Plague

Plague-chapter 10

The first thing Starscream felt was a horrible itch in his throat. His worn-out body struggled to cough and his head was pushed to the side when burning liquid entered his oral cavity, he winced as he tasted energon. Gentle hands wiped his face clean and then returned to work on his throat, a slight tugging, then he felt a strange, though not too uncomfortable sensation, as if there was something that didn't belong there. He onlined his optics and while he waited for his vision to clear, he raised up a hand weakly to feel what was in his throat when the other hand stopped him mid-air.

"You Starscream not touch that." said a new voice, not overly familiar, but that grammatical glitch and the tone itself Starscream managed to recognize and when his optics found the mech standing above him, his suspicion was proven right. It was the flyer Dinobot, Starscream couldn't even remember his name - and what in the pit of Unicron was he doing there?

Was he hallucinating...?

The Seeker tried to say something, but found that he could not produce any sounds, any words at all, not even in a hushed whisper. When he ran a diagnostic, he found that he no longer had his connection to his vocoder, which was impossible, no matter how rusted it became. However, before he could have dwelled into this newfound problem, the Dinobot continued speaking.

"Me Swoop insert drain to lead energon and coolant out from rusty lines. They leaking, can't patch them up because of rust." he was talking in a tone as soft as his gruff voice would allow, which was still uncharacteristic for Starscream from a Dinobot, from a creature they all deemed inferior and imbecile. And what he was saying, did he actually... treat him? How could he have the knowledge to do so?

Starscream just starred at him for a long moment, trying to decide whether it was just a flux when another Autobot, that mechanic Hoist walked up into his view with a small smile. "You did well, Swoop. Go over to Ratchet, he would like your assistance."

Swoop gave a nod and turned away, now it was Hoist who filled up Starscream's horizon and the gentle mechanic started talking again, "I'm afraid you won't be able to speak for a while, Starscream. You had been just wheeled out of surgery when we arrived and your vocoder was removed, as well as your waste tank and some feeding tubes. The tank was cracked and leaked in your abdominal cavity, probably had been slowly during the night and a rusted energon line tore because of the added pressure, that caused an inner leakage. You have been catheterized and cleaned out, but I advise you remain lying for the rest of your treatment."

By the end of his monologue, it slowly started to dawn on Starscream that the Autobots were really there. Glancing around, he saw the Autobots' chief medic, Ratchet standing over Rumble while by Scavenger's side, First Aid was examining Megatron who looked more dazed than angry. By the far off table, their scientist, Perceptor was looking over his cultures and datapads and when his gaze finally travelled to the glass wall that separated them from the outside world and saw the three other Autobots standing behind Soundwave, Starscream's sluggish processor put the pieces together.

Soundwave called them. They came to help them.

Skyfire was there.

Skyfire...

Starscream couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. He just starred dumbfounded at the space shuttle who looked back at him with glistening optics that fought to restrain his sadness shining through - Skyfire didn't want to burden him with his own worry, just like old times. Coolant filled Starscream's optics before he could have willed his body to obey and he extended a shaking hand in his direction in a mute gesture for the white flyer to come closer.

The shuttle's optics widened, but before he could have said anything, Thundercracker's voice almost made him jump as the Seeker walked up behind them with Skywarp by his side, "Go in." he said calmly, "He wants you."