Starrunner's third chapter: Down to the Casing (part 1 of 2)

[lstarrunner]

Title: Down to the Casing

Sequel to Skimming the Surface and Under the Plating

Universe: loosely G1 cartoon after the appearance of the Constructicons on Earth.

Rated: PG, so K+.

Pairing: None. Jazz/Prowl in the background if you squint.

Author's Notes: Recognizable Characters/Names belong to Hasbro/Takara. I’m just playing with them. Starrunner is my offspring. 13300 words.

Many thanks to CaraVanKa for the beta-read! I hope it lives up to your expectations, my friend.


-:-radio transmission-:-

Nearly a week after the incident in Africa, Optimus Prime returned from New York with Red Alert. Prowl and Ironhide met them when Skyfire landed outside the Ark. Ironhide accompanied Red Alert to the comm center, using the time to tell the visiting security director about the measures taken to stop the Casseticons' surveillance. Prowl walked with Prime to his office to debrief. Skyfire wandered off with Omega Supreme, talking about something he'd seen in suborbital space.

"The Decepticons have been inactive since Nigeria and we have monitored no reports of suspicious activity." Prowl stopped. Prime settled behind his desk. Jazz came to stand at the door, arms folded casually over his chest.

Optimus looked up, concerned: the silence felt expectant. Looking from Prowl to Jazz and back, he said, "You both look like you have a secret. Sit, Prowl, and give me the bad news."

Jazz laughed. Prime gave him an amused look.

Prowl was impassive; he sat in one of the chairs across from Prime and fully met his commander's optics. "As you know, we have two Decepticon prisoners in custody. Laserbeak is in a cell in the brig. He shut down yesterday after refusing energon for three days. Ratchet says he is in a stable stasis. That should make it easier to return him to his maker. Starrunner is at physical labor. Jazz interviews him daily, gaining more insight into the Decepticon forces here and on Cybertron."

Optimus' focus shifted to Jazz. "Join us, Jazz, and close the door. I'd like to hear what this Decepticon has told you."

As serious as Optimus had ever seen him, Jazz fluidly did as he was bid. Perched on the edge of the seat, he smiled perfunctorily. "Most of what he says makes a lot of sense, too much sense. Some of it should be incredible, but in context I have no reason not to believe every word. Every word, Prime." Jazz recounted the sessions with his informant.

The door cycled and Ironhide stepped into the room. Prime acknowledged his friend's entrance and summarized their conversation so far.

"Optimus," Ironhide drawled, "Prowl ruins a good story tellin' it." Prowl looked likely to protest, Jazz looked like he was enjoying some private joke with Ironhide. "The youngster had data he wanted ta give Jazz and threw himself on Prowl's mercy because he trusted whatever we'd do with him would be better'n what the Decepticons'd do to 'im. By the look of him when we found him, Optimus, I'd say deactivation would be better'n what the 'Cons'd already done. So far, he's shapin' up ta be a sparklet who found himself on the wrong side o' right. We've had no trouble from 'im."

Optimus marveled that his friend knew exactly what he was waiting to hear. He looked solemnly from his officers to Ironhide and back, "Do you trust this Starrunner to cooperate?"

The four of them talked for several breems, coming up with what Prowl and Optimus thought was a reasonable story to feed the Casseticon. They needed Red Alert to be himself and escort Starrunner to the brig, then they would stage some footage of the Dinobots interrogating their prisoner. Ironhide thought it was not worth the trouble and they might as well just prepare to respond when Megatron and Starscream attempted to retrieve their asset. Jazz thought the whole thing was a recipe for unpleasantness with the little data they had. United, Optimus and Prowl resolved to push forward with their plan. This was an unprecedented opportunity. More importantly, Optimus thought that if Starrunner had detected Jazz and remained hidden himself, they could not risk his return to Megatron's service. Prowl, Ironhide and Jazz already seemed to take the 'Con's change of allegiance for fact. Optimus knew Ironhide's tendency to make snap decisions about new mechs and took his old friend's assessment of the youngster as only as good as any first impression. Conversely, the identical attitude toward the Seeker was out of character for his executive officer; Optimus reasoned there must be some data Prowl had already processed and archived that left him convinced. Still more weighty: Jazz was actively considering this Starrunner as a potential addition to his small team of infiltrators. Optimus was loathe to second-guess him. He never claimed to understand what method led Jazz to select the few 'Bots he did, and he could not argue with their success.

"I'm ready to meet Grimlock’s friend," he declared, referring to the first time they’d seen this new Seeker. He stood up.

Ironhide walked out to sit at his desk in the anteroom before Prime's office. "I'll hold down the fort here and bring Grimlock up ta speed. D'ya want me to have anyone meet ya on the way?"

Prowl stopped in the doorway to the corridor; Jazz and Prime at Ironhide's desk. "Wheeljack," Prowl said.

"Ratchet," Prime said nearly at the same instant.

"Right," Ironhide drew the syllable out. "I'll locate 'em and send 'em yer way. But Optimus, why Ratch'?"

