Healed [Sequel to Burned](Transformers Prime)

Chapter Three | New Mission

"Over and over the only truth,
Everything comes back to you"

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Once again, Megatron's patience was tested as Ratchet carefully and painstakingly began to buff away the scratches the filing had left behind.

"Knock Out would be much more proficient at this task, I think." He threw over his shoulder while the medic slowly moved the buffer along his shoulder plate.

"I will not allow a second Decepticon to reside in this base." Ratchet immediately shut down the idea. "Knock Out may have defected, but I don't trust him enough in the presence of his former master."

"Yet if it was an Autobot, you would be more than willing to allow them into the base," Megatron accused. "There would be no second thought to my safety."

Ratchet frowned, not saying anything for some time. He was right, unfortunately, and that was a problem. The medic thought for some time, trying to find an excuse to not allow any more former Decepticons into the base.

"Decepticons have always been the aggressors when it comes to Earth's safety," he finally said, "so forgive me if I am reluctant to allow any sort of former or current Decepticon here at base."

Megatron seethed, ready to say a similar statement regarding his comfort with allowing Autobots in the base, when Dana interrupted the two of them.

"Why not a compromise?" She proposed. "For every former Autobot in the base, there will be a former Decepticon. That way the numbers will be even."

Ratchet sighed. "I doubt any Autobot would want to return here to Earth," he reasoned, "not with so much reconstruction going on and new life being given to the planet. Not many would want to pass up the chance to remain on Cybertron and rebuild the life they had before the war."

"And I'm sure there are plenty of Decepticons who wouldn't mind taking over here, and trying to rule Earth." Agent Fowler crossed his arms as he glared at Megatron.

"There's gotta be someone," Dana argued, "and if there are aggressors here on Earth, there has to be counter-aggressors."

"That would be us." Ratchet replied, finishing Megatron's shoulder plates and moving down to his arms, the warlord noticeably shinier with each pass of the buffer. "Unless we called for help. But as of right now, we are not in need of any assistance."

"I am most certain that no Cybertronian, be they Decepticon or Autobot, would attempt to take Earth while I reside here." Megatron spoke confidently.

"Unless you've got a bounty on your head," Agent Fowler pointed out, leaning over the railing as he gripped the cold metal, looking very displeased, "in which case, who knows what kind of trouble you could be bringing to this planet."

Megatron gave the Agent an equally displeased look. "I have been in exile for approximately half of an Earth year, according to you and her," he gestured to Dana, "and I have not run into even the best of bounty hunters that could potentially be searching for me. Therefore, I find it safe to assume they have no idea where I am, or have no interest in attempting to collect the prize."

"You better hope to the Allspark that is the case." Ratchet muttered, continuing on the other arm as he finished up between Megatron's claws. He carefully cleaned up around the now exposed fusion canon, and even had Megatron's massive sword deployed so he could smooth it out as well. It made him incredibly uncomfortable to be near such a massive and deadly weapon, but if this was not a test to Megatron's willingness to cooperate, he didn't know what was.