Armistice

Chapter 1: Cessation of Hostilities

Armistice is a follow-up to 'Veiled Intent' It was my intent to go here with Veiled…but I felt that this was a story unto itself….so This is the next volume in the ScreamerXProwler saga. This sucker is LONG…This is two chapters I rolled into one, I have a feeling…but I'm not entirely sure yet…this might be tradgic….

The map was dark as red optics scanned it over. In front of them stood Starscream, and his bonded the former Autobot known as Prowl. Prowl crossed before the group. "This should be a simple grab and go…team devastator is already in place and Pit Boss assures me the shipment will be ready upon our arrival." Prowl turned.

"Starscream will be leading the seekers to Diego Garcia to confront the Autobots on their own ground, this is just a distraction. I want you to cause a havoc make a mess, but get out of there unharmed." Prowl turned back "Deadend, Crankcase, and myself will make the pick up with Lord Megatron serving as our main transporter of the package back to the Nemesis." Prowl looked around.

"This will take everyone's cooperation; I need everyone to take this serious. After the main pick up the seekers will rendezvous with my team and fly us back to the ship." Prowl turned "Do you understand?"

A multitude of nods and affirmatives rang out in the hanger. Soon the teams divided. Prowl watched everyone leave waiting for Deadend and Crankcase to approach. A voice broke his concentration. "Prowl."

The black and sliver cruiser turned. "Yes lord Megatron?"

"You plan is excellently thought out…" The dark figure stated coldly.

"I live to serve." Prowl nodded and bowed before his leader. Starscream walked up beside Prowl and bowed to Megatron before looking down at Prowl ::Be Careful…Deadend can be a handful.::

::Yes, I was forewarned by Shockwave.::

::Come back online..::

::I love you too…:: Prowl's comment over the bond was curt, and very sarcastic, as he turned and moved out of the room. Starscream flooded the bond with anger, resentment and somehow at the same time love; until the smaller bot was far enough away that the radiation of feelings was nothing more than an echo in the dark.

Prowl sighed and tried to focus. He and Starscream had been at each other's necks almost all week, their different views on how this should have gone down. They both had approached Megatron with their plans. Megatron had chosen Prowl's plan, it had the least risk. Prowl was better at calculating risk in a tactical scenario, it's just what he was made to do.

Starscream was jealous and angry for the rest of the time. They had spent many nights on opposite sides of the berth. Recharging secluded from the other. Prowl knew he would get over it soon enough, the seeker only needed the time.

"Prowl…" Megatron called down the hall after him.

The cruiser turned "Yes My lord?" Megtron stood in the doorway to the great hall, his throne-room.

"I am sending Shockwave in your place…you're part in this has changed."

"My lord?" The cruiser was confused and concerned. Starscream stepped out behind megatron. Prowl nodded, he understood now his bonded was making plays. ::What did you do?::

::Nothing..:: The seeker shook his head.

::You are a liar.:: Door-wings fluttered in a rage.

::Sometimes….I am.:: Prowl wanted to smack him, but looked up to Megatron.

"You will be going along to Diego Garcia." Megatron said.

"I won't be in a deliberate attack." Prowl shook his head. "We agreed…I would have no direct involvement with the Autobots…"

"This isn't an Attack…" Megatron was curt.

Starscream stepped forward. "The hatchlings are Dying…the femme in my lab died this morning…" Starscream did know what was going on.

"Your point in this?" Prowl looked between them anger at Starscream for not telling him what was going on.

"We need the Autobot Medic." Starscream's statement was quiet and Prowl almost thought his audios were tricking him.

"Ratchet…" Prowl shook his head. "What makes you think he'll help us?" He didn't need to open the bond to see their responses written all over their face plates. "The hatchlings…you're using them as leverage over Optimus to allow Ratchet to come here to help you." He groaned he wasn't sure that's what Megatron was doing. If he were in the Decepticon warlords place; that's what he'd do. "This is not my day." A hand went up to his temple plate.

"He's astute…" Megatron smirked.

"I picked only the best to bond with." Prowl shot him a look. "You know I care."

"You are really putting me in a position Screamer." Prowl sighed. "You want me to talk to Optimus…"

"Yes…" Megatron said.

"Alright…but I can not be sure if he will agree to this." The cruiser's door wings twitched slowly. Megatron nodded and held out a data-pad.

"Optimus will know the code to unlock it…give him the data-pad, allow him to read it…and then see what he says." The decepticon leader looked at starscream firmly before retiring to his throne-room.

Starscream looked at Prowl "Let me take you flying."

