This is my first G1 fanfic. I've only seen "The Golden Lagoon" and all episodes up to "A Prime Problem" so I apologize if anyone sounds OOC or if there's any continuity errors (remember: this takes place some point, not to distant, after "Day of the Machines") Any Constructive criticism for writing G1 fics or fanfics in general is greatly appreciated. Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers
Skyfire soared through the arctic sky, the freezing air giving his heating systems hell of a work but at the same time tingling the Cybertronian jet's spark. He loved the feeling of soaring through the wind. Granted he wasn't built for speed, but Skyfire would rather fly slowly and steadily, allowing him to observe the landscape without it being blurred. The best part was that he wasn't carrying any Transformer so he was unburdened by extra weight. He didn't mind carrying his fellow Autobots; he was glad that he could do his part in the Great War without using too much violence, but Skyfire preferred flying without extra weight. That's how flying works: the less weight, the more aerodynamic you are, well, along with other things.
He was sent by Optimus Prime on a scouting mission to check for any Decepticon occupied excavation sites and see if they're still abandoned. Skyfire recognized this area where he was imprisoned for millions of years. Being free from the ice was the best and worst day of his life and for the same reason: Starscream. Skyfire was thrilled to see not only his old colleague but his best friend again. However, Skyfire had to learn the hard way of what had become of Starscream – a corrupted, violent traitor. Starscream abandoned his peaceful scientific ways for the hard life of a warrior only because he thought it would be more exciting. Being a warrior is not exciting, Skyfire thought when he first learned of Starscream's career change, it's cruel, scary, soaked with spilt energon, and you see things you wish you've never seen in your life. Now Skyfire wondered if that's exactly what happened to Starscream because Starscream transformed from the scientifically curious, happy-go-lucky Transformer that Skyfire loved and knew to the power hungry, heartless monster that Skyfire grew to hate.
Skyfire could have lived with that, even try to save Starscream if Starscream didn't betray him. Starscream shot at Skyfire twice and called him a traitor! Starscream may not have been aiming at his spark, but Starscream did manage to snuff it in ways that not even offlining could compare. Starscream willingly attacked and insulted his own best friend. Did solar cycles of partnership and friendship mean nothing to Starscream anymore? That day snuffed out Skyfire's spark with agony of betrayal and a lost friend and replaced it with the comradeship of friends who fought for peace, freedom, and justice, friends who wouldn't betray Starscream. The Starscream Skyfire knew was long dead. He died when Skyfire went on stasis lock, and their friendship froze in the ice only to be blasted by a null ray gun. So much for friends forever.
And speaking of Starscream, Skyfire thought as he spotted the familiar, red, white, and blue F-15 jet, here he comes.
Starscream flew up next to Skyfire. "Fancy seeing you here, Skyfire."
"Fly away now, Starscream," Skyfire said menacingly. He really wasn't in the mood to see his former friend.
"I don't think so." Starscream left with that as he gained altitude and flew behind Skyfire. Starscream proceeded to shoot Skyfire, but fortunately, for Skyfire, Starscream's aim wasn't very precise, missing out on vital components. That's odd, Skyfire thought, Starscream has much better aim than this so why is his precision dramatically off? Regardless, Skyfire flew out of Starscream's reign of fire. When Skyfire was behind Starscream, Skyfire proceeded to shoot at Starscream with Skyfire's new null rays, courtesy of Wheeljack. Skyfire's aim was very precise with a few blasts hitting Starscream's main body frame, but he flew out of the way, preventing damage to his jets and wings.
"I see you got some built-in weapons. You finally made the transition from scientist to warrior," Starscream said.
"I made the transition when I realized you Decepticons would do nothing but cause pain and suffering for millions of life forms," Skyfire stated proudly.
"Still, you have a lot to learn." Starscream proceeded to shoot missiles at Skyfire.
Skyfire avoided the oncoming missiles. "You're losing your touch as a warrior, Starscream. Then again, you never were truly were one." Warriors are brave Transformers who risk everything to protect Cybertron and those they loved. Starscream cared only about power.
"I don't think so, Skyfire!"
