As a warning, this chapter gets a bit violent. Also, I'm just going to go ahead and say that I don't hate Ramjet either, but he's another victim of my plot. Poor guy. Perhaps this longer-than-usual-but-not-quite-as-long-as-the-last-one chapter will make up for it.

P.S. - I hope you remember what happened at the end of chapter three.

Text in parenthesis is someone speaking over the com link.

All text that is italicized in bulk is a flashback.

Disclaimer: I don't own Transformers and don't get anything but personal entertainment from writing this.

Enjoy.


Chapter 8: Instigate

The Constructicons made quick work of the holes in the room of Starscream, Dirge, and Ramjet. Dirge simply shrugged the entire ordeal off after a few moments spent cowering near his desk. Ramjet, on the other hand, freaked out, yelling terrible things at the Air Commander. He still stood outside of Starscream's room, banging on the door and demanding that the red and blue Seeker show himself. Finally fed up with the obnoxious whining of the Conehead, Starscream opened his door and stared blankly at Ramjet.

"It's about time you came out here, you slagging moron!" Ramjet cried. The Air Commander remained silent. Megatron turned the corner of the hallway but stopped in his tracks when he heard Ramjet mouthing off to the Decepticon Second in Command.

"Sometimes I can't believe how stupid you are! Testing a weapon like that indoors? What were you thinking?" the Conehead shouted.

"I was thinking that maybe I'd get lucky and hit you," Starscream shot back.

"You listen here, little Screamer, I know Megatron made you his Second in Command, but I'm tired of having to bail you out and put up with your stupidity. I would make a better Second in Command than you any day!" Ramjet shouted.

"You think so? You think you could do a better job creating plans for our Energon raids or putting up with Megatron?" Starscream roared. Ramjet involuntarily took a step back.

"At least I don't get captured by Autobots! And I would actually do my job as Second in Command instead of coming up with less than feasible plots to overthrow Megatron, so he would actually respect me!" the Conehead continued. That seemed to be the last straw. Starscream snapped and punched Ramjet in the face, sending him roughly into the opposite wall of the hallway.

"You think you could gain Megatron's respect? I have been trying to get him to respect me for countless millennia and he rarely even looks my way! You wouldn't even be able to gain optic contact with him, let alone respect!" Starscream screeched. He pointed his Null Ray at the stunned flier before him. Megatron took that as his cue to step in.

"Starscream!" he bellowed. The Seeker looked over at him with a shocked expression on his faceplate- Megatron wasn't supposed to hear him say that. He lowered his weapon in his surprise. Ramjet took advantage of the Air Commander's distracted state and struck him in the face. Starscream stumbled backward into his quarters and out of Megatron's sight. The gun-former ran down the hall, pointing his Fusion Cannon at Ramjet.

"Stand down, soldier!" Megatron ordered icily. He could hear Starscream cursing in the other room. Ramjet pressed his back against the wall, trying to seem as small as possible.

"Stay right there," the gun-former commanded. Ramjet nodded.

"Starscream, get out here!" he demanded. The flier appeared in the doorway, hateful gaze directed at the other flier in the hall.

"Do you two want to explain what exactly it is that you're doing?" Megatron growled.

"Lord Megatron, I don't believe Starscream is fit to lead. He should be stripped of his status as Air Commander and Second in Command of your army," Ramjet stated angrily.

"On what grounds?" the Lord demanded.

"Stupidity and negligence! Not only did he get captured by Autobots, leaving us to rescue him and clean up his mess, but he's testing dangerous weaponry indoors! Besides, he's always plotting to take your place!" the Conehead yelled.

"That sounds a lot like what you're trying to do to me right now, Ramjet," Starscream hissed, "And you can blame Hook for the change in your room's décor! He gave me a worthless piece of metal to test my weapon against!"

"You're an idiot! I can't believe you wo-," Ramjet tried yelling at the lead Seeker again, but Starscream cut him off.

"You're the idiot if you think you'll actually get to take my place! Megatron may think I'm useless now, but he'd think twice about that if he ever saw you try to lead anyone!" Starscream shot. Megatron grew more and more irritated by the arguing Seekers as the seconds passed.

"Silence, both of you!" the Decepticon Commander roared. The fliers jumped, having forgotten he was even there, and turned their attention to the source of the shout.

"So Ramjet, you don't think Starscream is fit to be my Second in Command, even though I chose him for such a position?" Megatron asked.

"I-I, well, he, I didn't mean you made a bad choice, my Lord, I just meant that he's become too focused on his own interests. You need someone loyal by your side, not a selfish traitor like him!" Ramjet clarified.

"And who would take his place?" Megatron asked.

"Me! I'm better than little Screamer over there in every way possible. I would be loyal to you, and I would be a much stronger leader than he ever was!" the Conehead sneered. Starscream growled lowly at the arrogant flier. He clenched his fists and took a step forward.

"You can't be serious, Ramjet. You had plenty of opportunities to earn what I have, but you were never good enough!" Starscream seethed. Megatron knew he needed to diffuse the situation quickly.

"Lord Megatron! Please let me challenge Starscream for his position! He isn't worthy to be your right hand mech!" Ramjet pleaded. Megatron looked between the two fliers.

"Challenge him?" Megatron asked.

"You already tried that once before for head trine rights, and I beat you in all of five seconds!" Starscream argued.

"You can't just snub my challenge, Starscream! You have to accept! Besides, that happened hundreds of years ago! While you sat on your lazy aft doing nothing all those years, I trained and perfected my skills!" Ramjet gloated.

"What skills?" Starscream laughed derisively. Megatron grew tired of being forgotten by the two arguing Seekers. He needed to put an end to it, so he made a decision.

"Alright, Ramjet, I'll let you challenge Starscream," the gun-former began with a smirk as an idea formed in his head, "You two will have a duel tomorrow afternoon. I'll allow you both to choose a single weapon to bring, but there will be no transforming. It will be a test of raw power and skill, winner takes all. Just like the days of the gladiator in Kaon."

"You can't be serious!" Starscream shouted.

"I am very serious, Starscream. If you are so confident that you belong at my side, prove it," Megatron said casually, leveling his heated gaze on his Second. The Air Commander faltered at this. What did he mean by that? Starscream narrowed his optic shutters at Ramjet.

"I'm going to kill you," he growled dangerously while pointing a promissory finger at his new foe. He took a step back and closed and locked the door to his quarters. Ramjet scampered off to his room. Megatron opened the com link with Soundwave.

"Soundwave, come in."

(Yes, Lord Megatron.)

"Meet me in my quarters immediately. I have a mission of utmost importance for you."

