Possession.
Chapter Nine.
Bumblebee let out a querying whistle and stooped, bringing his optics close to the tattoo as if doubting what he was seeing. Then he turned to Starscream and raised his hands to his chest level with another whistle of confusion.
"Why would you do this? Sam fought against you, last time you saw him you tried to kill him. Why would you mark him as one of your own?"
"I scanned Sam and detected AllSpark energy within him. I am working on the assumption, drawn from various circumstances, that the energy or power of the AllSpark is now resident in Sam," Starscream explained. "That is why I had you brought here, Bumblebee, I am hoping you can help awaken the energy within Sam, something Sam has so far been unable to achieve." The Seeker placed a hand lightly on the Autobot's shoulder.
"Don't you dare, Starscream!" Sam said angrily. Both Starscream and Bumblebee looked down at Sam with wide optics.
"What's the matter, Sam?" Bumblebee asked.
"If he hurts you, Bee, to try and make me use the AllSpark, I swear I will not help him or let him use this power." he switched his gaze to Starscream. "Leave Bee out of it, find another way to stimulate it!" Sam cried.
"Hurt him?" echoed Starscream, looking confused. "I did not bring him here to hurt him, Sam, we have drank together, and custom dictates that neither of us attack the other. I had him brought because from your description, it sounds as if Bumblebee is a sensitive."
"Sensitive?" Sam asked. "What's a sensitive?"
"Somebody who could communicate with the AllSpark via touch and song." Bumblebee answered him at a nod from Starscream. "As Starscream seems to have surmised, I am one of these individuals, as is Optimus Prime."
"Well, I didn't know that, plus he would have been a whole lot harder to kidnap," Starscream replied. Sam had a sudden mental image of Skywarp straining to lift a wriggling Prime, and smothered a nervous giggle.
"May I assume that this has something to do with Sam possessing the AllSpark within him?" Bumblebee asked the Seeker.
"Indeed. I was wondering if your Sensitive abilities might work with Sam, if you held him in your hands and sang to him, might it bring the AllSpark out, or at least enable some method of communication." He turned to Sam. "He is special to you, and you are kin. There is no need to harm him, but it is his special ability that made me decide to bring him here, plus I thought it might cheer you up."
"Cheer me up?" Sam said in disbelief. "You bring him to a place where his factional loyalty could put him in danger and you think that will 'cheer me up?' More like give me more cause to worry."
"He will stay here in this hangar with you, and I will tell the other mechs that he is not to be harmed," Starscream assured. "Do not worry, Sam, I have thought things out, I will not be so careless as to let him come to harm."
"So they will all carry out your orders without question?" Sam asked. "Your mechs are all loyal to you now Megatron is gone?"
Starscream paused a moment, then nodded.
"Yes, you are correct, one or two will need the message stated clearly, perhaps reinforced with threats of what disobedience will mean. After all, Megatron is dead, I am in charge now, it is time they lay aside their loyalties to the dead or perhaps I will help them to join Megatron in oblivion." He fisted a hand so tight that Sam heard the metal creak. "You two, wait here and I'll be back."
"Hey, hey, wait!" Sam said, having an awful vision of Starscream facing down the grounder mechs and threatening them, and of them revolting. Starscream turned to look at Sam.
"What is it?" he asked irritably. "Do not assume that your new status gives you the right to challenge my authority."
"N-no, no, it's not that," Sam stammered. "I was just thinking that if mechs are like humans, a bit of encouragement works too. Sometimes just threats can work against you."
"Meaning?" Starscream asked, keeping his gaze fixed on Sam, who was beginning to wonder how much protection Starscream's claim would give him if Starscream himself got angry at Sam. The thought made Sam begin to shake in fear
"Meaning that some people - well, humans anyway, I don't know about mechs - will attack if they are scared enough." Sam knew he was babbling, but right then didn't care. "You don't want to risk your mechs ganging up on you and attacking you, do you?"
