Ratchet monitored the mech discretely, outwardly focused on bending armor back into place and strengthening the buckles. None of them had any idea what to expect from the rebel.

Despite Springarm squirming awkwardly at his back, Optimus chuckled out loud. "I think I'll need memory files of this. Or perhaps a reenactment?"

He leaned back, giving the poor mech a pleasant grin, bumping their helms together to take any potential pressure or humiliation out of the suggestion. ...And it was, privately, a great comfort to him.

::...Out of all of you, he is the only one here with no true choice in the matter of being here. Even given Cliffjumper's situation, Megatron is at a vastly greater disadvantage. He is at my mercy...and he is both infuriating and distractingly attractive. Prisoner guilty of murder or not, I... would prefer not to falter.::