New story! Set around the universe of Transformers Prime.
So here you go!
Italics represent com talk and lyrics if there is any.
A F-16 Fighting Falcon flew over the Artic, cutting through the wind and snow. The jet flew closer to the ground, and transformed. Its red optics scanned the area, taking in the surroundings. It hunched down, and looked at the snow, spotting an energon trail. The bot stood up, and began following the trail of energon.
"Uh Starscream, Megatron's looking for you."
The bot, Starscream, second-in-command to the leader of the Decepticons, continued on his way.
"Starscream? Did you hear me?"
"I heard you loud and clear Knock Out," he snapped back, kicked a chunk of ice out of his way, "Tell Lord Megatron I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment," he said, looking over his shoulder, "And if he asks what I'm doing, just say..."
"You went on patrol?"
"Sounds good to me," Starscream said, and stopped when he came to the crashed ship. He smiled, and gently pulled the loose door away. Starscream entered the ship, and was plunged into darkness, the glow of his optics the only thing visible.
Starscream's footsteps echoed in the ship's empty storage unit. He stopped when he came to an empty door frame. He stepped through it, and looked around.
Dead bots were lying everywhere. Starscream looked around, tapping his chin, "Now, if I was a energon harvester, where would I be?" he asked, looking around. One of the bots was lying on the control panel, his chest cavity ripped apart. Starscream walked past him, and towards the main control. More bots were spread everywhere, Decepticons and Autobots. Starscream walked past a Decepticon whose optics were gone. He looked down at him, and grimaced.
The Decepticon made his way towards the center of the ship, and pushed a dead Autobot off of the controls. He began typing on the screen, lighting up the ship's map. The Decepticon who had no optics slowly sat up, and turned towards Starscream. Starscream had his back to the dead bots, and did not see the Decepticon get up, and begin limping towards him.
Starscream looked over the maps, and tapped his chin again, "Hmm, it should have been right here," he said, pointing at the map. The Decepticon limped over, and grabbed Starscream's shoulder, spinning him around. He pinned him to the map, and Starscream yelled out in surprise, "Gahh! Wha...?"
"Do not search for the harvester!" The Decepticon's voice was raspy, "It will kill you!" Starscream looked over the Decepticon's shoulder.
"Uh, you're not dead though," he said. The Decepticon leaned close, and a dark liquid leaked out of his mouth and onto Starscream's armour. It burned through his armour, and into his veins, "What did you just do to me?" he shrieked, striking the Decepticon. The Decepticon slammed into the wall, and looked at Starscream through the holes in his helm.
"You've been cursed," came the voice, "by the tainted energon that flows through these dead bots," Starscream looked around at the bots, then back at the Decepticon, "There is no cure, and you will die," The Decepticon slumped down on the ground, dead. Starscream walked over, and leaned down.
"You don't scare me," he whispered, and stood up. He looked around, and saw the energon harvester. He smiled, and walked over to it. Picking it up, Starscream held the energon up in the air, "And now, I will soon be the leader of the Decepticons."
Starscream landed on The Nemesis, and transformed. He walked towards the main part of the ship, and Knock Out walked up next to him, "You're in trouble," he said, as they walked down the long hallway, "Megatron is not impressed you left again...without telling."
"Yes, yes. What else is new?" Starscream asked, rubbing his arm. Knock Out frowned.
"Are you alright Starscream?"
"I'm fine," he snapped, "Anyways, I have something that Megatron may find very interesting," Knock Out didn't say anything, just continued walking.
They made their way towards the main controls, and stopped when they saw Megatron. Starscream stepped forward, "Lord Megatron, I..."
"Left again?" Megatron turned around, and walked towards Starscream. He leaned down, staring him in the optics, "Patrolling? Not likely," he snarled, grabbing Starscream by the throat and slamming him against the wall. Starscream grabbed Megatron's hand, and tried to pull it off, "How many times must you disobey me before it sinks into your head that I decide when you go off and do recon?"
"More..times...than needed...Lord Megatron..." Starscream wheezed, and Megatron let him go, Starscream dropping to the floor. Megatron turned towards the screen.
"While you were out, I hope you found something useful."
"Of course," Starscream said, smiling. He held out the energon harvester, and Megatron turned around, "May I present to you an energon harvester. It's much more convienent than mining for the energon," Megatron took it from Starscream and examined it.
"Hmm, there may be hope for you after all Starscream. Soundwave," the bot walked over to him, "take this and place it somewhere secure," The bot nodded, and walked off with the energon harvester. Megatron looked at the screen again, his red optics searching the map.
"Where is the Autobot base?" he muttered, tapping his claws on the controls. Starscream turned to walk out of the room, "I'm not finished with you Starscream," Megatron said, and turned to face his second-in-command, "Since you love doing recon, you're going to go and find the Autobot base," Starscream growled, but smiled at Megatron and bowed.
"Of course Lord Megatron."
"Report back here when you find it. I'll be waiting."
Three teenagers stared at books, their eyes tired from reading, "Come on Bulkhead. Our tests aren't until two weeks from now!" the only girl complained, slamming her book shut. A large Autobot turned around.
"It doesn't matter Miko, you're going to pass this test with a good mark," he said, walking over to them. The two boys looked up, "That means you too Raf and Jack," They growned, and slammed their books as well.
"This is so not cool," Jack said, crossing his arms, "I thought knowing about the Autobots would be more exciting that sitting around studying for tests," A blue bot walked over, and placed a hand on Jack's shoulder.
"Optimus' orders. It's the only way to keep you out of trouble," she said, and looked at Bulkhead, "They do deserve a break though," They cheered, and jumped out of their chairs. Jack looked at the motorcycle.
"Let's go for a drive Arcee," The motorcycle, Arcee, sighed.
"Not today Jack. Optimus doesn't want us to leave the base," Miko and Raf were playing a racing game.
"Where is Optimus, Bumblebee and Ratchet to anyways?" Raf asked, looking up. Bulkhead shrugged.
"Beats me. Ratchet just said it was important, and left on the ground bridge," He looked over at the game, "Come on Miko!" Arcee crossed her arms, and leaned against the wall.
"Something's wrong. Optimus wouldn't leave without telling us what's happening," She stood up straight, "We should bring the kids home."
"What?" Miko asked, disappointed. She threw down the controller, "This day sucks."
"Optimus, I'm getting readings," Ratchet said, making his way through the snow drift. Optimus and Bumblebee followed him, and came across the crashed ship.
"Energon readings?" Ratchet shook his head, "Dark energon?"
"Worse. Tainted energon," Bumblebee looked at Optimus, then at Ratchet and beeped to say he didn't understand.
"Why is tainted energon worse than dark energon?" Optimus asked.
"Because it destroys a bot slowly and painfully, and there is no way to rid your system without meeting your death," he said, grimacing, "That ship just screams tainted energon. And it looks like some has removed the distributor."