Energon Deposit North of Jasper:

"Knock Out, lower your weapon," Optimus still had his battle mask drawn, and his swords were carefully lowered. He did his best not to sound threatening, lest the medic react.

Knock Out shook himself. "Of course." He pulled back, stepping slowly away from the yellow scout. But he did not deactivate his energon prod. He just had a feeling he might need it.

Arcee and Bulkhead appeared from around a corner. They both looked angry. But neither said a word.

Optimus helped Bumblebee to his feet as he contacted Ratchet. "Requesting GroundBridge immediately."

"Do I need to prepare for wounded?"

Optimus' voice was grim. "Yes."

The GroundBridge opened and the Autobots entered. All but one.

Knock Out stood aside as Arcee stalked by him, her optics like chips of flint. She flicked her arm up, the sharp blade cutting the vain medic across the face. Bulkhead refused to look at him, and sped up to help Optimus support Bumblebee.

Knock Out didn't even wait for the vortex to close. He transformed, speeding in what he thought was the opposite direction from base. He didn't want to go there right now, because he wasn't feeling like much of an Autobot.

Autobot Base:

"What happened?" Only Bumblebee seemed to have sustained any serious injuries, but Arcee and Bulkhead looked ready to kill. Even Optimus was fighting back rage.

"You promised he was on our side," Arcee snarled. She wiped the blade on her forearm clean of energon.

"What?" Ratchet didn't think they were talking about… he hadn't come back with them. He must have…

"Knock Out," Bulkhead interjected; his voice was cold and angry. "You said he was one of us. You said he was an Autobot."

"But he is." Ratchet didn't want to think about what could have happened. "He was only pretending to be a Decepticon; the whole time he was just a double-agent."

"Tell that to Bumblebee." Arcee was so angry that she shook – not usually a good sign. The last time Ratchet had seen that look on her faceplate was when Cliffjumper and Bumblebee brought her back after Airachnid terminated Tailgate. "Ask him. Ask him what that red traitor did to him."

Bulkhead kept staring straight ahead, but his hand kept retransforming in and out of his weapon mode. "How could you trust him? Why did you let him stay?" When he received no answer, he slammed his fist into the wall of the missile silo, causing it to quake. "Well? Didn't you realize he'd change? That he wouldn't be an Autobot anymore?"

Ratchet ignored him and set to work repairing Bumblebee. The damage was mostly superficial, but it was obvious most of it was inflicted via an energon prod. By the half-crescent shaped markings that covered the scout's frame, it had to be Knock Out's.

Optimus laid a comforting hand on his old friend's shoulder. "You could not have known what would become of him – what he would become – once he joined the enemy, even if it was only an act. It is not your fault. Do not blame yourself for his actions. He made a choice out on the battlefield, and now he must follow that choice."

Ratchet sighed while he tried to concentrate on fixing the young scout. "I prepared him for what he would face in Megatron's ranks as best I could, but I could not prepare him for finding sympathy or friendship within them. Whatever he does now will be based upon his conflicting loyalties – whether they be to the Autobots he trained with for so many years, or to the Decepticons he spent centuries fighting for." He slowly lowered his welder to look up at his commanding officer. "Whatever he chooses, promise me that you will not kill him for being confused."

A ghost of a smile tugged at the Autobot leader's faceplate. "I promise."

The Nemesis:

"And you're telling me this because?"

Starscream winced. He'd hoped he would be able to convince Megatron of his newfound witness of Knock Out's… confusion. It would be easy to manipulate him. "We could influence him to spy for the Decepticons?"

"Is that a suggestion or a question, Starscream?"

"A-a suggestion, Lord Megatron," the seeker fought to keep his voice even. He had just restored his rightful place as Second in Command, and wasn't about to let Megatron think him weak and put Dreadwing in his place.

Soundwave played a recording of Knock Out attacking Bumblebee and repeatedly stabbing him with his energon prod. It ended with the three other Autobots circling the red medic, their weapons drawn.

"How… interesting… how very interesting indeed," Megatron briefly toyed with the idea Starscream had presented. It wasn't bad at all, considering that the seeker came up with it. "We will see, Starscream. If something like this happens again, then I may decide to go along with this plan of yours."

Autobot Base:

"Knock Out, report back to base." Ratchet was trying to reach the 'bot that was currently AWOL. "Knock Out, respond."

The only reply he got was the humming of the static on the other end.

"Were any of you able to reach him before or during the battle?" Ratchet questioned the others.

"No." Bulkhead's answer was flat.

"Not a word." Arcee's was more of a growl.

Bumblebee beeped angrily, his answer a negative.

The chief medic scowled, turning his attention back to the screen. He knew none of it would get through, but he tried one last time to reach his former apprentice. "Knock Out," his voice was low and threatening, "if you don't get back here… I swear that you'll regret it. You better be back here soon. I will come find you if you aren't, and you will not be happy with me if that happens."

Wherever:

Knock Out could barely make out what was being said on the other end of his comlink. Whatever it was, it was supposed to sound threatening. Whoever was speaking didn't realize that it failed to intimidate him if he couldn't understand the words being said.

But he was sure it was Ratchet. Who else could it be? Who else cared?

He heard a roar above him, and, checking to make sure no one would see him, he transformed to his main form. He looked up. Not who I expected…

The mech transformed, towering over the medic as he landed. "I have a proposition for you, Knock Out."

Knock Out's smug air withered under the hard crimson gaze. He shrunk back, instinctively dropping to one knee, his head bowed. Every circuit was telling him to transform and get the slag out of there, but he didn't. No one would dare run from this mech. So many of his comrades had perished at this mech's sword, yet Knock Out could not find it in him to flee. Who would dare defy a leader, even one who you never truly worked for? Not him, certainly. Not with this mech. He'd rather be known as a coward and traitor than to disobey this mech and suffer for the rest of his existence.

"I live to serve, Lord Megatron."