Ch. 213

Optimus couldn't look away from the exhausted, drained mech before him. His tired blue optics matched the seeker's, both elated and content, but betraying the pair's intense lack of energy left.

"... You both look like slag," Knockout murmured quietly, struggling to keep focused on medical tasks.

Starscream weakly chuckled, "Doctor, I have been imprisoned and believed you all dead for weeks now... is this the first thing you wish for me to know after all this time?"

The medic growled at the back of his throat to strangle a whine as he lifted a scanner to adjust it, "Psychic, I swear, if you keep talking to me I'm not going to be able to work and I'm just going to start screaming and shaking you..."

"Go ahead, I don't mind," the silver mech sat up a little on his med berth, "I don't think you actually deserve to wait much longer."

Knockout stared him down briefly before squealing shrilly and tossing his scanner back, which Breakdown dove to catch, "Oh, Primus, Screamer!" the red mech jumped onto the berth and began shaking Starscream by the shoulder plating, "Do you know the kinds of complete torture I've had to endure with you gone?! We all have! It was awful and terrible and you are not allowed to do that again!"

The seeker let small tears form at the sides of his optics as he was shaken and simply nodded, "I know... I had the same experience..." he reached up slowly and caught Knockout in a hug, "I missed each and every one of you."

The smaller mech returned the embrace as he pouted, "I got my paint scratched. More than once."

Starscream chuckled again, "You were very brave for your sacrifice, I'm sure. You must tell me about it some time."

Knockout nodded enthusiastically and the two pulled away to allow the medic to return to his duties.

Breakdown stayed near the door of the med bay but smiled at the seeker when he glanced his way, "Not gonna lie, I wanna welcome you back just as much as the Doc did. But I kinda think I should be the barrier between you and the rest of the team. Just until you're repaired enough to handle them yourself."

"That is much appreciated, Breakdown, thank you," the silver mech sighed; his optics were starting to lose focus, "They can see me... if they like. But I'm not much good as company... right now..."

Optimus carefully set a servo on Starscream's shoulder plating as he quieted down, nodding assuringly, "Rest, Starscream. I will not be the only one to watch over you while you recharge, I am certain."

Knockout nodded too, "And with what I'm picking up on his charts, the repairs don't look too bad at this stage either. We'll patch you up good as new."

The silver mech let his optics shutter as his audials began to take in the new sounds of the room. It didn't sound like the Nemesis did. But perhaps that was more comforting...

Knockout waited a moment before attaching an energon drip to Starscream's arm, "He's out. For now. I'll wait for Ratchet to get here before I give him a sedative and we can begin working..."

"Is it bad?" Miko's voice came from just outside the med bay doors.

Breakdown rolled his helm in exasperation and was none too surprised when he opened the doors to find the whole of the ship's crew stationed outside, "... So this place flies itself now, does it?"

"Cut the small talk, is Starscrimus good or not?" Smokescreen asked quickly, the rest of the mechs and humans making noises of agreement.

Optimus finally broke his gaze upon the seeker's form to pull away from his side, "Autobots," he addressed gently, "Starscream will need some time to rest and recuperate. It is in his best interest that we give him as much help and support while he heals. For now, we must return to our duties and allow Knockout, Breakdown and Ratchet space to work. There will be time later to check in with Starscream, but now is not that time."

"Yeah," Miko pouted softly, "especially with all the repairs we still gotta do. We can't have Screamer waking up to a messed up new-base!"

Bulkhead quickly ushered the children away from the group as Raf piped up about scanning the ship's security network. The rest of the mechs took the minor distraction as an excuse to help pull themselves away; they did have a lot more work to do. Magnus was more than shocked that the Ark had even been flight worthy. But as the hall emptied and the noises dispersed, Ratchet still hadn't moved forward to enter the med bay.

As Optimus went back to Starscream's side and sat on a berth next to the smaller mech, Knockout looked up, frowning in confusion, "Hey, Ratchet? You coming in or..."

The older mech held back a flinch. He didn't like having been caught watching, being suspicious, not fully trusting... He wanted so much to be able to stride into that room and be glad he had the capability to piece Starscream back together again... but he wasn't. He may have worked on the seeker's chassis far too many times to count, but now he wasn't even sure what this mech was. Cybertronian? Nothing was adding up...

"Ratchet, I'm gonna need-"

"Yes, yes," Ratchet huffed through gritted dentals, "Yes, I'm coming."

He hated that he was hesitating. He shouldn't have been. He was hating himself for even thinking that this mech, who had worked so hard to help and save them, could be more than just a Decepticon level of dangerous. It took a strong nerve for Ratchet to take the first step into the med bay and every ounce of his strength to tell himself that no matter what he was, right now, Starscream was his patient. And more importantly, his friend.