"SCRAP! WHY WON'T THIS STUPID THING WORK?"
The agitated red mech yelled, slamming the still loading data pad on his desk.
"KNOCKOUT! WE NEED THAT!"
Another mech, white with red/orange detailing, snapped from the other end of the room.
"Calm down! Do you have any idea how expensive it is to replace anything here?"
"I KNOW!"
Knockout vented to cool off before he really made a mess of things.
"I know. Sorry, Ratchet. I'm just..."
Knockout leaned his elbow joints against the desk and lowered his faceplate into the open palms of his servos, letting an exasperated sigh escape him. He soon felt a heavy servo rest atop his shoulder plate.
"Others are still giving you a hard time," Ratchet stated grimly.
"You don't say," Knockout chuckled, voice lacking any sense of good humor.
Even after the Great War ended, Knockout knew things wouldn't magically become perfect. He was right in his assumptions, for post-war life was far from the peace and tranquility he hoped for. First, he served probation, then the False Council stepped in, and even after that was all taken care of and a new yet temporary Council was established…
"Knockout?"
The red mech snapped out of the past and was brought back to the present.
"Huh?"
"I was asking if you were alright to continue working," Ratchet said, sounding slightly irritated, which was nothing new. Knockout was getting quite used to the older medic's grumpiness.
"Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
Ratchet stared at the younger mech, unconvinced.
"Right… but I know how you get before visiting your patient, and if I'm not mistaken, your next scheduled visit is… tomorrow."
"Err… scrap," Knockout moaned, slamming his helm onto his desk. A ping followed, and the red mech turned his helm to get a better look.
The data pad he beat out of frustration for failing to load quickly was online and functioning properly.
"Oh, sure, now you decide to work."
Knockout heard Ratchet chuckle as he removed his servo from his shoulder plate and walked away.
"Go get some rest, Knockout," Ratchet said without looking up from his own data pad. "Something tells me you're going to need it."
"Yeah," Knockout replied half-heartedly. He pushed himself up and away from his desk, grabbed some personal items to bring back home, and left.
He checked out of the clinic and exited the building, but instead of transforming to drive home, he stayed in bipedal mode and walked. Even if everyone else didn't like having to share the streets with him, Knockout didn't really care. Nowadays, he's just happy to have company, even if said company is cold comfort.
At least on the Nemesis I didn't have to worry about anyone killing me, being the only medic on the ship and all. However, if there was someone else, like there is now…
Knockout shook his helm, knowing that kind of thinking wouldn't lead to anything good, but he couldn't help admitting that he, in a way, missed the Decepticons. Sure, most of the time they were terrible, but they had their moments, and Knockout was at the very least needed by the Decepticons. He wasn't needed by the Autobots, and it has become undeniably clear that the majority don't want him, either. He wants to help, but he doesn't know how or why, and it's not like he can talk about it with anyone…
"OW!"
"HEY! WATCH THE PAINT!"
Metal clanged against metal as a distracted Knockout walked right into another bot, causing both to stumble backwards.
"Maybe you should watch where you're… oh, Knockout, it's you!"
The red mech rubbed his scraped chassis and looked up at who he bumped into. A yellow and black mech. Knockout recognized the bot immediately.
"Bumblebee?"
It was quiet for a minute, then both mechs burst out laughing.
"Sorry about that, Bee. I didn't know it was you," Knockout apologized.
"It's alright, Knockout, but in the future, you really should watch where you're going," Bumblebee replied.
"I'll try to keep that in mind. Anyway, what are you doing here? I thought you lived on Earth now?"
"I do, sort of, but I just came-by for a visit. A short visit. I'd like to stay longer, but unfortunately I still don't trust leaving my team alone with each other for an extended period of time."
"Afraid they can't handle things without you?"
"More like I'm afraid of them trying to kill each other while I have my back turned. I swear, Knockout, they drive me absolutely insane!"
"Sounds like a handful."
"Ugh! You have no idea!"
Knockout got a good laugh out of that. Once he recovered, though, he noticed that Bumblebee's smile fell a little, and his optics were alight with concern.