"Because if we're going to get the Dinobots to make this look real, Ratchet will have work to do. I'm not going to implement this plan until Ratchet has agreed to his part."

-X-X-X-

Starrunner heard their approach before they announced themselves. He recognized the tread of Number Four: the cadence of it was forever part of his memory since following him through the Nemesis. There were at least two others in the corridor with him. He chose to keep working in case they had come to verify that he was diligently applying himself. Number Four's voice came to him down the hall: "...don't like this idea."

The cold-voiced one, Prowl, replied, "We must at the very least discourage them from thinking to retrieve him. Until Laserbeak reports back, they have no reason to question his demise in Mongolia."

Prowl walked slightly past the entry to the room where Starrunner was working, Number Four a half-step behind him. Number Four - Jazz, he needed to think of him using his true name more consistently - heard or saw Starrunner in the essentially dark room and stopped, taking Prowl by the elbow and saying, "He's in here, working in the dark." Shining his headlights into the room, Jazz walked in followed by Prowl. "How's it going my man?" he asked jovially, smiling as he looked around at the progress Starrunner had made, breaking up the rock where the mountain had crushed and claimed the forward section of the ship.

Starrunner brought his right hand up to shield his optics as they adjusted to the bright light from Jazz. He returned the greeting with as much energy as he could spare, straightening up to converse properly, "Well, I think, Jazz-sir. It's beginning to look like-" he stopped mid-sentence. The smile died on his lip components. Optimus Prime was stepping into the room behind Prowl. Starrunner would recognize him anywhere. He immediately dropped his optics to the floor and went down on both knees. "Lord Prime," he breathed in the most deferential Cybertronian.

The three Autobots stood frozen a tick. As the echo of metal-on-stone passed down the corridor from Starrunner hitting the deck, Prowl and Jazz turned to look at their commander standing in the doorway. Optimus Prime shook his head and said in English, "Shockwave's training," stepping slowly forward past them. He stopped just out of arm's reach from the kneeling Decepticon. Prowl added his headlights to Jazz's, making the room a mix of bright light and stark shadows. "My name is Optimus Prime. Do not kneel before me, Starrunner. A free being does not kneel to anyone nor require it of another." Starrunner rose slowly to his feet, optics still averted. "That won't do. Look at me when I speak to you," the Autobot leader instructed gently. Starrunner lifted his eyes in Lord Prime's direction. "I am a simple warrior. Primus and my creator saw fit to gift me with certain attributes necessary to the preservation of freedom. I am not a 'lord' of anything. Like all remaining autonomous bots, I serve as best I am capable to ensure the continued existence of free Cybertronians and other sentient species." Starrunner dared look up at the blue optics above the battle mask, then averted his again to the Autobot symbol on the red shoulder. He could see Number Four past the larger Autobot but could not be sure of optical contact with him at this distance because of the visor and now the headlights. "No one chooses where his life begins. Very few choose to so completely change the course of their lives as you appear to intend. Do you understand our need to be satisfied you are acting on your own will?"

After a few cycles of his energon pump, Starrunner found his voice to reply. He used the local language as Lord Prime chose, "Yes, Lord Prime - Optimus Prime - Sir." He was watching Number Four. Was that a nod from him? It must have been, and Prowl offered a look that Starrunner chose to take as encouraging. He convinced himself to truly meet Lord Prime's gaze. Lord Prime seemed so sincere, as reasonable as Number Four and nearly as kindly as Ratchet. Dare he believe they were all so? "I understand, Sir."

Ratchet appeared in the doorway with Wheeljack. All registered their arrival and quickly returned their attention to either their leader or their uncomfortable guest.

"So," Lord Prime began, looking around the area before returning to meet Starrunner's eyes, "you are already aware of the conditions of our facilities here. Prowl and Jazz assure me that the information you've provided is invaluable. We'll see to it that better lighting and ventilation are installed back here but I am not prepared to offer you more liberty within the Ark."

Starrunner continued to meet Lord Prime's optics. Could a leader of Cybertronians, distinguished as the chief enemy of the Decepticons, really be so genuine, so approachable? Starrunner dared not speak without a clear invitation. He felt something start to drip inside his shin plating again. Apparently hitting the floor suddenly like that had ruptured a coolant line in his left leg. His energon levels were already low: he'd turned the alarm off the previous day when it began to bother him at four percent. It seemed self-repair was costly. Although Prowl had assured him the common room was within his bounds, he'd stayed stoically in his work area since being escorted there after having the chip installed on his starboard wing. He had not felt comfortable asking anyone how much energon he was allowed and feared taking too much, more than he feared going into stasis. Stasis in this camp would probably get him carried gently back to the repair bay, not scavenged for spare parts before a friend found him. Besides, Ratchet and Swoop were very kind and might even take his levels up higher than he was used to again.

