A/N: This one almost ended up being an extremely long one, but I decided ultimately to split it into two chapters. Had the final count been around 8k, I might've left it as one, but it was around 10k words and enough was happening in it that I felt a split was warranted. So we get a couple chapters focused heavily on the workings of medbay following the Unicron debacle. I didn't feel like it was stuff I wanted to scoot by, what with Drift's condition, Knock Out and Breakdown arriving and Shadowstreaker's addition. It's stuff that needs touched now, rather than later. Plus we get to see Ratchet at work!

Also, as a side note, I was looking at my list of hiatused stories on here the other day, you know, debating once again what to do with them when it comes time-whether to rewrite them to update the writing quality or just pick up where I left off if I can-and realized that if you count the chapters I haven't posted yet, this is now my biggest story still posted. I think ever. That's pretty cool. And I'm still going. I feel pretty good about that. :D

Review Replies:

GRNauman: It is indeed a pleasure! I come across some things on the internet that make me feel like we're a rare breed sometimes. Where we binge read, but ALSO still read works in progress. It's always nice to know we're not the only ones. :) I'm glad you are still enjoying so far!

Chunky Mutt: Yes and no is the answer here. This is a different version of Shadowstreaker, but it is a version of Sci-Fifan95's character from Fate Calls, of which I did get permission to use. I had a Shadowstreaker in the original Your War, Our Battle and since this is a rewrite of that story, it felt fitting to keep a version of Shadow' here. There will be differences from both his Fate Calls and Your War, Our Battle counterparts, however. You'll see one of them in the next chapter. There's one aspect of his character I have yet to make a decision whether this version has it or not. I don't recall YWOB's version having it in my plans. Sci left it up to me whether I use it in this version, cause even he has versions without it, so it's something I have to debate about and sort through the specifics about it.

Shaniverse fan1: Shadowstreaker is indeed here to stay! He won't be super involved immediately in the story, being new to the Autobots and all that. The next arc with the Earth bots will be taking places pretty quickly for them so he won't have time to be fully inducted in and, thus, sent on the mission. But he will end up taking a role with the Autobots and I do intend for his pairing to remain the same, with Arcee. Far as I know every version of Shadow' falls for his version of Arcee. He's more consistent than Shade'(who has at least two separate bots, depending on the reality) ended up being. As for Megatron, well, he's a grumpy grump. He's got a lot to deal with when he gets back to the Nemesis.

Guest: You're free to not read. This story is not going to be for everyone! Especially those who need a positive chapter before even getting through the first several chapters of a story heavily focused on the Autobot-Decepticon war. There are points of positivity, I promise. There's just a lot going on, as well, cause the war is going strong and at the point you stopped reading they're still in the middle of the race to get the artifacts Shadebreaker's information pointed to. I sat here and I typed out an explanation for all of your concerns, but I decided you probably wouldn't read it. Some of it will be addressed later in the story and I don't want to spoil anything for anyone. If you happen to return and read to this point, let me know if you want the explanations up front. Some of it you could've gotten by now had you kept reading. A story like this is not gonna have sudden positivity merely by chapter 7. Part of it is, I believe, you think she needed to have emotions only related to her own situation and not about the fact people died? That seems backwards to me. And is the antithesis of her character. She cares a great deal about others. Part of chapter 7 and her breakdown after her mission was establishing that. That despite how much distance she was keeping at the time, she cared, and still does, a great deal about every life on that base. This is, after all, a character based upon a person who is upset about losing even one Pikmin when playing those games. Every life is precious.

Thank you, everyone, for reading and reviewing! I appreciate you all! My reviewers and my lurkers! Even the negative review. It let me think and put into words a few things. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

Chapter 35: Hectic Medbay is Hectic

Ratchet had a lot to keep track of in his medbay at the moment and for the first time since coming to Earth he found himself wishing he had full-time assistants.

First Elita had brought two Decepticons into his medbay, apparently having come to defect and join them, though they were being tight-lipped about why as of yet. He remembered Shadebreaker's story about how she'd escaped the Decepticons, however, and he expected it had to do with that. He had been about to start their medical intake scans and forms under Elita and Perceptor's guard with Wheeljack's help when Shadebreaker's portal had opened, interrupting them.