"Huh?" Then Skyfire's scanners picked up the missiles following him. Slag! Energon seeking missiles! Skyfire veered to the right, but the energon seeking missiles followed him. Skyfire flew fast as he could to prevent a fiery explosion, taking away his spark, but Skyfire was not built for speed, and it will only be a matter of time before he succumbs to the energon seeking missiles. That's when Skyfire got an idea.
Skyfire flew directly above Starscream and transformed into his robot mode. He fell onto Starscream, tackling him down.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Starscream shouted. The energon seeking missiles were only a few feet away.
"Taking you down with me!" Skyfire shouted.
Starscream tried to out fly the energon seeking missiles as Skyfire attempted to blast Starscream's engines. Skyfire succeeded, and Starscream plummeted to Earth fast. "I'm gonna crash! I'm too young to deactivate!" Starscream screeched.
The energon seeking missiles were coming closer. Either Starscreamn was gonna die by his own weapons or a plummet to the Well of Allsparks. As soon as Starscream was a hundred feet from the ice, the energon seeking missiles were only five feet away. Skyfire said, "Goodbye, traitorous friend." Skyfire was about to jump off Starscream and transform, but Starscream crashed quicker than Skyfire thought. That's when Skyfire's whole processors went fuzzy. White and bright yellow swam past his optics. An explosion sounded very close by, and the ice and buried green cracked beneath Starscream and Skyfire, but neither Transformer could retreat. They plummeted through the ice, and all Skyfire could see was white and green falling from the ball of light surrounded by cold whiteness, and it grew darker and darker…
When Skyfire woke up, he had a massive processor ache. "Ugh. What happened?" Skyfire groaned. His vision was blurry, making it hard to access his surroundings. All Skyfire knew that he was somewhere white and green.
"So you're finally awake." Starscream's voice jolted Skyfire into full consciousness. He was trapped underground by huge chunks of crystals surrounding him above and on the sides. Only the ground was snow.
Skyfire looked to the right only to see Starscream in robot mode smirking at him. "I woke up five Earth minutes ago. Lucky for you, my weapons are destroyed thanks to your stupid stunt."
"I wouldn't have pulled that stupid stunt if you didn't shoot at me," Skyfire argued. He pulled out his blaster and realized that there was no pint in shooting his way out. It was completely destroyed, and that was not the only thing that was wrecked, Skyfire and Starscream were in bad shape. Skyfire was leaking energon from the back of his head. The tops of both wings were severely cracked with the right one severed from his body. The carrier on his back has caved in completely, making transforming impossible, and his built in null rays were cut in half. Skyfire attempted to commlink Teletraan 1, but it was no use. His communication systems were down. Skyfire took a look at Starscream to see he was in no better shape than he was. Starscream's null rays and engines were utterly destroyed. Both his wings were severed in half, and his jet compartments that stuck up from both his shoulders were only mere fragments scattered on the snow. The snow was soaked with both mechs' energon. It was pretty obvious that none of them were getting out without outside help.
"Well, if you didn't turn traitor and remained with the Decepticons, I wouldn't have shot at you," Starscream counter argued.
The word "traitor" being used to describe Skyfire was the last straw for Skyfire. With his pacifist personality gone and replaced with a hotheaded one, Skyfire blew up. "TRAITOR? WE WERE COLLEGUES FOR ANO-CYCLES. MORE THAN THAT, WE WERE BEST FRIENDS, AND WHEN WE FINALLY REUNITE, YOU SHOOT AT MEET TWICE, CALL ME A TRAITOR, AND TRY TO KILL ME. AND THAT WASN'T THE FIRST TIME, THE NEXT TIME WE MET YOU SHOT AND NEARLY KILL ME WITHOUT ANY REMORSE. YOU EVEN DID IT TODAY. AND YOU DARE CALL ME A TRAITOR? DID ALL THOSE ANO-CYCLES OF FRIENSHIP MEEN NOTHING TO YOU?" All those pent up emotions from Starscream's betrayal unleashed themselves from their cage in the spark and ran wild and free from Skyfire's vocalizes. By now, Skyfire was shaking with raw anger and sorrow. If he were human, tears would be leaking from his optics. Skyfire attempted to stand and slug Starscream, but the agony from his wounds was too much so Skyfire sat back down. Softer and sadder, Skyfire moaned, "We were friends. You were my best friend, my first and only friend. And then you try to kill me. And you dare call me a traitor?"