Lord Prime asked if he'd fueled. "No Sir," he answered, surprised at the turn of the commander's thoughts. Was that an invitation to join the ranking Cybertronian for energon? He almost asked Lord Prime to repeat himself, but his audio receptors had never failed him before and his auto-record function verified the invitation. "Yes, Sir, thank you," he faltered, remembering this was a completely different culture, "Lo- Optimus Prime, Sir." The Prime walked between Prowl and Number Four, and Starrunner followed slowly. Optimus Prime asked about Skyfire and waited for him in the hallway - waited for _him_ as if he were a guest, a colleague, or friend. Starrunner felt still more nervous than he would have thought possible.

-X-X-X-

Optimus wanted to draw the young mech into conversation and realized this may not be the right circumstance for it. Even he felt awkward in the beams from two pair of headlights with the optics of four 'Bots at his back and Starrunner cornered in what amounted to a cave. "...I am not prepared to offer you more liberty within the Ark." He continued, "But the galley is open to you. Have you taken energon today?"

"No Sir."

Optimus half turned away from Starrunner, motioning for the Seeker to accompany him. "Neither have I. Please, join us." Ratchet and Wheeljack drew back from the door, clearly understanding they should lead the way to the common room.

"Yes, Sir, thank you. Lo- Optimus Prime, Sir," Starrunner accepted the invitation haltingly as Optimus started to leave the room.

The two remaining 'Bots continued to flank the door; Optimus trusted them to fall in behind him and their guest. He couldn't bring himself to think of this creature as his prisoner. It just went too much against the grain. He saw what had obviously already won over Jazz, Ironhide and Prowl. Judging by their demeanors, he thought perhaps the other two 'Bots in their little party were similarly inclined. I'd be curious to find out what Ratchet thinks of this, passed his processor. Starrunner obediently followed him as he walked between the 'Bots at the door; he tried to start a better conversation. "Prowl tells me that you mentioned Skyfire. Have you met him?" Realizing that was another yes or no question and unlikely to get the youngster talking, he continued, "Tell me what you've heard about him." He stopped in the hallway and waited for Starrunner to draw abreast of him.

The Seeker was smiling openly now and seemed to be looking at Jazz. Optimus caught part of what Jazz was saying and deduced it was something to the effect of 'you do right by us, we'll do right by you.' Starrunner dimmed his optics once as if in acknowledgment. As he stepped into the more diffuse light of the hallway, Optimus remembered what they'd said about Starrunner's condition upon arrival and thought Ratchet had done more than just get him functional. It looked like Ratchet had even made repairs to Starrunner's wings; oddly enough, the worst scarring was where the Decepticon insignia had been, he could make out just enough of it to recognize it. Then he noticed the small trail of coolant from where Starrunner had been standing.

Mildly concerned, Optimus let Starrunner finish answering his question, saying he had never met Skyfire. "We'll have to remedy that," he said absently, then with purpose, "you seem to have quite a bit in common. The first time Skyfire met Ratchet, he was leaking coolant too." Optimus turned and saw Ratchet stop and turn back toward them in the hallway.

"I hadn't thought of it that way, Prime, but you're right - they were both pretty slagged when I met 'em," Ratchet followed Optimus' gaze as he looked back at Starrunner and down to the deckplates. "Leakin' more 'n a little coolant," his tone hardened - he had work to do: "Primus fraggit! Sparklet, what've you done to yourself?" Ratchet returned to them, obviously intending to assess the damage where Starrunner stood. Optimus stepped aside and motioned for Prowl and Jazz to stay where they were.

Rarely having been in the repair bay while Ratchet worked on someone other than himself, Optimus found the medic's running commentary reassuring. It was often the first thing he registered when he was recovering from battle damage.

-X-X-X-

Ratchet heard his name and stopped, turning to participate in the conversation. "I hadn't thought of it that way, Prime, but you're right: they were both pretty slagged when I met them, leaking more than a little coolant." Speaking of being slagged, the youngster was leaking again! He immediately marched back to attend the injury. His off-duty tone left him, "Primus fraggit! Sparklet, what have you done to yourself?" As he knelt to see to his patient's damage, Ratchet didn't pause to let Starrunner attempt to answer, "I specifically told you that the new parts needed a few days for your internal repair system to solidify them. You are perfectly capable of clearing out debris - even breaking up rock and straightening out bulkheads - without having to undo my work!" Without hesitation he took out a small tool and deftly found the source of the leak and sealed it. Sensitive fingers detected damage to the plating in the area. Prowl was saying something to Wheeljack. He turned his tirade on the engineer. "And 'Jack, aren't you supposed to be supervising him?" He knew Wheeljack well enough to not have to see his friend to know he was contrite. Running routine system-level scans as he evaluated the dented plating, he continued, "You told me there was easily a month's worth of work to be done, standing up, back here, to let him heal." The only immediate problem, that ruptured coolant line, was resolved but his scans showed precisely why the minor denting had caused the break despite two days for self-repair: his patient's systems were all running on power-save mode. "Your internal repair system can't help you when it's in power-save mode." He stood up to look Starrunner in the optics, "Why in the Pit is your energon level so low?" This time, he did want an answer, but not from the youngster. He turned to look accusingly at the XO, "Prowl?"