(As you command, Lord Megatron.)

The gun-former continued casually along to his room. Shortly after he made himself comfortable inside, a knock sounded at his door.

"Enter," he commanded. The door slid open revealing Soundwave, who stepped inside.

"Soundwave, it seems there is unrest among our troops," Megatron began, carefully shielding his mind so the tape-deck didn't get ahead of him.

"Assumption: Starscream and Ramjet," the Communications Officer offered. Megatron frowned at the astute guess.

"Yes, it seems Ramjet thinks he's better suited to be my Second in Command," Megatron sighed from boredom, "They're going to have a duel tomorrow, and winner takes all. I've allowed them to use a single weapon and have banned transforming."

"Suggestions: None." Soundwave replied, though he mentally sighed. He grew weary of being the referee of the games Megatron continued to play.

"You're going to be the judge for this fight. When one is dead or clearly in stasis lock, you'll stop the fight. Honestly, I'd rather have them both alive, but I suppose it's not my place to demand a completely clean fight from Decepticons," Megatron mused.

"As you command, Lord Megatron," the tape-deck replied.

"You may leave," the gun-former said, focusing his attention on his monitor, "And announce this event to the others. We wouldn't want anyone to miss this."

Soundwave could tell the Decepticon Commander was watching the footage from Starscream's mind again. He also caught a glimpse into his leader's mind before he left.

Megatron had intended to speak to Starscream immediately after seeing the compilation video of the Seeker's memories. However, it seemed that he had run across an arguing Ramjet and Starscream and lost track of what he had intended to do. Not only that, but it seemed the gun-former was second guessing himself in terms of confronting Starscream to admit he had made mistakes. To avoid this issue within his mind, Megatron was distracting himself with the duel that was to take place- a duel that, not surprisingly, was modeled after the old gladiator fights of Kaon. Perhaps Megatron wished for Starscream to prove himself worthy of respect in battle before he became worthy of hearing Megatron admit fault. Shaking his head, Soundwave continued down the hall, thoroughly confused by his two leaders.


Starscream awoke early the following morning, going directly to his workshop. He tinkered with his left arm mounted Null Ray. He briefly glanced over at the upgraded Fusion Cannon he had planned to give Megatron a long time ago. It was finally finished as of the previous day, but he had told himself when they first began operating on Earth that he wouldn't bother handing it over. Unfortunately, he could never start a project and leave it unfinished, so the sleek cannon would simply sit in his workshop unused. 'What a waste,' the scientist in him thought. Perhaps he could go out and test it on a few unsuspecting Autobots at least once before retiring it. With a sigh, he refitted the Null Ray to his left arm and returned to his main room. Skywarp suddenly popped in.

"What do you want?" Starscream grumbled.

"I know you've been in a foul mood lately, but you don't have to take it out on me. I wanted to have breakfast with you. TC's waiting. We want to have a pre-duel meal, but if you want to pout until then, that's fine too," Skywarp said, narrowing his optic shutters at his trine leader. Starscream relented.

"Warp, I didn't mean it. Let's go get some Energon," the Air Commander said. Skywarp placed a hand on his trine leader's shoulder and they teleported to the mess hall. Thundercracker waved them over. Energon cubes already sat upon the table top. Starscream sat across from his two trine mates and drank from a cube silently.

"How do you feel about your duel?" Thundercracker asked neutrally.

"Ramjet is a moron. I've seen him fight. Megatron has banned transformations, which means that idiot can't just ram into me," Starscream sneered. Skywarp laughed.

"I know you don't think much of him, but I want you to be on guard when you're fighting Ramjet," Thundercracker stated.

"I'll be fine TC," Starscream said, waving a hand at his trine mate dismissively.

"Hey, where is that Conehead anyway?" Skywarp asked. The other two Seekers looked around but found no signs of Ramjet or Thrust. The only Conehead in the mess hall was Dirge, who didn't seem interested in the excitement buzzing around the room.

Every Decepticon, except Megatron, Soundwave, Thrust, and Ramjet, was in the mess hall. Almost all of them were talking about the duel and Blitzwing had even started a betting pool. The odds were put in Ramjet's favor since transformations were forbidden and Starscream's strength was in the sky. The triple-changer bragged that he managed to talk Megatron and Soundwave into betting, though he wouldn't say who they bet on. Knowing the relationship Starscream shared with the other two, most safely assumed they bet on Ramjet.

Just as the Air Commander and his trine mates finished their meal, Ramjet burst into the room with Thrust cowering behind him. The white Conehead wore a large smirk on his faceplate. He approached Starscream and tapped the flier on the shoulder.

"What do you want, Ramjet?" Starscream asked without bothering to turn around.

"I just wanted to wish you luck. You're going to need it against my secret weapon!" Ramjet bragged.

"I think I can manage," the Air Commander drawled.

"Whatever you say," the Conehead chuckled. Starscream took that as his cue to leave. He walked to the Control Room to let Megatron know he was prepared for battle. Once inside, he approached the Decepticon Commander, who sat upon his throne. He paid no mind to Soundwave, who sat at his designated computer terminal. He would let the tape-deck pick up on his first few thoughts- the ones he would surely relay to Megatron. The remainder of his thoughts were far too erratic for the tape-deck to pick up on. The calmness he intended to exude would throw the Communications Officer off anyway.

"Lord Megatron, I'm ready for my duel with Ramjet," the Air Commander's voice was low and even. The gun-former looked up, barely masking his surprise. Starscream wasn't bounding in, all snarky arrogance? Something must have been terribly wrong.

"What's the matter with you, Starscream?" Megatron asked carefully. Starscream looked up at him blankly.

"Nothing, my Lord. I'm prepared for battle at your command," the jet-former stated, his voice still low. Megatron eyed the Seeker carefully.

"Report outside immediately, then. Ramjet will be retrieved and the duel will start as soon as possible," the gun-former said.

"As you command, Lord Megatron," the flier replied before leaving the Control Room quickly. Megatron turned to Soundwave.

"Soundwave, could you read Starscream's mind just then?" Megatron asked.

"Briefly. Note: Starscream will not give up. The only way he'll lose is if Ramjet kills him. He has suppressed self-preservation programming. Assumption: Seeker wishes to gain Lord Megatron's respect in a manner most befitting of Megatron- a gladiatorial style fight. Note: Seeker has spent most of the morning perfecting frequency of Null Ray. The only thoughts in Starscream's mind just now were related to the duel. He is incredibly focused," Soundwave stated. Megatron could almost hear admiration in the tape-deck's monotone voice- almost. He himself grew excited at the prospect of Starscream pointedly intending to show off his skills in battle just for his leader. A smirk crept across the gun-former's faceplate at the mere thought of it.

