Author's Notes: At last, I have returned to this poor neglected fic! "Little Prince" is one of those stories where I have so many big notions for it, but have trouble putting them in the proper order. I feel like I've got a clearer idea at least for the next chapter or two, so hopefully it won't take much longer to update again. As for this chapter, I apologize for it being so short, but it's a setup chapter so it didn't need more than this. Thank you for reading, and I hope everyone is staying safe :)

Chapter 17

Midnight Medbay

Ratchet had finally managed to clear out the medbay after working virtually nonstop all day. He had just ordered Gears out for the third time that day, and wondered why a hypochondriac was even assigned to the Ark in the first place. Of course Ratchet was constantly facing challenges from his difficult (and sadly predictable) patients.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe frequently got hurt due to ticking off the other Autobots and playing harmful pranks. Ironhide was stubborn every time Ratchet had to treat one of his injuries. Wheeljack was always blowing limbs off his own body with dangerous experiments. Gears frequently came in over stupid minor problems like a rust rash or a ringing in his audials that always turned out to be because he wouldn't stop fiddling with his own audio sensors.

In short, Ratchet never seemed to get a moment's peace, and recharge was infrequent and short lived. That was why, now that it was the dead of night, he was looking forward to crawling into his berth and letting the world just melt away.

That beautiful dream wasn't going to come to reality however, as he heard the door whoosh open again. Ratchet was ready to chew out whoever it was interrupting his recharge time, but the words died in his vocalizer when he saw it was Optimus Prime coming in, followed by Starscream.

"What happened?" Ratchet immediately asked, "Did Starscream attack you? Or was he attacked by a crew member?"

"Neither," Optimus assured him, "Ratchet...I need you to scan something for me, and whatever the results, the information must be treated with the strictest confidence until further notice."

"This sounds serious," Ratchet noted, "Is it a virus? Decepticon intel?"

"No," Optimus replied, "I need you to scan my spark and energon signature, and then compare them with Starscream's. We're searching for a...chemical match."

"Hahahaha!" Ratchet chortled, "That's a good one, Prime! It's not often I see your sense of humor. Good to know it hasn't been completely lost."

"I am serious, Ratchet," Optimus told him, "I have reason to suspect that Starscream may be my kin."

"To be fair to the old doc," Starscream interjected, "Your discomfort on the subject is pretty funny."

Ratchet looked from Optimus to Starscream, realizing this was for real and not sure how to react to it. Starscream related to Optimus Prime? That sounded ridiculous. They weren't the same frame type, they weren't the same faction, and even their morality couldn't be more different. Optimus was a paragon of integrity and a father to his fellow Autobots, while Starscream was that guy who was an annoying liar at best and a deadly backstabber at worst. There was no way.

To put Optimus's mind at ease however, Ratchet didn't protest giving them the chemical test. He took a sample of energon from each of them and ran it through the sequencer, and then had them both lay down on a berth so he could scan their sparks. It would take a few breems, but soon this confusion would be put to rest and Ratchet could finally get some recharge.

Dead End walked into the medbay to find that Hook was patching up Rumble, all the while Soundwave stood silently in the corner watching the Constructicon medic's every move. The mood in the room was tense, and Dead End found that such stifling unspoken hostility was just the pick-me-up he needed.

Dead End needed his arm patched after an accident involving a chemistry set and a pair of jumper cables, but he was willing to wait. This felt like an opportunity in the making, and Dead End needed to play his cards right. When Hook went to the supply closet to get some more mesh, this felt like Dead End's chance.

"Ah, Soundwave. Our ever loyal communications officer," Dead End greeted in a suspiciously genial tone, "Motormaster told me I would find you here. He insists upon your presence on the bridge."

"Preoccupation: Rumble. Time of arrival to bridge: 20 minutes," Soundwave replied without inflection.

"Of course. Take all the time you need," Dead End replied with the subdued tone of a funeral director, "Might I ask what happened to your cassette?"

