Starscream scratched absentmindedly at the leaves still stuck in his knee joint. He had just returned from a "scouting mission" which had, unfortunately, ended with him being startled by a flock of migrating Geese, diving a bit too low while trying to avoid hitting them, and plowing helm first into a group of young Pines.

Once back on the Nemesis, not only did he have to answer to Megatron for failing to locate a fairly large energon mine, but he had to undergo the humiliation of listening his master's taunting over the state of his appearance.

Being sent to Knock Out for repairs was only adding insult to injury. Pouring salt in his wounds, as he had overheard the humans say.

He tried desperately to ignore the narcissistic medic's verbal jabs as he poked around at the Seeker's wings, a most unpleasant feeling, to be sure. Unfortunately, the ability to ignore had never been one of Starscream's stronger qualities.

"Are you almost done?" he snapped, cutting Knock Out off mid-sentence. "You might find enjoyment in your dawdling, but some of us take our responsibilities seriously."

"Since when?" Knock Out scoffed. "I know for a fact that your little outing had nothing to do with collecting raw energon and everything to do with getting away from our liege for a while." He unceremoniously yanked a branch from between the sensitive plating of the Seeker's back and left wing.

Starscream yelped.

Knock Out smiled. "Besides, thanks to you and your brilliant idea to turn my lab rat into a soul-sucking zombie Con, repair jobs are the only way I can get my kicks."

He bolted up and turned on the medic, glaring angrily. "You want a kick, do you?" he spat.

The grounder rolled his optics, waving a servo dismissively. "Don't get your turbines in a twist, Screamer."

Starscream growled at him. "Do not call me that."

"Whatever." He pointed to the medical berth. "Now sit down. I'm not done with your wings."

Starscream begrudgingly complied, trying not to flinch as the medic resumed his digging of the organic debris out of the crevices of the his frame.

Silence filled the room, bringing with it an unwelcome awkwardness. The flier crossed his arms, drumming his digits impatiently as Knock Out seemed to focus more precisely on his work, leaving Starscream to feel that much more alone.

He debated himself mentally as to whether or not he should try to spark some sort of conversation. But after their last adventure together, he wasn't sure the grounder would be very keen on playing through their friendship charade.

Still… Who else was there to talk to?

"So…" His optics darted across the room in search of any inspiration for a conversation starter. He found nothing. Actually, other than the standard medical instruments, the room was quite bare.

"Yeeeees?" Knock Out drawled.

Starscream wracked his mind for something—anything—to talk about. He was stunned over the fact that he was speechless! Which didn't help his situation at all. "So…" he tried again. "You have absolutely no projects left?"

Of all the things to ask, why that?

Knock Out jabbed at a cluster of dried mud and rocks in the First Lieutenant's back and yanked it out harshly. He smirked at the yelp that followed. "Thanks to you, Herr Commandant, not a one."

Starscream twisted around to look at him. "I suppose that makes you rather bored."

"Yes. Yes it does." He pushed the Seeker's wing down tersely. "Be still and let me finish my work."

Ignoring the medic, Starscream continued. "I mean, you must have so many ideas flying about in your processor with so little to do around here."

Knock Out frowned. "Starscream."

"We haven't even had all that many Vehicons for you to repair. They've mostly been disposed of. And you can't go racing anymore, so really what is there to do?"

He clenched his servos into fists, glaring coldly. "Starscream."

"Life must be so dull for you now. On the bright side, you don't have Megatron's violent rage to contend with as I do. Actually, your punishment was nowhere near as severe as mine if you think about it- OW!" Starscream jumped to his pedes, yanking a syringe from his neck. "What was that for?" he shouted.

"It got you to shut up, didn't it?" Knock Out replied with a smirk.

Starscream glowered and threw the syringe at the grounder's helm. "You dare speak in such tones to a commanding officer?"

Knock Out stepped aside nonchalantly, giving Starscream a satisfied smirk. "Where are we, Herr Commandant? The med-bay. And who am I? The medic. And why are you here? Because our master sent you here for repairs."

Starscream snarled. "Don't you dare."

Knock Out grinned. "Under these circumstances-"

"I'm warning you, Knock Out," the Seeker spat.

