Title: Blue Gold
Author: Lurkerlynne
Characters: Starscream, Spike Witwiky, Optronix with a little bit of Springer.
Rating: PG
Summary: Starscream learns something new about himself.

Sprawling in the chair at Ratchet's desk, Starscream waited impatiently for Ratchet to arrive. Optronix was playing at his pedes, pushing a car around and making car noises as it turned.

The CMO wanted to install a monitor in Optronix, so that he could be constantly observed medically. Starscream had agreed, both because constant observation would be of great help and also because the monitor would also cut down on Optronix's visits to the repair bay.

That is, if the damn medic would ever show up.

Optronix bumped the car into his pede, smiling winningly at him when Starscream frowned down at him. Starscream sighed but said nothing, allowing Optronix to use his pede as a ramp. In the other chair, Springer looked startled; he opened his mouth to say something but subsided at Starscream's glare.

He turned his helm when the door opened, raising an optic in surprise when he saw it was not a mech at all, but rather a human.

"Ah, um, I'm here to install that monitor." Spike Witwicky's smile wavered at Starscream's scowl. "Ratchet got called away to an emergency, and First Aid is in a meeting. I've been apprenticing with Ratchet for ten years and I'm fully qualified, but I'll understand if you want to wait until Ratchet's available."

Starscream hesitated for moment. Though his contempt for humans had not changed since his defection, Starscream didn't feel like waiting around in the office any longer. If Ratchet considered the human to be qualified, he had no objections. Yet. "No, you will do."

"Great!" Witwicky switched his gaze to where Optronix had slid close to Starscream's leg, his toy car forgotten. "Hi. I'm Spike."

"Hi," Optronix shyly replied, looking up at Starscream, then back at Witwicky.

Starscream rested his hand on Optronix's back "He is a human. An organic."

"Huamn?" Optronix peered around Starscream's leg, curiosity in his voice and actions.

"Human," Witwicky confirmed. "This planet is my home."

"Eally?" Optronix came around Starscream's leg to look at him and reached out to touch. Behind Starscream, Springer rose and moved towards them.

"Careful, Optronix," Starscream warned him. "Humans are fragile creatures."

Optronix stopped, hand pulling back. He looked over at Starscream. "Fagil?"

"Just means that you need to be gentle," Witwicky said, reaching up to touch Optronix's arm lightly. "Like this."

Optronix looked at the hand on his arm, reaching up to touch. "Gentle," he agreed. He gripped hard enough to make the human hiss a protest.

"Pology," Optronix muttered, lightening his grip.

"No problem, Optronix."

Optronix proceeded to inspect his hand, then arm, then the rest of him. Witwicky for his part let the sparkling investigate, warning him when he got rough but otherwise went with things. Optronix was fascinated with his clothes, wanting to know why he had to wear them. And his hair was even more fascinating; Optronix had taken to petting it and grinned up at Starscream as though he had made the greatest discovery in the world.

"That is enough, Optronix," Starscream interrupted. "Witwicky needs to install the monitor now. You can play later."

"Aw." Optronix pouted but let Starscream pick him up and carry him to the repair berth Witwicky indicated without protest. Witwicky retrieved the monitor, actually three separate pieces, from Ratchet's office and stepped on a small lift built into the side of the berth. That lift also contained a chest with human-sized tools.

It was... interesting, seeing how the Autobots and humans adapted to each other.

"Can you go loom over there?" Witwicky asked Springer, pointing to the far corner of the repair bay. "And turn down your audios."

"I shouldn't," Springer replied, optics flicking to Starscream.

"I will not harm the human," Starscream informed him. "You have my word."

And before Springer could voice the doubt darkening his optics, Starscream continued. "It would be unwise to damage Witwicky when I am seeking asylum, Autobot."

"He's got a point," The human broke in. "And do you really wanna tell Ratchet you invaded a patient's privacy?"

"All right, all right," Springer grudgingly replied. "I'll go. But," he fixed Starscream with a cold look, "Anything happens to Spike and I take your wings."

"You not hu't Stasceam!" Optronix was standing on the repair berth and glaring at Springer, looking so much like his adult self that Springer took a step back. Starscream nearly did the same.

"He will not." Starscream reassured him, amusement curling through his systems. "We are merely establishing the parameters of our relationship."

"Oh. 'kay." Optronix glanced at Starscream then back at Springer before sitting down on the repair berth and watched the Autobot move to the far wall.

"All right, back to business." Witwicky pulled a small energon cube from his tool chest and Starscream forgot the Autobot watching him in favor of monitoring Optronix.