"Soundwave, retrieve Ramjet and those who wish to watch. I want you to inspect Ramjet before the duel begins. I'll inspect Starscream," Megatron ordered. Soundwave could feel wisps of lust mixed with another indistinguishable emotion from the gun-former that was gone as soon as it appeared. Soundwave left the Control Room with haste. The Decepticon Commander stood and left the base to find Starscream. He found the flier standing in what could be described as a large, barren bowl of Earth dirt. The landscape was bleak, allowing Starscream to be easily located due to his showy paint job. The Air Commander stood at the bottom of the large basin, surrounded on all sides by shallow plateaus. He stood with his optics offline and his arms crossed. Megatron approached him and watched his optics instantly shine red.

"Starscream, I'm here to inspect you to make certain that you aren't carrying a second weapon or anything else that could be considered cheating," the gun-former said as professionally as he could manage. Starscream uncrossed his arms but made no other move. Megatron had never seen the Seeker so serious before. He approached the flier causally, giving his body a once over. Then he grabbed the flier's left arm to inspect the Null Ray mounted there. His touches were light and exploring, but Starscream didn't respond as Megatron hoped he would. The flier remained rigid, retaining his cold demeanor. The gun-former ran his hands along the Seeker's waist and thighs. Slowly, he walked behind his Second, running his hands along his favorite appendages. He was certain he would get a reaction from Starscream this way, but the Seeker seemed dead set on being serious. With a quick look around, Megatron noted that the others were still not out of the base. He hoped Soundwave would take his time. The silver mech leaned down a bit and wrapped his arms around his Air Commander's waist from behind, settling his chin on Starscream's shoulder.

"I placed a bet on your fight," he purred, nuzzling his Second's neck, "I bet against Ramjet."

"I will prove that I am Second in Command for a reason," Starscream said softly. Megatron laughed. He wanted to know what the flier was thinking, but decided it could wait until after the fight. Megatron spun the Seeker around and kept his hands wrapped around the jet-former's sleek waist.

"Do not fail me, Starscream," he said roguishly before dipping his head and capturing the flier's lip components with his own. At first he received no response, but soon he felt Starscream's lips move against his own. He moved one hand to stroke a wing as he deepened the kiss. A soft moan escaped the Seeker's lips. Megatron broke the kiss and took a step back after a moment longer. Starscream looked up at him, his expression hardened once again. The gun-former could make out the small forms of his remaining soldiers coming closer.

"I will earn the right to be at your side, Lord Megatron," Starscream said with a slight bow, the double meaning in his words obvious. Moments later, the others touched down. Starscream's back remained turned to them. Soundwave took the time to inspect Ramjet, using a scanner instead of physical contact. When he finished, he nodded at his leader. Starscream turned to face his opponent. His jaw dropped when he saw what was attached to Ramjet's arm. Megatron began dictating the rules, paying no attention to Ramjet or the weapon he wielded.

"This is to be a one on one duel. When only one mech is left alive or conscious or when one of you surrenders, the fight is over. You are both allowed to have one weapon on you but no transformations. Anything else goes. You are to listen to Soundwave without question. If he says the fight is over, it's over," Megatron ordered before walking to a safe place to watch. Soundwave stepped forward. The other Decepticons took places on high ground around the flat area the two fliers were going to battle in. Starscream remained dumbfounded.

"You may begin," Soundwave commanded. Ramjet roared in laughter.

"What's the matter, Screamer? Does my weapon scare you?" Ramjet taunted.

"You stole that Fusion Cannon from my quarters!" Starscream growled. Megatron turned to look. The weapon the gun-former had seen in Starscream's workshop was now mounted on Ramjet's right arm. The fight had already begun and Ramjet hadn't technically broken any rules, so there was nothing that could be done.

"It looks nice, don't you think?" the Conehead laughed, pointing it at Starscream as it charged.

"You aren't capable of using that weapon! Your targeting systems aren't compatible or even able to handle the Fusion Cannon!" Starscream shouted in warning.

"We'll see about that!" the white flier yelled as he fired the fully charged weapon. The Conehead slid back a couple feet, completely unprepared for the force of the blast, and landed promptly on his aft. Starscream attempted to dodge the shot, but it nicked his right wing. He cringed. The concentrated blast had an increased velocity that was almost too great for Starscream's battle systems to compensate for. Ramjet was already back on his feet.

"This is quite the toy you've been hiding from everyone," the white flier said, "What were you planning to do with it? Were you going to try to take over again? Or was this a sweet little present for our leader?"

Starscream shot him an icy glare that left him speechless for a moment.

"Did I hit a nerve? I hope I did! But I plan to hit much more than that!" he laughed as he fired the Fusion Cannon for a second time. Starscream's reaction time had slowed from the effect Ramjet's words had on him. The high-speed shot tore through the Air Commander's left wing, completely ruining it. Starscream howled in pain and fought to remain conscious.

The audience of Decepticons, save a select few, cheered as the shot tore through the Seeker and then a nearby cliff side. The Second in Command steeled himself, forcing Ramjet's words from his mind. He kicked on his thrusters and rushed the befuddled Conehead. He landed a vicious, thruster-aided uppercut. The white flier flew back and rolled head over heel on the ground a few times before coming to a stop. Starscream already had his Null Ray pointed at his fallen opponent. Ramjet was quicker than the Air Commander had given him credit for though, and the Null Ray shot missed and Ramjet rushed him. The two engaged in hand to hand combat, which seemed more like dancing than fighting at first glance.

Megatron's interest piqued substantially when the two Seekers began fighting in a manner he preferred- up close and personal. Originally, he just assumed Starscream and Ramjet would simply fire their weapons at each other from a safe distance. Instead, they were being quite physical. He had seen Ramjet fight hand to hand with other mechs in the past, but Starscream seemed to think such combat was beneath him, or at least that's what his unwillingness to fight in close combat situations said to the gun-former. When he saw his Second in Command fighting impressively down in the makeshift arena, he couldn't help but wonder if the Seeker simply chose to hide such a skill. It wouldn't be the first time he caught Starscream downplaying his abilities. For the longest time, Megatron truly didn't realize just how fast his Second could be- in the air or on the ground.

Ultimately, Starscream was too quick and Ramjet was having trouble connecting any blows. The Decepticon spectators were going wild, cheering for both fighters. Ramjet jumped back, kicking his thrusters on to put some distance between himself and Starscream. Fresh Energon dripped down from the cracks and severed Energon lines both mechs sported in various places on their bodies. Again, Ramjet raised the Fusion Cannon.

