(This is a bonus chapter by the way!)

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The hum of the Autobot base was quieter than usual, the large space echoing with only the occasional beeps from the consoles.
Xstar sat on the edge of a metal crate, her optics scanning the room aimlessly. She wasn’t used to this, being still, being safe.

Her optics flicked toward the sound of footsteps approaching, and she saw Smokescreen walking in with his usual cheerful demeanor. He chirped a greeting in his distinct beeps and whistles.

Xstar tilted her head. "Uh, hey...Smokescreen, right?"

He nodded enthusiastically, pointing to a console that displayed a paused screen of a racing game.

"What is that?" she asked, leaning closer.

"Oh come on, I'll show you!" He gestured for her to follow him, his movements animated. Curious, she hopped off the crate and walked over.

"It’s a game," Smokescreen explained, a big grin across his face, "You steer the car and try to win the race. Wanna try?"

Xstar raised an optic ridge. "A racing game? Sounds easy enough."

"Ha! Just try it and you'll see!" He handed her the controller, and she awkwardly held it, turning it over in her hands. The moment the game started, her car swerved wildly, crashing into a wall.

"Scrap!" she exclaimed, fumbling with the controls. Smokescreen's  laughter filled the room, and she shot him a playful glare. "Alright, Smokey, laugh it up. This thing’s rigged."

"Told ya, it's not made for losers! " He shook his head, nudging her with his elbow as he gestured to the screen. Slowly, Xstar started to get the hang of it, her competitive streak surfacing as she managed to keep her car on the track.

By the time she finished the race, Smokey clapped her on the shoulder, his grin evident even without a mouth.

"Not bad for a rookie," he teased.

Xstar smirked, handing the controller back. "I’ll take that as a compliment. Next time, I’m winning."

______

After playing few rounds of the game with Smokescreen, Xstar wandered into the med bay, where Ratchet was bent over a console, his focus entirely on the big machines before him. She stopped in the doorway, hesitating.

"Uh... need help?" she asked awkwardly.

Ratchet glanced at her, his optics blinking slightly in suspicion. "Help? From you?"

She shrugged. "I’m not just some soldier, you know. I did a lot of lab work with Knockout. I know my way around tools."

Ratchet seemed to consider her words before sighing. "Fine. Hold this steady," he said, handing her a tool and pointing to a loose panel on the console.

Xstar did as instructed, her movements precise. As they worked in silence, she glanced at Ratchet.

"Hey, about earlier...when I called you ‘Dad,’ I didn’t mean to make things weird," she said, her voice softer than usual.

Ratchet paused for a moment before resuming his work. "It wasn’t weird," he said bluntly. "Just... unexpected."

A small smile tugged at her lips. "Guess I still see you that way. You and Wheeljack... you saved me when no one else did."

Ratchet didn’t reply immediately, but his gaze softened as he glanced at her. "We didn’t save you just for you to throw your life away now," he said firmly.

"I know," she replied, her voice filled with guilt. "I just... I don’t know where I fit in here yet."

"You’ll figure it out," Ratchet said, his tone gentler now. "Give it time."

For the first time since arriving, Xstar felt a spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could find her place among them.