"You have been making promises to do so for a few solar rotations now." Prowl shifted "You must stop being so mad at me." The seeker stopped blank looking at the Cruiser. The bond was flooded with love and adoration.

"I'm not mad at you…" the seeker touched the side of his helm. "I'm mad at him..." he motioned his hand at the throne-room door. "He just liked your idea better than mine…and you're idea isn't bad…but mine…"

"You're a narcissist…" Prowl turned walking toward the flight deck angered.

"You love that about me." The seeker protested following the silent cruiser, who put up a hand to motion the seeker to be quiet. "Prowl …Come on!"

"Now…I am mad at you." The cruiser shook his head "VERY..Very…mad at you." Starscream could feel it, and for a moment he was turned on by it.

Nest was quiet "We've got incoming satellite images from the international space station!" Optimus turned to the human command center. "It's a Very large target."

"On screen!" He said.

"Coming up now…" Sideswipe said pulling the image up on the viewers. "Making land fall…looks like two of them squashed together…"

"Decepticons?" Lennox asked.

"If they are …they are not making a play to hide their decent to the Earth." Ironhide looked up from Optimus' side.

"I've got two confirmations…" The human flipped her screen to the viewer. "An F22…with tattoos carrying a car."

"Police cruiser." Lennox said quietly. "That's your…"

Ironhide held up a hand to silence his human friend. "Where are they going to land?" Optimus asked turning.

"Trajectory places them in the Indian ocean…just outside Diego Garcia." The human looked up

"Scarscream won't hit the water." Ironhide said.

"Maybe they are returning Prowl…" Lennox said quietly.

"I don't think so…this is something …else." Optimus said. "Just the two of them…the odds are in our favor…Ironhide…with me…"

"Gladly..." The black mech said following the Autobot Commander out of his "What do you think they want?"

"I'm about to find out." Optimus said watching the Jet Tower over head dropping it's payload, a black and sliver police cruiser to the ground before circling back to land near it. Ironhide lifted his cannons. "No signs of hostility." Optimus motioned Ironhide down. "Easy…"

The weapon specialist grunted and nodded slowly. "Very well..." Ironhide tensed seeing Prowl. "He's …slag…Look at him…" Ironhide was shocked.

"Ironhide…shut up." Optimus shook his head as Prowl stepped forward. "Optimus Prime…a message from our Leader." He extended the data-pad. "He said you would know the code to unlock it…as it is for your optics only."

Starscream and Ironhide were locked in a dead stare. ::I could kill him::

Prowl smiled and turned upwards to look at the seeker ::No you won't …and you know it.:: Prowl turned his optics to Optimus who stood reading slowly. He folded the data-pad under and arm and motioned to Ironhide.

"Get Ratchet."

"But …Optimus…."

"Get Ratchet" Optimus said "Go…" Ironhide sighed quietly and turned trudging back to the hanger. "You look so different Prowl."

"I feel different." The cruiser nodded politely.

"A bond does that." Optimus looked between the two. "I do not fault you for following your spark." He smiled down at the two knowing Starscream's discomfort but he had never NOT been able to talk to Prowl, and he felt now was no different.

"I would not matter….even if you did." Prowl affirmed his intention to stay with the seeker.

Starscream put a hand on Prowl's door-wing, he could feel the tension building up in the smaller Mech. "easy…" Starscream was quiet as his fingers pressed lightly upon the rear view mirror on the door.

"Are you happy?" Optimus asked.

"Yes." It was completely honest, and Starscream could feel pride from the little mech. Pride he was standing tall before optimus, Pride that Starscream was at his side.

"Than let Primus bless you…for all days long…and beyond into 'The well of All Sparks' " Starscream was taken aback by the comment. The blessing of a bonded couple by a Prime hadn't occurred in a long time, and he felt almost unworthy of such a thing, even from Optimus; a being he hated.

"Thank you Prime." Prowl nodded slowly, and Starscream could feel how important it had been to him; even if his quilt were taking over most of his emotions for betraying prime. Starscream pet his back strut with the back of his claws softly, in acknowledgement of what Prime had done. That it did mean something that it was important to Prowl. Starscream was learning quick that Prowl was good with Tactile reinforcement.

"Alright why the Pit do I need to be out here?" Ratchet stormed forward and stood next to optimus and folded his arms waiting. Optimus passed the data-pad. After an unusual look to Prowl he took it and started to read.

The medic shook his head and looked up "That's a large cluster Starscream…"

"More dye every solar cycle….we are at a loss as to how to stop them…"

"I won't help you build more decepitcons." The medic said. Prowl was about to protest when the medic held up a hand. "But I can not let that many innocent lives die out."