"It was that stinkin' Wildrider!" Rumble shouted in place of Soundwave, "Motormaster let him beat the scrap outta me, just because he felt like it! Breakdown even tried to convince him to kill me because I'm a spy, but Soundwave stepped in just in time. I hate yer stupid brothers, and frankly I hate you! You Stunticons have ruined everything!"

"Rumble: silence!" Soundwave rebuked his symbiote; fearing repercussions from insulting a Stunticon, "Apologize."

"Apologize!?" Rumble asked, affronted, "No way! I don't care if he kills me! I can't live like this no more! Motormaster stopped the energon shipments to Cybertron, nobody's allowed to leave the ship without his permission, and I'm goin' stir crazy! This ain't what Decepticons are supposed to be, a bunch of frazzled goldfish!"

"Believe it or not Rumble, I agree with you," Dead End told him.

"No you don't," Rumble scoffed bitterly, "Yer just tryin' to get me to shut up and obey. You Stunticons are goin' to get us all killed."

"True, but that doesn't mean I can't agree with you," Dead End replied evenly, "We've lost many assets since Motormaster took power. He's all but excommunicated Shockwave, he had Reflector killed, and he chased away our most prominent and competent seeker trine. We're all as terrified as you are. Motormaster is a monster, and his reign is tarnishing the name of our former leader and my dearly departed sire; Megatron. Actually, I was having a conversation with Drag Strip about this very thing. He said if he were in charge he would start shipping energon to Shockwave again and would even start granting equal rations to the minicons of our faction. After all, you're our optics and audials. You need your strength."

"Drag Strip said that?" Rumble asked skeptically, "I thought the only thing runnin' through his processor was a set of tires. Hah!"

"You'd be surprised," Dead End said as he steepled his fingers, "Drag Strip wants to be a good ruler and a helper to the marginalized members of our team, but I doubt that will ever happen. Motormaster is too powerful, and he would never allow a revolutionary with grand ideas for change to come to power. A good leader needs support. Even Megatron would have never gotten anywhere without popularity on his side. You would know that better than anyone, Soundwave. After all, you were the one who helped him get his message across and organize his army. If anything, you should have been SIC by now. Don't think we don't notice that Motormaster chose Breakdown over you. Personally I would have chosen you, and as I recall Drag Strip said the same thing."

"Rank: unimportant," Soundwave replied stoically, "Ultimate goal: Decepticon domination over Cybertron."

"Is that your only goal, though?" Dead End asked pointedly, "I know you're protective of your symbiotes. I don't blame you. Death seems to favor those with high-risk occupations. Frankly it doesn't seem fair, asking your mechlings to crawl around in the Autobot base when it's considered too dangerous for regular mechs. In fact, I'd say you've been handed a very raw deal. Oh look, Hook is returning. Good. The sooner you're out of here the sooner I can be treated. Don't worry. I'll wait my turn. I respect your seniority...even if no one else does."

Soundwave gave no indication that Dead End's words meant anything to him, but Rumble looked pensive and thoughtful. Dead End smiled behind his face mask. He knew he'd gotten to the younger 'Con, which meant Soundwave wouldn't be far behind. His campaign for Drag Strip was getting off to a good start.

Ratchet stood there in shock looking at the results on his computer. Optimus sat up from his medical berth, with Starscream doing the same, and knew exactly what that look on Ratchet's faceplate meant.

"So, I am your son," Starscream said to break the silence.

"How could this be?" Ratchet asked more to himself than anyone else, "Optimus, how long have you suspected?"

"We only came to this conclusion tonight," Optimus replied calmly, "We have similar family photos, and Starscream was built to be a flier."

"So?" Ratchet asked cantankerously, "Last I checked you and your bondmate were both grounders. Unless Elita is hiding wings under her armor!"

"No Ratchet, but she knew that I wanted a flying sparkling," Optimus explained, "I am sorry, Starscream. I wanted to be there for you, but I assumed you were..."

"You don't have to apologize to me," Starscream replied dismissively, "I'm pretty sure the past few million years have more than paid you back in kind."