"I. Out. Rank. You." He pointed to the medical table again. "Sit."

"No."

Knock Out crossed his arms over his chestplate, grinning. "Shall I report your insubordination to Lord Megatron, then?"

Starscream huffed.

"Going once," said the medic, lifting a servo to the side of his head.

Starscream glared.

"Going twice." He tapped his comm. link once.

The Seeker faltered.

"Going three ti-"

"Have you ever considered the possibility of using controlled Scraplets as weapons of desolation?" Starscream blurted randomly.

That caught the grounder off guard. He lowered his servo, staring blankly at the Commander. "Are you sure you didn't receive some massive blow to your head when you crashed into that forest? Because you've clearly blown a fuse the size of Trypticon!" He rolled his optics, exasperated. "How do you even come up with these things?"

Starscream blinked, truly pondering the idea. "Think of it, Knock Out," he gestured to an invisible army across the room. "Hundreds—No!—thousands of Scraplets, bred in the laboratory, completely under Megaton's control! The Autobots would flee for their lives at the very mention of the Decepticon name!"

Knock Out shook his helm. Sometimes Starscream's imaginative conspiracies were useful. Sometimes. But not this time. Though he had to admit… He was certainly intrigued by the thought. No matter how preposterous.

"Why stop there, Screamer?" Knock Out asked sarcastically. "Why not have a million of them? Oh! And maybe some living Tox-En that can worm its way into their base and snuggle up beside them while they recharge! We could even decorate them with sequins!"

Starscream scowled. "You don't find the idea the least bit compelling?"

"Of course I do! I'm just not stupid!"

The Seeker grinned. "I realize that you are no longer permitted to go about starting your own experiments, but who's to stop you from doing the research and, say, leaving it out where our resident mad scientist can find it?"

Knock Out grinned back, pointing to the med-table. "Be a good little patient and shut your yap before I surgically remove your voice box."

Shockwave stared intently at the datapads strewn across Knock Out's worktable. He had never known the narcissist to be so unkempt. Clearly the information had been intentionally displayed in such a muddle as to catch Shockwave's eye.

Pity. He had considered the medic's unrefined intellect promising, until now.

Admittedly, the notion was intriguing in a strictly illusory way. Perhaps, in the future, he might look into the possibility of producing such a creature. Though, at the moment, his time was solely devoted to Project Predacon.

His comm. link pinged. "Shockwave."

"Yes, Lord Megatron?" He began stacking the datapads into a neat pile. This would communicate his acknowledgement and rejection of the project to Knock Out without need of a verbal rebuttal.

"Are you in your laboratory?"

"Yes, master."

"Good. I am on my way."

"Ah, Doctor," Starscream purred as he strutted into the med-bay.

Knock Out glanced up from the surgery he was performing on one of the Vehicons and sighed. "Commander."

"How goes the operation?"

The medic rolled his optics. "I assume you're not referring to my medical profession."

Starscream grinned.

"Fine. I left the data out where he could see it."

"And?"

"And he stacked it in a pile on my desk."

"Which means?"

Knock Out glared at him. "Which means I wasted two days of my life putting all the pieces together for a project that got shot down in less than two minutes."

Starscream frowned. "Is that so?" He pulled a datapad from behind his back. "Then I wonder what this is?"

Knock Out snatched it out of the Commander's servo and read over the file. "He approved it?"

"And appointed you as overseer of the project."

"But… Why?"

"What does it matter?" Starscream asked, smiling brightly. "You have a project to occupy your time and I have the means of winning back Megatron's full favor with a superb, super soldier army."

"Oh, no, Herr Commandant," the medic said, laying the datapad aside and returning to the surgery at hand. "Not an army. Merely a prototype. A make it or break it type deal." He glanced up at the Seeker, smiling at the look of horror in his optics.

Minutes passed in silence as Starscream contemplated the situation. Finally, an ever-broadening grin settling on his face, he stepped up to Knock Out's patient and disconnected the sedatives.

"What in the name of the Allspark did you do that for?" Knock Out shrieked.

"We have work to do, doctor, and little time to accomplish our task."