"Primus," Ratchet whispered when he saw Drift barely holding onto consciousness and looking like he was in some kind of pain in Ironhide's arms. And Shadebreaker was obviously exhausted, passing out nearly as soon as they arrived as Knock Out, who happened to be closest to her, caught her.

He didn't miss the fact that all five of the bots were covered in the familiar purple substance of dark energon as he moved to help Ironhide move Drift onto a medical bed. The entire medbay was going to need decontaminated, but the allotted decontamination room was not going to be big enough to handle the decontamination of the whole away team all at once. Pit, he couldn't handle the decontamination and care of the team all at once.

"Ngghh!" Drift writhed and recoiled as Ironhide brushed his shoulder as he pulled away.

"What's wrong with him?" Ironhide asked, watching Ratchet run a scan over the mech. He moved forward again to pry Drift's hands away from clawing at his own face and then shifted as the mech turned trying to dig into his arm seams.

"Fratique, nausea, pain readings….by the All Spark….I'm getting withdrawal readings," Ratchet said. "But that would only make sense if he…" Ratchet looked at Drift with wide optics. He shook his helm. "We need to restrain him before he hurts himself."

Ironhide nodded, looking pained as he held the mech's wrists firmly to keep him from self-harming as the mech writhed, fighting to free himself from his grip. He helped Ratchet fight Drift's arms to the medical bed and Ratchet activated the restraints on both sides to hold his arms down.

Ratchet then administered a fast acting painkiller to Drift to hopefully help with the pain. Then he added a sedative so he could hopefully sleep off some of it.

"Deadlock was one of Megatron's top fighters in the war," Knock Out said, standing a short distance away now that Shadebreaker was deposited on a bed nearby.

Ratchet looked sharply at the Decepticon medic, having forgotten he was there.

"He's Drift now. And I don't see how that is relevant, mech," Ironhide gruffed, leaning against the berth.

"My apologies, I didn't know." Knock Out said sincerely, hand over his spark. "You recall Megatron fed some of his troops dark-en in the waning days of the war?"

Ratchet's optics widened and then he looked back at Drift. "Drift was…he was one of them, then?"

Knock Out nodded with a frown. "I was there, I treated a lot of mechs when the supplies ran out," he said solemnly. "A lot of them….didn't make it. But many did, only thanks to me, a few other medics and the strength of their will. If you will let me, I will provide you my help." He looked around as the other Unicron team arrived. "It looks like you could use it."

Ratchet knew he needed help, but he didn't like it. Knock Out may be saying he intended to leave the Decepticons, but that didn't mean he could be trusted with his patients. Yet, Knock Out had the experience when it came to what Drift was dealing with.

"Ratchet," Elita spoke up gently. She gave him a reassuring look. "Perceptor and I will keep an optic on him."

Ratchet nodded. "Very well." he said. "But if any of these bots die, it will be your gears I grind into dust." He growled, pointing a stern finger at the Decepticon medic.

Knock Out bowed to him. "Very much understood," he said, tone smooth.

"Since you have experience with dark-en withdrawals, I'll have you take care of Drift, have Perceptor help you, he has enough med training to be on backup med staff in times of need," Ratchet ordered, shooting a look at Perceptor that told him he better not argue. "And he'll know if you purposely sabotage his recovery."

"You got it, doc," Knock Out said easily, shooting him finger guns and moving closer to Drift's bed. He waved at the red scientist. "Come on, Perc. I trust you know how to decontaminate a bot."

Perceptor didn't quite groan, but he looked obviously unhappy about working with the Decepticon medic as he moved to help. "Primus help me."

Ratchet didn't have time to second guess his decision as he moved to the next order of business. Firestar had arrived back from fighting mini-Unicrons and was already helping Wheeljack decontaminate Shadebreaker.

"Since you're still on your pedes, Ironhide, go take a decontamination bath," Ratchet ordered. "Take Chromia, you two can make sure you're thorough. Do not get into any funny business."

"The twins have already taken the shower," Ironhide said. "So unless you want us to track dark-en through the halls, we'll have to clean what we can here."

Ratchet looked through medbay. Indeed, the twins were missing and the showers read occupied. "Very well," he said. "Let's get you decontamination supplies." He sighed heavily.

"We didn't plan for this many bots needing decontamination at once," Ironhide said drily, reading Ratchet's sigh.

