"Starscream? Hey, Starscream, wake up!"
The silver Seeker, jostled from recharge, awoke with a start. Optics blinked as they adjusted to the light.
"Rise and shine, sleepy head!"
Recognizing the voice, Starscream groaned and tilted his helm. His glare landed on the yellow and black mech standing at his bedside.
"What do you want, bug?" Starscream grumbled.
"Well, good morning to you, too, Screamer," Bumblebee replied, smirking.
"Don't tell me Knockout's gotten everyone hooked on that absurd nickname."
Bumblebee ignored the accusation and grabbed Starscream's arm, dragging him out of his cell and down the hall.
"Where are we going?" Starscream asked, neither in the mood nor having the energy to resist.
"You'll see," Bumblebee said without looking back.
---
"Ah! There you are, Starscream! Sleep well?"
Starscream and Bumblebee were just entering the hangar when Knockout called out to them from the central area. Moonracer waved from her spot perched atop a crate. Steeljaw appeared too engrossed in the information on a data pad to bother acknowledging their presence.
"Let's just say it's been easier for me to recharge since my last appointment," Starscream replied, shrugging as if it were no big deal.
"Glad to hear," Knockout said, apprehensive, recalling what happened during that appointment.
"Yes, yes, I'm sure you are. Now, would someone care to explain to me why I've been dragged out here?"
"Well, Starscream, we've finally reached a suitable planet to start exploring, and I've decided that we should split into teams of two, while the remaining one stays here as mission control."
"And to make sure nothing happens to the ship," Moonracer added.
"Yes, that, too," Knockout nodded. "Anyway, Starscream, it's you and me. Bumblebee is with Steeljaw, and Moonracer is staying here because she is literally one of the most responsible and trustworthy bots I know."
For Starscream, it was strange seeing Knockout express sincerity, especially towards one of his colleagues. The only other being he's ever remembered the red medic acting that way around was Breakdown.
The hangar door opened, allowing the sights and sounds of the outside world to reach their senses. For a moment, Starscream couldn't move. Then his transformation sequence and flight systems booted up, and he shot past the others like a bullet.
Starscream laughed, nothing but joy escaping his vocalizer as he soared through the air, feeling the wind beneath his wings.
He was flying.
After all this time – lying comatose, locked in a cell – he was back in the sky.
He finally felt free.
KO: {STARSCREAM!}
The unexpected call startled Starscream, causing him to falter and lose altitude for a split second.
KO: {Starscream, answer me!}
SS: {Blasted Pits, Knockout, stop raising your voice at me! You nearly made me crash with all that racket!}
KO: {Ratchet? What does he have to do with any of this?}
SS: {RACKET! I SAID RACKET, NOT RATCHET! Primus, something must be clogging your audio receptors. I thought you pride yourself on the best of self-care, doctor? Does that not apply to every single part of you, and not just your looks? Either that, or you really suck at listening.}
KO: {Honestly, Starscream, whenever you're preaching nonsense, I just tune you out.}
.
.
.
.
.
KO: {Starscream? Hello? Screamer, you still there?}
Knockout waited another minute, then turned to the others.
"He hung up on me."
"Shocking," Moonracer retorted, earning a few chuckles from Bumblebee and Steeljaw.
Knockout just rolled his optics and turned to the remaining two mechs.
"Anyway, what are you two planning on doing while out and about?"
"Well, for starters, making sure Steeljaw doesn't kill me when we're alone," Bumblebee said.
"Not when I have a lot riding on this mission, I won't," Steeljaw argued.
"Doesn't matter. I'm still going to keep a close eye on you."
"So long as you don't get in my way, go right ahead."
"Okay then!" Knockout interjected before things got out of hand. "Let's all just calm down..."
Knockout never got to finish as he was swept away in the blink of an eye.
---
Starscream was used to howling winds echoing in his audio receptors. Because of that, Knockout's screaming wasn't as painful to deal with as it could have been. Not that Starscream would mind either way. He was having way too much fun to care.
"What's the matter, Knockout? Afraid of heights?" Starscream teased.
"Heights, no. Falling to my death, yes!" Knockout screeched, further tightening his grip around Starscream's alt mode. "Not to mention the damage to my gorgeous finish!"
"Tch. You're such an idiot."
Knockout opened his mouth to protest...
BB: {Knockout? Starscream? Come in!}
KO: {Bee? Is that you?}
BB: {Knockout? Thank the Allspark! Are you alright? What's going on?}
KO: {Well, I'm not too sure, but I think Screamer here is trying to kill me.}
SS: {No, I'm not, but call me Screamer one more time, and I won't hesitate to drop you.}
KO: {Don't worry, Bee! I'm fine! We're both fine! Actually, more than fine. Courtesy of Starscream, we have a bird's eye view of the place.}
SJ: {That means the ground work will be left solely to us.}
BB: {I guess so. Knockout, Starscream, you two better be careful out there!}
KO: {No worries, herr kommandant!}
SJ: {And do try to come back with something useful while you're at it.}
MR: {What Steeljaw meant to say was to be sure to return in one piece, please.}
SJ: {Yes, of course. That, too.}
SS: {We'll try.}
BB: {Good luck.}
"Something tells me Moonracer is a lot scarier than she looks," Starscream admitted after the call dropped. "Honestly, it sounded like Steeljaw was a little intimidated by her."
"I wouldn't be too surprised," Knockout yelled over the wind. "Moonracer can be rather terrifying at times, but that's a side of her that rarely comes out, and I plan to keep it that way."
Suddenly, a heavy force slammed into Starscream.
Everything went dark almost immediately.
---
Starscream moaned as his systems rebooted. He transformed into root mode, but was struck by a wicked jolt of pain that incapacitated his ability to function and collapsed.
"Scrap, that hurts!"
"Of course it hurts, you idiot! Now sit still!"
Starscream, by reflex, flinched at the touch of another being. However, instead of causing harm, light servos find their place and glide across his damaged frame. He relaxed once he realized that it could only be one mech, and knew he wasn't going to hurt him.
"Knockout..." Starscream rasped, attempting to sit up.
"Ep ep ep! You are not getting up! You're just going to make things worse!" Knockout chided, gingerly maneuvering Starscream to lie back down.
"I... I guess that means you're okay?"
"I will be once we get you back to med-bay. By the Allspark, back together for five minutes and already getting into trouble!"
"I'm positive it's been longer than that."
"Oh, Moonracer is going to have my helm!"
"Do you want me to call her?"
"No, I will. Thanks for the offer, though."
"If she does tear your helm off, can I watch?"
Knockout's death glare response broke Starscream.
The silver Seeker burst out laughing.
Knockout wasn't the only one who missed their former comrade.
A part of Starscream missed Knockout, too.