The next day General Galloway came to base and wasn't pleased to learn Starscream and Knock Out two former Decepticons had joined the team.

Though he didn't seem to mind the two girls. But no one at base liked him. But all just nodded and put up with him because he was a government higher up so what were they gonna do? And he would only be there for one day.
_

Meanwhile in the medbay Ratchet was looking over the data Pixel had brought to the base from Knock Out's mission.

The minicon was getting restless because he wanted to go play and kept messing with the wire that was transferring the data from his drive and knocking it loose.

"You have to be patient Pixel there's a lot of information on you drive that needs to be loaded to our main computer." Ratchet told the minicon who beeped in frustration.

Just then Shayna and DeAnn and heard the exchange.

"We can help keep him occupied while you do the transfer." Shayna offered. "We can stay and keep him company till the data is finished installing."

"How about some music?" Said DeAnn who took out her MP3 player and a speaker.

When she turned on the music Pixel started bobbing his helm to it enjoying the song.

"Good he's not disrupting the transfer anymore." Ratchet thanked the girls for getting the minicon to behave. "And your taste in music is a lot better then Miko's."

"I heard that!" They heard the other girl yell from across the hall.
_

While that was going on Starscream and Knock Out were both walking around outside the base. It was out of the way enough for them to not have to worry about anyone seeing them because all the humans at base know about them.

"I don't think Galloway likes us." Said Starscream.

"I don't think that guy likes anyone." Knock Out added. "Talk about a stick in the mud."

"I don't like him I think he tried to make a pass at DeAnn in the elevator." Starscream told the red mech.

"He was also checking Shayna out in the mess hall." Knock Out explained. "But I saw them get back at him."

"Oh?" Starscream asked.

"Yeah DeAnn accidentally tripped Shayna and caused her to spill her hot chocolate all over his uniform." Knock Out told the seeker.

"Karma gotta love it." Starscream chuckled. "That'll teach him to hit on them he's old enough to be their Dad."

"Karma had nothing to do with it." "I saw the girls give each other five when he wasn't looking they planned the whole thing." Knock Out laughed.

"So they planned it?" Said Agent Fowler who had just stepped outside and heard the two mechs talking.

And they both looked panicked for a minute till Agent Fowler started laughing too.

"Those hot chocolate stains are nightmares to get out of uniforms serves him right." Agent Fowler told them. "But you might want to keep the last part quite don't want the girls to get in trouble."

"But Galloway isn't the only one who doesn't like me the only Autobots who accept me besides Knock Out is Optimus, Bumblebee and Ratchet." Starscream said changing the subject.

"Don't worry Starscream the others will come to see you as a part of this team just give it time." Knock Out told his friend.

"Originally when I came to Earth I only wanted to get revenge on them but after I made up with Knock Out and got to know DeAnn and Shayna I just want to put the past behind me and make up for all the wrong I did." Starscream explained.

And both Knock Out and Agent Fowler could tell the seeker was being genuine.

Just then they heard alarms start going off. And then Sideways and Lockdown came around the corner.

"It a Decepticon attack." Cried Knock Out.

"Agent Fowler go inside and make sure the other humans are safe we'll handle these two." Starscream told Fowler and he obeyed.

Then Starscream started fighting Lockdown while Knock Out was struggling with Sideways.

"How are more Decepticons coming to Earth?" Asked Knock Out. "First Barricade now these two."

"Less talking more fighting." Starscream told his friend as they continued to battle it out with the two Cons.
_

Meanwhile Agent Fowler rushed into the base and found out the other Autobots were currently fighting Decepticons just like Starscream and Knock Out were.

Optimus was fighting Onslaught. While Arcee was fighting Flame War.

Folwer was relieved to see the medbay was on lockdown so Ratchet, Pixel and the girls were safe.

But then he spotted Galloway yelling at a soldier in the weapons room.

"We have missiles why aren't you pushing the button to launch them at those Cons!" Screamed Galloway.

"If you fire those missiles you might end up hitting an Autobot." Agent Fowler told Galloway trying to talk him down from doing something dumb.

"Their expendable." The other man hissed.

Knowing arguing with Galloway was useless Agent Fowler ran off looking for a phone.

While the soldier in the room who's name was Agent Lennox was trying to keep him from launching the missiles.

But Galloway hit the button before he could stop him.
_

Meanwhile Knock Out was still fighting Sideways when he suddenly heard a boom and then felt a burning pian in his back as he felt several blasts hit him followed by a sharp pain in his midsection.

Then he looked down to see Sideways had stabbed him with his sword. Then Knock Out could only look at him as he fell forward only for Sideways to kick him backwards as he yanked the sword back out of him.

Starscream who had just managed to beat Lockdown had looked up just in time to see Knock Out get shot in the back by several missiles then stabbed by Sideways and kicked to the ground as the sword was ripped back out of him and a waterfall of energon came gushing out of a wound that was now on the Austin Martin's midsection.

"No!" Starscream yelled seeing his friend's limp body hit the pavement.

Knock Out was still conscious but just barely his vision was becoming blurred and he couldn't hear anything but the ringing in his audio receptors. And felt pain surging through his entire body.

He could see Sideways standing above him getting ready to finish him but he was to weak to move and could only lay there.

But Sideways was suddenly tackled by Starscream and the two of them were now locked in combat. Unfortunately Sideways had the upper hand because Starscream was too angry to think clearly and wasn't fighting very well.