Ratchet glowered. "More like, the humans wouldn't allow for more sufficient decontamination facilities." he grouched.

He had argued with that budget liaison for weeks alongside Prowl, but they had refused to allow them a decontamination space that allowed for more than three bots at a time. It made no sense. Especially when they had known Unicron and dark-en were potential troubles. And tox-en. Shadebreaker had mentioned all three had been potentials when the plans for medbay had been in the works, trying to emphasize the importance of a decontamination area existing. He remembered her own ire at the humans' stubbornness quite well. She'd tried to compare it to every toxic chemical she knew of, but it didn't seem to get through that they needed bigger facilities.

Ratchet and Ironhide gathered supplies for him and Chromia and then Ironhide went over to where Chromia was sitting, leaning against Bluestreak for support—the sniper leaning against her in return.

Ratchet got some more ready to start on Bluestreak after checking to see who else needed to start—Ultra Magnus had started himself with the help of Breakdown(albeit Magnus looked very cautious of the Decepticon) and Optimus was helping Bumblebee while Chromedome was cleaning himself off, with a far off look on his face.

The new mech—Shadowstreaker—was oddly clean already and just watching everyone from somewhere on the side.

Prowl was there, standing to the side with an obviously damaged doorwing. He looked like he regretted needing to be there.

Arcee was standing next to him with no readily visible injury, but Ratchet could see she was holding her arm a bit awkwardly.

Tracks and Mirage were also there, not injured, but looking like they were on guard by the doorway, optics going between the unconscious Shadebreaker, Drift and the two Decepticons with distrust in their optics toward all of them.

He noted the absence of Megatron—good—and Solarcharge.

"Not that I'm complaining," Ratchet said as he approached where Bluestreak had moved over a little to allow Ironhide to help Chromia get clean. "But where'd the jets go?"

"Megatron didn't come back with us," Ironhide said. "I'm not sure, but I think he tried something."

"He attacked Drift," Bluestreak said, blinking. "I think he was trying to use him to get to Shade'." He looked over at the unconscious owlbot. "At least…that's what it looked like. She used her portals to get them both away. I couldn't make out the details."

"Tch, of course he did," Ratchet grumbled as he started work on cleaning the mech off.

"Solarcharge said he'd be back after taking care of something," Ironhide said. "I'm not sure, but I think he went somewhere to clean off."

Ratchet grunted. "Of course he couldn't offer his facilities to anyone else," he grumbled.

Chromia grinned wryly. "What, you want to go home with a mech, Ratchet? Don't you think Shade' would be jealous?"

Ratchet sputtered at that. "That's not what I- You-!" he glared at her and saw the wicked grin on her face.

Ironhide shook his helm.

Bluestreak looked uncertainly amused.

Ratchet sighed, accepting his fate. Chromia was Chromia after all. And she coped best when she was being inappropriate sometimes. It was better than her kicking and fighting Ironhide about the cleaning. Like he was sure she'd start doing when the medcare started.

Eventually the twins emerged from the showers, Sunstreaker supporting Sideswipe as the mech was sporting a pretty bad injury to his right pede. Ironhide and Chromia took the showers next, with Chromia barely conscious enough to be much help with the remainder of their task.

Firestar and Wheeljack were still working on getting Shadebreaker decontaminated, and the same was true for Knock Out and Percepter for Drift. So Ratchet moved toward the twins with a scanner, finally able to turn his attention toward some injuries.

"All clean?" he asked the twins, his doctor tone taking over as he helped Sunstreaker get his brother onto an empty bed one of the bots had rolled in after returning from the field before making themselves scarce—they needed enough to accommodate everyone.

"I feel like we scrubbed ourselves raw," Sideswipe joked lightly, though his voice was tired. "No way were we gonna leave any of that on us."

"Good," Ratchet said, setting the scanner on the bed for a moment as he kneeled to remove Sideswipe's pede armor to get a better look at the wound. "Care to tell me about this?"

"Ugh, just this weird spider antibody thing inside Unicron's body," Sideswipe said, flinching as Ratchet gently wiped away the still oozing life-en. "The dark-en exposure was making me feel really weak and sluggish. I thought I had a mini-cube in my subspace to help counteract it like Shade' had suggested we all do, but when I went to find one, I couldn't find it and we'd already split off into individual paths on our side by then. I was too slow and it caught me in the pede with one of its nasty claws."

