Ch. 38

"Ugh, it's been three whole days!" Miko whined, "The 'Cons are always up to something, why are they all quiet now?!"

Jack shrugged and put his feet up on the coffee table in front of him, "Beats me. It would almost be nice if they didn't have Starscream as a prisoner."

Raf looked up from where he was sitting on the floor with his laptop, "Are we even sure he's a prisoner?"

Miko growled, jumping up from the couch, "He is totally a prisoner! They know we have him on our side and he was going to be the Autobot air strike! The flying calvary! The... the..."

"Air support?" Fowler finished as he walked up the stairs to see the children.

"Yes!" the girl nodded, crossing her arms as she sat heavily back into the couch and sighed sadly, "I really wanted to ride in a jet..."

Jack scoffed, "Look, Miko, yes, he's helped us out before, but I highly doubt Starscream would take you out on a flight!"

Miko shrugged, "He would if I asked."

Fowler sighed and shook his head, looking up as Optimus walked in, "I thought I'd find one of you here if I waited long enough."

The Prime nodded, "I apologize if you had to wait long, Agent Fowler. The rest of my team is in the field trying to find hints of a Decepticon presence."

The agent looked surprised, "Even Ratchet? I thought the old bot would be in here tinkering or something."

"Ratchet is currently following Arcee to an abandoned Decepticon mine. I am hoping they will find some equipment or machinery that we may be able to attach a homing device to," Optimus said, a glint of light in his optics.

Fowler crossed his arms, "You want to find the ship and the 'Cons."

The Prime nodded, "I would like to find and rescue Starscream before Megatron has a chance to either sway him back under Decepticon control or harm him if he refuses."

Jack sat up straighter, "He's not going to join them again. He can't now."

"Why? Because he saved you?" Raf asked.

The older boy stood, "You haven't seen him in action like we have. He's saved Arcee and Bulkhead. He saved me."

"He totally took a risk for us," Miko sighed; she looked at the younger boy and smiled, "We'll get him back and then you can have your own adventure with him."

Raf shrugged, "I don't have to. Bumblebee told me how he did fighting beside them down at the core. He said Starscream was really good..." the boy nestled back into his laptop, searching through files.

Fowler looked to the children then back up at Optimus, "Well I'm glad the bot's a topic of discussion. I've been asking up at the Pentagon for any reports of Decepticon activity or sightings. And this is the quietest we've ever seen them."

Optimus shuttered his optics. It was not the news he wanted to hear.

"Prime?"

Optimus stared down at Fowler as the man crossed his arms, "I know Starscream could end up being a very important player in all this, but..."

The Prime held in a sigh, "You are wary of his loyalty and his trustworthiness. For this, I cannot blame you, agent Fowler. But the information Starscream has given us, along with his aide that has saved the lives of my Autobots, our human friends and even Breakdown, tells me that he has changed. Even if he does not wish to admit such a thing."

"Why wouldn't he want to?" Miko asked, turning herself around on the couch to look at Optimus, "He's working for the good guys now! Team Prime!"

Optimus shook his helm, "Starscream has been at Megatron's side for a very long time. Not as long as Soundwave, but long enough. He has done things that have set him in his ways. As prideful as he tries to be, Starscream is afraid of failure... due to what reprisals Megatron would bestow upon him. This has made him insecure and overzealous. Sometimes, doing what needs to be done is not enough. And praise is something that he has never been comfortable with."

Fowler grumbled, "Lemme guess. Megatron always has a double meaning or lie behind that praise."

"That is correct, Agent Fowler," the Prime frowned softly, "The transition for Starscream from Decepticon to Autobot would be difficult. To admit his change would call into question the acts he performed before he saw reason. He would question himself, his ideals, his beliefs. He may even question if the choices he has made recently were the right ones."

Jack trained his eyes to the floor, sighing, "But if anyone could help him through that, Optimus, it would be you."

Optimus smiled, "I can only hope. But until we can find Starscream and convince him that his ties are with us, he is at Megatron's mercy..." the Prime looked to the floor, "And I doubt Megatron will show him that mercy while he has him trapped."

Starscream quietly looked at his arm to ghost the tips of his claws over the new metal. Megatron's digits and servo sized dents were gone. The seeker settled back onto the med berth and stared at the ceiling. He hadn't recharged in quite some time; he was too nervous to.

Someone coming through the med bay doors made Starscream lurch up in surprise, but the mech calmed down when he saw it was only his doctor.

Knockout looked up from a datapad, an optical ridge raised, "You know, you can try to relax. It's been almost three days, he doesn't seem to be ready to..."

"Address me yet?" Starscream finished for him curtly.

The medic glared a little, "Yeah, sure, that," he walked to the side of the berth to look over the seeker's chassis, "I've been sending him reports that you've needed minor repairs that were somewhat urgent. I'm hoping that's going to put him off long enough until Soundwave can schedule a play date with the Autobots. We're thinking whichever day we can get, we'd make it around noon?"

Starscream snorted a laugh. He liked that Knockout was trying to cheer him up, but it wasn't sinking in the way he needed it to. The feeling of comfort was quickly replaced with worry and nervousness again. It was this place. It was no longer safe, no longer the ship, the mechs, the faction he knew. Only three among the crew knew his secret. It made him feel like an outcast.

The sound of running peds echoed from outside the med bay, coming towards the room quickly.

Knockout looked confused, but quickly addressed Starscream, "That's too soon for delivery. We're still trying to get the 'Bots' attention so we can plan with them."

The seeker rolled his optics, "Why not just paint a wall? They'll get the message then."

The medic frowned down at him, "You know, it would be easier if you would just tell us where they were."

Breakdown quickly rushed into the med bay, making sure the doors closed behind him; he looked over at Starscream, "Quick! Break his legs!"

Starscream sat up, wings raised, "BREAK my LEGS?!"

The blue mech transformed out his hammer, approaching cautiously, "Look, doc's reports have been stalling him, but now he's impatient. He wants you in his quarters in the next few minutes. His QUARTERS, Screamer! He's sending Vehicons to escort you. But if we break your legs, you won't be able to walk and doc will have to work on you."

The seeker squealed, "Yes, and you'll have BROKEN my LEGS!"

Knockout held Breakdown off as Starscream continued to yell. He understood the plan and it was sweet of the mech to want to avoid any torture-by-captor scenarios, but the seeker quickly understood why Knockout was the medical physician and Breakdown the assistant: there would have been far too many complications with Breakdown's would-be patients.

The three continued to bicker and yell amongst themselves, even as the door opened and two Vehicons, blasters raised, entered the room. It took a few moments, but eventually the argument stopped and Knockout coughed quietly, slowly pointing to the seeker.

"Starscream's getting mouthy. Breakdown didn't like it."

Starscream glared at the medic, but it was a fair lie. The drones seemed to buy it.

One of the Vehicons approached the seeker, blaster trained on him closely, "Starscream. You have been summoned. Lord Megatron is waiting."