Tradition

xxx

Scrapper was sorely tempted to put 'roughed up by a rookie' into his medical documentation. It would certainly make for a good laugh. Curse his professionalism which just wouldn't let him do it.

Scowling at himself, he left his desk and wandered over into the med bay, where Hook was applying an acid-neutralizing agent to Starscream's wing.

"So, what should I put into your file, Commander?" he asked. "Assault by a subordinate?"

Strictly speaking, Synergy didn't possess a rank yet that would have made him anyone's subaltern, but group consensus was that he somehow belonged to Starscream's trine. And Scrapper refused to call a bull's eye to the Decepticon emblem on the Air Commander's wing with an acid pellet anything but willful intent. Dammit, the little blighter had become good with that fragging slingshot.

Starscream regarded him with the slightly appalled interest one might give an exotic rodent. "You seem a bit overworked, Scrapper," he said mildly. "Maybe it's time we started looking for a replacement. A secretary drone, perhaps? And you! Mind that aileron, you sorry excuse for a machine!"

Hook, target of that last jibe, was clever enough not to apologize. "Permission to ask a question, sir?" he said instead.

Starscream made a derisive noise. "Granted. Though I have a feeling I'll regret it."

"Why is Synergy being trained in using the slingshot, sir?" Hook asked, unperturbed. "I was under the impression that that weapon had been banned."

That was actually a valid question, Scrapper had to admit. None of them had been sad when Starscream confiscated the slingshot from Skywarp. The Seeker was a hell of a shot with that thing, and had no qualms about demonstrating it anywhere and anytime on anyone who couldn't run fast enough. All their lives had become significantly quieter after Starscream's intervention.

Until, of course, Skywarp had stolen the damn thing back, and the cycle had started all over again.

And then Synergy had become old enough to start basic weapons training, and Starscream had solemnly handed the slingshot over to the Seekerlet and ordered Skywarp to teach him its proper use, thus launching a lively debate among the crew if their SIC had defragged his hard drive for good.

Now, a queer little smile curved Starscream's mouth that had the two Constructicons exchange a befuddled glance. The Seeker settled back against the med berth's headrest, arms crossed behind his head.

"Ah, you wouldn't get it," he told them. "It's a trine thing."

*Fin*


Disclaimer: I do not own The Transformers, and I do not make any money with this fic.