"Maybe next time you'll listen when I tell you to double check these things," Sunstreaker said grouchily, crossing his arms as Ratchet ran his scanner over the site.

"That would be wise," Ratchet said, pulling the scanner away and waiting a beat for the results to pull up. "There's a little dark-en contamination that got into this wound, so I'm gonna have to flush it out."

Sideswipe groaned loudly.

"I'll administer you some painkillers first, then get some local anesthetic on the area before flushing it," Ratchet said. "Then, once it's clean, I'll bandage it up for you."

"Yes sir," Sideswipe said, sighing.

Sunstreaker climbed up next to him and the twins started talking quietly to each other as Ratchet moved away to get the painkillers and supplies to flush. His optics roamed the room as he moved.

Firestar and Wheeljack were still decontaminating Shadebreaker—her wings were a chore, he knew—but Knock Out and Perceptor had moved onto treating Drift's injuries.

Ironhide and Chromia were back out from the showers and the mech was sitting on the bed with his femme cradled in his lap as she clung to him.

Bluestreak and Bumblebee appeared to be in the showers now.

Optimus was as clean as he could be without a shower and was talking quietly with Prowl and Ultra Magnus.

Solarcharge was back, clean and sparkling, uninjured, watching next to Shadowstreaker, looking unreadable as he often was.

Shadowstreaker was looking at Solarcharge with a slight look of disapproval on his face, as if they had just finished talking and the mech did not approve of whatever the jet had said.

Rewind had found his way to medbay now, having gotten someone to take over Ground Bridge duty now that everyone was home, and was speaking to Chromedome softly as he helped him clean his armor.

By the time Ratchet had taken all this in, he was back at the twins. He administered the painkiller and then rubbed the site of the injection for a moment as Sideswipe leaned against his brother. Then he gently applied the topical painkiller to his pede around the wound and began flushing it out, holding his pede steady and pausing to wipe away the energon as it came out, good and bad. Once he was sure all of the contaminate was out of the wound, he gently wrapped the wound in a bandage and looked back up at Sideswipe.

"Do you want this armor back on? Or do you have your backup that you want to use?" Ratchet asked gently.

"Ngh, my backup's in the shop," Sideswipe said with a grimace.

"Ah," Ratchet said, understanding that meant his backup armor needed repainting for any number of reasons. He replaced his pede armor for him and then stood back to his full height. He ran a scan over both twins. "I know you are both tired, but you need to stay awake long enough to drink a cube of energon and then you can sleep. Room 34 will be yours, if you want a room together. Otherwise one of you can take the room across from it. You are not to leave medbay just yet."

"We'll take room 34," Sunstreaker said as Sideswipe was nearly unconscious. "I'll make sure he drinks a cube before completely passing out."

Ratchet nodded. "I'll grab those for you, then you can go," he said.

Once the twins were hobbling down the hall, Ratchet turned his attention to the next most injured bot in medbay yet to be attended to and clear of contamination. Prowl.

"Alright, Prowl," Ratchet said gruffly. "I'd appreciate it if you don't give me too much trouble today. As you can see, I rather have my hands full."

Prowl gave a displeased hiss.

"Come now, if I handle your wing now, you can go and get away from the crowded room," Ratchet said, narrowing his optics at the Praxian mech,

Prowl lowered his good wing in displeasure as he frowned to emphasize his displeasure.

Ratchet sighed, knowing the mech was mostly on edge because of the crowd and because he'd seen him and Knock Out both make use of needles. And one of them wore the Decepticon insignia.

"Prowl," Ratchet said, exasperated.

"Don't make me hold you down," Breakdown said casually as he walked behind Ratchet, carrying something.

Prowl's good wing shot up in alarm and he snarled at mech.

Ratchet growled, shooting a glare at the mech as the Decepticon shot a grin over his shoulder as he delivered med-grade energon to Optimus and Ultra Magnus. Ratchet blinked and then looked around to see everyone not unconscious was in possession of a cube of energon. He looked back to the mech and blinked as the red faced Decepticon winked at him.

"Figured everyone needed some medical grade energon and, like you said, you have your hands full," Breakdown said. "I am serious, though. I can hold down bots."

