almost laughed, "You have some explaining to do and now that you've been given permission by your... your..." he grumbled, "I'm still going to call them your 'friends', you have have to talk to us."
Starscream scowled, "I don't have to do anything. Let me go."
Optimus sighed heavily. The seeker's resistance wasn't too much of a surprise, but he had hoped with all his spark that Starscream would open up. The Prime looked into the seeker's optics and took a pause. There was very little fear in those red orbs, but Optimus recognized something else hiding in them; insecurity, worry. The Autobot leader looked back at the three human children, eagerly awaiting to hear what Starscream had to say. And Optimus knew his Autobot team was waiting just around the corner, they too listening to hear what the seeker would say.
Optimus smiled lightly, calling out, "Autobots. It is nearly time for the children's curfew. It would be best if each of you took them home."
The kids and 'Bots groaned, Miko the loudest of them all, "Really?! Now of all times? But you were just about to get Screamer to spill his robot guts to you!"
Optimus turned and watched as the children reluctantly paired with their guardians and took leave. Starscream watched in confusion and even Ratchet seemed unsure.
"Optimus," he murmured, "emptying the base doesn't seem like a good idea with..."
The medic's optics widened as the Prime went back to Starscream's side and released him from his bonds, "Wh- my- Are you serious?! The last time we did that-"
"The last time," Optimus said carefully, helping the seeker to his peds, "we had a full base of Autobots waiting to listen to what Starscream had to say. Now, it is just us two, old friend."
Starscream did seem a bit calmer. He looked around lightly and flitted his wings only once to show he was still alert. The seeker carefully pulled away from Optimus's side and walked into the middle of the room, beginning to pace with his servos behind his back.
Ratchet watched with a glare, but the Prime smiled, "Is everything alright?"
Starscream paused, then started pacing again, "I think better when I move around."
The medic rolled his optics, "Funny. So does Jack."
The seeker took in a quick intake, then nodded slowly, "Alright... where do I start?"
Optimus walked up to Starscream, "If this is difficult, then start where you feel most comfortable. But if you could begin at the beginning, that may be beneficial to us all."