Transformers Prime: The Tesseract

Twenty One: What Am I Supposed to Do?

"We did it! Now we can take him back to base and lock him back up!" Sunbeam exclaimed.

"This wasn't our goal. We still have to find the Tesseract," Predaking pointed out.

"Are you sure it's even here?" Sunbeam asked, pretending that she didn't know where it was. Neither Predaking nor Sunbeam noticed Starscream wake up until Starscream shot Predaking in his joint on the underside of his shoulder. "Predaking! Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine. While this form is smaller and much more uncomfortable, the armor it possesses is preferable to the feeble shell of my Predicon form," Predaking admitted.

"Well, let's get home with Starscream. We can always break in again later, but we have their leader in custody, which should stop them from tryin' to attack us. They wouldn't wanna lose him."

"Agreed." Predaking picked Starscream up by one of his wings and walked out onto the hull of the ship before transforming into a dragon. Sunbeam hopped onto his back, and Predaking flew off, Starscream clenched in his hand.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Sunbeam asked once again.

"Yes. Drop it," Predaking ordered. Sunbeam pouted in frustration before looking to Starscream.

"You good down there?!"

"Why should you care if he's okay?!"

"I just wanna know! He's a guest!"

"He's a prisoner!"

"I don't see why it's such a big deal to you, anyway."

"He wounded my pride, and the prides of my brethren."

"I dunno, ya still seem pretty freakin' proud to me..." Sunbeam grumbled, and Predaking banked sideways in response, almost causing Sunbeam to fall. "Gah! I'm sorry!"

Once they arrived back at the Autobot base with Starscream, they tried to silently chain him up in cuffs and place him in a storage room in the back of the base with no windows. However, they didn't expect that Ratchet would be waiting for them once they walked through the door.

"What were you thinking?! Sneaking out?! You could've been seriously injured! You could've been killed!" Ratchet scolded them.

"Hey Ratchet...I thought ya were sleepin'..." Sunbeam replied with a nervous laugh.

"I was, until you left and I heard screaming and explosions! Maybe next time, don't leave your comm link on!" Ratchet yelled.

"Sorry...but, we brought somethin' for ya!" Sunbeam exclaimed before showing off Starscream.

"You brought him back here?! Why?!" Ratchet questioned.

"'Cause he knows stuff. Stuff we can use to end the war. Plus, Preddy here don't like him," Sunbeam replied, patting Predaking on the arm.

"Can a talk to you alone for a second?" Ratchet asked.

"Uh sure," Sunbeam agreed with a nod. Predaking went to lock Starscream in the storage room.

"Are you insane?" Ratchet asked.

"Possibly. Why?" Sunbeam retorted with a grin.

"This isn't funny. It's a matter of life and death. And to think I imagined you'd understand this. I haven't told Shockwave or the Predicons anything about the Tesseract, because they seem to want it just as badly as the Decepticons, and if they were to find out that you have it..."

"It'll be fine. Even if Starscream tells 'em, ya really think they'll believe him? I've totally thought this through."

"What if Starscream breaks out again? He'll try to get the Tesseract from you-"

"No he won't. And he ain't leavin'. I won't fall for his tricks again. I mean, jeez, gimme some credit."

"I would've if you hadn't snuck out."

"How else was I gonna prove myself?"

"That's what this is about?"

"Of course it is! I mean, y'all get to go out and save people all the time! Save the world even! And yer the one keepin' the rest of the team alive! You're helpin' even though yer stuck here! But, what can I do?! I can't heal everyone, I can't keep everyone safe and alive, for Prime's sake, I can't even learn! So what else am I supposed to do?!" Sunbeam asked loudly, practically in tears.