"That will not be necessary," Prowl said tightly. "Ratchet is perfectly capable of handling my wings without Decepticon help."

"Great," Breakdown said, grinning. "I'll go see if Firestar or Knock Out need help then."

Ratchet watched the mech walk off with the air of victory for a moment. Had he just done what he thinks he did?

He shook his helm and turned his attention to Prowl, who willingly allowed Ratchet access to his damaged doorwing now.

Once Prowl's wing was taken care of, Prowl stormed out of medbay, leaving its security in the capable hands of the uninjured bots left and accepting that he wouldn't get reports from most bots until a later time.

Ratchet moved on to Arcee then and her arm was quick and she opted to stay, leaning against the wall next to Shadowstreaker as Ratchet ran a quick scan on the new mech to confirm whether he was really ok or not. His system was showing the effects of dark-en exposure, but to a lesser degree as the others that had been covered by it. The energon he was drinking and some rest would probably handle it just fine.

He moved over to Shadebreaker, seeing that Firestar and Wheeljack were finally done decontaminating her. "Report?"

"All clean," Firestar replied, shifting the bin of armor at her pedes that were soaking in decontamination liquid. "She had some lacerations on her wings that needed extra care while cleaning, but we were able to clear them of contamination and placed some liquid bandage on them to protect from infection."

"She has a wound on her arm, here, that needs flushed, still," Wheeljack said, holding her bare arm gently in one hand as he wiped away some energon with the other. "She's got one on her back as well that needs more attention."

"Her energon levels are also dangerously low, but we didn't want to start a line until the contamination was clear," Firestar said softly. "And neither of us know what painkillers she needs."

Ratchet nodded his understanding. "Thank you," he said, placing a hand on Firestar's shoulder. "The Praxians are out of the shower now, go see to Bumblebee's arm. I believe Breakdown has some med experience, he can help you."

Firestar glanced at the Decepticon mech as he stood awkwardly by and then back at Ratchet and nodded. "Alright," she said, tone a little doubtful. Then she moved toward the Decepticon to enlist his help with the Praxians.

"Wheeljack," Ratchet turned to his friend. "I need you to prep the IV while I get painkillers in her system and this wound flushed out."

"You got it, doc," Wheeljack said, nodding his helm.

Wheeljack slipped away to do as ordered and Ratchet slipped the painkillers he'd formulated for her from subspace. He administered them—Firestar had induced a medical stasis, so she was unlikely to wake up, but her frame was still able to register pain and there was no need for it to suffer. Then he moved to begin flushing the wound on her arm.

He was bandaging the wound when Wheeljack came back with an IV stand that had a bag of Energon prepped for direct input into her energon lines hanging from it. He hooked the IV up next and then had Wheeljack help him roll her onto her side in order to access the back wound that needed flushing next. After that it was just a matter of small patches and salve over bruises. For once, her visor wasn't damaged despite the damage the rest of her had sustained from whatever she had faced down there.

"That's about all we can do until she wakes up," Ratchet sighed as they settled her frame more comfortably on the bed. They laid a blanket over her for warmth and decency, then he adjusted the IV just a touch and ran one more scan over her. "Luckily, she doesn't seem to have withdrawals running through her systems like Drift. That's good. Means Shockwave didn't experiment with it on her at all."

"That is, perhaps, the one good thing we could ever say about that," Wheeljack said drily, fins flashing as he looked down at the femme.

"Yeah," Ratchet agreed. He couldn't dwell on this topic, though, so he shifted his attention back toward the other patients.

There was still work to do. Less now. Mostly bruises and dings now. Salves would handle the rest. And armor repairs. And painkillers.

He sent Wheeljack to deliver salves to Ultra Magnus and send him off to a private room. And then find rooms for the Praxians to get some rest, and more energon.

Knock Out was with Optimus now, tending a wound on the Prime's arm as they talked in quiet tones as Elita stood close by Optimus's side.

Ratchet noted Chromedome had gone to the showers with Rewind to help him. He moved toward Ironhide and Chromia, approaching at an easy pace so as not to startle either of them.

"Alright," Ratchet said gently. "I saw Breakdown got you some energon. Did Chromia drink it before she fell asleep?" He reached out and touched the femme's helm lightly, checking her temperature.