-X-X-X-

As soon as Ratchet's tone changed, Prowl noticed the fluid on the floor and ran the scenarios for how it got there. Going to his knees when he saw Prime must have opened one of the repairs in Starrunner's leg. Ratchet had not arrived until after his patient returned to his feet and did not know about that formal display.

"Wheeljack," Prowl said calmly around the transformers between them, "have Sideswipe send the cleaning crew back here. We will meet you in the galley shortly."

Wheeljack agreed and turned to go, then paused when Ratchet chided him. Realizing no reply was necessary, he left.

Ratchet had reached an erroneous conclusion about the cause of the leak. Prowl was about to explain what happened when the medic went past the actual event to a deeper root cause. "Why in the Pit is your energon level so low? Prowl?"

Prowl met the piercing blue optics over the black shoulder. He did not process the information for any noticeable amount of time to conclude, "Starrunner has not been taking in energon." It was not a question. Starrunner turned his head to Prowl, red optics bright in a surprised face. Prowl focused his attention on the Decepticon, "If you forgot the way to the galley, Wheeljack or Jazz would have happily reminded you, would you but ask; I am confident your memory of the terms of your confinement is clear. Why have you not been taking in fuel?" A scenario with an extremely low probability struck him as credible despite the odds: "If someone denied you access to the dispenser, or the common room itself, such action was unauthorized and will be remedied."

"No, Prowl, Sir, no one stopped me. I wanted to make as much progress here as possible."

Prowl readied a reply. Ratchet beat him to it. "Workin' yourself into stasis won't endear you to anyone, smart aft. And leavin' yourself open to re-injury is no damn way to thank us." Prowl thought Ratchet's expression gave lie to his words: the medic obviously found the Decepticon's illogical behavior understandable.

Jazz walked past the Seeker on the other side, away from Prowl. As normal, when he moved, all optics turned to the saboteur. "Ya never claimed to have the fastest processor," he said with a smile that softened the sting of his comment, "but we had more purpose in all comin' down here than makin' small talk and debatin' the merits o' your theories on fuel consumption." He set a hand on the youngster's shoulder familiarly. "Prime and Prowl have a plan ta try ta use Laserbeak to dissuade yer wing-mates from comin' ta get ya."

Prowl hoped he did not know what was coming. Rather than wait and see, he tried to preclude Jazz from sharing his opinion of their plan with the main actor in it, knowing Jazz had more influence on Starrunner than anyone. "Based on your account, the other Decepticons last knew your whereabouts on the ground in Mongolia. When Laserbeak reports back-"

Jazz turned his attention briefly to Prowl as he cut him off: "We'd rather they not come lookin' for ya." He brightened his visor minutely and inclined his head purposely before turning back to Starrunner. Prowl took it as his 'trust me' signal. "What do you think would most likely prevent that?"

Prowl had not thought of asking his opinion. By the look of Prime, neither had he. Prowl walked down the hall to stand nearer his commander so he could more easily watch Jazz at work. Starrunner answered him. Prowl thought there was a trace of hero-worship in his vocalization: "Sir? I think we have to assume Laserbeak knows everything that happened about and to me from the moment Bluestreak reported finding me until you took me from the repair bay the next day." Jazz's comment on his processor speed notwithstanding, Prowl agreed with his assessment. He continued, still addressing only Jazz despite the other three in his immediate vicinity, "If their only concern were preventing you from getting the information in my databanks, you could let anyone imply that Ratchet had taken it all by force." Was he heading for the same answer they had reached? "Jazz-sir, I don't think that will be their only concern, or even their main concern." His vocalization grew more confident as his processor worked. "Soundwave will want my spark casing." Prowl exchanged a look with Prime. The expression on the kid's faceplates said he had just come around to the biggest problem with trying to change factions. He was looking earnestly at Jazz's visor, casting brief glances to the others whose optics were more accessible. Grimly, he repeated the conclusion Prowl had guided Prime to earlier: "They have to believe you deactivated me." Ratchet looked likely to say something, so Starrunner spoke to him, "I may be the only thing Soundwave and Starscream ever agree on. Ratchet, I'm sorry."

That last comment and the intensity with which it was delivered struck each of them. Ratchet stiffened. "I don't see what for. And I don't see a problem with any o' that. You're not goin' anywhere for a while anyway. If you continue as you have been - and learn to exercise the liberties we give you like takin' energon when you damn well should! - I know plenty o' ways to change your look." Prowl appreciated their CMO: his complicity in their plan had been Prowl's one worry.

