"And you get worked up over something as simple as a technicality."
Sparkplug screamed, "Steelwing," that designation screeched against her audio receptors. The tiny little mech yelled at her, "Lord Megatron is dead!"
Of course she knew that. But, she couldn't just let some no-name mech treat her like a traitor. She was a Decepticon. She was a true Decepticon. Why would this neon yellow big-ego dune buggy intentionally remind her of her punishment? That was years ago. She wasn't the same femme, and she was never a traitor. So, she couldn't fly. So what? Megatron stole her ability to fly from her, and he did it under the guise of patriotic retribution. 'Justice'. What a fragging joke. But, Steel still couldn't get that idea out of her processor. She was the one who she made herself who she was. That's what she had told herself. She could be whoever she wanted to be. She wasn't what Megatron had declared she was. She could not fly. She did not need to be reminded of it.
The tiny mech's words repeated in her mind.
"Lord Megatron is dead, Steelwing."
She couldn't stand that designation. Steelwing. But, the word just kept repeating in her processor. She had to do something to make it stop. She was actually starting to feel regret this time, and she couldn't have that. Starscream couldn't have that. Megatron's death led to the commander's promotion. It was the right move. Steelwing... Regret, anger, oh so much anger. It was clouding her thoughts. She had to make it stop.
Steel got off of her log and stood up. She offlined her optics for a brief moment and she shook her head. She onlined her optics, and glared at the tiny yellow mech. She had to. He was the cause of her anger. She couldn't let the tiny mech repeat his mistake.
Steel spoke with an edge of anger in her voice, "Two things, Sparky." She had gained Sparkplug's full attention. He shivered. She lifted one of her digits and continued, "First, Megatron is our former Lord." Starscream was their current Lord. He was hers anyway. Steel rose another digit and said, "Second -and most importantly- my name is Steel." She dropped both of her digits and hoped that he got the message, "Say it with me: Steel." The little mech remained silent and stared up at her with a vacant expression. She sighed out of anger and threatened the small-fry, "Mess it up again, and you'll be personally discussing technicalities with our former Lord."
Sparkplug gulped. He would have to think twice before speaking to the femme again. But, Steel deduced that Sparkplug would force himself to. It was his mission. It was why he was here, attempting to coax information from her. It was no secret that Soundwave wanted to regain the fliers under Starscream's command. Primus, Soundwave was so desperate for order that he wanted Starscream back on his side. Soundwave wanted control, and he couldn't control the situation if a group of Decepticons went wherever, whenever, doing whatever Soundwave couldn't predict or account for. Soundwave wanted information. The mech wanted control. Starscream supposed that the communications chief only wanted to re-establish communications in order to steal away power from himself, Starscream, the new and true Lord of the Decepticons. Steel had indulged Starscream's fantasies of such. She didn't care to be given orders by the lowly communications chief, especially since Soundwave still held a grudge against them for what happened in Chicago.
The femme sat back down on her giant-fragging log and stared into the red-orange fire. She enjoyed how its warmth heated her metal plating. Steel looked up into the dark blue sky and watched for moving objects. It was too early to give up all of her hope. Starscream did enjoy to surprise her with his visits from time to time. The starlight slowly faded as the sky lightened. Steel wished she could see the sun of Cybertron. She imagined that her world's inhabitants didn't have to deal with the same chilly mornings. She hoped that the planet had returned to its original orbit after the Sentinel pillar-space-bridge fiasco. She wanted to go back and visit her home. She missed the comfort of her berth. She missed a lot the more than she thought she would. But, that all had to wait. Starscream didn't have a plan to return yet. Steel recalled her thoughts from the heavens by reminding herself of her not-entirely-uninvited guest. Soundwave might have envisioned a way to return home. Steel hadn't lost that thought.
Sparkplug inched his way farther into the clearing. He walked by the firelight and hoisted himself onto the log. He sat next to Steel. The femme heard his aft plop down next to her. She moved her optics down to him, and thought of the many ways she could use his presence to her advantage. Sparkplug certainly didn't hide his intent. He came for information. He was eager for it. She could use that to her advantage. But, she wouldn't let him get his answers quickly. She wasn't going to break easily. Steel rose from her sitting position and walked to stand in another position in front of the fire.
"So," Sparkplug said, trying to clear the air, "let's discuss technicalities."
Steel questioned, "Really? You won't just get worked up as you did before?"
"No!" Sparkplug shouted. He pinched the bridge of his nose and he sighed. "That was you," he said.
"Over a technicality?" Steel questioned. "That doesn't sound like me."
Sparkplug dropped both of his arms to his sides and let them rest on the log. "Look," Sparkplug said, "Can you please work with me on this?"
Steel toyed with him, "On what?" She asked him.
"On my mission!"
"So, you admit it then?"
"Yes. Fine. Whatever to get you to comply."
"Comply? That's a demanding word from a puny mech."
"I'm not puny! I'm unsuspecting!"
"Okay Sparkplug," Steel said, "You're unsuspecting." He was so unsuspecting that he didn't realize he was playing right into her grasp.
"Good!" Sparkplug yelled. "Now that we have the ice-breaking chatter out of the way, let's get to business."
Steel raised her servos in front of her as if to say that she didn't object. "Fine," she said, "what did you come here for?"
"I came to re-establish communications with Starscream."
"Isn't that supposed to be Soundwave's job?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, of course I'm sure. Lord Soundwave has more important matters to attend. This is my mission."
Steel noted Sparkplug's usage of Lord. The mech had a forgetful memorycore. She could use that to her advantage. Oh, what kind of fresh pitt he'd enter into, and what kind of relief she'd gain. Steel imagined what it would be like if she was to trap a Decepticon doctor and be fixed to fly again.
Steel pushed the tiny mech and asked him again, "And your mission is?"
"To re-establish communications with Starscream!"
"So, why didn't you go and talk to him?"
Sparkplug erupted in a shout. "Agh! I didn't fracking talk to Starscream because I don't know where he is! No one knows where he is! Soundwave doesn't even know where the fragger is!"
"So, you thought that I do?"
"Of course! You are his sparkmate, aren't you?"
"Partner," Steel emphasized, "I'm not just some femme he frags."
Sparkplug had just about reached his limit. He screamed, "Partner, sparkmate, whatever! I don't care. What I do care about, is completing my mission! Get that into your processor. I'm not just some plaything here to entertain you. Now, are you going to help me re-establish communications with Starscream or not?"
"Don't you also have to coax information from me about my other teammates and their whereabouts?"
"Why can't you take this seriously, Steelwing!"
In mere seconds Sparkplug fell off of the log, energon spilling out from the inside of his chest. Steel had blasted a new cavity next to his spark chamber.
Steel transformed her blaster back into a servo and told the mech, "I am."