"Yes," Ironhide replied quietly, rubbing a thumb over his femme's arm.

"She'll need more when she wakes," Ratchet said as the sensors in his fingertips fed him information. He took a scanner from subspace and ran it over her. "There's a wound on her side I need to check. Do you think we need to wake her?"

"Hm," Ironhide hummed, shifting his hold on his femme. "She's surprisingly deep in recharge given present company." There was a frown of concern on his face. He adjusted his hold. "Go ahead. I'll watch out for you. I saw what you are talking about and the care shouldn't wake her up."

Ratchet looked at Ironhide's face to confirm and the mech nodded. He sighed, bracing for anything, then moved forward a bit to remove the armor on Chromia's side around the midsection. There was a sizeable bruise there, but no punctures, which was good. Ever so gently, Ratchet rubbed on some salve onto the site and then place a bandage over it to keep the femme's armor from rubbing it off. Replacing the armor, Ratchet looked up at Ironhide.

"I should give her some painkillers as well," he said softly.

Ironhide hesitated. "That has a higher chance of waking her," he said.

"I've had quite a bit of practice giving shots to sleeping bots recently," Ratchet said, halfway grinning.

Ironhide glanced toward Shadebreaker, thinking about her last medbay stay. "I suppose you have." He said. He nodded.

The shot was over faster than the conversation had gone. Chromia shifted at it, but didn't completely wake up.

"How are your pain levels?" Ratchet asked Ironhide.

"Minimal," Ironhide replied. "I have a few bruises, but that's it. Some salve will handle it."

Ratchet nodded. He could also read that Ironhide was not prepared to put his femme down for the life of him right now. And a scan of him confirmed his words, so he wouldn't push him. He set a container of salve down next to him on the bed.

"For when you are ready," he told the mech.

"Thank you, Ratchet," Ironhide said sincerely.

Ratchet moved onto Chromedome as the mech settled on a bed, Rewind climbing up to sit next to him as support. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Chromedome said. "And in a little pain. One of those antibodies slammed into me in a tussle."

"He's got a pretty good bruise on his back," Rewind said, looking worried. "And he said he's hearing voices?"

Ratchet nodded his understanding. "That's the dark-en, most likely," he said with a sigh in his voice. "Shade' intercommed me about it while you were down there. It should pass as the effects wear off. You will need to consume more than average energon for the next day or so."

Chromedome nodded in understanding as Ratchet waved his scanner over him. "I understand," he said softly. "Other than the voices, tiredness and the bruise, I feel ok. I didn't get overly hurt or anything down there. It seemed the defenses were mostly focused on the others."

"Unicron probably saw them as the bigger threat," Ratchet replied, looking at the results. "The container wasn't a threat to him if the Shards didn't suppress him."

"Yeah," Chromedome said, tightening his hold on Rewind's hand.

Ratchet put the scanner away. "Your bruise is the only injury I am concerned with," he said. "If you would lay down on your front, I will get some salve applied to it. And then you can retire to room 15 for some energon and recharge."

Chromedome nodded and then laid down as directed, Rewind hopping off the bed to make room.

Ratchet gently removed the necessary pieces of back armor and then rubbed soothing and healing salve to the bruise covering his back.

"Don't hesitate to talk to anyone if you need about those voices, you hear?" Ratchet said gently. "Rewind is not the only one here to support you, you know? Optimus and I will also be glad to help if they are too much."

Chromedome sighed, frame relaxing a bit. "I understand, Ratchet. Thank you."

After finishing up and sending the two love birds on their way, Ratchet moved away and checked with the other bots, instructing them to consume more energon as needed, sending some to rooms to rest and then setting to work cleaning up to dark-en that had been dripped on the floor with the help of Breakdown and Firestar while Wheeljack kept an optic on the vitals of Drift and Shadebreaker and Knock Out continued his discussion with Optimus.

Once everything was clean, Ratchet leaned against the counter at the edge of medbay and surveyed the remainder of the bots. No one on the Unicron team was allowed to leave medbay just yet, but he'd sent a couple of them to rooms.

Bumblebee and Bluestreak had been sent to rooms to rest earlier. Joined them now were Shadowstreaker and Solarcharge—who had almost fought it, but accepted it after a moment. Ultra Magnus hadn't returned since Wheeljack had sent him to his room to handle his injuries—to tend to his bruises in private.