Jazz shook his head, smile steady but contemplative. He released the black shoulder and motioned for Starrunner and Ratchet to come with him as he walked toward Prime and Prowl. "I see I'm outnumbered on this," he said in a tone that would have been a growl coming from anyone else. Even uneasy and displeased, his voice was musical. "Let's go on ta the common room an' get some energon before Red Alert comes in play." Satisfied with the proceedings, Prime started into the inhabited regions of the Ark, leading the way since his bulk took up most of the hallway at this level. Jazz shook his head again, stopping to meet Prowl's optics and allow Starrunner and Ratchet to pass them and continue to follow Prime. "I still don't like it. Grimlock's heavy-handed and Red Alert's crazier'n a Seeke-" he stopped himself in the middle of a common Seeker-slur. Prowl much doubted that present company would not use it himself, once he heard it, let alone hold it against his idol: he had not had anything good to say about any of his fellow Decepticon jets. Jazz was too much of a light touch to let himself say 'crazier than a Seeker solo' in Starrunner's hearing. "Red Alert's crazy," Jazz amended.

Prowl spared his friend his best smile. "Red Alert is sufficiently predictable," he said, and they fell in as rear-guard for their party.

-X-X-X-

Normally mid-afternoon saw the Ark common room empty. As expected, it housed only Wheeljack nursing a serving of sustenance-grade energon when the four officers arrived with their charge.

"Bumblebee is on his way down to clean up the coolant and remove some of the loose rock. I sent Hound and Trailbreaker out to procure materials we need to get more light and air into the new space Starrunner's opening up," Wheeljack told Prime as he sat down next to him.

Starrunner looked aghast. Standing near him as Ratchet doled out the same energon into cubes for them all at the dispenser, Jazz noticed his expression and smirked. "When Wheeljack says 'procure', Starrunner, he means 'purchase' not 'pilfer'. We participate honestly in the local economy as much as possible." Looking toward Wheeljack and Prime, he asked, "Did ya send one o' the ambassadors with 'em this time, 'Jack?"

Prime laughed: the last time Wheeljack needed supplies he'd forgotten to add the human touch and sent only Huffer and Beachcomber. That particular procurement was a very long time coming. Wheeljack's headfins flashed merrily as he replied, "Sparkplug said he needed some fresh air."

Handing the youngster a cube, Ratchet said, "That's just something the humans say when they get tired of being in one place. Most o' the base has pretty high air quality; don't know how it compares to what you're used to. Now, don't down that all at one gulp: you'll shock your system."

-X-X-X-

"Yes, Ratchet." Automatically accepting the container, Starrunner tried to take it all in: Lord Prime sitting on a bench beside the working Cybertronian whose main responsibility was managing the facility; Number Four explaining that Cybertronians could interact honestly with the indigenous beings without violence or aggression; Prowl waiting without rancor with a lower-ranking individual and a prisoner; and Ratchet handing him more energon than he'd ever been allowed at one fueling before. He held the container carefully and tried to observe everything. Lord Prime spoke fondly of Sparkplug-the-human with Wheeljack; they commented familiarly on one of Sparkplug's creations. Ratchet handed cubes identical to his to Number Four and Prowl, then took two himself. Starrunner timidly did as the others did: when it became clear they all intended to sit with Lord Prime and Wheeljack, he went with them and hesitantly sat at the end of the bench beside Number Four and across from Wheeljack. Wheeljack and Ratchet flanked Lord Prime on that side of the table; Prowl sat across from the medic on Number Four's other side. Ratchet handed one of his two servings to Lord Prime, who accepted it with a profession of gratitude.

Starrunner intended to wait until all of the others were finished with their fuel. Number Four noticed. He leaned closer to Starrunner and commented conspiratorially, "No one expects ya ta wait on him ta fuel up. If we're still readin' low after one round, we'll get another from the dispenser." He straightened back up and sipped from his own cube to demonstrate. Starrunner tried to understand the implication of taking energon with these Cybertronians.

Ratchet piped up, "Turn your internal alarms back on, smart aft, and leave 'em on. They're set just fine to remind you to take care o' yourself. Take in energon at least until they switch off on their own."

All optics on him, Starrunner felt painfully self-conscious. Lord Prime's optics twinkled over his battle mask, but he addressed Number Four and Ratchet with an admonition, "Leave him be. He can take in fuel as he chooses."

Ratchet seemed to be looking Lord Prime directly in the face as he retorted, "His choices would've left him in stasis in that dark room, Prime, and got him back in my repair bay for his own fraggin' stupidity."

"Everyone learns differently, Ratchet," Lord Prime continued good-humoredly, "Starrunner's way may be purely experiential."

"I'll 'experiential' _him_ if he keeps on toward undoing all the work we did on him." Ratchet's vocalization sounded purely argumentative to Starrunner's audios. He waited for Lord Prime or Prowl to discipline the insubordinate medic.

It didn't happen. Ratchet and Lord Prime continued to banter and the topic of their talk migrated from the things Ratchet and Swoop did to get him in his current state to Swoop's progress as a medic-in-training, to training the younger sparks in general, to the number of sparks still in long-term stasis from the crash... Prowl and Wheeljack added their input seemingly at will and Number Four smiled and provided commentary at a low decibel level for Starrunner whenever he thought something might not make sense in a Decepticon reference frame. Starrunner was grateful but felt completely out of place. He finally sipped at his energon when Prowl stood up to refill his own cube and offered to do the same for anyone else.

