It was engraved in Starscream's matrix to crave something another wanted, and when it was one of his fellow Seekers that interest could go into overdrive. At first, he didn't think much of Thundercracker's treatment toward his slave, after all, in the beginning, he did nothing short of ignoring the creature. And while as more time passed outwardly his manner seemed to remain a steady one of detachment, the curious manner in which TC started to treat the slave caught Starscream's notice. If it had been anyone else but Thundercracker, he would have thought nothing of it, after all, none of them were beyond using their slaves as forms of amusement or even distraction. But TC did not seek suck frivolities, which made what the Supreme Air Commander saw catch his attention.

Thundercracker didn't even try to hide the fact that he took the femme for rides. Yet it was the incident of Starscream coming upon his fellow Seeker actually conversing with the creature, and rather amicably, however carefully reserved, that was enough to make the curiosity peak into the need to know exactly what was going on.

To ask his wingmate directly would have never worked. Among the three, TC was the most private. There were still things about Thundercracker that Starscream had yet to discover, and long ago found was a waste of Energon to try to. Spying would have done no good either, and as far as Starscream could tell Thundercracker wasn't exactly trying to hide anything anyway.

It wasn't until months later of watching his fellow Seeker, of analyzing him carefully, observing his wingmate's reactions and overall demeanor that he figured out enough to give him the first glimpse at something that was both equally repulsive and fascinating.

Thundercracker wasn't just partial to his slave; he was enamored with it.

Asking Skywarp about it in a carefully rather offhanded manner only confirmed what Starscream already believed. Although Warp invariably had no idea the extent of it all, or all that it implied.

It was in the last couple weeks before Thundercracker was due to report to Megatron that TC became more guarded. He confined the human to his quarters as some sort of punishment, or so he said, even as Starscream had his doubts. That was when his curiosity went into its peak. He started to wonder exactly what was going on in Thundercracker's private compartments, especially when his fellow Seeker seemed stuck in a rather complacent attitude of diluted contentment.

Having the human sent back to the slave quarters, Thundercracker departed. It took Starscream all of two days before he made use of her himself. He had never really bothered looking at a human, the closest inspection he ever made of one was after Megatron disposed of half of a dozen of them after they first landed on Earth. His impression of them had been of their obvious flaw of fragility, along with the image of vast amounts of bio fluids that seemed readily spillable, spreading before being soaked by the vibrant brown and green landscape.

Realizing that he actually owned one of the femme creatures as his own slave, he summoned it immediately. The creature entered his quarters with obvious tension, fumbling forward as she bowed low. It was only logical for his analytical, inspecting gaze to bare down on the femme, after all, that was what Thundercracker owned. Never before had he allowed a human into his private chambers, but what he was about to do could afford no spectators.

Yes, the organic had served him many a time, the long mane of blond hair, the overly submissive manner that appealed to his ego, and the fact that she was alive and after such a period of time meant however little he noticed her; she obviously served him adequately.

Staring down at her, he realized he could only see so much.

"Stand up," he demanded.

The human did as it was told, getting up on its feet, hands dangled awkwardly along its sides. His optics made use of the altered view as his scanners swept over the form. Rising, Starscream walked around the creature. A self-satisfied smile lifted on his face as he saw her begin to tremble. Sitting back down he praised himself on how well the human feared him.

Done with the visual examination, his digits curled around the edge of the arms of his chair. Leaning down, he plucked the creature up, placing it upon a table nearby as he shifted. Wasting no preamble his digit sought the creature's flesh, wandering it went, down and up, back and forth. Tactile perceptions were identified as he went on. He was almost astounded when his sensors identified the slave's sudden reaction to what he was doing, but there was no denying that the creature below him was steadily becoming heated while other strange occurrences began in her body.

"Do I make you hot flesh creature?"

His dominating digit pulling away from her body, she bit back a moan. But he had no further need to touch the creature, and her strange unexpected enjoyment however increasingly noticeable was not his concern.

She nodded her head in the affirmative.

"You would do anything I demand would you not, human?"

The trembling of the femme increased, his voice alone enough to stir her further. He was starting to have fun, suddenly anticipating what he now knew was going to be a most satisfying experiment.

"Anything," the femme breathed.

The slave was only a test, yet she lived true to her word. Perhaps the Seeker should have been impressed with her increased boldness as it continued, but Starscream wasn't. And by the time the whole experience was through, he was even further unimpressed, despite that there had indeed been brief moments of pleasure for him.

