Another piece written for tumblr friends highglossfinish, tranquilfingers (11-G-088), and bruiserbuddybreakdown. Set after "Operation: Breakdown."

The bruiser was seated on a medical berth, clumsily holding a rag to the right side of his faceplate in a way that suggested he was trying to staunch bleeding. A medical assistant wandered by, stopping short at the sight of the blue mech. "Officer Breakdown? Are you in need of assistance? Should I find the Doct—"

"No!" Breakdown thundered, ripping the rag away from his optic—wait. Where was the optic? "No, I'm fine. … 11-G-088, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Knock Out talks about you. Only one on the team who does your job right. Look, Knock Out can't know, okay? He can't see this right now. I… need time to make up a cover."

"… I… I can take a look at it? Clean it up a little?"

"… Guess I could say it was a mine accident, went down to check some things out, tripped over a cart. Fine. Just… careful, okay?"

"Squeamish, sir?" the medbay assistant laughed a little, trying to keep the mood light. At the officer's silence, he cleared his vocal circuits. "Sorry. Let me grab a cleaning kit."

After a moment, the mech returned. "Do you need any painkillers?"

"Nah. Receptors're disabled. Can you reach okay?"

"Yeah. Let me see."

Breakdown leaned forward, letting the assistant reach. The Vehicon poked at the socket with a set of tongs usually used to pick out shrapnel. "… can you retrieve your optic, sir? Do you know where it is? There's a Security guard we're releasing, I'm sure X4N might be able to go get it…"

"It's long gone by now, kid," Breakdown sighed. "The Doc's gonna have to patch it best he can."

"Patch what best I can?"

Knock Out's voice drifted in from the doorway, and Breakdown tensed. "Uh… hey, Doc."

"… Breakdown, what's happened to your optic? Let me see that."

"Don't you have other patients? 11-G here can handle this…"

"11-G-088 has minor injuries to patch up in the main ward. And a Security guard to officially release. And some forms I need him to complete for me."

"… yes, Doctor."

The Vehicon immediately disappeared to the main ward, and Knock Out leaned against the doorframe. "Something you want to tell me, Breakdown? And don't even try to tell me a mining incident ripped your optic out."

"… they call themselves MECH. They're humans that… I don't even know what they want. One klik, I'm beating the scrap out of Bulkhead, the next, they got me strapped down with equipment all over the place…"

"What did they do to you," Knock Out nearly growled, crossing the room quickly.

The blue one could tell from the face: this was the angry quick-walk. "Knock Out, I'm fine—"

"You most certainly are not fine—what is that. Is that a crack?"

"… 's a seam, Doc, I've always had that—"

"Seams aren't jagged. What did they do to you?!" the medic demanded.

"… they… they opened me up. Poked around. They said they were… st-studying me, but…"

Knock Out's expression softened, and he placed a hand on Breakdown's chest. "Alright. I'm sorry."

"I… I was real scared, Doc… I know they were humans, but… but they…"

"Shh." The smaller mech leaned up, nudging their helms together. "Shhh. We'll talk about it when you want to talk about it. I've got you now. It's alright."

Breakdown looked down. "I shouldn't've gone alone. I should've taken back-up. Taken a Security guard or something…"

"You stop that now. Lay back, I'll fix you up."

"… thanks, Doc…"