The Vehicon moaned.

"Are you mad? I'm in the middle of surgery here!"

The Commander shrugged. "Then I suggest you hurry before your patient regains full consciousness. The wailing of the wounded grow rather tiresome after a while." He spun around and strutted to the door.

Knock Out scoffed. "You would know."

Starscream ignored him. "I'll be waiting in my quarters. Try not to take too long, will you?"

Seven times the sun had set and risen since he had given the documents to Starscream for delivery. Should he have allowed himself the irrational pleasure, he might have gone as far as to laugh at the Seeker's eagerness to carry out his orders without so much as a thought as to why he, a First Lieutenant, should be treated as a common drone.

He had even failed to see the imbalance of order within the situation. Being that Shockwave was the only mech approved to give orders on anything scientific.

If there were any doubts of Starscream's involvement in the idea behind the disarray of Knock Out's desk before, they had certainly been laid to rest.

Shockwave had no intention of allowing such foolish fantasies to be explored, however, Megatron had seemed thoroughly amused at the rapidity of Starscream's rebound from his previous Terrorcon blunder. He had insisted Shockwave allow the project to be carried out, with supervision, if only to watch as his precious Air Commander had his wings chewed off by his own creation.

Shockwave had in turn insisted that only one Scraplet be manufactured in the event that the project failed.

Megatron had approved.

So here he was, patiently awaiting word from Soundwave that he should step in and terminate the procedure. Anything that involved Starscream's twisted sense of reality could not turn out well. Both logic and experience dictated his imminent failure.

Yet word had yet to come. All communication waves were silent of anything but rudimentary chatter. Nothing of any use or interest to Shockwave.

After careful consideration of all variables that could potentially lead to Soundwave's reticence, he deemed his concern illogical. Soundwave would contact him if need be and, as of yet, there was no need.

Shockwave returned to his work, pushing any thoughts of Starscream and Knock Out's experiment to the farthest reaches of his mind.

He worked in silence for several minutes, lost in his work.

"Lord Megatron," he said, standing abruptly and walking to the door. "Forgive my intrusion, but I require-"

"Ah, Shockwave!" Megatron's voice crackled over the comm. link happily. "Do come to the control room, won't you? I have something I'm sure you'll enjoy."

"I am currently on my way, master. I wish to speak with you about-" The link died. "…Project Scraplet."

Minutes later the door to the control room slid open revealing an audience of Vehicons gathered around the viewing screen with Megatron and Soundwave.

"Master?"

Megatron turned to him, grinning cheerfully. "Come, Shockwave." He pushed one of the drones aside, making room for the scientist. "My Air Commander and CMO are just about to test out their new toy. I am quite certain this will be a shock to them and greatly amusing for us." He turned to the Spy Master on his right. "Isn't that right, Soundwave?"

Soundwave leaned closer to the screen, clearly anxious for whatever was about to happen.

Shockwave watched as a Scraplet, immensely larger than he had previously anticipated, was set up on its struts and infused with energon. Its optics flickered on and off until a gentle, blue glow filled them. It looked around curiously, took an unsteady step forward, balanced itself, tried again.

Shockwave's helm tilted slightly in awe of the creature born of scientific engineering. It seemed to examine Starscream and, finding nothing remotely interesting about him, turned its attention back to its surroundings.

Megatron chuckled to himself. "Get ready, Soundwave."

Shockwave noticed one of the Spy Master's servos hovering over a switch, almost twitching with excitement. He looked back to the screen.

"We've actually done it," Knock Out whispered in amazement, looking up at the colossal creature of chaos.

Starscream walked to the middle of the room and placed a small orb on the floor. "Just one simple test," he said, backing away and holding up a controller. "One throw of the switch and we'll know if our Scraplet sees any difference between an Autobot life signal and food." He pressed a button.

The Scraplet snapped to attention, studying the orb intently. Its optics pulsed from blue to purple to red. It's mouth opened—it was wide enough to swallow Megatron whole—revealing row upon row of metal slicing teeth. It dashed for the beacon with surprising speed, ripping it to shreds in only a few short seconds.

