Chapter 4 – Observation
Decepticon Headquarters, Planet Cybertron
The second level from the top of the main tower was relatively small compared to the levels below it, as was the top floor. Both were hidden behind a high altitude launch pad for the seekers. On the side, turrets threatened anyway daring to venture near what were clearly the most important levels of the building. Frenzy was on edge after almost being spotted by a wily golden seeker with a black and blue wing mate named Raptor. Fortunately Raptor quieted the other jet and instructed him to return to his quarters, then announced that he had to see Starscream. Perfect! Frenzy quietly shadowed the mech, but stopped when he turned around. Noticing that Buzzsaw was also on the seeker's trail, Frenzy nodded to the other cassette before changing his target.
Creeping through an open door, Frenzy hid beneath and desk and looked around. The room was minimally furnished, but rather nice nonetheless. It had three large glass pane windows that went down to the floor. When he had been outside Frenzy had been unable to see through the blackened glass, but now he was on the inside he could see through the clear panes perfectly, and what a view it was. Stretching his arm out a bit, he let Reflector take some photographs of the window. Tucking them inside him, Frenzy was pleased with the quality. Perfect images of the Decepticon Empire, they showed much of the main base. Frenzy had let Reflector take some shots from outside before they entered, but if they had time a few more would be nice.
Moving back and remaining still, Frenzy watched as a bulky dark blue mech entered the room and moved to the large desk at the other side of the room from the smaller one Frenzy was hiding beneath. It was Soundwave! Frenzy suddenly decided that that was not a good thing. If Soundwave found him he would recognise him instantly, but then again he would remember and understand what was going on. But the bad thing was that if Soundwave was here, Ravage could be near, and Ravage would surely find him. Fortunately the panther was nowhere in sight, probably inside Soundwave. Frenzy remained silent as Buzzsaw allowed him to listen in on what was happening in the adjacent room, where an interesting conversation had just begun.
Buzzsaw followed Raptor into a room diagonally across from the one Frenzy had entered. Raptor had knocked before entering, and the door did not remain open long after Raptor entered, so Buzzsaw quickly ducked into the ventilation shaft and made his way to the grate above the room. He allowed Frenzy to listen in as soon as he spotted the silver, red and blue seeker across from Raptor.
"Air Commander Starscream," Raptor saluted with an arm across his chest.
"Field Commander Raptor, please take a seat," Starscream replied with a wave of his hand towards one of the chairs. Starscream's voice was quite different from what Buzzsaw and Frenzy remembered. No longer a screechy tenor, it lacked the fiery tone that, combined with Starscream's sharp words, often landed the seeker into trouble. Starscream's voice was softer and less high pitched, making it sound more raspy than screechy, and he tone was a lot flatter. As the seeker turned, Buzzsaw noticed scarring on the right side of the air commander's face, and realised what was different about him. His optics were blue. The one above the scars was slightly lighter than the other, but it wasn't too noticeable.
"It was with personal regret that I have assigned Skywarp the third battalion. No longer my wing mate, I am now in need of yet another aerial partner," Starscream began. "Although I did consider you when assigning Thundercracker the second battalion, I ultimately chose Swiftwing over you because I needed you to remain leader of your wing. Now that your wing has been absorbed into the first battalion, I see no reason for not taking you as my wing mate. Your reassignment will give you control over the wings, and placement as my second in command, with Swiftwing as our third, are you capable of such a task?"
"Yes Air Commander Starscream, I am capable of such an honoured position, and will do my best to fulfil my new duties, sir!" Raptor replied with formality and contained vigour.
"Excellent. You begin now. Rearrange your previous wing as you see fit and ensure that its integration into the battalion is as smooth as it has been so far," Starscream instructed.
"As you command," Raptor saluted once more before leaving after Starscream's nod. Buzzsaw wondered what Frenzy thought of all this. Starscream had certainly changed. During the conversation his speech had quickened and some of his old fire had shown, but it was much more restrained and controlled, and he knew exactly what was going on and what he was doing. He also appeared to be thinking as he spoke, something he rarely seemed to do back on Earth.
It was not too surprising that the forms of the Decepticons had changed, they were in the far future after all, but such a wild change in personality was intriguing and from what they had seen of the other Decepticons, not widespread. Some seemed a little older and a little wiser, but remained almost exactly the same personality-wise. Starscream on the other hand had changed dramatically. Buzzsaw idly wondered if whatever event that had left him scarred was responsible for it.