"Is that the only move you've got, Ramjet?" Starscream mocked.

"Shut up, Screamer! I'm more of a warrior than you could ever be!" Ramjet roared. When he fired, Starscream had already calculated the trajectory of the shot and dodged.

"You're too predictable, fool! You don't know how to wield that weapon properly! Would you like me to stand still next time?" the Second in Command laughed.

"You think because you managed to predict one move of mine, you're going to win? Well think again!" Ramjet roared as he charged Starscream again. When he was just barely out of striking range, the Conehead stopped abruptly, leaving Starscream wide open, and fired the partially charged Fusion Cannon. Starscream was shocked by the surprise move and Ramjet's heightened maneuverability. He dodged as best he could, but the shot claimed his left arm just below the elbow joint and melted his Null Ray. Starscream fell to the ground and released an anguished cry. Ramjet walked over to the fallen Seeker and placed a foot on his back.

"Want to give up?" he asked cockily, pointing the Fusion Cannon so the shot was lined up with his spark chamber. It whined strangely as it charged.

"Never! I can't lose to you!" Starscream shouted as he rolled to his left. Ramjet lost balance briefly before catching himself. The Air Commander leapt to his feet and sent a thruster assisted kick to the left side of Ramjet's face. The heat from the thruster melted his right optic. The Conehead howled noisily and brought a hand to his wounded face.

"How dare you! I'm going to kill you, Starscream!" he bellowed. The Fusion Cannon whined strangely again as he tried to charge it. Starscream tore his half melted Null Ray from his arm and discarded it on the ground.

"I only need one optic to shoot you down, you cowardly fool!" Ramjet shouted. He fired the cannon again and, though he managed to dodge the shot, Starscream collapsed on the ground. Energon poured from his wounded body.

"Get up, Screamer! Don't you dare lose to that Conehead!" Skywarp shouted from his seat, his fists clenched tightly as he contemplated jumping in the fight to kick Ramjet's cheating aft. Of course, most were surprised Starscream had tried anything sneaky himself.

"Finish him off, Ramjet!" Astrotrain laughed. Megatron tried not to seem concerned as he watched Starscream's motionless form.

"Do you surrender?" Ramjet asked, already charging yet another shot. He walked slowly over to his fallen opponent.

"Never!" Starscream hissed, tilting his head up to glare at his opponent.

"Wrong answer," Ramjet mocked as he brought his foot down on the remaining half of Starscream's right wing. He relished the cries of pain that slipped from the Seeker's lips. When the Fusion Cannon finished charging, Ramjet moved his foot away from his enemy.

"I win!" he laughed as he aimed the weapon at Starscream's spark chamber again. The Air Commander laughed up at the Conehead.

"What's so funny? I'm about to end you!" the white flier yelled in frustration.

"You could never defeat me," he coughed. Energon spilled from his mouth onto the ground.

"You're crazy! I have your spark chamber in my sights and this weapon is fully charged! You've lost!" Ramjet argued.

"Then finish it, if you can," Starscream taunted. The Decepticons that could make out the conversation were startled by the Air Commander's cold voice and seemingly unwarranted arrogance. Ramjet growled and attempted to fire the weapon. It didn't respond.

"What did you do?" he cried, backing away a few steps. Starscream sat up laughing.

"It's not what I did, it's what you couldn't do," Starscream coughed. Ramjet pointed the Fusion Cannon at Starscream's seated form but nothing happened again.

"What's going on?" the white flier asked in annoyance. The Air Commander stood slowly, a smirk plastered on his face.

"I'll admit, I'm impressed. I calculated that you could only handle three shots from the Fusion Cannon, but you managed five before it happened," Starscream mocked.

"What are you talking about?" Ramjet yelled. He looked down at the cannon and his jaw dropped at the sight. His right arm began to heat up at an alarming rate and warnings of detonation flashed across his vision. With a cry of distress, Ramjet unclasped and disconnected the weapon from his arm and threw it to the ground.

"You tampered with the cannon! Screamer, you cheated!" he accused.

"You got careless, Ramjet. The Fusion Cannon energy core can't take in more atoms than you intend to use in the nuclear fusion that takes place to build the power to fire it. You have no idea to counteract that either, do you? If you had waited a second longer to remove the Fusion Cannon, it, along with your arm at the very least, would have exploded," Starscream laughed. Ramjet growled. The spectators were in awe.

"I can still beat you! I still have all my limbs! You're losing Energon fast! All I have to do is wait you out!" Ramjet teased. Quicker than he realized, the white Conehead was sliding to a stop on the barren ground that was their arena. Starscream had punched him in the face again with speed Ramjet didn't know he possessed. The Decepticon audience sat in shocked silence. Megatron smirked at his Second.

"You can't win! It doesn't matter how quick you are! You're badly injured!" Ramjet shouted as he stood. The wingless Seeker shot him a deadly smirk. Energon trailed to his chin from lip components. It was dripping from the remainder of his left arm. It dripped on the ground from his clipped wings. And yet he remained standing.

"I won't lose. I can't lose!" Starscream shouted. Ramjet found himself on the ground again. He could feel Starscream's weight on his back and one of his arms was twisted back behind him.

"How badly do you want to win, Ramjet?" Starscream whispered icily.

"You can't intimidate me," he snarled as he attempted to free his arm from the Air Commander's surprisingly iron grip.

"Are you willing to lose an arm to win?" he asked lightly. The Decepticon Second in Command gave his opponent no chance to answer. He pulled the arm back with all his might until cables snapped and it finally disconnected from the rest of Ramjet's body. He laughed wickedly and tossed the arm aside as the Conehead screamed.

"What about your wings? Are you willing to lose them too?" he asked.

"No! Starscream please, I beg you!" Ramjet pleaded. Starscream stepped back from his opponent.

"Do you surrender?" he asked.

"Like I would surrender to the likes of you!" Ramjet snapped as he rolled over and leapt to his feet, connecting a punch to Starscream's gut with his forward momentum. The Air Commander doubled over and Ramjet kicked him in the face. Starscream sailed through the air and slid to a halt a short distance away from his opponent. The fallen flier looked to his right and saw the abandoned Fusion Cannon- perfect. He pulled himself to his knees and crawled toward the weapon. Ramjet walked toward the Seeker whose back was turned to him as he crawled. He failed to notice that Starscream stopped and picked something up. As quickly as he could, the Air Commander attached the Fusion Cannon to his injured arm. He stood and spun around quickly. Using his right arm to steady the weapon, Starscream pointed the Fusion Cannon at Ramjet's chest. The Conehead didn't know what to do.