Optronix would have to be offlined for the installation. It wouldn't have hurt him, but the monitors were to be placed beneath dermal plating in his helm and along the top of his spinal array, and there was another for next to his spark chamber. He needed to be as still as possible.

Optronix drank the sedative-laced energon quickly, making a face and disgusted noises. Taking the empty cube and placing it back into the tool chest, Starscream watched Optronix grow lethargic and slide into recharge quickly.

"Can you hold him?" Witwicky asked. "It would be easier."

Silently, Starscream shifted the limp frame so Witwicky could access the panels on Optronix's helm and back. The human's hands were steady, even though his nervousness registered on Starscream's sensors. His movements were quick, efficient, and he obviously knew what he was doing. Witwicky also worked clean and neat, replacing tools as he finished with them and sterilizing the inside of the panels he accessed before and after installation.

"Okay," Witwicky told him, one hand circling the air. "Can you roll him over? I need access to his spark chamber."

Starscream complied, asking, "You know how to open his chamber?"

"Ratchet gave me this," he said, and waved a small device he had just removed from his tool chest," and Optimus' medical access frequencies and codes."

"Hn. Proceed."

There was a slight hum from the device and then a small click as Optronix's chestplate catches released. Witwicky glanced up at him, waiting for a reaction, before proceeding to open Optronix's chestplates to expose his spark chamber. Glowing, golden-green light lit the area.

"Huh." Witwicky leaned in closer, tracing a finger above the edge of the chamber. "Do your sparks change color as you age?"

"No, not unless something is seriously wrong." He felt a surge of concern rush through his processors; had he missed something? Had the reversal process damaged Optronix?

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because," Witwicky told him, waving a human-sized hand scanner over Optronix's spark chamber and checking the results. "I've seen Optimus Prime's spark before, and it was pure blue."

Startled, Starscream called up the memory files of Optronix's earliest existence; he'd had the sparkling with him for several orns before deciphering the sequence and codes for opening his spark chamber. The spark there had been bluer than it was now but did have a golden-green tinge.

"Mine is gold," he said softly.

"Really?" Witwicky blinked at him. Starscream ignored the human, reaching for the part of his neural architecture that had once linked him with his sparkling. There was a presence, dim but present, where there should be nothing.

Pushing the forming theory into his back processors, Starscream turned to Witwicky. "Continue. Now."

"But..." Witwicky protested, then subsided. "Okay. Okay. Gimme a few minutes."

Witwicky was even more careful, installing the third monitor next to Optronix's spark chamber. Starscream watched as his processors whirled.

"Okay ." Witwicky straightened, turning to check the information displayed on the nearby screen. "Looks good but he needs to wake up before I'll know for sure."

Starscream said nothing, he had watched the installation and it was as good as most medics would have done; he had no fault with Ratchet's choice of replacement despite the fact he was human. He watched Witwicky close Optronix's spark chamber, clean up what little mess he had made and settle in to wait, waving a hand at Springer. Starscream assumed it was a signal that everything was fine when Springer merely raised a hand in response.

Optronix onlined a few breems later, causing the screens to jump and shift with the input from the newly installed monitors. Witwicky carefully watched, manipulating the controls now and again to change the information displayed.

Optronix's presence in Starscream's processors changed as he onlined, growing as the sparkling's systems booted. It was obvious, now that he was paying attention; he would have to go through his memory banks to see if he could pinpoint when the connection had formed.

"Hey, Optronix," Witwicky greeted Optronix as his optics unshuttered. "How you feeling?"

Optronix looked at Starscream. "Answer him. How are you feeling?"

Optronix took a few klicks to run a diagnostic. "Feel funny."

"Funny bad?" Witwicky asked before Starscream could. "Or funny different?"

"Funny-," Optronix paused, thinking. "Funny difent."

"To be expected," Starscream informed him. "That should fade as your systems adjust."

"But," Witwicky spoke up, "if it doesn't, let Starscream know. Okay?"

"'kay," Optronix agreed. He looked at Starscream. "Can go home now?"

"If we are done." A look at Witwicky informed the human if they weren't, they would be soon.

"Yeah, you're good."

"Good." He started to life Optronix onto his back but stopped when Witwicky almost touched the back of his hand.

"Ratchet's gonna be back in a few hours," Witwicky said softly. "I can tell him you wanna talk when he gets back."

"Do that." By the time Ratchet returned, he would have a better idea of the questions he wanted to ask. Until then, he had research to do.

Swinging Optronix onto his back, Starscream strode for the door. Behind him, he could hear Springer's steps as he ran to catch up.

"Bye, Spike!" Optronix called back as they headed out.