Starscream only watched silently as Skyfire ranted. When Starscream felt that Skyfire finished, he turned around and stared at the green crystals in silence for a few astrominutes. "I shouldn't have let further explore Earth all those millions of years ago. I should have remained firm and convince you to abandon the idea. That's my biggest regret," Starscream said quietly and sadly.
Skyfire was flabbergasted. "That's your biggest regret? Letting me explore this planet? Not shooting at me or attempting to kill me?"
"Yeah, because if I didn't let you explore Earth, then we would still be together, and if we were still together, then I wouldn't have any reason to switch careers from scientist to warrior, and maybe, I wouldn't be a Decepticon having to fight you," Starscream lamented.
"Wait," Skyfire said, surprised, "I thought you became a warrior because it was more exciting."
"That was part of it. After I given hope on finding you and returned to Cybertron, I pleaded to the High Council to launch a search and rescue mission for you, but they believed that your were deactivated by now, and it wasn't worth risking a bunch of Transformers' lives on an unknown planet to retrieve a body. After that, I was spark-broken. I couldn't concentrate on my scientific work anymore. Every project, every discovery reminded me of you. Even your slaggin' equipment brought me grief. I just had to leave or else I go crazy so I abandoned my scientific pursuits and pondered what should I do with my life now. I chose warrior because it seemed more exciting than being a science or anything else I thought up of and enrolled in the Cybertron War Academy and passed excelled."
"Oh. Just out of curiosity, what other career options did you think of?"
Starcream shrugged. "I don't know. Trash-bot? I think I even considered working at a Cyber-zoo."
Skyfire laughed despite the pain. "I can only imagine the proud Starscream cleaning up energon waste from a turbofox."
"Which is why warrior is a much more exciting and noble career for me than say cyber-zookeeper." Starscream did not appreciate being teased.
"Noble my aft!" Skyfire shouted, his light-hearted mood gone now. "You're not even close to being noble. You're nothing but a power thirsty, selfish glitch-head who doesn't care about those suffering around you, and worse, you're a coldblooded murder."
"Ha! You think I'm a murderer? I only tried to kill you once! The rest of the times you either got in the way or I wasn't aiming for your vitals."
"Care to explain?" an irritated Skyfire asked.
"The first time I shot you was for your own benefit. If you didn't cease prolonging those humans' execution, Megatron would have surely killed you. Something I didn't want to see. The second time I shot you and the time I collided with you in the sky were out of a fit of rage. The third time I was aiming for Thundercracker, but he ducked, and you happened to be the unfortunate victim. All the other times I had to keep appearances up to avoid Megatron's wrath, but I made sure I didn't aim for your vitals."
"I don't believe it," Skyfire said. Starscream called Skyfire a traitor. Starscream tried to kill Skyfire over and over again, right?
"Oh yeah? Then when I encountered you over this frozen wasteland, why didn't I aim for your engines or anything important? You were flying slow enough and close enough that I had a clear shot, but instead I shot at you randomly."
When Skyfire thought back on it, he did notice Starscream's poor aim. He thought that was unusual but didn't give much thought to it nor did he want to think about it. "Heh. Whatever."
"You don't believe me?" Starscream inquired. It was his tactic of trying to cause doubt and potentially emotional turmoil into the ex-Decepticon's processor.
Skyfire didn't take the bait. "Doesn't matter. You still broke my spark that day. That day after millions of years in stasis lock, I finally wake up to my best friend only to realize he changed for the worst and betrayed and attempted to kill me. You have no idea what it's like to feel that spark-filled agony, knowing that the one you cared most about destroyed you. It's unimaginable pain right in the spark, but then again, you're the one who did this to me. Why should you care? You're dead to me, Starscream."
The Seeker was quiet, thoughtful for an astrominute before speaking up. "That fit of rage I mentioned earlier, well, let's say I understand what you're feeling. When I finally found you, I was ecstatic, but worried because you were in stasis lock and damaged, and none of our repairs were working until Soundwave blasted you with a million volts of energy that you finally awoken and healed. When you awoken and recognized me, I was so happy. I thought, Finally, we're together again. So when you decided to defect to the Autobots, I felt betrayed and once again, felt the stinging pain of losing a close friend. I thought to myself, Who are you to make me suffer your loss again? Who are you to take yourself away from me again, Skyfire? I was so angry that my processors went on the fritz, and I almost killed you once and succeeded the second time, but I swear, the moment I saw you alive, I was overjoyed that you were still alive. I never meant to hurt you or kill you then. I never wanted to hurt or kill you. I'm sorry."