"It was going to explode! It's unstable, you said so yourself!" shouted the Conehead.

"Yes, it was, but I know how to fix such a problem. Unlike you, I know exactly how this weapon works, so I know how to regulate the cannon's energy levels," gloated the Air Commander.

"You don't have enough energy to fire it," Ramjet challenged. He heard the soft whir of the weapon gathering power and took a step back.

"Are you sure about that?" Starscream smirked.

"You wouldn't kill me!" Ramjet yelled desperately. The crowd of Decepticons leaned in anxiously.

"You took my arm and both my wings! Do you honestly think I would hesitate to fire?" the Seeker countered.

"No, don't do it, Commander Starscream," he pleaded softly, raising his hands in surrender. He hoped sucking up would increase his chances of survival.

"Yield to me, Ramjet," Starscream ordered haughtily. There was a defiant pause.

"Unlike you, I know how this weapon works and am more than capable of using its full power," the Air Commander stated arrogantly. The audience gasped.

"F-Full power?" Ramjet sputtered.

"Yes, you were only using a fraction of its potential, fool. But remember, I designed it. I know this weapon inside and out!"

"No, no, you're cheating!" Ramjet sputtered, "You were only supposed to use one weapon, and this is weapon number two! You're disqualified!"

"Lord Megatron's exact words on the matter were 'You are both allowed to have one weapon' and I am not breaking that rule. I have one weapon with me. My Null Ray is on the ground, useless."

"Starscream, please, don't shoot me! I surrender, alright, I surrender to you!"

Soundwave stepped forward and spoke, "Duel: Complete. Victor: Starscream," he declared. The Decepticons cheered and rushed down to the two combatants. Ramjet glared at Starscream, who opened his mouth to speak.

"You were right, Ramjet. I didn't have enough energy to fire a shot," he laughed as he fell to the ground in his exhaustion. He offlined his optics, fully expecting to fall into stasis lock. Skywarp appeared next to him, worry written all over his face.

"Screamer, Screamer! Wake up! Speak to me!" he demanded while shaking his leader roughly. Starscream's optics flickered back to life at the sound of his troubled trine mate.

"Oh Primus! I thought you were dead!" Skywarp shouted.

"Ramjet could never kill me," Starscream whispered hoarsely as he his body attempted to force him into stasis lock.

"Man, you were so brave! And so cool!" Skywarp praised.

"That is the last time I ever do something brave," the Air Commander replied angrily.
Megatron appeared in Starscream's field of view and collected the Seeker in his arms.

"Stasis lock. Now," the gun-former ordered, leaving no room for argument. Starscream gladly complied with the Lord's orders for once. Ramjet simply stared in shock. Starscream had tricked him.

"Skywarp, teleport us to Hook. He's already waiting," Megatron ordered. Skywarp nodded. He shared a brief look with his bondmate before placing a hand on the Decepticon Commander's shoulder and warping.


Starscream's optics flickered on and he instantly regretted coming online. He moaned in pain and tried to sit up. He was too sore. With a sigh, he relaxed and stared at the ceiling. The lights were off, and he assumed everyone was in recharge for the night. He went over the events of his duel, but drew a blank as to the outcome. He remembered grabbing the Fusion Cannon and trying to bluff his way to victory, but everything past that was hard to recall. Knowing that he remained standing for far longer than he should have kept his lack of memories from being surprising. He was certain the overwhelming loss of Energon had something to do with it as well.

"Oh, Primus, I must have offlined before I could finish him," he moaned aloud.

"Do you talk to yourself often?" he heard a voice ask. He knew who it was but couldn't pinpoint the precise location of his leader. He didn't exactly care though. Starscream didn't feel up to talking about his failure. Losing his position as Air Commander and Second in Command of the Decepticon army was worse than death to him. He didn't want to hear the taunts from Ramjet, who was now his commanding officer. An exasperated sigh escaped his lip components. Starscream waited for Megatron to approach and berate him. He heard Megatron's footsteps getting closer. He offlined his optics.

"I know you're awake, so why would you fake it?" Megatron asked from next to the berth.

"I'm not faking it. I'm trying to relax," he answered, trying to sound angry but failing. Part of him hoped the silver mech would finish him off right then and there, though he suppressed such a feeling. Being dead wouldn't help with much of anything.

"It took you a while to wake up this time. You had your trine mates worried," the gun-former said.

"How long have I been offline?" he wondered.

"Almost two full Earth days. Hook said you were supposed to be out for two more, but it seems he was wrong," Megatron replied.

"Is Ramjet enjoying his new power? Did he have a ceremony and cape?" Starscream asked indignantly.

"What does he have to celebrate?" Megatron asked. Clearly Starscream had forgotten the outcome of the battle.

"You know very well what he has to celebrate. You should have made him kill me. I don't want to live under that slag head's command," he grumbled.

"Then it's a good thing he didn't win," the gun-former stated.

"What? I certainly don't remember winning. Don't tell me it was a draw! I lost an arm and my wings in that fight, and I didn't do it just to tie!" the Seeker complained.

"You don't remember winning?" Megatron questioned.

"No," the flier answered pathetically.

"You did. You bluffed your way to victory, in true Starscream form," the silver mech laughed. Starscream huffed moodily.

"At least I got to tear his arm off," the Air Commander grumbled. He felt a servo rest on his reconstructed left arm. Megatron ran his hand along the repaired limb.

"How long had you been working on that Fusion Cannon," the Decepticon Commander asked.

"I started building it while still on Cybertron, but I didn't have much time to work on it until we were reactivated here on Earth. I worked on it between missions. I don't know how that idiot Ramjet managed to break into my quarters. When I find out who helped him, I'll send that mech to the Pit. Now I have to recalibrate the energy output and fix the targeting array since that fool decided to force the components on himself," the Seeker grumbled, more to himself than Megatron.

"Do you intend to start using a Fusion Cannon in combat?" the gun-former asked, hoping to get his Second to admit it was a gift for his leader.

"Of course not! It would slow me down and improperly distribute weight to one side. I prefer my Null Rays," Starscream said arrogantly, turning his head away from his leader as if to snub the very idea physically.

"Then why did you build it?" Megatron asked, a smirk forming on his face.

"I built it to uh. Well, nuclear fusion has always interested me, and I just uh. I built it for the purpose of my studies," he stuttered. Megatron ran a hand across the Seeker's wing.

"Is that so?" he asked lightly. The gun-former played with the tip of his Second's wing gently. The mech shuddered on his medical berth.

"Sort of," Starscream replied. His air intakes hitched.

"Sort of? What else did you build it for then?" Megatron asked, continuing to administer light touches to his Second's wing.

