Title: Deception
Chapter 1: Glyph
Verse: G1
Summary: A bond that should have been. Three mechs changed both in body and mind. A war that should never have happened. But then... why did it?
Warnings: None this chapter
Chapter Word Count: 1,859
Total Word Count: 2,294
He traced the mark once more, fingertips brushing the glyph softly, following the smooth lines, before his optics flashed a cruel crimson. He folded his wing back into its proper position and hid the glyph that he had been born with. No one knew what it had meant, except maybe a mark of the Winglord which he was to grow up to be.
Starscream sneered as the familiar pressure resurfaced in his processor after touching the mark. It always did and yet he couldn't help himself, like the mark had meant something more. Ghosts of memory would float out of his reach, barely there, but he could never remember what they were, what they meant, but they were always accompanied by the painful sense of loss.
He hissed, annoyed and frustrated, like he always was these days. Another day trying to run an army of idiots, of dealing with an incompetent leader, he didn't have time to dwell on unexplained emotions and memories that were so unimportant he couldn't even remember them.
He ran his morning diagnostics, checked his weapon systems. Checked his quarters security system.
All clear.
He sent a ping via com to his Trine Mates. "Meet me on the Bridge."
"What's the schedule today?" Thundercracker pinged back with the proper and respectful glyphs.
Starscream growled as he exited his quarters. "Patrol."
"Seriously? Again?" Skywarp moaned, clearly only after coming online if the hazy reply was anything to go by.
Starscream ignored him. Thundercracker would make him get up and do his job. He wasn't Starscream's problem. Their Trine bond had been strained for a long time now anyway. They were still efficient in the air and that's all he cared about.
It was shift change on the bridge and several tired and grumpy grounders backed against the wall to avoid him, none met his gaze should they invoke his ire but none greeted him with proper protocol either.
He could feel his energon boil. This is all his fault! Not showing me the respect and recognition I deserve! He thought bitterly, face twisting into a sneer as the doors opened and he gracefully glided in.
Megatron's optics caught him immediately in an angry glare. "You are late. Soundwave has your flight path. Get those wingmates of yours and do something useful for a change!"
Before Starscream could retaliate with a snarky remark the grey mech turned his back on him and went into the meeting room, doors swished shut as soon as he had entered.
Tri-coloured wings tensed up in anger. How dare that rust heap! He took a step forward to follow him but a blue frame got between him and his target.
"Course of action: not advised."
Starscream nearly lived up to his name.
"Soundwave! get out of my way!"
The blue mech stood taller, but gave a small bow of his helm, trying not to appear challenging. "Negative. Megatron: not to be disturbed."
The Seeker hissed. "Why? What's he doing? Wallowing in his recent humiliation by the servos of Prime?"
A few mechs gave him dirty looks.
"Shockwave: important message from Cybertron."
Starscream spun on his heel. "From one aft kisser to the next, is he really that wanton for undeserved adoration? Especially from that freak!" He flicked his wings in disgust. "Soundwave, ping me the details for our little excursion. And when I get back, I need to talk to our mighty leader."
He didn't wait for a reply, merely reviewing the flight plan as he received it. His Trine Mate arrived and they set off for their three hour patrol mission.
XxXxX
Flying used to be a source of enjoyment for Starscream, now it was merely a source of escape from the oppressive daily ongoings of the Decepticon army. Skywarp however, was a different matter entirely.
"Can we please do something fun?" He dared try to tip Starscream's wing with his own. "Even if it's a maneuver!"
Thundercracker's engines gave a howl in annoyance. "I thought you didn't want to go out today. Only this morning you were complaining about how Earth's atmosphere is very damp."
Starscream gave the offending black wing a smack with his own and the purple idiot fell back into his place. "We are trying to be discrete. We don't want the Autobots to know of our next target you imbecile. And don't dare do that again!"
Skywarp gave a lazy roll in response.
"You know he is right Warp." Thundercracker, always the calm voice of reason. "We are nearly there anyway."
So Thundercracker was right, when Starscream checked their position. He hadn't been paying attention. Something had been playing on his mind, something he couldn't quite understand.
Optimus Prime could have ended the war.
But he didn't.
And Starscream didn't think it was for the same reasons as Megatron. A weak sparked, sentimental coward. Optimus had killed many Decepticons if it meant saving the lives of others, so why wasn't Megatron dead?
The memory resurfaced, of the Prime standing above the fallen tyrant, the barrel of his blaster glowing with charge. Pointed at Megatron's spark chamber.
The sudden feeling of distress overcame the seeker as it had when the memory was made. Distress over what he wasn't sure, but what he was definitely sure of was that the same distress had been mirrored in a faltering blue gaze.
