The Good, the Bad and Starscream

Chapter 30: Plus One

The Autobots in Hangar E got concerned when Wheeljack pinged the base, saying they needed an emergency GroundBridge. He didn't say for what, but with how fast he spoke and how few words he used, it was highly likely one of the bots were injured.

Raf was the one who opened the GroundBridge, rather than Ratchet. Seconds after the portal opened, Wheeljack and Hot Shot stepped inside the base, each holding around Octane, who was unconscious, heavily injured and leaking badly from several places on his body, but especially from his abdominal plates. The sight sent a rush through Starscream's tanks, and everyone, even the chatty Ransack and Crumplezone, stopped what they were doing and gathered around the returning bots.

"Wow, what happened?" Arcee asked as the first.

"The Predacon happened," Wheeljack said while leading Hot Shot and Octane over to the medbay. "It's back."

The information sent chills down everyone's spinal struts, especially Starscream's. Ratchet left the monitor he was currently working at and went over to the medbay.

"Lay him down here," Ratchet ordered Wheeljack and Hot Shot, as they carefully placed Octane on the operating table. "Red Alert, help me out here."

Red Alert perked by his name and rushed over by Ratchet's side, as Wheeljack and Hot Shot stepped away to allow the medics to work their magic. And so Red Alert could put what Ratchet had taught him to practical use. Ratchet hummed concerned at the sight.

"These wounds are really bad," Ratchet remarked as he got his tools out and began working on the abdominal plates. "He's leaking bad. Red, get me an Energon cube!"

"Right away!" Red Alert said and rushed past the other bots to fetch a cube.

Starscream stood a few meters from the medbay and stared shocked at the mangled form of Octane. Had the universe heard his wish earlier after all? Of all times when he needed the universe to listen to him, now was the time?

I wasn't serious, Starscream thought horrified to himself. I was joking. I didn't ACTUALLY want him to die, I didn't mean it. Primus, what if this is all MY fault?

"What are you muttering to yourself?" Ransack asked, snapping Starscream out of his apparently loud thoughts.

"N-nothing," Starscream stuttered. His gaze went from the still Octane, as Ratchet instructed Red Alert how to take care of the minor wounds while he took care of the abdominal wounds, to Wheeljack, standing some meters away beside Hot Shot. Suddenly Starscream's shock was replaced by rage, and he found himself stomping over to the pair with hiked wings and spread claws.

"How did Octane get this mauled?" Starscream hissed at Wheeljack and Hot Shot, gaining their attention. "If he was with you, he should have been protected, right? Like this wannabe-Bumblebee brat."

Hot Shot frowned offended at Starscream, his goggles still on his forehead. "Hey!" he snapped.

Starscream snarled briefly at the recruit, telling him to shut up. He glared back down at Wheeljack. "You didn't leave him behind to handle the Predacon alone... did you?"

"No way," Wheeljack said offended. "The beast had us cornered in a mine, Octane here volunteered to get Miko out of there."

"Miko was with you?!" Arcee exclaimed in disbelief.

"I was wondering what took her so long with those sodas," Rafael commented, not sounding too worried about Miko having been MIA.

"She's fine if that's what you're wondering about," Wheeljack replied. "In fact, I think Octane here protected her with his life."