Ch. 230

"What the slag was all that?!" Smokescreen huffed.

Emotions were running high. No one knew what to think or feel or even say. Everyone that had been locked in Brainstorm's office had been checked for injuries in the med bay. Despite finding no damage on the four occupants, Starscream was curled into a tight ball as he rested on one of the med berths, his optics wide as he stared at a wall and cradled himself. He hadn't spoken a word.

"Do I have to ask again?!"

"No," Ultra Magnus frowned, trying to find some order and control amongst the pain and confusion over what had transpired so quickly, "you don't. But we clearly don't have answers and a distinct, nondescript threat was just made unto one of our own..." his gaze went to Stasrcream for only a moment, "We need to reassess our safety aboard this ship."

This was an immediate cause for uproar.

"What?!"

"Would we have to find a new base?"

"We'd just abandon this ship, how can we?"

"Not with the polychaetes outside!"

"Everyone, please!" Ratchet called out, the mech doing his best to stay calm, "We... can't rush into anything right now. We need to look at the facts."

"What... what facts, Ratchet?" Wheeljack glared, "You mean the ones where Starscream almost got turned into a smoldering lightbulb?! Those facts?!"

"That was not what was happening to him," the medic retorted, "We're not entirely sure exactly what that was, but we can't just go abandoning this place now. Especially since we have nowhere else to go. Do you think the Decepticons will waste a chance like that?!"

"I think the safety of my teammates comes before this stupid ship-"

"Enough!"

The heated air in the room stilled. Optimus, who had been quiet for some time now, frowned openly out over the group. His optics were full of disappointment and sorrow, but his voice reflected none of this.

"That is enough," he said firmly, his stance tall and his servos in fists at his sides, "Raising conflict amongst ourselves serves no purpose. We are all in a state of shock. Some..." his voice grew quiet and his optics looked back to the curled up seeker that shuddered for a moment, "... some far more than others..."

Predaking, who stood close to the side of the berth, whined quietly and set a servo near Starscream so he could see, hoping to show his solidarity through his proximity and not with touch.

Ratchet slowed his intakes, "... Optimus... I'm not disagreeing with any of that," he turned to look at Wheeljack, "I'm not. But we have so few options left. We can't just abandon this vessel, it's all we have. Agent Fowler wouldn't be able to find accommodations for us for another few months. We... have to make what we have work."

"You were the first to suggest abandoning this ship if things went wrong," Knockout scoffed.

"Yes," the older mech admitted sharply, "I was. And I'm not going to deny that leaving this hunk of metal to sink into the ocean didn't cross my mind. More than once. But for the first time we are getting answers to some very difficult questions and I for one refuse to let that opportunity slip away."

"What... questions?" Bulkhead grumbled.

Ratchet didn't bother to open his mouth. He gestured, widely, to Starscream as he still lay curled up tight and staring into nothing. The visual answer left an uncomfortable silence in the room until a shaky exhale managed to break through.

"I'm... I'm going to kill it..."

Optimus slowly approached the smaller mech, "Starscream-"

"No," the seeker sat up, his voice weak and his chassis shaking with emotions he was having trouble processing, "that thing," he struggled to hiss as he stood from the berth, "doesn't get to do what it did and then get away with- it knew, it knew and that's why it didn't respond to me and why it pretended that Ratchet- because clearly Brainstorm would have programmed a computer assistant better than that, how could we possibly have fallen for-"

Starscream set a trembling servo over his mouth to stop the words from flowing unrestrained. Optimus offered support when the smaller mech leaned back on the berth to steady himself and Ratchet held in a sigh.

"... I agree. It had to have known," the medic grumbled, "Which means whatever research Brainstorm was performing involved..." his voice cracked, "... It means there are other bots that are like you."

Starscream didn't react to the information. The rest of the room seemed to have come to a similar, albeit, subconscious conclusion.

Ultra Magnus quietly cleared his throat and stepped between Ratchet and Optimus, "Soundwave has been closely monitoring Nexus's range on the ship. The assistant has been programmed to stay isolated in the lab and the room next to it."

"I say we close those two messed up rooms for good," Breakdown growled.

Bulkhead nodded, "I'm with you on that."

"We can't just board up Nexus in there," Arcee sighed, "If it has the intelligence to lie and trick us into a false sense of security then it could find a way to gain access to the rest of the Ark's controls."

Ratchet gently pressed his digits into the side of his helm, "Not to mention that this may be our only opportunity to find out what was done here... and how you do what you do, Starscream..."

The seeker nodded, his servo slipping from his faceplates to rest in his lap, "... None of that felt right..."

Knockout approached carefully, sitting on the berth so he was beside him, "Well, was it ever right before?"

Starscream didn't hesitate to nod again, "Natural... artificial... the differences are clear. ... That test- nothing about what it forced me to do felt like it should have, everything was askew and just going through the motions a-and-" his voice faltered, "and what it said when we were leaving-"

The seeker didn't want to speak anymore. Knockout was mindful as he carefully put an arm around the trembling mech's shoulders, keeping his hold loose.

The tension in the room was now far more removed but the lack of clarity in the overall plan was unsettling: were they to seal the rooms, perhaps even abandon the ship or were they, unthinkably, going to return to the lab in the hopes of delving deeper into this questionable rabbit hole?

Wheeljack shook his helm, "Scream. Listen to me. Some things aren't worth knowin'," he glared at Ratchet lightly, "no matter who tells ya otherwise. I don't think we should go back down there..." he sighed, "but if that's what you wanna do, I'll have your back. I'm sure we all would."

Optimus leaned down to the seeker, "Starscream?"

Starscream took a moment to find some sort of light in the heavy and dark emotions swirling within him. He latched onto that small piece and fought every terrified thought that was begging him to toss away his bravery.

"... I want to walk in there first..."

Nexus was humming to itself as it catalogued its newest collection of data. It hadn't been active in quite some time, so this newest installment of information was something to be proud of; the work continued! Its programming dictated that it should feel elation. But its programming also dictated a sense of disappointment. Its newest test subject had a very slim chance of coming back and by the seeker's demeanor, if he did find the will to continue, would not be returning for more tests.

Nexus decided to hold onto what it did accomplish and began acting accordingly. Nothing wrong with celebrating the smaller victories now and again.

The door to the labs opened and Nexus activated its singular monitor to address whomever had decided to meet with it.

"Welcome!" the vocal line bubbled with enthusiasm, "My, the work is never done, is it? And how are we to continue on from here, hm?" Nexus's sensors from around the room focused on the singular form that had entered, detailing the rage behind bright blue optics; a chuckle came from the assistant as small, golden currents rippled briefly across Starscream's chest plate, "Test subject 1..."