Possession.
Chapter Twelve.
"Okay, get in, we'd best not keep Starscream waiting," Barricade replied, transforming back to vehicle mode and flicking his door open.
"Hey, hey, not quite so fast, Barricade, I think I'd prefer to travel in Bumblebee," Sam said. Hearing Barricade suppress a growl through his vents, Sam tried to explain.
"I know 'Bee better, and, well, he is both my guardian and that of the AllSpark. Sorry, Barricade, please don't take it personal," Sam said. "Anyway, I want to take some of this food with me, I'm getting a bit hungry again."
When Barricade maintained a stony silence and left his door pointedly open, Bumblebee sighed.
"Put some of the food in my back seat, Sam. While you're doing that Barricade can com Starscream and explain why we are delayed, that we are bringing the food." He paused, and then continued.
"You can also tell him, Barricade that our delay is being exacerbated by the fact that you are insisting that the AllSpark's new vessel, who also happens to be Starscream's adopted kin, travel with you, rather than his and the AllSpark's chosen Guardian, namely me." His voice lost none of it's calmness but gained a slightly steely edge.
"If you don't, I will." He paused to let that sink in, converting to car form as Sam approached with his arms full of foodstuff, then spoke again.
"Or you can let Starscream's adopted and the AllSpark choose to travel in whom he chooses without trying to intimidate him by sulking. The choice, Barricade, is yours."
Barricade didn't respond verbally, but closed his door with an annoyed-sounding slam as Sam opened the yellow scout's back door and put the food in. He picked up a small selection of food and got in the front passenger seat.
"Do you mind driving, 'Bee? I'm still hungry, and think I should eat these before we meet Starscream." Sam held up a hot and spicy wing.
Bumblebee gave an amused snort and brought up his holoform in the driver's seat.
"I need to get fuel," Barricade said, remembering the instructions in Starscream's message. "The doctor is expecting me, I'll be right back. If you wait for me outside this hangar, I'll meet you there."
As Sam bit into the chicken wing, Barricade purred out, heading for the medbay. Bumblebee waited till he had gone, then obediently moved outside.
If there was a chance for peace, he didn't want to jeopardise it by goading Barricade too far, but he had to admit Sam's new status was giving Bumblebee the chance to have a bit of fun at the frontliner's expense.
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Starscream broke his communication with Barricade to find himself under Optimus Prime's piercing blue gaze.
"Barricade has been given his instructions, and I assume you have given Bumblebee the same sort of instructions, in the process gaining assurance that both he and Sam are safe and well?" the Seeker half-stated, half asked.
"Indeed. Your information and peace overtures are most intriguing," the Autobot leader said. "You have invited your wing-brothers?" Optimus was fairly sure that Starscream's response would be in the affirmative. Seekers were closely bonded to their trine-mates, and the first thing he had done was to suggest that Starscream invite them. This hope for peace, although fragile, was too good a chance to risk by not extending such courtesies to the other two members of Starscream's's trine.
"Yes, I did, and I thank you for convincing the staff at Nellis to allow them a one-off refuelling." Starscream said. "Our fuel situation is stable at the moment, but if such courtesies are available, we will avail ourselves of them."
Both of them knew that this was untrue, but Optimus allowed the face-saving lie to pass, another skill required in diplomacy, though he would be happier when Ratchet, who was a diplomat before becoming a medic, took over, for diplomacy was a potential minefield even for him: diplomacy was one of Optimus' skills, but not his strongest. So Optimus merely inclined his head in assent. It was Ratchet who interrupted the sudden and almost uncomfortable silence that followed.
"Leaders Optimus Prime and Starscream, may I suggest that while we wait we make our way to the Lookout, and pass the time there by tasting the latest batch of my freshly-brewed standard-grade energon?"
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Barricade, as promised, was not long in following the scout and his ward to the concrete apron in front of the hangar. It was now late afternoon, and the sun was starting to sink lower in the sky. Barricade didn't seem in any better a mood for having a full tank of fuel, merely saying "Let's go," before moving off without checking that the yellow scout was following.
Luckily, Bumblebee had anticipated the frontliner's sour mood, and moved quickly to follow him, even around some of the nightmare junctions they had to go through on their way, which was something that probably annoyed Barricade immensely. To Barricade's credit he did not allow this to needle him, but Bumblebee heaved a sigh of relief as they reached the Lookout, where the two imposing figures of Optimus Prime and Starscream awaited them.
Sam had, as promised, consumed the chicken wings by then, and was quick to get out of Bumblebee and remove the food so Bumblebee could go into robot form only a few minutes after Barricade did the same.
"Greetings, Barricade, if you go over to Ratchet he has brought some fuel for you." Optimus said gravely. "Sam, Bumblebee, it's good to see you again, and good to see you're healthy."
"We assured you that he was," Starscream said his wings twitching agitatedly as Barricade moved opver to where Ratchet waited with a portable refuelling unit. "Do you still doubt us?"
"It is not distrust of you, it's part of what humans term "small talk", some of which includes stating the blatantly obvious," Optimus said. "He is in front of me, I can see him, yet I ask after his health. It is what humans would term a 'rhetorical question', a question that is not needing an answer."
Starscream appeared to accept this, crouching before Sam and extending his hands: Sam climbed into them happily as Starscream raised him to Optimus' optic level. He recognised what this was about: Starscream showing Optimus Prime that Sam was doing this of his own free will.