Once the orb was destroyed its optics flickered back to blue and it turned to its creators, cocking its head to the side as if asking for instruction.

"Good boy, Scrappy," Knock Out crooned, patting the creature's helm. "Won't Megatron be happy to have you around."

Starscream gave a triumphant laugh. "I'd like to see Shockwave's precious Predacon best our pet! This Scraplet if far superior to that wretched beast. It is compact enough to fit within the ship, it is programed to obey without question-"

"It's well mannered," Knock Out added, smiling at the grateful chirps he received as he continued to pat the Scraplet.

"And it's completely harmless to Decepticons!"

The giant Scraplet froze.

"Scrappy?" Knock Out asked, backing away. "Are you okay?"

The creature fixed its gaze on the Seeker and Medic, optics pulsing.

Blue.

Knock Out reached for his prod. "We should probably run."

Purple.

Starscream moved to the door. "Come on, come on…"

Red.

Its mouth parted.

Starscream shrieked and began to pry at the door, forcing it open.

Knock Out jabbed at the creature with his prod, only to have his staff snatched from his servos and devoured.

He bolted for the door, pushing Starscream through. They ran down the empty corridor in absolute terror, jumping into the first room they could find to hide in.

"This is becoming a habit I desperately wish to break," Starscream muttered, pressing himself against the wall.

"Just don't start another farewell speech," Knock Out snapped. "I've had enough awkward, near-death bonding moments with you to last a thousand lifetimes."

"I believe you were the one commenting on your admiration of my 'illustrious finish,' Doctor," Starscream shot back.

"I made it clear that you in no way surmount the level of admiration I had for Breakdown. That made you at least number three on my appreciation scale! But no worries, Herr Commandant, you're dropping rank at breakneck speed."

"Why you ungrateful little-"

TAP. TAP. TAP.

The door slid open. Knock Out and Starscream froze. They were to the left of the entrance, just out of sight as long as the Scraplet didn't decide to come in. They watched as the monster's shadow swayed back and forth.

Minutes passed in silence. The Scraplet didn't move. It was almost as if it knew they were there. It was simply waiting for them.

Knock Out could feel his frame begin to tremble. He caught the glare Starscream sent him and tried desperately to be still.

Finally, the Scraplet turned and walked down the corridor.

Starscream shivered. "We are in so much trouble."

Knock Out slumped to the floor. "Terrorcons are looking quite harmless right about now."

The Seeker groaned. "We have to detain it before Megatron finds out about it."

"How are we supposed to do that?"

"Figure it out yourself, Mr. Top-of-the-appreciation-scale," Starscream scoffed.

Knock Out stared incredulously at him. "Seriously? We're starting that now?"

TAP. TAP. TAP.

Starscream jumped back with a yelp. He shoved Knock Out forward. "Eat him first!"

The Scraplet poked its head into the door and looked them over, optics now back to blue.

"Easy, Scrappy," Knock Out purred. "Screamer and I have a nice comfy stasis pod with your name on it on the next deck. Right, Screamer?"

"Yes, yes," Starscream said nervously. "Just follow us."

The Scraplet watched them curiously as they made their way out of the room. It chirped and nuzzled its helm against its creators before obediently falling in line behind them.

The room was filled with roars of laughter at the scene that had played out on the viewing screen. Even Soundwave's stance seemed to portray an inkling of euphoria over the entire situation.

Shockwave considered what he had witnessed. The giant Scraplet, an incredible feat of Decepticon engineering, a success almost unheard of since ancient times, would spend the rest of its days locked in stasis simply because Megatron wanted to make a point.

No, Starscream and Knock Out were not likely to go behind his back with their experiments again, but the cost of the lesson was the loss of what could easily be deemed the ultimate weapon. Perhaps greater than the Autobot hunter known as the Predacon.

Shockwave would remember the creature. Perhaps Megatron would one day allow him to explore its full potential.

For now, though, the Autobot signal beacons implanted in the Air Commander and CMO, which, at Megatron's command, had caused the attack, would inevitably mean maximum security around the stasis pod for quite some time.

If Shockwave were a lesser mech, he would laugh. Instead, he slipped silently from the room to return to his experiments.