During the lull in the conversation created by Prowl's movement, Starrunner asked Number Four questions he should have voiced days ago. "Jazz-sir, how much energon am I allowed? And how long am I to wait between rations?" He spoke at the same low volume Number Four used for his explanations.

Obviously, everyone at the table heard him. Number Four smiled patiently. Lord Prime himself chose to answer, "I suppose you could say we work on the honor system here. As Ratchet said, leave your alarms energized and take in at least enough to maintain healthful levels. Beyond that, it's up to you to keep yourself functional. Recovering from extensive damage will probably require you to take in smaller amounts more often to avoid shocking your systems with too much." Number Four clamped a hand on his shoulder reassuringly.

"If you need guidance, Sparklet, I can run some detailed scans and develop a plan for you, optimize your recovery and give you a schedule to fuel by until you figure out how to regulate your own intake," offered Ratchet.

Prowl came to stand near the end of the bench where he had been sitting. "If you will excuse me, Optimus, I must answer a few queries before my contacts in the Capitol leave their offices for the day." At Lord Prime's affirmative, Prowl offered a general adieu to them all and left, energon cube in hand.

Starrunner shyly met Lord Prime's optics across the table. "I understand Lor- Optimus Prime, Sir." Then to Ratchet he said, "Thank you, Ratchet, I will take you up on that offer." He cycled air slowly, mindful that the alarms would still be active if he energized them at this point.

Someone greeted Prowl in the hallway. Starrunner made out enough of the drawled salutation to think it was Red One - Ironside, he thought Ratchet had named that one - but couldn't sort out more than "G'd Afternoon!" and "High grade...?" Apparently Prowl and the newcomer were having a private conversation.

Number Four released his shoulder and laughed unaccountably as he turned back toward the table. Starrunner felt obligated to offer some explanation of what he perceived as a lack in his skill set. "I have never had access to unlimited energon before. We had to take in all the fuel we could get when we could get it. My friend Cobweb and I tried to accumulate some reserve but the Casseticons found it and took it away from us."

Lord Prime flashed one optic minutely at Jazz before addressing Starrunner. "I can't say I'd describe our energon supply as 'unlimited'," he began, "but we haven't had a need to ration it since coming to Earth. Take what you need. Try not to waste it but don't hoard it." He sounded amused, as if he were giving advice instead of direction.

"Yes, Optimus Prime Sir, I will not." He wondered that the gathering seemed to find his reply amusing. Their laughter did not have the same quality as when Thundercracker and Skywarp laughed at something he said. The tone was different; their body language was completely different, relaxed and open with no hint of either aggression or cruelty.

Starrunner's identification of Prowl's acquaintance in the corridor proved correct: Red One walked confidently into the galley, smiling wryly. Lord Prime greeted him, "Ironhide, glad you could join us! Are Red Alert and Grimlock on their way?" Starrunner noted the name, Ironhide not Ironside.

Now at the dispenser, Ironhide responded, "Optimus, I swear Red makes less sense every time I talk to 'im." He downed his first helping in a shot, refilled the container and turned back to walk slowly in their direction. He had a comfortable gait that indicated great personal power to Starrunner, despite the feeling that this was no officer, no Cybertronian of rank. Lord Prime clearly held great respect for him. The concept mystified Starrunner. He continued as he took the position vacated by Prowl, "I figure we've got maybe a breem or two o' peace 'fore he notices there's a 'Con in the galley and high-tails it down here in a full-on panic. You really need to check him out again, Ratch'."

Lord Prime chuckled, nodding as he finished his serving. The medic answered Ironhide, "So I'm told. Red's always been a little fragged."

Ironhide agreed, "Optimus has him set up for a melt-down. He doesn't stand a chance." Jazz and Wheeljack laughed at that, too. Lord Prime looked suspiciously like he'd been caught playing a prank, which notion did not fit within Starrunner's concept of him. He sipped more of his energon to cover his confusion. Lord Prime stood up to refill his own container, offering just as Prowl had to do the same for anyone else while he was up. Starrunner was still trying to process their comments about Red Alert. What is wrong with this Red Alert character? Why would finding an escorted prisoner in the galley cause him a 'melt-down'? What did Ironhide mean by that? Most importantly, Why do they tolerate such a creature in their ranks? Surely such instability indicated a flawed processor to be replaced or a flawed spark to be extinguished.

"It had to be done," the commander was saying in the same conversational tone he'd used most of the day, "it will provide real footage to feed Laserbeak and get Red Alert in Ratchet's reach without me having to order him to it."

"Why _are_ you so reluctant to order him, Prime?" Ratchet asked. "We all know damn well he needs periodic attention, Red Alert himself included, yet you let him avoid me until he gets so twitchy he's a danger. The time between is shorter every fraggin' time."

Starrunner thought there was an edge to Lord Prime's vocalization when he answered, resuming his seat, "I allow it because I continue to hope that he will face this issue and accept responsibility for his own needs. If I order him to see you regularly, I remove the impetus for him to mature."