At that moment, Starscream's wingbrothers roared overhead, turning to return before switching into robot form and landing with only the slightest ground tremor behind Starscream. They moved forwards and exchanged brief face-nuzzles with Starscream before each thanking Optimus for arranging to allow them to refuel at Nellis. Optimus reflected that a crate of beer or a few bottles of spirits might be due Lennox, Epps, and maybe SecDef Keller for expediting that one.
"May I suggest that now we have met on neutral ground, we head back to my Base, so we can talk about Sam's new status, and discuss it with him too, as he must have a say," Optimus said.
"Indeed," Starscream said, handing Sam carefully to Skywarp before folding down into his jet form and popping his canopy. "You won't need the flight suit this time, Sam, we're flying at subsonic speeds and low altitude," Starscream said through the cabin speaker. Then, after a pause, "I am one of Sam's guardians too, Bumblebee, and I think it's my turn now."
"Yes, you are," Bumblebee allowed, "but I think the choice is really Sam's." Bumblebee shot a look at Sam that indicated his assent, and Sam nodded, so Skywarp carefully lowered the human into Starscream's seat, where he did up the harness with now-practiced ease. Sam recognised that his scout friend was being diplomatic, and trusted Starscream in his Guardian position. He could ride with Bumblebee later, and he had to admit he enjoyed being in a position and situation Miles would give his eye-teeth - and more - to be in.
"Ironhide is expecting you, we will follow behind," Optimus said, as Starscream took off in a way no real F-22 would be capable of, and lazily cruised off in the direction of the Autobot Base. Bumblebee, Barricade and Ratchet folded down into their alt-forms, and Optimus stowed the food in Bumblebee's trunk before he and Starscream's wing brothers also took to their alts. The two jets set off after Starscream, and to salve Barricade's wounded pride (and so he could clear a path through any congestion) Optimus invited Barricade to lead the convoy, and asked Ratchet to take the back.
They set off towards the Autobot Base.
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Ironhide was waiting, as promised, by the open gates of the Autobot Base, his back straight, his cannons powered down, but his arms crossed. As Starscream circled around he saw two other mechs, one silver and one yellow, join the black 'bot and almost balked at the looks they gave him and then each other. He saw Ironhide shake his head sharply and saw (but did not hear) him say something to them, before he uncrossed his arms enough to beckon him down before crossing them again, and Starscream chanced landing.
His landing, to his relief, was not 'aided' by the Twins, whatever Ironhide has said to them made them wait beside him. As Sam popped the harness and climbed out, Sideswipe stepped forwards cupping his sliver hands in front of Sam who dropped into them. As the silver mech took a pace back, Starscream transformed into his robot form and approached.
"May I suggest we wait for my wingbrothers before we go inside? They are just behind me," the Seeker asked.
"Okay, but just for the record, Guardian or no, I still don't trust yeh." Ironhide said. Starscream chuckled.
"That's what I like about you, Autobot, I know where I stand with you," he said. "You'd have done well as a Decepticon with that attitude."
Ironhide scowled and glared at the Seeker.
"Yeh tryin' to insult me? How do yeh work that one out?"
"Trust, in the Decepticon ranks, was a good way to get offlined in a hurry," Starscream chuckled. "There were three unwritten rules in the ranks. First, your superior knows you might be a potential threat. Do as he says but don't turn your back on him. Secondly, if you want to advance and he's in your way, make the solution permanent and yourself non-accountable for it, and third, assume your juniors all want to be where you are, and don't turn your back on them." He nodded. "In other words, don't trust anyone."
"With an attitude like that we'll get nowhere!" Ironhide protested. "What's the point of peace talks if yeh won't trust us?"
"Trust is not necessarily the best way to keep peace. Continual vigilance on both sides, with both sides aware of each other's surveillance, is a good way to deter treachery." Starscream explained.
As Starscream's wingbrothers landed and transformed, Ironhide shook his head but had to admit the Seeker's words made a twisted sort of sense. It was true that even during ceasefires, both sides had still had spies in the other's camps, and both sides had known it. They might not know who the spies were, but they had known they were there somewhere.
Starscream paused in front of Sideswipe and held out his hands.
"As one of the AllSpark's appointed Guardians, may I suggest that I carry him in?" As Sideswipe hesitated and the tension grew, Sam took matters into his own hands by vaulting from the Autobot's hands into the Seeker's. At Sideswipe's surprised look, Sam sighed and looked at him.
"Look, he is my assigned Guardian and I do trust him, and if you don't mind, I'd like to get in before I freeze to death, please, it's a bit chilly now the sun's setting," the human implored. Ironhide nodded, seeing that the sun was almost touching the horizon, the sun would soon set and the chill of the Nevada night would soon be felt by any outside, Cybertronian and human alike. Starscream chuckled as Ironhide shuttered his optics and shook his head once.
"Come in, the others'll get here soon, I'll show you to the med bay, it's as good a place to wait as any," the black 'bot said.
"The med bay? Why?" Thundercracker asked. Starscream turned to him as Ironhide began walking through the gates.
"Because that's one of the places where Ratchet has his best low-grade available on tap," Starscream said, running his glossa over his lips before turning to follow Ironhide. He paused again, rotating his head to call over his wing "If you'd prefer to wait out here, that's up to you."
As the Seeker-Guardian followed Ironhide, he heard his wing-brothers scramble to fall in behind him as Thundercracker said "Actually, when you put it like that, I think we'd like to come." Skywarp made noises of assent but don not say anything else.
Even Ironhide smirked slightly as the three Seekers and one human followed he and the Twins into the Base.
(A/N: Sorry for the delay, people! It was caused by the arrival of, and entertaining of, a house-guest, followed by a severe head cold/mild 'flu.)