Steve wandered aimlessly around the warship, mumbling to himself about how badly he needed a promotion. Mining, monitoring and getting shot at by Autobots was not how he wanted to spend the rest of his existence.

At least Knock Out got some down time to go racing every once in a while. Not that Steve was supposed to know that.

But if Steve knew, surely Megatron did as well. That just proved that the higher ups got way more slack than they would admit.

Steve continued his slightly-louder-than-a-whisper rant around two more corners, lost in his bitter thoughts.

"Watch it!" the Vehicon shouted, barely stopping his fall.

"Hey, you walked into me, drone!"

Steve's helm shot up in horror. His optics darting over the flawless finish of the CMO.

"Knock Out, sir!" He righted himself, standing at attention. "My apologies. I didn't realize who I was talking to."

The medic looked skeptical.

"What I mean is, sir, that I was-"

"Ah! I know you!"

Steve jumped at the outburst.

"You're that ST-3V3 guy! Oh, yes, there's quite the gossip going around about you. Bit of a fangirl type, I hear. That true, Stevie?" he asked with a smirk.

"What? Um, no? No! I... What?"

Knock Out threw an arm around him, pulled him close, glanced around the corridor to make sure no one was around. "Tell me, Stevie, have you ever been to a drive in theater?"

"Um..."

"I had no idea human were capable of things like that!" Steve shouted as he followed Knock Out down the long road.

"Right?" Knock Out's engine revved in excitement. It had been quite some time since he had had company on one of his excursions. "Most of the time I find the fleshies grotesque and unnecessary, but my, my, they can put on a good show."

A Lamborghini passed them.

"They're not so bad at designing cars, either."

Knock Out laughed. "Oh, Stevie, why have I not acknowledged your existence before now?"

Steve knew he said it in fun, but he couldn't help being offended. Did his superiors know what it was like be considered a disposable drone? Did they even know that the Vehicons had distinct personalities, names, thoughts?

Knock Out slowed down a bit, allowing the Vehicon to catch up. "Oh, come on, Steve. I was only joking. There's no need to sulk about it."

It occurred to Steve that his silence was a dead giveaway to his emotions. What kind of Decepticon got his feelings hurt?

"Hmm? Oh! No! I um... I was just thinking about the movie." Nice save, Steve. "Kind of ridiculous in retrospect."

"True," the Aston Martin hummed. "Ridiculously entertaining. Apparently the humans have a soft spot for- what do they call it?- sci-fi."

Steve laughed. "Who needs war when you've got media? Lord Megatron could easily rule over the fleshies if he made his first, public appearance on the silver screen!"

Knock Out joined in the laughter. "I can almost hear the Imperial March when the Big M walks into the room."

"Can you imagine Commander Starscream dancing with Jabba's femmes?"

Knock Out pulled off the road in a laughing fit. Steve pulled up beside him, enjoying the feeling of equality.

The CMO transformed, clutching his sides and staggering away from the now empty street as he continued in his bout of hysteria.

Steve was having a hard time controlling his own giddy emotions as he watched his superior gasp frantically to cool his systems.

After another minute the two 'Cons breathed a contented sigh, looked at each other and burst out laughing again. Knock Out fell to the ground in the process.

Steve imagined Starscream prancing around the hazy room, swinging his hips and singing for the ugly, green space slug.

"Oh, that is just priceless!" Knock Out bellowed, wiping lubricant from his optics. "We really should do this more often."

Steve nodded. "Say, um, Knock Out, sir?"

"Drop the formalities, Steve." Knock Out picked a few bugs out of his grill.

"Um... Okay." The Vehicon shifted nervously. Knock Out glanced up at him from his place on the ground.

"Yes?" he purred.

"Have you ever heard of The Hunger Games?"

Knock Out jumped to his peddes, grinning wildly. "Fleshy youths killing each other for sport? How could I not know about that?" He threw his arms in the air, laughing.

Suddenly the medic spun back to the Vehicon and pointed a talon at his face. "Sherlock?"

"Could give Shockwave a run for his credits." Steve crossed his arms over his chest, elated at the look of pride he received from Knock Out.

A sly smile edged into Knock Out's faceplate. "Weeping Angels."

"Don't blink!"

Knock Out gasped. "Get out! You're a Whovian too?"

"Is Gallifrey located in the binary star system within the constellation Kasterborous?"

"Finally!" Knock Out shouted, laughing again. "Civilized company!"

Steve laughed too. "I always thought I was the only one who cared about human fandoms."

Knock Out rolled his optics. "Even Breakdown was never that into them."

Hours passed and the two grounders hadn't squandered a second in talking about their media obsessions. When the sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon, Knock Out received a message from Starscream. It seemed the Seeker had pushed the Predacon a little too far and was in "dire need of repairs."

The Medic laughed to himself as he called for a groundbridge.

Steve walked to his side as the portal appeared. "So."

"Hmm."

"Back to normal, sir?"

Knock Out sighed. "Indeed, drone."

A pause.

"Steve, have you ever given any consideration to human video games?"

Steve shook his helm.

"Ha! I can't wait to introduce you to The Legend of Zelda!"