"What are you going to tell the others?" Ratchet asked Optimus, "When they find out one of the most hated Decepticons is your own mesh and fuel..."

"I will consider my words carefully when I break the news," Optimus replied heavily.

"Break the news!?" Starscream asked incredulously, "You can't tell anyone about this!"

"Why not?" Optimus asked curiously, "Would it not make things easier for you if everyone knew you have a vested interest in joining the Autobots?"

"No, Prime! It would make things harder for you!" Starscream told him, "If people know about this, then they will think any leniency you show me is due to your currently clouded judgment. You're the leader. They need to trust you completely. It will be easier if they just think of me as Megatron's former SIC, instead of your former love child."

If Optimus had been human he might've blushed. As it stood all he could do was put his hand over his optics and shake his helm. In the span of a few days his entire world had changed. Megatron's elite trine were now Autobots, femmes were coming to earth, Starscream was his son, and he wasn't allowed to tell anyone. He was certainly happy, but part of him was also overwhelmed.

"So you expect me to keep this information a secret?" Ratchet asked skeptically, "Optimus, Starscream still poses a potential security risk. We know family has never meant much to him in the past."

"What is that supposed to mean!?" Starscream shouted challengingly.

"It means we know your service record!" Ratchet shouted back, "It means you have time and time again shown that you are only loyal to your own selfish interests. You have repeatedly tried to kill your former leader, and you have frequently abandoned your trine to save yourself. Most seekers would rather die than go on living without their trine, yet you continue to belittle and manipulate yours for your own ends. How can we trust that you won't try the same thing with Optimus?"

"You don't know anything about me," Starscream hissed, "And I'm not inclined to help you find out. I don't care if I get assigned to latrine duty for this. You're an arrogant fragger who can't see what's in front of his optics. I risked my aft coming here to save Skywarp, I put my career and my life on the line trying to get Skyfire to join the Decepticons, and I dug for joors to-... Never mind. It's none of your business."

"Ratchet, Starscream has done nothing to make us believe his intentions are malicious," Optimus pointed out, "I promised I would give him and his trine a fair chance to become Autobots, and my decision still stands. Starscream's relation to me does not change that. He is an Autobot now, and he will be treated as such. I only hope, Starscream, that you will use this second chance to pursue peace. We do not have to be enemies anymore, and in fact have the opportunity to become the family we always should have been."

"So, what will you do with me?" Starscream asked him.

"Skyfire recommended that you should be assigned to the science lab," Optimus informed him, "If you believe your talents would be useful there, then I urge you to consider it. The position of course is voluntary, but I believe we could use another scientist."

"Weapons research, like Wheeljack?" Starscream asked wryly, "I suppose one more wrench monkey couldn't hurt. Frankly the part that surprises me is that Skyfire vouched for me. He's been avoiding me ever since I got here. I just assumed he still hated me."

"I do not presume to know how Skyfire feels," Optimus replied somberly, "He is a very private mech. He always volunteers a helping servo, and he is a diligent worker, but he has very few close friends on this ship. He is withdrawn and tends to keep everyone at arm's length."

"That doesn't sound like Skyfire at all," Starscream noted, "When I met him, he was the one who first spoke to me. I admit, I was probably the stronger personality between the two of us, but Skyfire loved people and wanted to share his work with the world. I can't imagine him being so..."

Even as he spoke the picture was becoming clearer in Starscream's processor. Skyfire had changed after being unfrozen. Skyfire's last true friend had been Starscream himself, and that friendship ended in gunfire. Of course the defensive side of Starscream's personality blamed Skyfire for their fallout. Skyfire was the one who betrayed Starscream for a faction he knew nothing about. Skyfire was the one who put the lives of the enemy above victory for his team. Skyfire...was traumatized. Skyfire was the one...who got shot in the chassis, and likely had nightmares about his former "friend". Skyfire was afraid of Starscream, avoided Starscream, yet still advocated for and helped Starscream.

"...Optimus?" Starscream spoke up again, his voice much smaller and subdued, "I want to work in the labs."