Author's notes: I like Thursdays to update. They have some complicity with fanfiction. Maybe it's just me and my addiction to stay in bed Thursday mornings. I highly recommend it.
Anyway, enough with my rambling. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It was beta read by my dear friend eeyop1428. Thanks very much girl! Your help is really appreciated.
Chapter 13
The misfits
"Just ignore him."
Clenched fists.
"If you let him annoy you, you will show your weaknesses."
Narrowed red optics.
"Warp…"
Skywarp finally seemed to acknowledge the words Thundercracker had transmitted through the private frequency of their com link.
"Relax, TC, I won't do anything stupid… But it's so hard not to make that microchip moron eat one of my missiles. It couldn't be easier at such short range."
Thundercracker didn't reply, tired of his eternal task of tranquilizing his erratic wingmate's momentums. He supposed something similar was happening to the Autobot twins, considering their current attitudes, although they certainly seemed not prone to silence.
"Hey, Decepticon!"
By instinct, Skywarp's arm cannons started to hum, announcing the energy charge that claimed to be released.
"Warp…"
"Involuntary reaction. These beauties activate by themselves when I get angry, you know that. But I already told you I'm not going to blast these slaggers to pieces. Calm down."
"You ask too much."
"I'm talking to you, Decepticon scum!"
"In which universe do you live in that makes you think I'm going to degrade myself by talking to you, Autobot?"
"Enough, Warp, I told you to ignore whatever they tell you. Sideswipe is just trying to provoke you, can't you see?"
"Bah… I'm tired of talking through the com link. I'm closing the channel."
"Slag you…"
The silent communication between both Seekers suddenly ended. Thundercracker shook his head, surprised that it had lasted more than ten astro seconds. Skywarp was the antithesis of any subtlety and preferred direct encounters, no matter if his enemies or his own allies were at the end of his fury. Unfortunately, the two Autobots who were sitting just some mecano meters away shared the same preference.
"Are you in the mood for some jet judo, Decepticon? I'm booooored…" Sideswipe continued.
"Always. Just cross the border, Autodork."
"Ha! That's what you would like, huh? Why don't you cross the border?"
"You cross it."
"No, you cross it!"
Thundercracker sighed as he folded his arms across his chest from his surveillance post. He had always considered Prowl a very logical and reserved enemy, but the Autobot Second in Command certainly had a very bizarre sense of humour. Assigning precisely those two to watch the important western border was a clear signal of insanity. It was like point blank shooting toward pure energon, and Thundercracker knew perfectly well he was the only one who had any chance to stop any incoming catastrophe. Sometimes he wished he could be less rational. Skywarp seemed to be very happy in his simple world, and those two Autobots too, for that matter.
"You cross it!"
"No, you cross it!"
Sunstreaker was strangely silent considering his psychotic temperament, but Thundercracker knew he had to remain alert, even though repugnance and boredom were saturating his spark.
It was going to be a long day. A very long day.
-----------------
"Come on Sunny, join the fun."
"Fun? Kicking the lubricant out of those trash cans, that would be fun."
"I'm working on it."
"Nah… I'm not in the mood to ruin my paintjob today. Besides, I promised Prowl we would behave."
"I hate it when you make promises."
"Same here."
"Who cares about promises anyway? Look, I'm about to break Skywarp. Just a little bit more and the fragger will make a mistake. Just watch…"
"Never mind. He has his orders too. The 'Cons are not interested in initiating a war between these two nations, at least not yet. But they will happily do it if we make the wrong step."
"Eeeewww… you're beginning to sound like Prowl."
"Take it back, Sides, or so help me…!"
"Alright, alright… you sound like Optimus. Is that better?"
"Why you…!"
"What's the matter, Autobot dolt? Didn't you want to play your judo slag? As always, you talk too much. Coward!"
Sideswipe interrupted the private communication with his twin and returned his attention to the enemy.
"Don't you call me coward, Decepticon scum! I'll tell you something. Why don't you teleport right here and we settle this right now? Technically you wouldn't be crossing the border…"
"Yeah, right. You Autobots must think everybody is as stupid as you are. I won't fall into your tricks, you frag face."
"Just cross the slagging border and I'll show you who is the frag face, you flying trash can!"
"You cross it!"
"No, you cross it!"
Sunstreaker and Thundercracker shook their heads at the same time, separated by a primitive barricade but united by the same need for patience. None of them would have admitted it, of course.
-----------------
Adara let her glance travel through the big metal ring as sporadic glimpses of fresh air tried to fool her skin from the abrasive heat.
The two female servants stopped fanning, the two palm leaves in their hands, when their Queen suddenly got up from her wingback chair and abandoned the comfort and shadow of her post under the awning to direct her steps toward the sand ahead. A jeweled raised hand was all both maids needed to know their sovereign didn't want to be followed.
The young Queen advancing without a retinue of servants or the protection of a platoon of soldiers was a very surreal image to see. Since their arrival, the alien robots had made sure to keep their human allies as far away from them as possible. In a matter of days, the palace and the entire country had become Decepticon territory.
Adara walked directly toward her silver objective, who was directing with concise and energetic orders the assembling of the big metallic structure that eclipsed, and literally had crushed, a huge part of the exotic foreign vegetation that surrounded the royal palace.