"It-it, I uh, made it as sort of a, you know, surprise," the flier offered weakly, feeling incredibly odd with the idea of telling his leader he built it for him. Of course, in his earlier years in the Decepticons, he had no issue with telling his leader such things or offering him gifts, but a lot had changed.

"A surprise for who?" the gun-former pressed. Starscream knew what his leader was trying to do. A small smirk appeared on his face, though Megatron couldn't see it. If the gun-former thought he could always gain the upper hand in such situations, he was about to be proven wrong. Starscream summoned his courage.

"It was a surprise for you, Lord Megatron," he purred. Megatron shuddered lightly when the words reached his audio receptors.

"For me, you say? I suppose I'll have to give you something in return then," he grinned roguishly. Without warning, he pulled the Seeker into his arms and lay on the medical berth. Situated this way, Megatron lay on his back on the berth, and Starscream lay on his stomach on top of Megatron. Starscream groaned in pain. The gun-former ran his hands along the Seeker's form, changing the groans from those of pain to those of pleasure. The flier seemed content to just lay there and let his leader rub the residual pain away.

"You knew Ramjet didn't know how to use that Fusion Cannon from the start. You didn't even bother fighting him much until the end," Megatron observed.

"I wanted his own stupidity to beat him, to teach him a lesson," Starscream replied.

"You made a good show of it. He's been pouting in his quarters since he lost, though he claims you cheated and got lucky," the gun-former said lightly, still exploring the Seeker's form.

"He's the one that stole that weapon from my quarters, so if anyone cheated, it's him. I don't know how that moron managed to get in there though, he must have had Thrust he-," he realized what he was saying, "Thrust! I can't believe he'd help Ramjet! I'm going to kill him!"

Starscream struggled to get up to carry out the task of punishing Thrust, but Megatron held onto him firmly.

"You can confront him later. You need to recover from your battle. I'm curious about your fight though," the Decepticon Commander stated. His Second seemed to settle down.

"Why did you let Ramjet injure you to such a great extent? Even after he took an arm and both your wings, you were able to move so fast that barely any of the others could keep up. Why didn't you crush him quickly if you possess such speed? Not only that, but it seems you've hidden yet another of your talents from me, Starscream," Megatron remarked. The slight hitch in the Seeker's intakes brought a smirk to the Lord's face.

"I simply wanted to show Ramjet that even when injured like that, I can beat his sorry aft. And as for my hidden talent, I was saving it for later, for you," Starscream hissed. Megatron chuckled at the rambunctious Seeker.

"Do you really suppose it's wise to admit such things when I have you in my grasp?" Megatron questioned. Starscream let his own chuckle escape.

"You knew that yourself the second Ramjet and I began fighting hand to hand. It isn't news to anyone in this room," Starscream snapped, though he wisely chose to remain still in his leader's hold. Megatron smirked and his grip tightened. The Seeker hissed in pain.

"Yes, well, even if you had managed to hide such combat skills from me until confronting me, it wouldn't have made a difference. You were obviously trained by someone who treats fighting as an art, but all your precision, form, and flow will prove useless against someone like me, who fights off instinct. Just as water can't flow uphill, you can never reach my level and defeat me," Megatron mocked.

"You forget, mighty leader, that water doesn't attempt to flow uphill. Instead, it simply wears the hill down so that it may simply flow over it," Starscream chided. The tyrant's grip tightened further, earning him a moan of pain from his subordinate.

"Very clever, Starscream, but words will only get you so far. Remember that. And remember who is in control here," the gun-former ordered. His grip relaxed and Starscream mentally sighed in relief. He had convinced himself that his mouth had gotten him into trouble again, but it seemed Megatron was feeling rather merciful. That, or he didn't want to waste more parts on another repair right after this most recent one. Starscream's silence bored Megatron, so he decided to strike up conversation once more. After all, he needed to confront his Second about the memory files he saw.

"You put on quite an enjoyable show. You made Ramjet look as graceless as ever," he began, hoping to break the ice with a compliment.

"Ramjet doesn't need my assistance to look foolish. And any show I put on is enjoyable," Starscream replied, not amused with his leader's change in tactics. Perhaps if his body wasn't so sore, he'd attempt to escape to his quarters.

Another silence overtook the two. The Air Commander drifted off on random trains of thought, letting his processor run rampant. He thought over his fight with Ramjet. That stupid Conehead ruined everything. He didn't intend to let Megatron know of his close combat skills, nor did he intend to give Megatron the Fusion Cannon. Now the gun-former would take it if it wasn't offered to him.

Starscream frowned. He wouldn't have even finished the cannon the day before his duel with Ramjet if he hadn't been so angry. He always tinkered with things in his workshop when angry- his CPU seemed to process things much more quickly when angry and it was a great way to relieve stress. He wouldn't have been so angry had Soundwave not poked around in his head where he didn't belong. Starscream's optic shutters opened as wide as they could. Soundwave! What had he been looking for? What did he find? What did Megatron want him to find? Figuring it was the best time to find out, Starscream shifted to lock optics with his leader, who he still lay on.

"Lord Megatron," he began formally, "What did you have Soundwave probe my mind for?"

The Decepticon Leader was surprised by the Seeker's straightforwardness. So that's what the flier had been pondering during their moment of silence.

"I asked him to show me why you've become so paranoid and more or less self-centered over the years," Megatron answered honestly.

"Paranoid and self-centered?" the flier asked in disbelief. He had expected the answer to be something less mental and more physical, like what his weaknesses were, what his latest plans to assume leadership were, or what other abilities had he been hiding.

"Yes, it seems that you think everyone is out to get you so you are constantly watching your back and doing whatever you can to make situations better for only yourself."

"Maybe it has something to do with the beatings I receive, or the lack of trust bestowed upon me. I have a good reason to watch my back! Everyone except my trine mates is out to get me! Ramjet is a perfect example! Besides, isn't this the attitude you wanted of your Decepticons?" Starscream cried, wriggling in his leader's grasp.

"Against my better judgment, I'll admit to you that the beatings weren't always necessary and were sometimes administered due to a misunderstanding," Megatron tried to remain calm but admitting he was wrong was difficult, "But I'm not out to get you, Starscream! I thought you were being insubordinate, and as a leader it was my duty to crush such insubordination in the presence of others who may have wanted to do the same. And I brought the mechs and femmes that are now the Decepticon army together under the banner of using their own strength to cure Cybertron of its backwards system- letting the weak rule while the strong suffer."

"The least you could have done was confirmed that I was being disobedient! The only reason I started acting insubordinate was because you accused me of it so regularly. I want to overthrow you because only a leader as terrible as yourself would make the mistake of abusing his most valuable asset!" he cried, frustrated that his sore body couldn't break free from the gun-former's grasp.

