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Of all the years First Aid had lived at Delphi Base, he'd known that The DJD made the planet their home base--he'd just never seen them in person. People often asked how he could live there without being terrified, but after years and years of no-shows, you let your guard down.
If Tarn and his gang were planning to show on their doorstep, they would have done it. So First Aid learned, the same as Ambulon, to put it at the back of their mind. They had no idea of Pharma's deal at the time, so why would they think Tarn stayed away for any reason other than he just didn't care?
But Tarn did care. First Aid shivered in place as the monster who terrified even the worst of the Decepticons loomed above his helm. Oh, did he care.
"I believe you may be in possession of my doctor," Tarn said, his voice sickeningly sweet. The polite, dulcet tones were venomous. "Or at least know where he may be hiding from me."
First Aid gripped his hands in and out of fists. He was cornered in an empty alley in the one populated city on Cybertron. He'd received a message from a NAIL wanting medical help, and he figured he had time to help them out before he had to leave with Ratchet and the others. It should have been a quick mission. First Aid certainly wasn't expecting to find Tarn waiting for him.
If he'd never seen him at Delphi--why on earth would he expect to see him on Cybertron!?
First Aid had a blaster on him, but that wouldn't do him any good. It was Tarn. He tried to send a message out, but his communicator met static. One of his lackeys must be blocking the airways. Not good.
"You are his nurse, are you now? I do believe that would make you his keeper," Tarn said. He rubbed the tips of his fingers together, looking deceivingly bored. "Your base at Delphi was abandoned and covered in rust when I paid it a visit after Pharma missed an appointment. I'm very disappointed he left without saying 'goodbye,' you know."
First Aid said, "Pharma's not here."
"Then where might he be, little nurse?" Tarn asked, kneeling down on one leg to look First Aid optic-to-optic. He brushed his thumb lightly against the side of First Aid's face-plate. "Where has our dear doctor run off to?"
"N-Nowhere," First Aid answered, his voice shaking as badly as his hands. Tarn was too close. First Aid's systems sped up, and he was tempted to look around for an exit but he dare not. Maybe Tarn would leave him alone--he just wanted information.
"Nowhere?" Tarn asked, his voice lifting. "How can that be?"
"He's...he's dead," First Aid admitted. He chuckled nervously, his innards twisting to the point that it made him nauseous. He wasn't sure what force of Primus made him spit out the next sentence: "Hard to be anywhere when you're dead."
"Dead," Tarn said. There was a flash of something behind his optics that shocked First Aid. He looked stunned, or even possible...hurt? The six-phaser tilted his head away, and his fingers twisted inward. "Pharma's dead?"
"Yes," First Aid said.
"Who killed him?" Tarn asked, turning his attention back to First Aid.
First Aid shook his head slowly. He didn't want to answer this one.
Tarn lowered his voice, his words a whisper. A threat. "Who killed Pharma, little nurse?"
First Aid clutched at his chest. What--what was wrong with his spark? It felt weak? What was Tarn--
"Who. Killed. Pharma. Nurse?" Each punctuated word was a stab to First Aid's spark. It--it hurt. Like nothing he'd ever experienced. "TELL ME!"
"I DID!" First Aid screamed. He grabbed the sides of his helm and shook his head violently, trying to shake Tarn's word out of his audio input. First Aid nearly sobbed as the pain wracked against his spark from both Tarn's voice and his own guilt. "I did it! I did it! He wasn't sorry! He killed Ambulon and wasn't sorry so I blew his head off!"
The pain left as quickly as it came.
As Tarn spoke this time, something soothing wrapped itself around First Aid's spark. "Now was that so hard?"
First Aid dropped to his knees, trying to force air through his vents. Pharma. Pharma saw Tarn--this monster--on a regular basis? How did he do it? No wonder he went mad.
"But I seem to have a new problem," Tarn said, conversationally, as if he hadn't nearly spoken First Aid's spark into a frenzy of agony. "It seems I'm in need of a new medic."
First Aid froze in place. No.
"And since you killed mine, it only seems fair that you replace him, don't you think?"
Tarn's face was pressed against First Aid's helm, and his hands were on his thigh and waist. He was hot, overbearing, and First Aid was sure his spark had constricted into nothing. When had he moved?
"Yes?" Tarn asked. He slid his thumb up First Aid's thigh until it brushed against the joint. Tarn chuckled. "You'll take over all his duties, won't you?"
"N-no," First Aid said. He shouted louder, "NO!"
First Aid shoved both of his hands against Tarn's face with every inch of his strength, launching himself back and far away from the monster's grip. He scrambled to his feet and ran. Tarn was big but so was the Lost Light crew. If he could just get far enough away he could get help!
Pain shot through First Aid's leg. The shock of it sent him tumbling to the ground, barely catching himself on his hands. He looked back to see the smoldering laser burn, black and smoking through the center of his calve. First Aid looked up to see a smirking brute with a circular fan built into his chest holding a long rifle. So Tarn hadn't been alone.
"You've got spunk," Tarn said, leisurely strolling up to First Aid. He kicked the ambulance over onto his back, and stood over him with Tarn's legs parallel to First Aid's waist. "I like that in my Doctors. It always makes things more interesting."
First Aid hissed, "Frag you!"
"Later," Tarn said, a light chuckle. First Aid's hands gripped the ground. "That was part of Pharma's duties, too, you realize. Not just my transformation cog issues."
First Aid pulled on his elbows and shuffled back. He couldn't get away, but he sure as pit wasn't going to just lie there under Tarn either.
"Good, good, you keep that up. This just might work after all," Tarn said. He sighed happily, before lunging. He slammed First Aid back into the ground with the flat of his palm, crouching over him. Tarn scraped his hand up, and fit it snugly around First Aid's neck. "But for now, I think I'd like to spend some time to myself and digest Pharma's passing. But fret not, I'll be back for you later."
He squeezed hard enough that First Aid blacked out.
And woke alone.
First Aid rattled in his armor, lying there on the cold metallic surface of their recovering home-world. He had a feeling Tarn kept to his word far better than Pharma ever had his.