Healed [Sequel to Burned](Transformers Prime)

Chapter Two | New Changes

"If you want to make the world a better place,
Take a look at yourself,
Then make a change"

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Agent Fowler regarded Megatron in silence, the government official taking in his new appearance with some surprise; it was not what he expected when Ratchet had briefly told them about Megatron's armor upgrade thanks to Unicron. The Decepticon was slightly taller, and purple energon pulsed through him in higher quantities, giving him an eerie glow. His optics remained red, yet they contrasted oddly with the rest of his coloring.

Dana walked up the stairs to be a little more optic-level with the Cybertronians, watching as Ratchet took Megatron to the designated med-bay area.

"I'm going to give you a quick scan." The medic explained as he opened his arm console. "You've been traveling in deep space, Primus only know what you might have picked up in there."

"I'm certain the only thing I could possibly contract is space madness; though some may contest that I already have it." Megatron replied with an unhappy growl, yet he sat when the medic told him to.

Ratchet scanned him, his beam immediately turning red as it picked up the massive quantity of dark energon within the warlord's systems, not reading much else besides it.

"Quite frankly, I would suggest flushing out the dark energon," Ratchet stated briskly, completely serious. "It's a poison to your systems and could leave you susceptible to its affects. Even with Unicron locked up in his containment unit, there's always the risk that he could attempt to regain control over your modified body."

"Where did you end up putting him?" Megatron asked. "I didn't think the Autobots had the means to keep such a powerful and dangerous entity secure and locked up."

"We do," Ratchet was brief, "and that is a need to know information. You have no need to know." His optics didn't meet Megatron's, the former Decepticon guessing that it meant the location of Unicron was obvious.

"You returned him to Earth's core," he guessed, "but I doubt you opened the containment unit and set him free. I assume he has been returned to his spark chamber?"

Ratchet glared at him, not at all happy. But there was no use trying to lie to the Decepticon.

"Yes. It's the one place few would think to look." The medic turned off his scanner, now quite snippy. "Are we going to do a whole-systems flush or are you going to simply refuse to do it?"

"The dark energon lies within my very spark." Megatron stood, gesturing to the center of his chest. "It cannot be removed without surgery."

"Then surgery is what we will do," Ratchet pointed to the medical berth, "I refuse to put too much faith in someone who still contains the blood of Unicron in their veins. It would be much safer - for all of us I'm sure - to remove it and dispose of it properly."

Megatron raised an optic ridge. "Do you know what will happen if you remove the shard?"

"Will he still have the same power-ups Unicron did?" Dana asked from her perch, drawing all optics on her. "Furthermore, does that armor even come with physical weapons? He can transform into an alternate mode, that much is obvious, but what about his sword and canons?"

"I have never been equipped with any alternative transformations other than my 'alternate mode,' as you put it." He paused, clearly unhappy with his next line of dialogue. "My model type does not come with weapons pre-installed. My fusion canon, and my sword, had to be built in."

"Unicron may have upgraded your armor, but, I'm sure if I can whittle away some of the excess, your fusion canon may be useable again." Ratchet took his arm without permission, much to the gladiator's chagrin, and twisted it from one side to the other. "Yes, I can see it is still hidden within the more . . . Earthen parts." The medic tilted his helm as he took the gladiator in. "Additionally, you will need an Earth-based vehicle form if you want to ever leave this base. If I can remove some of the excess, and unnecessary, armor pieces, that will increase your chances of being able to obtain an more inconspicuous mode of transport."