Either Starscream had calmed down or the level of Sam's fear had penetrated the Seeker's anger, for Starscream's face cleared and he unclenched his fist, peering in dismay as the shaking human.
"You may have a point, so what is your suggestion?" the Seeker asked.
"Well, I don't know what to suggest specifically, but perhaps you could ask their opinions or offer them some incentive, rather than just using threats," Sam stammered nervously. "What about suggesting that Bumblebee is of more use alive and well then dead, like as a bargaining chip against the Autobots? Maybe stress that the last thing you want is to have the Autobots attacking you to avenge the death of one of their own? Suggest swapping him back to the Autobots in return for fuel or concessions, something like that? After all, you could, you know."
Sam heard Bumblebee give a confused warble as Starscream gazed at Sam contemplatively for a moment. Sam swore something akin to amusement glinted in the Seeker's optics for a moment, something that was confirmed when Starscream's taut frame relaxed and a slight chuckle escaped his vocaliser.
"Why, Sam, you're more devious than I gave you credit for, we'll make a Decepticon out of you yet," the Seeker remarked.
"Thanks, I think," Sam said uncertainly, and was rewarded with another laugh from Starscream.
"Very well, I shall take you up on your suggestion with one slight modification," the Seeker stated, putting out a hand for Sam to climb on and beckoning to the Autobot scout.
"What modification would that be?" Sam asked nervously. Last time Starscream had 'modified' his plans, Sam had ended up keeping the other mechs entertained while Starscream and his wing brothers had gone for a fly.
"Well, Sam, far be it from me to steal your ideas, and the mechs need to see that your status is more than just tokenistic." Starscream told the human. "I think it's time I allowed you to use your new status as my kin with my mechs."
"Meaning?" Sam asked, wondering how Starscream would achieve this.
"Meaning that I won't be telling them about Bumblebee being kept alive to Decepticon advantage, Sam, but you will," the flier explained.
Sam almost choked at Starscream's blithe suggestion.
"Me?" he managed to cough out. "They won't listen to me, I'm just a human, and an Autobot sympathiser!"
"I will be there to back you up Sam, but that is the reason I want you to tell them. Hearing the suggestion that we swap Bumblebee for fuel from you, a known Autobot sympathiser, may well make them see you as trying to help both sides," Starscream explained. "I was about to go out and threaten them, it was you who made the swap-for-fuel suggestion, and it works well for everyone. The Autobots get their scout back alive and well, we receive something in return, and nobody gets hurt. Believe me, showing impartiality to both sides may be of benefit, especially if we can rouse the AllSpark." He paused, peering at Sam, his expression switching to slight suspicion.
"Or would you choose to allow the Autobots to have sparklings and deny them to us?"
"N-no, of course not," Sam stated. "That would be unfair." Starscream nodded, as if it were settled, and it struck Sam that perhaps to Starscream, it was.
"You addressing them about this idea, and me explaining it was your idea, may help in convincing them of that when the time comes," Starscream explained. "Come, we will address them now."
Before Sam could protest or think of anything else to say the seeker pushed open the big hangar doors and was striding towards the ground-based mech's building.
Starscream used metal knuckles to rap on the door before pushing it open and striding in, beckoning Bumblebee to follow. The yellow scout did, but was careful to position himself right behind the Seeker. If any of the Decepticon mechs tried to attack before Sam gave his explanation, or if the attempt failed, the second they spent dodging the Seeker could be the second that saved life or limb. After that, it would be up to Starscream what happened to the unfortunate mech, as Bumblebee was obviously instrumental in helping Sam and Starscream contact the AllSpark.
The mechs, however, were obviously observant enough to realise that Bumblebee was there at Starscream's behest, following him willingly without threats or restraints, so although they all looked at each other briefly, none of them moved to attack. Instead, they looked at Starscream expectantly, obviously expecting an explanation. They shutter-blinked in surprise when Starscream stooped, slid Sam off his hand, straightened and stepped back. As Sam wavered and regained his balance, as taken by surprise by Starscream's action as the mechs, the Seeker spoke.