"If he keeps on as he has been his processor will eventually fragment beyond my ability to repair it. And that's if it happens quietly. What if it happens in a crisis, Prime?"

"That is a risk I believe we have to take, Ratchet, for the sake of providing him the chance to develop to his full potential." Starrunner found Lord Prime meeting his optics even though the commander was clearly still addressing Ratchet. He did not think to look away. "It is nothing compared to the other risks we run every day. The benefit is preservation of his freedom to choose his own way and his chance to continue to become a better mech." Starrunner felt exposed, as if Lord Prime were looking into him.

-X-X-X-

The evaluation of the sparklet was proceeding very well. Optimus was satisfied to note that the red optics didn't flicker immediately away from his as he made a comment on Red Alert that could just as easily be applied to Starrunner. He was adapting quickly, shifting to match their manner. Optimus would not have thought it possible, though now it was clear that such flexibility fit perfectly with all he'd been told about the newcomer. The evening following Starrunner's arrival, Prowl had given him a full account that began with Bluestreak's encounter and ended with their guest's installment in the recesses of the Ark. As Ironhide had implied, it was not easy for him to sort out and internalize the most important thing about Jazz's informant from Prowl's version: this was clearly not a Decepticon at spark.

"But that's enough about Red Alert. I'm sure you'll meet him soon enough, Starrunner," Optimus held Starrunner's attention. "We need to know about you. I can see you are adaptable, capable of learning quickly and behaving reasonably. Your reaction when you first saw me reeked of Shockwave. Is he your creator? Where did he get your spark? How long have you been on Earth? Explain to me," here he leaned forward on his elbows on the table, careful not to bring his bulk to bear menacingly, trying to convey an earnest interest, "very clearly explain to me how you came to be where you are."

Starrunner stopped cycling his cooling system while Optimus was speaking. Optimus noted that he did not draw away. "Yes Lord- Optimus Prime, Sir, Shockwave is my creator," he began, "and he... he punished me severely when I asked about my origin. I- Sir, I do not know where he obtained my spark." He paused and seemed to notice that all of the Autobots at the table were looking at him. Jazz made a small sound that Optimus was sure only Starrunner could hear, besides himself, and Starrunner seemed to take it as encouragement. "Prime-Sir, we-"

It was at that moment that Red Alert made his appearance.

"Quiet!" Red Alert ordered, blaster leveled at the Decepticon. Starrunner froze mid-sentence. "You are all under arrest," Red Alert continued, giving a slight motion of his head to indicate all gathered, optics never leaving Starrunner, "for fraternizing with the enemy pending investigation for treason to the Autobot cause."

Several things happened at once. Ironhide grumbled, giving Optimus a glare as he turned to face Red Alert. Ratchet activated all his active scans, focused on Red Alert's processors. Optimus congratulated himself on a plan well-begun. Wheeljack stood up, saying, "Let me get you some energon Red, and you can join us." Starrunner turned smoothly from the table to face Red Alert. Jazz stood up and placed himself squarely in the line of fire before his informant, hands out peacefully, smile reassuring.

Just as Ratchet guessed Red's intent based on his readings, Starrunner moved, shocking everyone but Red Alert. "Do not!" he exclaimed, freeing himself from the table, standing up, and somehow shoving Jazz aside all in one motion as Red Alert fired.

The blast caught him in the canopy. Since his core was no larger than Jazz's, the shot aimed for Jazz's center-of-mass hit him squarely. Smoking from the wound, he did not pause to glance down but launched himself at Red Alert while Ratchet cursed darkly and the others recalibrated. They struggled. Red Alert was bigger and his mental instability made him less predictable, but Starrunner was determined and focused every motion on efficiently subduing him.

Wheeljack offered to help Jazz up but it was unnecessary: Jazz already had his own blaster on Red Alert. Ironhide stood up, still glaring as he replaced his hand with his cannon and brought it to bear on the struggling pair. Optimus bellowed, "Enough!" Starrunner finished pinning Red Alert to the floor on his face, both arms twisted behind him, blaster under one knee. Optimus continued, "Stand down, Red Alert. Starrunner, step away from him. Ratchet, see to Starrunner." He stood up slowly as everyone moved, holding Red Alert's panicked optics with his own, "I hate to do this, Red Alert, but you are going to be confined to the brig this time-"

Red Alert jumped up as Starrunner released him, panting to Prime indignantly, "You are all-"

Optimus overrode him by sheer volume, stepping over the table without difficulty as he continued, "and Ratchet will see to you there."

Ratchet guided a smoking, leaking Starrunner to sit on another bench.

Jazz took Red Alert's behavior personally. He stepped into the other's personal space, blaster angled up to the larger 'Bot's chest. He was not smiling: his expression was cold, one that none of the Autobots present had seen him use before. "You meant to fire on me, Red, _me_. That is so wrong that I don't have the words for ya." He stepped closer still, blaster scraping the bottom edge of Red Alert's chestplate. "That Decepticon is the only reason I'm still standin' here, Red. Do you get that?" When Red Alert did not reply he did not find it acceptable. Jazz repeated the question at a volume that surpassed what Prime had used, "DO YOU GET THAT?"