Optimus Prime was distressed about pulling the trigger?
Starscream could clearly remember the pain and loss flashing in that gaze, and the begging...
Begging for what? That Megatron would just die himself? Starscream sneered, what did he care if the Prime couldn't pull the trigger or not and why. But he did. Something kept nagging him, it was like… His spark constricted painfully in his chest and he slowed to a stop mid air, transforming.
"Starscream?" Thundercracker asked, alarmed and transforming out of shock.
Starscream's optics flashed, confused. What just happened? Why did he stop? He tried to remember what he had just been thinking about but couldn't quite grasp it. His spark was pulsing normally.
"Nothing," He lied smoothly. "I just want a quick scan before we go any closer."
Skywarp, who had circled back round, just gave a small wing flick in question.
"Transform, we must continue on."
Thundercracker gave him a worried glance before he did as ordered.
XxXxX
His frame ached, limbs throbbed but he refused to stay in the medbay. He had an army to run after all and wouldn't dare to give Starscream a chance to prove his competence with such a position.
Even if he didn't admit it out loud, Starscream was a very talented and clever tactician and scientist.
He growled, but he couldn't stand the little lying pile of scrap. And he certainly would not admit that a little spoilt princeling could do anything better than he himself could.
He sat down at the top of the meeting table and turned around to be able to see the large screen. A touch to the keypad on the arm of his chair had it onlining with the visage of Shockwave.
"All Hail Lord Megatron!"
Megatron felt the sides of his lip plates twitch into a smirk. "Ah! My most loyal Shockwave. How fares my planet?"
The purple mech bowed his helm. "Not well, I'm afraid. Energon levels are at an all time low. Kaon is suffering greatly. Our security system is getting the priority of course but I fear it is not enough to keep it at optimal function."
The grey mech felt his smirk drop. "I'm afraid our last raid was not as successful as I had hoped. I can only send you a very limited amount. It will have to suffice."
The single yellow optic flashed. "Very well my lord. I trust in your judgement."
Megatron felt a shock of… guilt, no, not quite guilt, as that yellow optic flared in...annoyance?. He squashed it down, Shockwave was incapable of such blatant disrespect.
"Good. I must return to planning our next attack."
He tapped a button and the screen went blank.
Soundwave entered on que. "My Lord?"
"Soundwave, I want an inventory check. Weapons and ammo as well as energon. Any we can spare will be sent to Cybertron. Once Starscream gets back with his full report we shall start planning for our next raid."
Soundwave set about his tasks with a small bow.
The Warlord reread the initial report gathered on their target as he lounged in his chair
It was a nuclear plant. Able to produce a couple of thousand cubes for their allotted time scale. If they could in fact reach the intended target then perhaps they would not have to do a raid for fuel but a frontal assault on the Autobot ark itself.
Nothing would please Megatron more than getting his servos around Prime's throat after the last time they met in battle.
His face gave a painful throb as a reminder of Prime's left hook.
He snarled, threw down the datapad and crossed his arms like a sulking sparkling. How did he even let the Prime get him in such a vulnerable position anyway?
Blue optics flashed across his mind.
He rubbed them away with a servo, flinching at the slight pain and intensity. And why did Prime always look at him with that look? What did it mean? It was like he wasn't looking at Megatron at all, but someone else. It infuriated the grey mech to no end, that his greatest enemy couldn't even see him when they fought.
"Lord Megatron." It was Soundwave, the blue mech having silent entered the room. "Inventory: as requested." He bowed, holding out the datapad for Megatron to take.
The large mech released a harsh vent. "And what of Starscream's patrol?"
"Mission: success. Starscream: returning with relevant information."
Megatron blinked. "Returning?" He asked, had he not only sent him out a mere hour or so ago?
Soundwave nodded. "Affirmative. Estimated duration of mission: 3 Earth hours. Actual duration: 2 hours and 42 minutes."
Megatron blinked again. He checked his chronometer to see that indeed it had been well over two hours since Starscream had left. What had he done in all that time? The data pad he had thrown down had very little on it, and he had only spoken to Shockwave for less than five minutes.
That didn't make sense.
A plate on the left side of his chest itched and he rubbed his fingers over it. When his digits found a small indent he froze.
He growled, finger roughly tracing over the glyph imprinted on his armour. Whoever had left that mark on him, he didn't know but it had its moments of being an annoyance to him to the point where he wished he could find the mech and kill him for even daring to mark his armor.
He traced it one more time, the anger draining from him like it had never been there before.
"Soundwave, when Starscream arrives, tell him I will receive him in my quarters. I want you to debrief his Trine."
He didn't wait for a response and headed to his quarters, fingers still tracing the glyph.
