CHAPTER 10
Starscream's notes
An interesting turn of events. And frightening.
I have been captured by Dreadwing, twin brother of Skyquake, who is apparently Megatron's new first lieutenant. Seems I was easily replaced after all…sigh.
He doesn't know I can still write down notes even when cuffed. Don't ask me how, I just can! I guess I do it in the back of my head, I don't know any longer! Ugh, maybe I should just change the title to 'Starscream's stupid thoughts' instead…
Anyway, Dreadwing put me under arrest and stasis-cuffed me. He says he's going to take me to Megatron for a…gulp…proper punishment. I really don't want to meet Megs right now. I wish I had stayed home at the Harbinger. Good thing they don't know about my GroundBridge remote, because otherwise I'd be in really big trouble!
They don't seem too busy getting back to the Nemesis just yet, though. Maybe they are looking for something. Perhaps I should ask them, just to lift this awkward silence. After all, everyone loves to strike a conversation with me!
"Commander Dreadwing," Starscream said as they were walking through a ravine. "This must be a very important mission, if Megatron has dispatched his…second-in-command. Scouting for energon? Or something else altogether?"
"That is none of your concern," Dreadwing replied coldly while concentrating on the radar in his servo, scanning for something.
"If I knew what you were looking for, perhaps I could help." He let out an exclamation as one of the Vehicons prodded the Seeker's back with his gun, getting annoyed with his talk. Thick-headed morons, he thought angrily.
After several cycles, the small group arrived at a dead end. Though, actually, it wasn't completely 'dead' after all, because a red flag had been planted in the snow by the wall.
"We have arrived at the coordinates," Dreadwing announced and looked from the radar to the red flag in disbelief. Behind the flag was a hole in the wall, shaped in a peculiar way as if something used to be there. "The relic…it has been taken!"
"Relic?" Starscream repeated in confusion. "What sort of relic?"
Dreadwing ignored the smaller Seeker. "Search the area!" he commanded the Vehicons, who immediately scattered and left the two Seekers behind.
And how come HE can order them around like he's Megatron, while I never get the respect I deserve? Starscream thought angrily and jealously. What does this guy have that I don't? Sure, he's a lot bigger than me, and he has a T-cog, but besides all that?
"Commander Dreadwing," one of the Vehicons reported, "we have discovered vehicle tracks!"
"The Autobots…"
"Perhaps," Starscream went in. "Though I've never known them to plant flags at the side of their victories."
Dreadwing did not find his sass funny. He grabbed the smaller Seeker and lifted him above ground.
"Do not try me, traitor! I will leave your lifeless husk in this frozen waste."
Before he could do such a thing though, the sound of driving reached their audio receptors. Behind them, a large red truck was driving towards them at high speed, unusual so for an Earth truck. Dreadwing dropped Starscream on the ground and walked towards the incoming vehicle.
"You two," he said to a couple of Vehicons, "guard the prisoner."
The truck transformed into the Autobot leader, who too walked towards Dreadwing. He stopped as the two other Vehicons stepped up at each side of their sub-commander.
"Optimus Prime," Dreadwing greeted the newcomer. "I will request only once that you surrender the relic."
"I was going to request the same of you, Dreadwing," Optimus replied calmly.
Starscream watched the scene with thought. So neither Dreadwing nor Optimus has this 'relic' they speak of? Where could it be then? And what is it…? He lifted his cuffed servos, as if to say something, but the Vehicon next to him poked him with his gun, enticing him to stay put. Starscream glanced at the red flag in speculation. If neither the Decepticons nor the Autobots have the relic, then it can only mean one thing…
"Then I would say we are on equal footing," Dreadwing replied, "were it not that there are five of us, and only one of you."
"Six," Starscream corrected and wrangled with his cuffs, "if you'd relieve me of these ridiculous manacles!"
Nobody said or did anything for a long time. The two of them just stared at each other, the Vehicons waiting impatiently for orders and Starscream waiting anxiously for something to happen.