"Quit squirming! I never had the intention of mistreating you, fool! I just didn't want anyone thinking I tolerated insubordination from my mechs! As leader of the Decepticons I cannot afford to appear weak, not even for a second! And don't flatter yourself, Starscream! I don't see what makes you think you're my most valuable asset!" Megatron shouted, gripping the Seeker tighter.

"Release me! I don't want to stay here and listen to this any longer! You chose me as your Second in Command! I thought that meant that you trusted me, that you respected me! But I was wrong! You've never cared about my opinion on this army, and you've never trusted my judgment, plans, or scientific abilities! And I didn't mean that I alone am your most valuable asset, I was talking about your followers! If you abuse them, who do you have left to rely on? Who will back your cause?" he shouted back, a variety of emotions leaking through without the Seeker's permission. Megatron growled angrily.

"I will not let you go, Starscream! You're not making this any easier on me! I came here with the intention of telling you that all those years of mistrust were a result of various misunderstandings! Do you remember the one time you mustered up the courage to present a plan to me? Well I shot it down because it was good. And the first time I ever struck you? I didn't know Bumblebee had taken one of your weapons and fired it at me! Then there was the Fusion Cannon upgrade you gave me. I didn't configure it with my targeting programs so when I fired, the shot was way off and hit you! Primus, even the day you saw me with Crossfire was a misunderstanding! That was the one and only time I ever did anything with that ridiculous mech and it was because I was drunk off my aft! Dear Primus, Starscream, do you honestly think I had no reason to keep you as my Second through all these years? How dare you even consider such a thing!" Megatron roared, locking optics with his bewildered Air Commander.

A large part of the gun-former's pride was wounded, not only from admitting fault to the last mech in existence that he wanted to, but from the sting of his Air Commander's words. And I didn't mean that I alone am your most valuable asset, I was talking about your followers! If you abuse them, who do you have left to rely on? Who will back your cause? Megatron never expected any of Starscream's lectures to actually make sense. The tone of his Second's voice also bothered him greatly. The Seeker spoke with such emotion, and not just the normal rage that generally polluted his voice. There were other emotions present and one in particular bothered Megatron the most- pain. Not the kind of pain that he was used to hearing, but a kind that came from the spark, from something hidden deep down in the Seeker. Perhaps he should have had Soundwave show him all of Starscream's memories, though that would have taken quite a lot of time.

"All misunderstandings?" Starscream whispered. He had just managed to make to Megatron, the Decepticon Commander, admit he was in the wrong on multiple occasions. It was obvious that the things he mentioned were the memories Soundwave had shown him. The tightness of the gun-former's grasp was beyond painful.

"M-Megatron, you're hurting m-me," the jet-former rasped quietly. The sudden change in the Seeker's tone startled Megatron. He released his hold, suddenly realizing just how much he had said. He wanted nothing more than to push Starscream off and run to his quarters, but he couldn't back out now, his pride wouldn't allow it.

"Yes, misunderstandings," he stated quietly. Starscream stared at him silently. Megatron could tell that the Seeker was running through a variety of scenarios in his head. The gun-former pulled the flier close, bored with his silence.

The gun-former tried to calm his own thoughts, but he couldn't rein all of them in. Wooing Starscream wouldn't be nearly as easy as he first believed. Now that the Seeker had seemingly recovered from the initial shock of his leader's advances, he was back to his snarky, cynical self, which could only cause the gun-former problems. His advantage was lost. Forcing the remainder of such thoughts from his mind, Megatron let his gaze travel back to his Second.

"Rest, Starscream," he ordered.

"What if the others come in when they wake?" Starscream asked. It was clear that he was concerned about his image.

"I said rest. That was an order," Megatron said lightly. Starscream smirked and rested his helm against the gun-former. He fell into recharge quicker than he wanted to. Megatron offlined his optics but didn't fall into recharge. Had he made the right choice when he told Starscream about everything? Should he have just blamed it all on the flier instead? No, he had made the decision to probe the Seeker's mind and fix things, and he didn't go back on a big decision like that. When morning came, he would try to prove to his Second that he was valued, as long as it didn't compromise his pride. Just before he too fell into recharge, Megatron hoped someone would find him with his Second in such a compromising position. He smirked at the thought.


When morning came, Hook walked in to check up on his remaining patient. Ramjet had been allowed out one Earth day earlier and the Constructicons' attention had been focused on the Air Commander. As he stepped through the door, he switched on the lights and almost passed out at the sight. The First and Second in Command of the Decepticon forces were in recharge together on the same berth. Starscream lay atop Megatron, his expression the most peaceful it had been in a while. The same could be said for Megatron. Hook remained frozen in shock. Soon Starscream began to stir. He pulled himself off his leader, who didn't budge. Apparently the gun-former was a heavy sleeper. The Seeker locked optics with the medic, who recovered from his stupor.

"How are you feeling, Starscream?" he asked as evenly as he could. The Air Commander adjusted his wings as the Constructicon spoke.

"I'm fine. Your repairs are sufficient," the jet-former replied. Hook huffed indignantly. The repairs looked to be more than sufficient in his opinion.

"Where is my Fusion Cannon?" Starscream asked.

"Over there," the medic answered, pointing to an unused medical berth in the corner.

"Where are your tools?" the flier asked. Hook shuffled over to a shelf and grabbed a toolbox, which he offered to the demanding flier.

The Seeker walked over to his weapon. The Constructicon stared after him, dumbfounded. Starscream set the toolbox down and picked the Fusion Cannon up instead. Hook watched the flier carefully. Starscream removed a few panels and began working. The Constructicon had to credit the scientist jet-former. He was certainly meticulous and lithe with his hands. He could probably be a great medic if he had the knowhow.

Sudden movement from the other side of the Medical Bay caught Hook's attention. Megatron was stirring. When the gun-former's optics came online, he seemed confused. He sat up and looked around, finally calming when he caught sight of Starscream in the corner of the room. The Decepticon Commander approached the Seeker.

"What are you doing?" Megatron asked.

"Fixing the Fusion Cannon," Starscream replied.

"Excellent work, Starscream," the gun-former praised. He placed a hand on one of the Seeker's wings and caressed it lightly. The flier shivered in response.

"You're in a good mood today," Starscream stated. Megatron didn't reply, more content with playing with the wing. The Seeker sighed in pleasure but stopped the gun-former. Megatron looked at him carefully. Starscream turned and walked to Hook, handing him the toolbox. The Constructicon took it and scurried from the Medical Bay, not even bothering to put the toolbox in its rightful place. The flier smirked and turned his attention back to Megatron.