"Knockout, are you okay?"
The red mech's initial thought was to lie, but as he was just thinking of looking for someone to talk to mere seconds ago, he relented to venting out his frustrations.
.
. .
. . .
Both mechs were tired by the time they arrived at the apartment, one more so than the other. Knockout retrieved the items from his subspace, placed them on a table, then collapsed on his berth.
"Well?" Knockout asked, readjusting his frame into a sitting position. "You think I have a screw loose or something?"
Bumblebee hesitated for a minute before answering.
"Well, I wouldn't exactly say screw loose…"
"But you still think it's a far-fetched idea."
"I mean… Yeah, kind of…"
Knockout sighed as his gaze fell to stare at the ground.
"Wait, Knockout, I'm sorry. It's just that others have tried to make what you're suggesting a reality. Honestly, it's kind of an impossible idea."
"Improbable."
"Huh?"
"Improbable," Knockout countered, raising his optics to look at Bumblebee. "Just because something seems impossible, doesn't mean it is impossible. It just means that it'd be extremely difficult for said thing to happen. Ergo, the outcome of the idea, regardless of how good or bad it is, is an improbable one, not an impossible one. Does that make sense?"
"Yes, it does. Listen, Knockout. I'm not saying that it's impossible per-se for what you're thinking of trying to do to actually happen, but it is highly unlikely that the Council will allow there to be the existence of Decepticon Island."
Bumblebee joined Knockout on his berth and put a comforting arm around the red mech.
"I'm not saying this to dissuade you. I just want to make sure you know what you're up against, if you still want to go through with it."
"I know you do, and thanks," Knockout replied, leaning into the embrace. "I just want to do something that matters. I've already tried it with the Autobots, and I'm sure you've seen how well that's going over."
"Not good?"
"I mean, it could be better, but what're you gonna do?"
.
.
.
.
.
"Knockout?"
"Hm?"
"What makes you think you're better off trying your luck with Decepticons?"
"Honestly, Bee…" Knockout paused, then sighed. "I have no idea. I guess I just..."
"Have a feeling?" Bumblebee interrupted.
Knockout didn't answer.
.
.
.
.
.
"I'll help."
"Come again?"
"I said I'll help you," Bumblebee repeated.
"Are you serious?" Knockout practically shouted, but nearly fell off the berth immediately afterward. Instinctually, Bumblebee caught him before he hurt himself.
"Whoa, calm down, Knockout! Ratchet will kill me if I let you get a concussion on my watch!"
"Sorry! I'm just… It's just you… Seriously?"
"Yes, I'm serious! In all honesty, though, I just don't want you attempting something like this on your own."
"So you think it's possible?"
"It's a long shot, but just because it seems impossible, doesn't mean it is impossible."
"And that sounds logical to you?"
"Hey, now don't go turning into Shockwave on me, Knockout!"
"Wouldn't dream of it!"
Knockout and Bumblebee laughed.
"Well, I'll make arrangements with the Council and see if we can't get an audience with them as soon as possible," Bumblebee said as he rose from Knockout's berth and headed for the door. "If we're lucky, we can go in tomorrow morning and get everything cleared by the end of the day."
Knockout was happy, yes, except…
"Oh, scrap!" He cursed, smacking himself for being so stupid.
"What is it?" Bumblebee asked.
"I forgot, I have something to attend to tomorrow."
"Can't you just reschedule or something?"
"Ha! I wish!"
"Oh. Important medical work, huh?"
"And more. Trust me, I would rather face the Council than go to that appointment tomorrow."
"Hmm… For where you need to be tomorrow, is it at any specific time?" Bumblebee asked.
"No," Knockout answered, forming his servo into a fist and resting his chin on top of it. "Why?"
"If I can get us in early enough, that'll leave us most of the day to worry about, well, everything, and then you can go take care of what you need to later. Assuming your thing doesn't require a lot of time?"
"It doesn't, thank the Allspark."
"Alright, then. Sounds like we got a plan."