I REALLY should have stayed behind in the Harbinger, the Seeker thought.
Starscreams stupid thoughts
Another interesting turn of events. Though not any more favorable than the last one.
Dreadwing and Optimus Prime had battled fiercely – Prime made short work of Dreadwing's sidekicks – while my guards stayed put. That is, until the two combatants moved the fight further down the ravine, followed by Prime burying Dreadwing underneath an avalanche. We walked down and found Optimus coming out from the dust cloud.
While the Vehicons were busy shooting after him, I pulled the one closest to me in front of the other one, thus making the latter shoot the one I used as a shield. Afterwards, Prime took care of the other guy.
I thought that since I had saved him now, Prime would free me from my stasis cuffs, but apparently he believes I have not been strained enough. I offered my help, but he simply threatened me to lead him to the relic anyway.
Hmph. From one captor to another. He didn't even say thank you! How rude!
We're now searching for that relic. Whatever it is, it must be important. It's also rather chilly because of this raging blizzard, and having that big gun aimed at my back doesn't help ease my anxiety!
"Be reasonable, Prime," Starscream said after having walked for almost half a mega-cycle. "This cold will freeze both our actuators!" He shuddered to emphasize the point.
"The current temperatures are not extreme enough to affect our biology," Optimus pointed out. "You'll be fine."
Well, at least he cares THAT much, the Seeker thought irritated. "Fine, but miserable! And I cannot believe that you'd take our alliances for granted, after all I have done for the Autobots! Helping to restore your memory, saving Arcee's life!" He looked at the Prime for a reaction.
"While you have at times proved beneficial to us, it has been to only further your own interests."
'Further my own interests' my exhaust port! Starscream thought insulted. If only he knew what I have been through these last few months! …No. I can't point out my vulnerability to him. That would be foolish and pathetic. I gotta play it cool.
"Well…we can't all be as selfless as you, now can we?" he snarled sassily instead, thus ending the conversation, moving on in silence. Inside, he was still raging at full power. My selfishness is what has kept me alive so far. And having saved Prime back there, only to have him switch places with those Vehicons, proves that nothing good can ever come out of selflessness! Nothing but pain, sorrow and REMAINING CAPTIVE!
Several cycles later, they arrived at a crater. It was now evening here as well – either that, or the blizzard was simply sucking out all light from the sky. On the far side of the crater resided a camp with the lights turned on.
"Aha," Starscream said triumphantly as they stopped to observe the site. "As I suspected. Humans. We will find the relic here. So, let us reclaim what is rightfully ours…"
Optimus pulled Starscream back, making him let out a yelp of surprise.
"We cannot simply enter a human facility to search for Cybertronian relics," Optimus said firmly.
"Not even if they stole it?" Starscream asked in disbelief.
"Nor can I expose innocent humans to a dangerous Decepticon!"
Starscream snorted insulted at the last part. When I get out of these cuffs, you're gonna GET IT, Prime!
About a dozen cycles or so – at least, that's what it felt like – passed, with Starscream wandering restlessly back and forth while they waited for the humans to evacuate the area, per Optimus' request. What a waste of time. Why did everyone care about humans so much, yet nobody cared even a tiny bit about him? He was the one living a Pit life as a rogue without the ability to transform! Where were his supporters?
Probably off "looking for Nightbird", he thought annoyed.
Despite what Prime had said before about them being fine with the temperatures, the Seeker was neither as robust nor as well-energized as the Autobot, and he felt like he was about to turn to ice. This, along with the fear of Dreadwing returning, made the Seeker very anxious and impatient.
"Are we really going to wait out here in the freezing cold, completely at the mercy of human bureaucracy?!" he snarled. He kept thinking about MECH and how they stole his T-cog.
But just then, a group of helicopters went to the air and left the base. Optimus pushed Starscream forward, and they went down to the base.
And there it was, in the hangar. The relic. Trapped in ice. Starscream was about to take it when a familiar voice sounded behind them.
"I knew you were of questionable honor, Starscream," Dreadwing said as he entered the hangar, having survived the avalanche. "But aiding the Autobots? That is a capital offense."
