Impact
Chapter Ten:
Starscream frantically rerouted his sensors to find Frenzy. That little slag was way past overdue in checking in with the new Lord of the Decepticons. It had taken Starscream a great deal of thought, but he had finally contrived a purpose for the overly annoying and chatty little 'droid.
"Frenzy," he screeched angrily over com-link as his sensors found the lock they searched for. "Are the landing co-ordinates transmitted?"
"Y-Y-Yes my Lord," Frenzy stuttered away in his native Cybertronian. Overzealous and prepared for his next mission he launched into his next thoughts. "A-Are you r-r-ready for me to rende-rendezvous with Barricade d-down on earth?"
Starscream inclined his optics down toward the planet before him, watching the slowly rotating masses of grey covering the blue and brownish green landscape. "Patience, weakling," he chastised. "You will dispatch when I say you may. You will leave at the exact moment of Soundwave and Thundercracker's arrival. My need for you is finished. Is that understood?"
"Y-y-yes, my Lord," came the hurried reply. "Space debris," he mumbled repeatedly to himself, reciting portions of his lord's plan, looking up to Starscream for approval.
Instead of acknowledging the mini-con, Starscream turned his gaze back up the dark and starry void before him. Soundwave and Thundercracker were due to arrive any moment. He focused his attention on how he would prove his dominance to Soundwave in particular. That hulking piece of space junk had never looked up to Starscream in the way that he should have. One slip up and Starscream would find himself dealing with a threat potentially much more ominous than Optimus Prime himself. If Soundwave tried to seize control and took a faction of the Decepticons with him, he could start yet another battle that Starscream did not need. Starscream would have to prepare himself to deal with deviance and defiance at the first sign. There would be no second chances. His punishments would be cruel and they would be ruthless.
Shuddering at the pleasure and anticipation his old rival's pain and fury, Starscream once again refocused his attention on the base.
All preparations were complete. He took a moment to congratulate himself on the idea of suctioning magnetized material out of the moon-rock and building his base with it. 'Ingenious,' he whispered to himself. 'Lord Megatron would never have thought of such a brilliant plan. I would have been justly rewarded.' Priding himself, Starscream realized that he had already been justly rewarded; by himself. Now command of the Decepticons belonged to him and he alone would enjoy the full bounty of whatever was to come from their imposed rule. He would be the spearhead of the Decepticon race, the catalyst for their regime. 'Once Soundwave and Thundercracker arrive we can collaborate on how to foil the Autobots and retrieve the All Spark from the ocean depths. Once that is complete, perhaps we can build an army, effectively crippling the Autobots, the only ones with the possible capabilities and means of even hindering us.'
Starscream smirked as he turned toward the still babbling Frenzy. "Silence," he spat as he extended his leg to meet the tiny pest head-on, sending him sprawling toward the opposite end of the crater. "I sense their arrival. Be prepared to execute your orders, underling."
Frenzy snapped his neck back into an upright position and scuttled up toward the rocky surface of the moon, twitching his four optic extenders and trying to restore their function. Letting loose a mechanical sigh, he climbed into the centrifuge specially designed to launch him to Earth's surface and then compressed his metal body.
Nanoseconds before he would have scrummed to the pressure of the centrifuge's centrifugal force, the mini-con was violently sling-shotted into space. As he sped towards earth, Frenzy could sense the threatening presence of Soundwave and the ardent energy of Thundercracker. They had landed safely, just as Lord Starscream had predicted they would.
No smoke rose from the two newly formed craters. There was no oxygen to form combustion. Dust swept in thin, wafting clouds above the landing sight, still slowly falling back into gravity's place.
Starscream approached quickly and confidently. The larger of the two Decepticons was already emerging from his cramped up, traveling form. Clinking his joints and limbs back into position, he rose, standing nearly as tall as Starscream and commanding just as much authority in his own blunt way.
"Soundwave," Starscream greeted coldly as another life form appeared behind the first. "And Thundercracker, it's time we get to work. Follow me."
Starscream led them both to his newly formed base. As he went to enter the open doorway, Soundwave vied to go through first. Slamming a powerful leg down just modicums away from the base of Soundwave's foot, Starscream glared at his subordinate with flaming crimson orbs.
"I will not tolerate impudence. This will be the last instance of your arrogance."
He roughly shouldered Soundwave back out of his way and entered his new base, the foundation of his rule. Now his true reign started. The true test of his abilities and leadership would most certainly follow. Deep within his spark, Starscream rejoiced. This was chance he had so longed for, ever since coming under Megatron's tutelage. He was ready.
Author's Note: Hey guys. Sorry for the delay last chapter. With all state tryouts and clinic, my schedule has been hectic. Again, I'm sorry for the wait, but I refused to rush this, so hopefully now things will be getting back to a more normal schedule. Thanks! Please review!!!