"So, in a way, we betrayed each other," Skyfire said, shocked that Starscream actually still felt something for him. Starscream wasn't lying. Skyfire could tell how sincere he was. He knew Starscream was a horrible actor when it came to faking emotions, and this was no bad performance.
"I guess," Starscream said.
"But I still stand by my decision to join the Autobots. I do not believe in the Decepticon belief in conquest and violence. However, maybe there's hope for you, Starscream. Maybe you're not completely gone as I thought."
"Forget it, Skyfire, I'm no Autobot," Starscream said, knowing exactly what was going on through Skyfire's processor.
"You weren't always like this. You were once a happy-go-lucky, curious guy who loved to explore and was friendly to every life form we met."
"Not anymore. You were right about one thing, Skyfire, being a warrior can change you for the worst," Starscream said bitterly, remembering every time he suffered at the servos of Megatron, every time he saw a beloved Seeker deactivate, remembering each kill he made. Being a warrior was exciting, but it was mostly cruel and soaked with energon. Somewhere on the warrior's path, Starscream lost himself, and he doesn't think he could ever regain himself ever again. Maybe being a Cyber-zookeeper wasn't such a bad idea after all.
Skyfire didn't say anything. Starscream reached a dark subject in his past, and Skyfire didn't want to touch it unless Starscream wanted to. A few Astrominutes of awkward silence passed between the two mechs until Skyfire asked, "After I defected to the Autobots, after I attempted to kill you, do you regret saving me from the ice?" For some reason, Skyfire just had to know this. It was as if his whole world and his fractured relationship with Starscream depended on it.
"No," Starscream simply said.
Skyfire couldn't believe it, but he had to make sure. "No?"
"No, like I said before, Skyfire, I never meant to hurt you. As much as it hurt to see you change sides as if I didn't matter anymore, I can't bring myself to wish that I left you in stasis lock under the ice. I do regret killing you."
Perhaps our friendship can truly be saved. Is it possible to be friends despite the enemy insignias on our bodies? Skyfire thought. The agony of betrayal was slowly beginning to heal whether it will heal completely or be torn apart again (and maybe this time, beyond repair) remains unknown.
"So, Skyfire, after shooting you numerous times, after labeling you a traitor, after killing you, leaving your spark in ruins literally and metaphorically, do you regret ever becoming friends with me?"
Skyfire didn't even need time to think. "No, I don't regret my friendship with you because after what you've done to me, we still had some pretty good times together, and I can't bring myself to regret my first and closest friendship with you. I do regret trying to kill you and marking you off as a lost cause." Yes, it is possible.
"Pretty good times, you say? Remember that time we brought back some crystals from that uncharted planet. We thought they were so beautiful and oddly composed that we took them back to Cybertron to study. We were excited of our find that we brought Perceptor to take a look, but when we got him, the crystals were gone…"
"Leading to a mad search and an alert from the security guards only to realize they weren't crystals at all but ice that just melted into water!" Skyfire and Starscream laughed.
"Primus, the security guards were pissed at being called in for nothing," Starscream fondly remembered.
"Yeah, good times." Skyfire looked back with nostalgia. Ice that was not stolen but melted into water. Ice like the Arctic Circle with only water below, and…
"That's it!" Skyfire said.
"What?" Starscream asked confused.
"I know how to get out of here. Underneath the ice is nothing but water. We can escape through the ice and swim out of here."
"If you hadn't noticed already, the ice is several feet thick, and we're too injured to dig ourselves out and swim for miles."
"Who says anything about digging? At the right position, the sun's rays will hit the crystals, magnifying the rays and melting the ice. These crystals are an isotope of energon which is no wonder why their source of energy is usable. The solar rays will also boost the crystals' energy allowing us to absorb it upon contact and possibly rejuvenate ourselves. We'll have to repair ourselves first, but if we can take in crystals' energy we'll be mostly healed."
"Mostly?"
"We're not medics, Starscream. Of course there will be some repair jobs that only the medics can fix. We just need to fix ourselves enough that we can at least walk without pain."