"What?" Starscream exclaimed despairingly while trying to think of an explanation. "But I…I left…tracks for you! On purpose! So you could rescue me from my captor!"
"Dreadwing," Optimus said, and Starscream stepped aside to let the big 'Bot step forward. "I cannot allow you to leave here with this relic."
"I know that, Prime," the blue Seeker replied and pointed his cannon at his foes. "But I do not intend to give you a choice."
The two large mechs began fighting again, fiercely. While they distracted each other – and no one was paying attention to the smaller Seeker – Starscream went over to the frozen relic and checked it out.
"Given all the fuss," he said to himself, "this relic must be truly special."
He started beating his stasis cuffs on the ice block, this way to both release himself and break the relic free at the same time. He cackled excitedly with each beat. As an explosion sounded from outside, he beat a few more times on the ice, and though his cuffs were still whole, the ice had broken and the relic was now free.
"Armor," Starscream said breathlessly as he picked up the relic, "of Decepticon origin."
He placed the relic on his chest and watched as it immediately began transforming itself into a solid armor surrounding his torso and limbs. He watched gleefully as the armor tore the stasis cuffs into pieces, thus finally freeing his servos. The transformation continued, until the Seeker was completely surrounded by a large, thick, protective armor which made him feel much bigger than even Megatron. And he possibly was, as he jumped through the roof with incredible power and landed before Dreadwing and Optimus, who both looked like Mini-Cons at his current size.
"The Apex Armor…" Optimus said in disbelief.
Starscream gazed at his new look. "A perfect fit!"
"You dare to claim what rightfully belongs to Lord Megatron?" Dreadwing shouted and took his battle stance.
Starscream merely laughed. "And what do you intend to do about it…commander?"
Dreadwing stormed towards the Seeker. He swung his sword at the chest, but it merely bounced off. The Apex armor didn't even flinch, and not even a blunt had marked it. Starscream brushed the hit area and laughed maniacally, then simply swung his arm and swiped the attacker away.
"Not so big and strong now, are you?" he mocked. "I haven't had this much fun since I punched that hole in Cliffjumper!" He went over, picked up a bulldozer like it was a toy and prepared to throw it. "Allow me to reunite you with your beloved twin!"
But he hadn't paid attention to Optimus, who rammed the Seeker and made him lose his grip of the bulldozer, which now went flying and almost hit Dreadwing, who – unfortunately, Starscream thought – just managed to roll away in time.
"And you, Optimus Prime…" Starscream grabbed the Autobot leader's fist and began squeezing it, causing the big – wait, small – 'Bot to fall to his knees, trying to release his pained fist. "I will beat the living spark out of you, just so I never again have to endure your pontificating!" He ended his monologue by throwing Optimus into some containers.
Dreadwing shot at the armor and then continued attacking by swinging his sword at him, but Starscream merely pushed him away like before. The blue Seeker landed in the containers next to Optimus.
The two of them seemed to be talking lowly together, but Starscream was too busy being in his own world to care about what they were saying. This will make everything so much easier! Raiding Megatron's energon mines will be as easy as slagging a Vehicon! If only I could reach my remote from here… "Well, that can wait," he said lowly to himself as he walked towards them, chuckling. "I have some pests to slag…"
Dreadwing handed something over to Prime, then transformed and went into the air, proceeding to shoot at the Apex Armor, which once again proved futile. The Seeker jumped into the air and punched the other Seeker down from the sky. What a pathetic attack, he thought mockingly.
"Might beats flight," he said ecstatically as Dreadwing reverted back to bot mode. Then Optimus pounced onto his back but was quickly thrown off again.
"You should be the one to join with the AllSpark," Dreadwing said while holding a device in his right servo, something which Starscream recognized as a detonator.
A fast, loud beeping sound was heard from his back. He yelped, turning from side to side in a late attempt to get it off. I really hope this armor is as good as they say, he thought fearfully.
It exploded before he could think another thought.