Wheeljack laughed nervously, circling to get between Red Alert and the door. Optimus closed the distance to Red Alert and set one large blue hand on Red Alert's shoulder and the other on Jazz's. "That is enough, Jazz," he said at his normal volume, "I'm not convinced Red Alert 'gets' any of this right now." He firmly separated them, Red Alert motionless as Jazz stepped lightly out from under Prime's grasp and away from both of them.

Ironhide stepped around Jazz's other side and grasped Red Alert's upper arm, cannon leveled at his abdomen. "I'll take 'im on down ta the brig, Optimus. Wheeljack, grab his blaster and come with. Red Alert," Ironhide shook him slightly by the grip on his arm. Red Alert did not move, so Ironhide shook him again, "Pay attention, Red!" Red Alert seemed to snap into awareness and made optic contact with Ironhide. "Don't give me trouble. You have got to do better about keepin' care o' yerself," he kept talking as he started the now-cooperative Red Alert moving out the door, past Wheeljack and on down the hall.

Optimus bowed his head. Softly, he asked no one in particular, "His processor locked up again just now, didn't it?" He felt defeated and wondered if Red Alert would ever understand how dangerous he became when he let his connection to his basic sensors rule him. Optimus realized he'd misjudged the degree to which Red Alert was fragmented.

Ratchet took charge of the room. "At least this time he didn't alarm the whole Ark. I think just Jazz and Ironhide were really affected by him." Ratchet was doing first aid on the damage to Starrunner's torso. He glanced up at Jazz as his nimble fingers continued the work, "Are you all right, Jazz? Do you need me to reset anything? I know Red Alert was focused on you when he sent the alarm signal."

Jazz laughed shakily, trying to regain his humor as he subspaced his blaster. "Thanks, Doc, but I'm okay. Nothin' a little high grade and some tunes won't fix." He noticed what Ratchet was actually doing. "Lemme help ya get him to medical."

-X-X-X-

Starrunner was in shock. The cozy picture he'd had of Autobots getting along all the time and being uniformly reasonable, accepting Cybertronians was cracked by this Red Alert character. He released Red Alert as Lord Prime ordered and staggered a bit back watching Lord Prime stand, his focus fully on the malfunctioning mechanism. Number Four drew an energy weapon fluidly from subspace. Lord Prime stepped over the table as he spoke, "I hate to do this, Red Alert, but you are going to be confined to the brig this time and Ratchet will see to you there." He cleared the table and benches easily without disturbing any of the half-finished containers of fuel in the process.

Red Alert tried to interrupt. Number Four flowed over to him, blaster menacing and expression determined. It was the look Starrunner had burned in his memory, the look of absolute concentration and deadly intent that Number Four wore every time Starrunner saw him in the Nemesis. "You meant to fire on me, Red, _me_. That is so wrong that I don't have the words for you." He indicated Starrunner with a movement of his head, optics never leaving Red Alert. "That Decepticon is the only reason I'm still standing here, Red. Do you get that?" Red Alert did not act like he was hearing; Jazz repeated the question at a volume that surprised Starrunner.

Ratchet came to Starrunner's side and gently helped him sit on another bench. Starrunner felt his body weakening and consciously shut unnecessary systems completely down. He steeled himself to remain on-line in case Red Alert threatened anyone else. How could they tolerate such a creature in their ranks?

Ratchet worked on Starrunner's broken lines, sealing the energon leak that was pooling fluid in his canopy as electricity crackled dangerously through the area. Wheeljack laughed awkwardly as he walked behind Red Alert to block the door. Optimus closed the distance to Number Four and separated him from Red Alert, saying he doubted Red Alert's cognizance. Red Alert was motionless; Number Four easily danced away from them.

Ironhide took the broken Cybertronian in hand and escorted him from the room with Wheeljack in attendance.

Lord Prime's body language screamed failure and defeat as he said, "His processor locked up again just now, didn't it?" Starrunner could not reconcile the image to what he knew about the Autobot leader. Lord Megatron knew no failure, admitted no defeat! Master Shockwave would scoff if he observed this.

The medic answered calmly as he worked on Starrunner, "At least this time he didn't alarm the whole Ark. I think only Jazz and Ironhide were affected." Without pausing in his work, he addressed Number Four, "Are you all right, Jazz? Do you need me to reset anything? Red Alert was focused on you when he sent the alarm signal."

Starrunner wanted to ask What alarm signal? but it was too hard to make his vocalizer work just then.

Number Four laughed and subspaced the weapon. "Thanks, Doc, but I'm okay. Nothing a little high grade and some tunes won't fix." He looked at Starrunner and seemed concerned. "Let me help you get him to medical."

Starrunner wanted to wave him away and say something dismissive of the injury, but he just did not have the energy to spare.

He passed into stasis.

-X-X-X-

Too large for one post! Part 2 follows.