The only ones left in the main room now were Shadebreaker, Drift, Ironhide, Chromia and Optimus. As well as the bots who were present for security or medical help.

"You can go now, Firestar," Ratchet said as the femme leaned against the counter next to him.

"Are you sure?" Firestar asked, eyeing the Decepticons as they both talked with Optimus and Elita now.

"Yes," Ratchet said. "You need to rest and drink some energon. Take those by the door with you. They're making me anxious. I swear if they keep shooting the same suspicious looks at Shade and Drift I'm going to lose it."

"I get that," Firestar said in understanding tones. She frowned at the two mechs and then pushed herself off the counter. "Well, intercom if you need me."

"I will," Ratchet promised. Though he doubted he would.

He watched as Firestar moved to the door and then got the mechs to follow her out with a little bit of convincing. They wanted to argue, Ratchet could tell, but Optimus was facing their way so they didn't dare.

Wheeljack came over to him and shoved an energon cube into his hands. "Don't forget yourself, doc," he said, holding a cube for himself as well.

"I was getting there," Ratchet assured him, but took a sip to appease him anyways, watching as Perceptor seemingly reluctantly took a couple cubes to the Decepticons while delivering a third cube to Optimus.

"Does Optimus need a third cube?" Ratchet asked, knowing the answer.

"I suspect it's a guise so it doesn't look like Percy was purely concerned about the 'Cons," Wheeljack said in amusement.

Ratchet let out a short chuckle at that.

"What's next?" Wheeljack asked.

"I still have to do Knock Out and Breakdown's intake scans and such," Ratchet replied.

"Oh, right, we got interrupted," Wheeljack said drily. Clearly he was not looking forward to that. "Still want my help with that?"

"No," Ratchet said. "Unless you want to take over it entirely."

"Pfft, no," Wheeljack laughed lightly.

"I need you to keep an optic on Shade and Drift in case anything changes," Ratchet said. "Chromia, too. She seems a little more affected for a bot with no piercing or puncturing injuries as well. I'm worried there might be something my scans haven't picked up yet there."

Wheeljack nodded in understanding. "I understand."

"Thank you, Wheeljack," Ratchet said. "For all your help today."

"No problem, Ratchet," Wheeljack said, a smile in his tone.

"Names…are you two keeping your names, or would you like to go by anything else?" Ratchet asked once he had Knock Out and Breakdown in another room for their intake scans.

Knock Out shrugged. "My name's too fitting to change it," he said with a smirk. "I am knock out gorgeous, after all."

Ratchet rolled his optics at that, marking his name down on his form. "What about you, Breakdown?"

Breakdown shrugged. "I never really thought about it," he said. "Do bots change their name often?"

Ratchet shrugged. "I wouldn't say often." He said. "Some bots want to separate their identity from a particular thing from their past they associate their name with, so they change it."

"Is that why Drift no longer goes by Deadlock?" Breakdown asked.

"Precisely," Ratchet said, nodding. "He didn't want his Decepticon name, so he took a new one."

"Hm," Breakdown hummed thoughtfully. "I don't think I want to change it." He shared a look with Knock Out. "At least, not at this time."

"Alright," Ratchet said, writing that down. "Let us know if that ever changes. We're understanding of such things around here."

Breakdown nodded.

Ratchet marked the date of arrival and scans, then went over the other questions with them. Age? Parental information? How long have you been on Earth? Where were you prior? How long? Any history of chronic illnesses or reactions to medications? Any resistances to medications that you know of?

"I don't remember that last one being covered in any of my textbooks," Knock Out frowned, tilting his helm.

Ratchet raised an optic ridge, looking briefly up at the Decepticon medic, but then moving toward the computer to sync the data up. "I added it to the roster after Shade'," he said. "Her system doesn't work with many painkillers, so a number of them are ineffective for her specifically."

"Ouch," Knock Out flinched, sharing a look with Breakdown. "That's…that's rough." He paused. "You…you have something that works for her, though, right?"

Ratchet nodded. "It took some trial and error, but we were able to find something reliable during her time in medbay after she was a captive of the Decepticons."

"Good," Knock Out said and Ratchet could hear heavy relief in his voice.

