~Knocked-Out~

Ruby Optics

Starscream strode down one of the many long corridors of the Nemesis, his skinny heels leaving an faint "tip tap" echo. He held his wings up proudly, and smirked. The vehicon guards stared at him as he passed, not daring to say anything in front of the easily-tempered seeker. As soon as he was out of sight, however, they bunched together and started snickering. Starscream could hear the snickers, and growled. 

"The troops are going to need a little discipline training after this." He snarled, and turned into the main room, optics widening at the sight of an unknown femme standing next to the warlord. 

"Master, who is that!" He squealed, aiming his missile at the femme. She turned, and smirked at the seeker. 

"So, this is the pathetic 2nd in command. Pft, I expected him to be bigger." Starscream growled, and lunged at the femme. She dodged, naturally, and sent the mech flying to the ground. Starscream looked up, startled, as Megatron stared down at him, smiling darkly. 

"Ah, Starscream, just in time to meet out new recruit, Darkshade."

"Pleasure." She held her servo out to help the seeker up. He slapped it away, and got up on his own, Darkshade shrugged and turned back to the warlord. 

"Master, w-when did this happen." Starscream gestured towards the femme. 

"Darkshade here, joined our ranks to get revenge on a certain doctor."

"Knockout?"

"Yes, you insolent fool!" Megatron snapped, causing the seeker to step back in fear. "The traitor who you failed to terminate."

"W..wait! You're giving her my  job?"

"I am, because I know Darkshade will not fail me." He sneered, and the femme smirked. "Now, escort my new apprentice to her berthroom, she will need to get accustomed."

"A..apprentice?!" Starscream growled and stared into the femmes ruby optics. She snarled, and he whimpered. 

"Pft, pathetic." She rolled her optics. Starscream snarled, his wings perking straight up in anger. 

"Why you little..."

"STARSCREAM!" The seeker backed up at the roar, then growled in defeat, and stormed out of the room, with Darkshade following close behind. As soon as they were out of Megatron's earshot, Starscream whirled and glowered at the smirking femme. 

"I don't know what you did to get on Megatron's good side, but I don't like it."

"Aww, don't worry, Screamer, I'll make sure to go more gentle on you next time." Darkshade cooed, then walked off without another word. 

"You don't even know where your berthroom is, fool!" Starscream yelled in one last attempt to one up her. 

"Megatron already showed me!" She called. "He just wanted an excuse for me to beat you!" 

Starscream growled again, his helm shaking. The attitude of the femme got on his bad side, and he certainly didn't like it. 

~~~

1 day. 

It's been 1 day without any sign of Nightstreak. 

1 day since Knockout's happiness had been taken away, and it was tearing him apart. 

He didn't speak, didn't eat, didn't recharge. His spark refused any of it, revolting at the thought of any nourishment. His optics, now a dark depressing blue, wouldn't stop leaking tears of coolant. He didn't care for his finish; it meant nothing now. He refused to see anybody, even Optimus. Locking himself in his berthroom, not even Ratchet's temper could get him out, no matter how much he fussed about taking care of any injuries. The darkness of the room did him well; any light hurt him, physically and emotionally. His faceplate was drawn into a frown, not forced, a sparkbroken one. He couldn't stop thinking about way she had looked at him, her optics full of betrayal, sadness, sparkbreak, and his own spark clenched at the thought, but he couldn't get rid of it. A knock at the door echoed through the room. Knockout groaned, but didn't get up. Whoever it was could just go away. Another knock, harder this time, went ignored.