"My chosen-kin will address you himself. You will treat him with respect and hear him out, or you will answer to me."
Sam looked up, squirming at being the object of focus of so many staring red optics. Unlike humans, Cybertronians did not need to blink, and Sam found their intent, steady regard very unsettling. As his mouth went dry and his mind became blank, he reflexively swallowed nervously to clear the nervous lump that had appeared in his throat.
"Uum…" Sam said, not quite sure where to start. He looked back briefly first at Bumblebee and then at Starscream, both of whom gave him encouraging head-bobs. Standing up straight, he focused his eyes about midway up Barricade's form, this being the highest he could look at this distance without craning his neck. He realised that his reaction was not giving them any reason to respect or listen, and probably confirmed for them that humans were pretty stupid.
"Well," he said, furiously thinking about what he needed to say. It struck him that manners might be a good place to start and he directed a bow towards the group of mechs, then straightened up. "Bumblebee is here for a purpose, one which will serve us all." As the mechs looked at first Bumblebee and then himself curiously, Sam found that now he had made his first sentence, he now knew what to say, his nerves were settling.
"As you all know, this Autobot has been my guardian for some time now," the human continued, "and although it is up to Starscream to explain to you as and when he wishes his purpose in bringing us both here, there are some benefits to be gained by his presence, or more precisely, in returning him to his Autobot companions unharmed and functioning."
"With all due respect, Sam, please stop waffling and explain why," Barricade said, earning him the fish-eye from Starscream, but as he had couched it politely, Starscream said nothing, merely gesturing for Sam to continue.
"If we allow Bumblebee to come to harm, you can be sure the Autobots will retaliate," Sam explained, his confidence growing. "Not to suggest any of you would shirk from a fight, but why provoke a fight which will cause usage of fuel, why not strike a bargain with the Autobots?"
Sam saw two of the mechs, Payload and Swindle, exchange looks, and certain that one was about to interrupt, pushed on with speaking.
"It would be good for everyone if we were to offer to return Bumblebee to the Autobots on exchange for a certain volume of fuel, both for the Seekers and for the ground types among you," he explained. "You get fuel, the Autobots get Bumblebee back, and no-one gets hurt."
"That does make sense," the brown medic Dr Syn said.
"Would the fuel be suitable for all types of ground vehicles?" the tank-mech Wreckage asked.
"Well, I assume so, yeah," Sam said. "After all, you'll be the ones asking, you can specify what kinds you need."
"And energon, let's not forget energon," Barricade interjected. "I've heard that Ratchet brews his own." His glossa flicked out of his mouth and ran along his derma, startling Sam, who jumped. "I've heard he's a good brewer, we can ask for some of that, too."
"Well, are we agreed then that no harm comes to the Autobot, that his value in exchanging him for fuel is worth keeping him well?" Starscream asked.
"Well, I think it's a good idea," the medic said. "Fuel is in short enough supply for us Decepticons without using it up in needless battles, especially as this plan gains us more without expending some of what little we have in fighting to get it."
"Well, I guess there's no harm in it," Barricade said, and Wreckage, Payload, and Swindle nodded in agreement.
"Thank you, Sam," the medic said and bowed to him. The other mechs, recalling that Sam was Seeker-kin, bowed to him as well, as Starscream crouched and lowered his hand again, allowing Sam to climb into it.
"Then that is agreed," Starscream said. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Sam needs to eat, and then rest, and then we have business to see to. Swindle or Payload, one of you go out to get Sam something to eat?"
He walked out of the grounder quarters without waiting for an answer, it was obvious to Sam that Starscream just expected it to be done. Back in the seeker quarters he lowered his hand again by Sam's corner, allowing the human to climb out before addressing him again.
"Now, Sam, get some rest and eat when the food arrives, for in a few hours, we have work to do."