"Why do you care so much?" Ratchet asked.

"She helped me save Breakdown from a gruesome fate, Ratchet," Knock Out replied, something vulnerable in his tone. "When Megatron was going to leave him for scrap. I…honestly, I don't know what I would do without him. I owe Shadebreaker my life."

Breakdown placed a hand on Knock Out's shoulder and the red mech placed a hand over it.

Ratchet looked at them for a moment and understood the unspoken words. "You are conjunx endura?" He asked.

The mechs shared a look, as if debating with each other if it was safe.

"You can tell me," Ratchet said gently. "This is a safe place. If you don't wish anyone to know, I won't tell, though I'd bet Shade' knows. If she does, she hasn't said anything. But I also don't think anyone would judge you for it. Other things, perhaps, but not that. We have another mech pair and they don't face any troubles for it."

"Huh," Knock Out said. "The Decepticons really don't take kindly to it. They…don't…because neither of us can…carry…they think it's unnatural."

Ratchet scoffed at that. "Not all femmes are capable either, for various reasons," he narrowed his optics, thinking of Decepticon tortures that had robbed many a femme of their ability to conceive. "That's an archaic and ridiculous thing to judge love on."

Knock Out chuckled at that, a relieved and amused one.

"We'd still like to keep it between us for now," Breakdown said, tightening his grip on Knock Out's shoulder for a moment. "Give bots time to get used to us before we go testing that out."

"I understand," Ratchet said gently. "Do either of you have trouble with being stuck with needles?"

"No sir."

"Not at all."

"Good, cause I need to take life-en samples to check for viruses that scans can't pick up," Ratchet said. "And then we'll need to do some deep scans and check your optics."

"So much," Knock Out said as he compliantly removed some armor on his arm for Ratchet to get a draw from.

"Did you never do this for new Decepticons on the ship?" Ratchet asked conversationally.

"Decepticons never come to medbay unless they are injured," Knock Out said drily. "Or dragging in a prisoner they nearly killed, but don't want to die."

Ratchet didn't quite respond, but it took effort not to let himself think of Shadebreaker on the medic's table back then.

"If I had known then, that I was going to end up here, I might have done more for her when she was on my table," Knock Out said quietly, watching Ratchet's hands as he drew his life-en.

"You were following orders," Ratchet said gently. "Shadebreaker holds nothing you did then against you. Neither do I. From the way she tells it, you were remotely kind to her."

Knock Out laughed a bitter laugh. "I didn't even give her any painkiller," he said.

"They probably wouldn't have worked." Ratchet pointed out drily.

"At least I would've tried," Knock Out said. "Aren't medics supposed to prevent suffering?"

"Well, yes," Ratchet said. "But you weren't exactly in a position where you could do much. Even had Megatron not forbidden you, what painkiller you could give would've worked minimally, if that. I know it feels like a mute point, but you can't dwell on the past to the point that you fail to move forward and do better in the future. You need to look forward and do better so that you can help your future patients."

Knock Out snorted at that.

"Why is that funny?" Ratchet asked, looking over at him.

"Optimus hasn't told you yet," Knock Out said, not looking back at him. "But he will. You'll see."

Ratchet raised an optic ridge at that, but he saw that Knock Out didn't want to talk about it here and now. So he continued the exam, talking when needed and gathering the information needed. The scans went fine and they didn't fight or cause him any trouble, or ask anymore questions about the process.

"Before I send you to rest, do you want to talk about what you meant about what Optimus hasn't told me yet?" Ratchet asked, figuring he would at least try.

"No, Ratchet," Knock Out said, crossing his arms protectively across his chest and leaning against Breakdown. "I really wouldn't."

Ratchet looked up at Breakdown and saw the mech looking down at Knock Out with a concerned frown as he rubbed his arms gently. He sighed in acceptance.

"Very well," he said. "Both of you have some energon before settling down for some recharge. Room 21 is yours, Elita and Perceptor are waiting outside the room to walk you there."

"Thank you, Ratchet," Breakdown said after a moment and Knock Out failed to respond.

"You are welcome," Ratchet said sincerely.

He watched the mechs walk down the hall with the femme commander and scientist for a moment and then sighed. They were gonna have a long adjustment period, he suspected. It would probably be bumpier than Drift's had been.