Decepticon Island (TF Aligned continuity AU)

TEAM BONDING PART 1

"Starscream? Hey, Starscream, wake up!"

The silver Seeker, jostled from recharge, awoke with a start.

"Rise and shine, sleepy head!"

I know that voice. Why is he here bothering me?

"What do you want, bug?" Starscream rasped, optics blinking as they adjusted to the light.

"Well, good morning to you, too, Screamer," Bumblebee replied with a smirk. Starscream glared at the yellow and black mech standing at his bedside.

"Don't tell me Knockout's gotten everyone hooked on that absurd nickname."

Bumblebee ignored the accusation. Instead, he grabbed Starscream by the arm and led him out of his cell.

"What... Where are we going?" Starscream stammered.

"You'll see," Bumblebee said without looking back.

Starscream struggles in the Lieutenant's grip, afraid that something bad is about to occur.

He isn't going to terminate me, is he? Knockout wouldn't let him do that to me! Right?

Still apprehensive about what this could possibly be, but knowing he had no choice, ceased his escape attempt and followed Bumblebee the rest of the way in silence. It wasn't until after he calmed down a bit that he realized the absence of stasis cuffs. The lack of restraints added to Starscream's confusion, as well as his curiosity.

Well, might as well behave myself. Primus knows when I'm going to get another chance like this.

"Ah, there you are, Starscream."

The silver Seeker snapped back to reality. He noticed they were in the hangar, clusters of crates scattered everywhere, with the remaining Cybertronians occupying the central area.

"Sleep well?" Knockout asked, having turned his attention away from the data pad in-servo to greet the newcomers.

Moonracer waved at them from her spot perched atop a crate.

Steeljaw seemed too engrossed in the information on his own data pad to bother acknowledging their presence, unless one would consider an ear twitch as a sign of acknowledgment.

"Let's just say it's been easier for me to recharge recently since my last appointment," Starscream answered, shrugging as if it were no big deal.

Knockout's mood shifted from amused to pained and back again, all in a matter of seconds, as he recalled the session with Starscream and was met with an emotional meltdown.

"Glad to hear that."

"Yes, yes, I'm sure you are. Now, would someone care to explain to me why I've been dragged out here?"

"Well, Starscream, we've finally reached Suitable Planet NO.1 of our little... expedition... and for reasons that I do not feel like getting into right now, decided that we should split up into teams and explore the place," Knockout explained. "We'll have two pairs go off in opposite directions, while the remaining one will, well, remain here as mission control."

"And to make sure nothing happens to the ship," Moonracer added.

"Yes, that, too."

"So, who's with who?" Bumblebee asked.

"While I sincerely doubt I have a say in any of this, I know none of you are going to leave me behind to watch over the ship," Starscream said.

"Yeah, no," Knockout laughed. "As my responsibility, you're coming with me."