"Try it," he offered. Megatron knew what he meant. He removed his current Fusion Cannon and replaced it with the newer model. It was much lighter. He took a moment to allow his targeting programs to adjust to the change. Starscream had done a marvelous job. Megatron could practically feel the extra power.

"Let's go," the gun-former stated suddenly.

"Go where, Megatron?" Starscream asked.

"Come with me," was all the gun-former said. He walked toward the exit, grabbing Starscream's hand and pulling him along. The Seeker stumbled along behind his leader. The pair didn't pass a single Decepticon on their way out of the base. They arrived at the same place Starscream's duel took place.

Before the gun-former began firing, he made certain that his Second stood behind him. Starscream almost smiled at the thought. The Decepticon Commander fired multiple shots, all at different power levels. He charged the cannon to full power and blasted the bluff of a nearby plateau. When the dust cleared, the massive rock formation was no more. Megatron smirked with satisfaction.

"This is quite the toy you've made me, Starscream," he complimented. He turned to face the Air Commander, who flinched. The gun-former frowned. Did the flier expect him to shoot? He approached the Seeker slowly. When he got close, Megatron grabbed Starscream's chin and tilted his head up. Lip components met in a heated kiss, but soon the silver mech soon broke the kiss to stare down at his Second and speak.

"How about a more hands on demonstration?" he smirked. Starscream was about to ask what he meant when Megatron transformed. The flier caught his leader, understanding what he meant. He smirked, running his along the length of the gun before aiming and firing at the various rock formations. Starscream couldn't help but admire his own handiwork. After a few more shots, Megatron transformed back. He smirked devilishly at his Second.

"It looks like your weapon is a success," he praised, his voice husky.

"It better be, I spent far too many hours on it," Starscream grumbled. Megatron approached the flier again, engaging in another kiss. They broke apart when a gasp reached their audio receptors. The sound came from above. Starscream dreaded looking up, but Megatron had no issue looking to see who had interrupted them.

"Skyfire!" he yelled angrily. The shuttle-former landed across from them.

"Don't bother calling the Autobots for backup!" Megatron growled.

"I didn't plan on it. I just came to retrieve what's mine. You understand, don't you Megatron?" Skyfire asked, smiling.

"What belongs to you?" the gun-former questioned in irritation.

"Yes, my little Screamer. It seems you've taken him from me when he doesn't belong to you," the Autobot replied, gentle smile never leaving his face. Starscream growled in anger.

"Starscream doesn't belong to you, Skyfire!" Megatron roared. To prove a point, he grabbed the Seeker around the waist and pulled him in for a deep kiss, to which the flier eagerly responded. Skyfire cried out.

"No! Don't you touch him, you monster! He deserves better than you!" the shuttle-former shouted. Megatron broke the kiss with his Second but didn't release him.

"He doesn't want to join you or the Autobots. Long ago, he pledged his undying loyalty to the Decepticons, to me!" the gun-former bellowed. Starscream looked up at his leader. The gun-former rushed Skyfire. They engaged in hand to hand combat, but Starscream had his worries. Megatron had spent so much energy already during their weapon test. He didn't want to take any chances. He opened his com link.

"Skywarp, wake up!"

There was a pause before anyone responded.

(Ugh, what is it, Screamer?)

"This is important, Warp. I need you to do something for me."

(What is it?)

"I'm going to give you a set of coordinates. I want you to warp there, grab Skyfire, and warp him anywhere that isn't close to the coordinates I give you. I'll explain in detail later."

(Alright, Screamer, I'll be waiting for those coordinates.)

Starscream watched the fight carefully, waiting until Skyfire stood alone. He and Megatron began clashing again and soon separated, both staring one another down for a moment.

"You seem weak, Megatron! Are you intimidated by my will to do anything to get my Starscream back?" the shuttle-former asked. Megatron scoffed.

"Get him back? He never belonged to you!" Megatron declared.

Starscream sent coordinates to his trine mate. The gun-former raised his Fusion Cannon and tried to charge it. He could tell his energy was low but didn't care. He loathed Skyfire and wanted to deactivate him badly. Out of nowhere, Skywarp appeared behind Skyfire, placing a hand on him. They both vanished.

"What is the meaning of this?" Megatron roared.

"Lord Megatron!" Starscream began, "I ordered Skywarp to teleport Skyfire to a distant location because you are so low on energy."

"How dare you interfere with my fight!" the gun-former yelled, marching over to his Second. Starscream took a few steps back in fright.

"You've used too much energy! You couldn't have kept fighting him! I did what I thought was best, and Skyfire isn't dead! You can fight him another day, when your energy is back, so it's fair!" the flier tried to argue. Megatron simply glared at him.

"Please, trust me. I didn't do it for any reason other than to help you," the Air Commander assured, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender. The gun-former looked at his Second's face, noting the fear and sincerity he found there. He sighed. He had been trying to make progress with the flier, but here he was threatening him again. Starscream noticed the change in his leader's demeanor and took a step toward him. Megatron's knees went weak beneath him, and he fell onto his Second. The gun-former knocked the Seeker on his aft.

Skywarp reappeared, his shoulder singed from the brief struggle he had with Skyfire. He saw Megatron lying in Starscream's lap. The violet jet-former landed next to his leaders.

"Warp, go get some Energon cubes. Megatron is low on energy," Starscream stated evenly. Skywarp didn't bother asking. He disappeared in a flash.

Megatron found the Seeker's lap to his liking. Skywarp returned shortly after with three Energon cubes in tow. He placed them near his trine leader before shooting Starscream a "We'll talk later" look and warping back to the base. The Air Commander grabbed a cube and held it up to his leader's lips. Megatron drank from it greedily, quickly downing its contents. Starscream repeated the process twice more. The gun-former remained in his Second's lap, even after the Energon recharged his systems.

"How are you feeling?" Starscream asked cautiously.

"I'm fine," Megatron replied shortly. The Seeker frowned but didn't say anything further. He had been more than flattered when Megatron jumped to defend him, but now there was a heavy silence hanging in the air.

A faint whirring sound buzzed in the two mechs' audio receptors, which quickly increased in volume. The two Decepticons quickly jumped to their feet.

"More Autobots?" Megatron wondered aloud.

"No, it sounds like…" Starscream trailed off.

"Like what?" the gun-former asked impatiently.

"Like Seekers," the flier said breathlessly. Small dots appeared on the horizon, quickly growing in size. Seven forms synchronously soared through the sky, swooping low to dramatically transform and land before the two Decepticons.