Optimus stood silently outside the medbay, arms crossed, optics fixed on the closed door in front of him.

Starscream, the former Decepticon second in command, was here— inside their base. Injured and a prisoner, Optimus truly couldn't figure out what to do next. He needed to speak with Starscream as soon as possible, lay down the Autobots' intentions and find out what the seeker's are. What would he be willing to do after everything?

After everything Megatron had done to Starscream, his abuse, his betrayal, his abandonment… Would Starscream be willing to help the Autobots win this war? Stop Megatron once and for all? Could this incident be the final straw that 'broke the camel's back,' as the humans say?

If Starscream decided to help them after he was healed, it could be a tipping point in the war. Megatron would be shaken by the loss of his second and lose his grip on his troops as he focused on the seeker's betrayal.

Optimus knew Megatron, inside and out. Even if Starscream didn't help them fight, Megatron would feel betrayal under his plating. Realizing that he doesn't have the power over his second anymore could tip him over the edge, could cause him to make rash decisions… It could give them the opening they need to take the Decepticons down once and for all.

But first, Optimus needed to speak with Starscream and discover the seeker's true motives, if he would even be willing to help them… maybe even become an Autobot himself. But if there was one thing Optimus knew about Starscream, it was that his loyalties were as unstable as his temper.

Optimus also tried to ignore the nagging feeling in his processor that told him Starscream would fight them every step of the way. Still, they couldn't ignore the situation. Starscream needed to know his options and where he stood. What fate might await him now. Letting him sit in silence, locked away in a medbay, left too much room for suspicion and fear to fester. For plots to form... It wasn't a good idea.

The seeker's processor never stopped moving. He was always analyzing, always anticipating the worst, especially after working under a mech like Megatron. If they didn't give him answers soon, he'd come up with his own.

Optimus ex-vented quietly, optics narrowing. He still didn't know if offering Starscream a chance at redemption was wisdom or naivety. He worried about the chance of his Autobots not accepting it, shooting the idea down before Starscream got the chance he needed to thrive. But if there was even a chance at Starscream's redemption, Optimus needed to take it.

With that thought, he finally stepped forward. Quietly, slowly, he approached the door to the medbay and gave a gentle knock. After a moment, the door slid open with a soft hiss. On the other side of the door stood Ratchet, and he looked… Exhausted. Optimus frowned at the medic's state, but before Optimus could say a word, the medic lifted a servo and pressed lightly but firmly against one of Optimus's windshield panels, pushing him gently—but firmly—back toward the hallway.

Optimus could have easily stayed where he was, but who was he to defy Ratchet? He took two large steps back with the medic until they were no longer in the medbay. Ratchet kept his back to the doorway, putting himself between Optimus and Starscream.

"How are they?" Optimus asked softly.

Ratchet glanced over his shoulder, making sure nothing had stirred in the medbay. Then he looked back at Optimus, sighing deeply out through his vents. Letting his tight field loose again, it flooded with exhaustion and some frustration. Optimus wished his old friend would let himself get some recharge.

Ratchet rubbed at his helm with one servo. "Stable. For now. Starscream slipped back into recharge not long ago. But… He's refusing to take energon."

Optimus tilted his helm. "Refusing?"

Ratchet nodded. "Yes, the mech won't let us feed it to him out of stubborn pride. He's going to offline himself at this rate. Especially without the proper energon in his tanks to help with his healing and stopping his systems from shutting down."

Optimus's optics widened a fraction, and his field flickered with concern. "Could we… not give it to him regardless?" He suggested. "If it's a mech's life on the line…" He paused.

Ratchet's optics narrowed, and his field darkened with disgust at the idea. He crossed his arms over his chest plate.

"I could, yes," Ratchet said carefully. "But I won't. I don't force treatment on patients, Optimus. If Starscream wants to offline himself out of sheer spite, that's his prerogative."

Optimus frowned despite himself. Right. It wasn't Optimus's place to force treatment on a mech, even if that mech is Starscream... His gaze drifted past Ratchet, trying to see inside the room. "Is Danny still with him?"

Ratchet noticed the shift and subtly angled himself again, a clear message: not right now.

Ratchet knew Optimus almost better than the prime knew himself. He knew what he was thinking.

"They're both in recharge," Ratchet said, tone softening a fraction. "And Starscream's not in any shape to hurt the kid even if he wanted to…" He paused. "I left for a moment to grab one of my data pads Bumblebee borrowed. When I came back, Starscream was awake. Danny was fast asleep on top of him."

Optimus stood straighter on instinct, almost wanting to go in there and check to make sure Danny was okay, but Ratchet wouldn't be telling this story if the boy had died or been injured, and he wouldn't leave them alone in the room right now if he were. So, Optimus waited.

"Starscream didn't even try and move the kid or anything. In fact, he tried his best not to wake him up," Ratchet said thoughtfully. Optimus tilted his helm. That was interesting. "I asked him some probing questions," Ratchet continued. "I hoped to get a rise out of him. Get him to admit some ulterior motive… But from what it seems, I think there is some legitimacy to what Danny's been telling us. I don't think Starscream will hurt him… At least not now."

Optimus nodded slowly, absorbing the words. "Regardless… I will need to speak with him. We need to discuss the terms of his arrangement here." He took a step forward.

Ratchet didn't argue the point, but he lifted a servo to stop Optimus from continuing. "While I understand that's important," he said, "But you can't go in there right now, especially while he's in recharge."

Optimus gave a small tilt of his helm, a silent prompt for explanation.

Ratchet put a servo on his hip. "Last time you were in there when he woke up, he was greeted by being pinned down and trapped by a mech much larger than himself," he said. "He panicked. He thought you were going to hurt him or worse. Especially after the incident that had him end up here, his first thought was likely Megatron ."

"Even if it wasn't," Ratchet continued. "The Decepticons' only previous forms of authority and leaders had been the former Primes, mostly Sentinel. And now Megatron. Both of whom were not known for their gentle leading and kind explanations." He raised an optic ridge.

Optimus's field was dampened with guilt.

Ratchet could tell what Optimus was thinking. "I'm not blaming you. You did what you had to. But Starscream is still reacting like a mech who expects to be punished every time someone of authority speaks to him. You—walking in there now, towering over him, while he's groggy from recharge— that's not the time to start talking about his future."

Optimus said nothing, his gaze lowering slightly.

"He's your prisoner," Ratchet said, quieter now, "but he's my patient. And in this medbay, that takes precedence. I won't risk another panic reaction just because protocol says it's time for a conversation."

Optimus's mouth plates shifted minutely, brows drawing in.

"When he wakes again," Ratchet continued, "I'll call you. But I want to bring you in. And no looming. You can't ask him for cooperation if he thinks it's a trap… or an interrogation. Also, make sure he knows he has a choice. Otherwise, he may just play along until he can escape."

Optimus finally nodded. "I trust your judgment, Ratchet."

"You always should," Ratchet muttered. "I'm the one who'll have to patch him up if you scare him into another episode. You're just the one that's going to have to deal with another pissed-off teenager."

That earned him the faintest curve at the edge of the Prime's mouth. Not a smile, but close.

Optimus took a small step back, glancing once more toward the medbay with restrained worry. "Thank you for watching over them."

Ratchet snorted. "It's not like I have a choice. Starscream's bolted down, and Danny wouldn't leave if you held a blaster to his head."

With a final glance and a nod of understanding, Optimus turned and walked away down the hall.

Ratchet lingered a moment longer, casting one more look toward the berth. Then he stepped back into the medbay, sealing the door behind him.