"Luckily, we both know a little bit of first aide. Come here, and I'll do you first." Skyfire slowly and painfully scooted over to Starscream. Starscream did his best in fixing Skyfire's damaged circuitry. Ratchet and Wheeljack will have to repair Skyfire's wings and carrier, but at least Skyfire can function without pain and isn't leaking anymore energon. Skyfire did the best he could with Starscream and achieved the same results, but it was good enough for now. "It's summertime. In the Arctic Circle, the sun is up all summer. It shouldn't be long until noon where the sun is at its highest peak," Starscream explained.
And sure enough, half an hour later, the sun was ablaze. The cavity's temperature increased several degrees as the sun lit up the crystals in aglow. "Starscream, touch the crystals."
Starscream did as he was told, and both he and Skyfire felt the energy radiating from the crystals and spreading through their bodies, soothing the pain and healing further damage. Unfortunately, the healing energy can't rebuild wings or null rays; they would have to rely on replacement parts and medics for that, but with the pain gone and most repairs done, it was good enough.
As Skyfire and Starscream healed, the ice and snow on the bottom began to melt, it's rate very fast due to the magnified solar light and energy speeding up the process. About twenty minutes later, the ice was too weak to support both Starscream and Skyfire's weight. The two Transformers fell through the weakened ice and right into the freezing cold water below. Starscream and Skyfire swam away with Starscream taking the lead, but the crystal walls and ceiling lost its icy support so they collapsed and plummeted into the Arctic Ocean. Skyfire, who was in the falling crystals' path, dodged crystal from crystal, but he was too slow as he stared in horror as a massive, sharp crystal descended upon him, its spiky end sharp enough to impale Skyfire, killing him. This is it, Skyfire thought, dying without the Autobots knowing my true fate. At least I've come to understand Starscream a bit more.
Skyfire dimmed his optics, waiting for imminent death to come.
But it didn't come. Starscream who had turned around to make sure Skyfire was following him, saw the horrific scene about to unfold before his very optics and grabbed Skyfire's servo, pulling his friend out of harm's way.
Thanks, Starscream, Skyfire commlinked his friend.
Told you I never wanted to see you get hurt or killed, Starscream commlinked back.
When the caving in the cavity came to a finish, Skyfire and Starscream swam through the hole that now took the cavity's place, finally getting to feel the fresh air and to see the sun after three hours of being stuck down below. The two mechs carefully climbed back onto the ice flow. Once they felt that they were completely safe from plummeting into the ocean or into another cavity, the two mechs stared at each other in awkward silence not sure what to say after their little talk in the cavity.
"Uh, thanks for saving me, Starscream," Skyfire said awkwardly.
"Don't mention it seriously. I don't want the Decepticons to think I've gone soft." Same ole' Starscream, proud as ever.
"Whatever happens in the cavity stays in the cavity. Still, I wish you consider joining the Autobots. We could really use your skills as a warrior and your scientific expertise." Skyfire offered right servo to shake.
Starscream didn't shake servos. Instead he said, "They got you for scientific expertise, and my destiny doesn't lie with the Autobots. It lies with the Decepticons."
"I don't believe in destiny," Skyfire said firmly.
"Well, I do, and my offer still stands. When I become leader of the Decepticons, you can still be my second-in-command."
"Thanks but no thanks, Starscream," Skyfire politely refused.
"Well then, goodbye I guess." Starscream began to hover in the air. Transformation was still impossible with severed wings and shattered jet compartments.
"Yeah, goodbye," Skyfire said. Transformation was going to be impossible for him, too. He'll have to rely on his teammates for help. Luckily, thanks to the crystals' rejuvenating energy, he was able to contact Teletraan 1.
He was about to contact base when Starscream said, "Oh and Skyfire?"
"Yeah?"
"I was wrong about you. You're no traitor. You helped save me from the cavity, and you still believe me even if those beliefs are foolish whims," Starscream admitted.
Skyfire was shocked by what Starscream said. He never expected Starscream to have a change of spark about him. Skyfire smiled and said, "Yeah, well, I guess I was wrong about you, too. Maybe you're not the power hungry, selfish glitch-head I thought you were. There's still some of the old you left."
Starscream smiled at his old friend and flew away, leaving Skyfire alone but not damaged.