Dismissing the femme as soon as he was done with her, Starscream watched as rather wobbly she made her way to the door.

"Wait a moment," Starscream demanded.

The human paused, turning around, face flushing even as he clearly interpreted what the female believed he wanted. Starscream laughed at that, knowing he was quite through with the creature. In fact, the intimate act she performed upon him really had nothing to do with the human at all.

"My Lord?" she gushed out. There was expectation in the two small words as she visibly bristled.

"Send me Alexandra, immediately."

Yes, that had the complete demoralizing effect he had been looking for. To call the other human by her designation when he had not bothered nor cared to know of the one below him.

The slave paled, nostrils flaring, back straightening. "Thundercracker's slave, my Lord?"

"Did I stutter?"

"Anything that girl could do for you, my lord, I could do... and so much more willingly." He heard the seductive manner her voice took on, one that repulsed.

"You presume too much, slave. Not only that, but have forgotten your place. I was just going to send you back to the slave quarters in peace, no matter the fact that you were far from pleasing. Now I see that I must take more decisive measures."

"My Lord Starscream, I was just..."

He interrupted, "Silence, fleshbag. You derive pleasure from touching metal. It is only deserving that you shall be forever surrounded by it as I send you to the mines. Now leave me."

She spoke no further, exiting quickly.

The day after that, he had Thundercracker's slave delivered to his quarters. It was not as if the other femme had been capable of delivering the message where she had gone. The procedure began the same way. He analyzed the femme before he picked her up and placed her on his worktable. And that was where the similarities of the two encounters halted. The way she held herself, he knew she was fighting the urge to look up at him.

"Do you wish to look upon me, human?"

"It seems only right after the way you just inspected me." She moved then, hand coming up to land over her mouth even if it was far too late. Cautiously, she backed away.

"Do you speak so boldly with your Master Thundercracker?" Starscream wanted to know.

Shoulder's rising, she breathed out hard. The female bit down on her mouth and seemed hesitant about answering. Her neck craned again and once more he got the impression that she wanted to look at him.

"I do speak to him," she finally said, a nervousness was present in her tone that was equal to the fear.

"Does he allow you to look at him?"

This time she didn't bother answering, her brow creased.

"Then I will permit you the privilege of gazing upon me as well," Starscream allowed.

"It is not required, my lord." It was the first time since her arrival that she had spoken to him with his due title. Thundercracker's slave appeared submissive, but there was something beneath the very surface of her representation of self that served to deceive.

"That was not a request, human." Never before had he given a human such permission, there had been no need, but knowing that Thundercracker allowed such an action only throttled his determination.

Before he was about to repeat himself, her head rose swiftly, her gaze wandering over him before seeking out his optics. He frightened her. He knew that then with even more certainty, but she still she held his optics, peering into them as if to see to his very spark.

It was anger he felt then at the slave's blatant display, despite the given permission. Starscream got rid of the human, a couple of days passing before he summoned her again. After that he demanded her presence another time and once more. It was the last encounter they had that led to the ultimate fate of the femme.

The girl was certainly not like the other one he allowed in his chambers. She was naive about his intentions, blissfully ignorant of what he wanted from her, so painfully inexperienced even for a human. Of course, Starscream took full advantage of it. Unfortunately near the end she figured out what was really causing such a reaction from the Seeker as she got as far away from him as she could. Light burst and energy trailed after the femme as he howled and hissed, writhing against the pleasurable sensations.

But she refused to do it again. So he gave her an ultimatum, one that she surprised him yet again when the human willingly, happily, took the worst. Such was how she ended in the brig.

It should have been enough that he got pleasure from the slave before his fellow Seeker, but he was only left aggravated because a mere human, a slip of a worthless life form, managed to elicit want from him even as she openly defied, not to mention denied him. He visited her, taunted her, told her what she would ultimately give in to. If her rejection didn't increase the hunger and the excitement, he would have easily and without any reservations just gotten rid of the girl.

And now she was gone, terminated by Thundercracker. He shouldn't have allowed his covetousness to spawn into fixation as it made him forget what his wingmate was capable of. However, in perspective and in truth, he was glad she was dead. And pleased that it was Thundercracker that killed her. Which meant that no matter what TC had felt, his priority and loyalty were still foremost to his wingmates and to his own lord.

Starscream could most certainly live with that. The girl became just another number added to the perpetually growing human casualty list, just another slave already forgotten.