He managed to block several hits only for Sideways to stab one of the seeker's wings. Then he hit Starscream hard across the faceplats and continued to deliver one punch after another.

Knock Out could only lay there and helplessly watch as his friend was being used as a punching bag.

Then Sideways drew back his sword about to stab Starscream in the spark chamber and knowing he couldn't dodged it the seeker closed his optics and waited for the end. But the stab never came.

He looked and saw a hole had been blasted through the other mech's chest. And his optics stopped glowing as his spark went out.

Starscream looked up to see that Optimus Prime was standing there having been the one who had shot and killed Sideways.

The the Prime helped Starscream to his peds. And they rushed over to where Knock Out was still laying who was badly injured after having been shot by the missiles and stabbed.

"I-it.. hu..rts..." Knock Out groaned as he was struggling to speak. All his words kept cutting out as he kept trailing off and it came out more like a whimper.

"Don't try to talk just save your strength we're taking you to the medbay." Starscream told the downed medic as Optimus carried him knowing there wasn't a moment to lose.

That was when Starscream saw how bad Knock Out's injuries were. He was leaking energon from where he'd been stabbed and his back was badly burned from where the missiles had hit him.

And his optics were dim and kept rolling to the back of his helm. As Optimus carried him to the medbay while Starscream ran beside them.

Luckily all the Decepticons except Sideways who had been killed had retreated. So the base was out of lockdown.

"Hold on Knock Out we'll be at the medbay soon!" Starscream half pleaded. "Please hold on!"

For Knock Out everything was getting dark and fuzzy he knew Starscream was saying something to him but he couldn't make out what it was because he was to out of it. He felt dazed and weak and just wanted to go into recharge to rest.

Starscream saw how hurt and tired Knock Out looked. And was afraid if he went into stasis now he might not wake up. And to his horror his friends optics were starting to go offline.

"No Knock Out you have to stay alert!" Starscream screamed at him but didn't get a response. "Knock Out!"

The red transformer had already gone unconscious much to Starscream fear and dismay. But just then they made it to the medbay.

"Ratchet Knock Out is in need of medical attention!" Optimus told his medic and old friend.

"No!" Ratchet gasped upon seeing what state Knock Out was in. And got to work right away.
_

While waiting outside the medbay Starscream had spoken to a soldier name Epps who told him the girls and Pixel had gone to their room because the minicon had been frightened during the attack and the data transfer had been completed so Shayna and DeAnn had taken him to their room to calm him down. And he had seen them setting on the bottom bunk bed watching cartoons.

Starscream was glad he didn't want them to see this.

Then he heard Agent Lennox yelling at Galloway down the hall and what the other man had done.

"You might have harmed an Autobot firing those missiles." Agent Lennox said in a scolding voice.

"Or snuffed out a Con." Galloway shot back.

"It did harm an Autobot!" Starscream growled. "Not one of those missiles hit Sideways but they all hit Knock Out!" "My best friend is in the medbay right now possibly on his death bed and if he dies today his energon is on your hands!"

"So I did hit a Decepticon after all." Galloway said a bit to calmly. "If I had to hit one of ours at least it was one of the more expendable ones."

"He's not expendable and he's not a Decepticon!" Starscream hissed.

"Knock Out is an Autobot and a valued member of this team and don't you ever talk about him or any of the Autobots like that ever!" Starscream added clutching his servos into fist before walking back to where he'd been setting outside the medbay.

He didn't act on it but he was angry. He now hated Galloway more then he had Megatron, Shockwave and Cylas combined. He might have killed Knock Out and he wasn't even sorry.

Galloway's eyes had widened in a terrified expression and everyone in the hallway just knew he'd wet himself. But he quickly pulled himself together.

"I would suggest you all watch your tones with me I'm your superior." Galloway threatened. Just then his phone rang.

"Buzz off!" He yelled feeling frustrated. But then his face fell. "Oh sorry Mr President." "There's a fire?" "Oh I'm being fired." "You heard about the incident with the missiles." "I was just.." "Yes I suppose they did save the planet." "Ok yes sir." He added before hanging up.

"I'm fired and tell Agent Fowler the President says he's getting a promotion." Galloway said in defeat. "I'm going to get my bags and go."

Then he noticed Starscream was still glaring daggers at him from across the hall. "On second thought you can mail them to me." He added rushing out not wanting to be anywhere near the seeker.

"Wait how did the President find out what happened?" Asked Epps who happened to be walking down the hallway and saw what went down.

Just then Agent Fowler came down the hall and stopped another agent. "Here's your phone back Agent Simmons he said handing the man his phone."

Then Lennox told Agent Fowler he was getting Galloway's job. Which he hadn't expected he had just told on him to stop him from hurting any of the Bots again in the future. He had been looking for the phone hoping to get the President to stop Galloway from firing the missiles. But heard what happened to Knock Out from Optimus then told the President about it.

"By the way the President apologizes for Galloway's actions." Agent Fowler told them. "And I'm sorry I couldn't get a hold of him in time to stop Galloway from hurting Knock Out."

"You did the best you could I'm just glad he's gone." Starscream told him. "And I just hope Knock Out pulls through." "Ratchet's still working on him."

Just then Ratchet came out of the medbay and everyone went over to ask if Knock Out was OK.

To Be Continued.

I'm leaving you with this evil cliffhanger. I'll try to get the next chapter up soon. In the meantime feel free to leave feedback.