"You would grant a split in the surviving pods?" Optimus broke in.

"Yes…Megatron will allow that…" Starscream shook his head. Prowl could feel the defeat in the seeker's spark and reached back touching his arm. "Too many have died. Equal shares of the surviving hatchling; that's the deal…"

Optimus could hear the defeat in the seeker's voice. He nodded "Ratchet?"

"I'm not going up there alone…" Ratchet said quietly "No offense Prowl but the last time an Autobot went in, it didn't come out."

"None taken though my reasons for staying were personal in nature." He looked to Optimus.

"I will accompany you Ratchet." Optimus said.

"We will guarantee your safety." Prowl nodded and shifted his weight. Starscream looked down at him and they seemed to be communicating internally.

"You think I can't tell you two are bonded?" Ratchet looked at Prowl cutting in on the two. "You're sparks are synced …and fast…" he raised a brow and remembered something about Prowl. "How's that cascade feedback loop been treating you?"

Prowl shifted uncomfortably Starscream didn't know about that. "It's fine…"

"Cascade feedback loop?" Starscream looked at Ratchet "Elaborate…."

"He's got a feedback loop in his neural lines, sometimes it prevents him from transforming…occasionally it will cascade down and effect other systems…his intake manifold, and his energon regulation systems." Ratchet nodded "It needs the occasional monitoring when it gets bad."

Prowl nodded "It's been fine."

"I'll check it when you when we all get to the Nemesis." Ratchet said.

"I will need time to deal with the humans…." He looked to Prowl "You both are welcome to stay." Optimus turned "I will be ready to leave in a Joor." Optimus left and Ratchet followed him back to the hanger. The decepticons sat as far away from the base itself as they could while staying on the tarmac.

Starscream Transformed on the Tarmac; an ominous F22 with an attitude. Prowl transformed and rolled around the seeker once, before pulling his body under the far wing to keep out of the sun. "Hot?" The seeker asked.

"Sunlight will fade my paint." The Honda Civic Cruiser replied.

"And you think I'm vain." Starscream laughed softly.

"You are a Narcissist…" The cruiser corrected "That's worse…and I'm still mad at you."

"I'm still mad at you too." The Jet settled down on its landing gear slowly. "Pit slagging pain in my aft."

"Yes you are." The cruiser couldn't argue. "Get some recharge…."

Ironhide and Ratchet watched the couple from the hanger. "Does part of you think they are perfect for each other?" Ratchet asked.

"Oh slag yes…" Ironhide almost laughed. "I could watch them both get slagged perfectly well together."

"Ironhide he's your friend." Ratchet looked up, he hated this bickering.

"Was…" The Black mech turned pointing a hostile digit in the medic's direction.

"We are all Cybertronians …you think we like being at war?" Ratchet regretted it. "Well you do you trigger happy cowboy…"

"I like it…" he nodded. "Well enough."

"I don't know if you recall…when we were at the academe together…that femme I ran around with." Ironhide nodded.

"Fall back, Fall Down…" Ironhide was tripping.

"Fallout." Ratchet corrected. "She's a con now…but what I wouldn't give to see her again."

"You're just sentimental." Ironhide explained "I'm sure she's much different."

"Prowl has only been with them for six months, aside from his bond with Starscream I don't fear he's all that different." Ratchet said "Still keeps his office clean, alphabetized, and still over works himself to death." Ratchet looked at the Jet and Cruiser. "They probably both do…it's why they fit so well together."

"I don't want to hear this…not now." Ironhide grunted.

"Jealous?" Ratchet was playing psychiatrist now and part of his sadistic medical mind loved this game.

"Of the Cons? NO!" Ironhide shook his head.

"I think you are…not because of what they are…but because of what they share. They are bonded…something I believe Chromia still denies you."

Ironhide was about to protest before giving the decepticon pair one last glace. He turned and walked away. In all honesty if the war were to end Ironhide would need serious help, he Enjoyed ending the lives of the decepticons. He was borderline obsessive about it.

Ratchet smiled and sat back watching the two decepticons and monitoring them. He would have many questions to ask the couple. Silently the cruiser rolled up closer the to Jet's body and then came to rest again. He would have many things to discuss with both Starscream and the micro-con medic Scalpel. Ratchet considered going out with the two mechs, to talk. However; as his scans concluded both mechs were currently recharging he decided to just wait.

~ I hope you all enjoyed this I'll try to write some more tomorrow please Remember: Veiled Intent and Armistice are POST (meaning after) Revenge of the fallen....so PROWL IS NOT BARRICADE! :p you all keep asking me that! LOL! Crazy people :D I love you guys BTW...READ AND REVIEW!