She was sure he wasn't aware of her closeness, but any thought of surprising him died when he addressed her, his glance still fixated on the six constructing robots that were assembling with extraordinary precision the new metallic fortress.
"I don't recall authorizing your proximity," his rough voice rasped.
"And I don't recall you prohibiting it. If you did, you would be very generous in excusing my forgetfulness."
Megatron stabbed the small creature beside him with his always harsh optics, despite he knowing perfectly well she wouldn't flinch.
"Wasn't I generous enough by allowing you to leave your lodgings?"
"Oh, you mean my confinement? Yes, extremely generous, my Lord. Freedom has a strange taste, I must say. It's not common for me to feel the sun light so directly."
"Don't make it a habit. It won't happen often as long as we stay here. Enjoy what you can from this filthy place and go back to the zone I assigned you."
"That's what I plan to do, but I wanted to see more closely this… what was the name again?"
"Space bridge."
"Space bridge, right… It's not my intention to question your technology, Megatron, but travelling from one planet to another in a matter of seconds seems impossible."
"Nothing is impossible. You humans remain in ignorance due to your limited organic minds and your superstitious beliefs. What you see before you is no miracle, but the application of reasoning over technology."
"To serve your purposes, of course."
"Logically. Otherwise, transporting all the energon we are extracting from the petroleum fields would take us several solar cycles, not to mention the constant risk of Autobot ambushes."
One of the constructing robots approached Megatron. He gave no sign in noticing Adara's presence.
"The space bridge is ready, Megatron," he said, waving his arm in a military salute.
"Excellent, Scrapper. As always, the Constructicons have served me well. Recharge for the rest of the cycle. An extra energon ration will be granted to your team."
"We live to serve you, my leader. Your generosity is highly appreciated," the green and purple robot replied as he bowed his head.
Adara waited until the six robots were gone before speaking again.
"Megatron the magnanimous… My father never gave his generals any treatment like this. He was pure tyranny. That was one of the reasons why three of them tried to assassinate him during the past ten years. They paid failure with their heads, of course."
"Your creator wasn't such a foolish man. He knew how to impose his authority through fear, but his vision was limited. He neglected his weakest point and that cost him his existence."
Adara's ironic smile rivalled Megatron's.
"True. But you can't claim yourself innocent from the matter, Megatron. You would have killed him anyway."
"Details, details. Terminating your creator has facilitated the execution of my plans. I'm satisfied with your performance."
"My performance?" Adara laughed. "I'm curious… What kind of performance are you talking about exactly?"
"Beware, human. Don't test my patience."
"Which is not precisely your biggest quality, I know… It's just that last night you seemed quite… pleased, Megatron. I would like to receive some praise for the favours I provide you."
"Once again, you allow your unjustified ego to guide you into trivial directions."
"And once again, I see you apparently refuse to give any importance to what happens behind my doors. But it's alright. I have learned you are not the talkative type concerning some things."
Megatron didn't reply, ratifying each one of her words with his silence. It was surprising how much Adara had learnt about him in so little time, but still there was so much she wanted to learn from the personality of the metallic being that had snatched from her something more than her mere virginity.
She wanted more, so much more. She hungered for him and there was no limit she was willing to respect.
"I want to go," she said.
Megatron looked at her suspiciously.
"Your planet… Cybertron," she insisted. "I want to go. Will you take me there?"
His sudden laugh was able to break her insolence for once and bring her beautiful face to anger.
"What is so funny? I want to go to Cybertron! You said this space bridge can make the trip in a matter of seconds."
"And I didn't lie."
"So? Take me!"
"You have no business in Cybertron."
"But I want to go!"
"Your desires couldn't mean less to me. The space bridge was created to serve the Decepticon cause, not to satisfy personal caprices."
"Well… you are the Commander of all the Decepticons. If anybody can break the rules, that would be you."
"I could indeed, but I will not."
"But…"
"Stop insisting; you begin to annoy me. Besides, why would you want to go to Cybertron?"
Adara felt offended by the question, like as she had just been insulted.
"I want to see the place where you were born."
Megatron didn't reply, but the smirk on his face disappeared.
"Or where you were built… whatever your race calls creation," she continued.
"Your petition is lack of any logic."
"Why? Just because your cold reasoning says so? Why is it so hard for you to understand that I want to know more about you?"
"Because it's unnecessary. Your origins are irrelevant to me. The same way, mine should be to you. Don't make me repeat it again."
For a moment, it seemed that Adara was going to retort, but some sort of common sense must have been operating within her because she remained silent, although the remains of her pout returned her face to her not so distant childhood.
It was Megatron's turn to feel satisfied. Shutting the flesh creature up had proved not to be an easy task. The fleeting sensation of victory led him to a better mood.
"What's wrong with you, human? Was justice made and your vocalizer has ceased functioning? You will never see Cybertron, make no mistake about that, but I still have ways to please you. How about a little demonstration?"
Without waiting for an answer, Megatron looked over his shoulder, searching for the treacherous presence he knew was always close.
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Starscream was distrustful by nature. He didn't trust in anybody and didn't expect anybody to trust him. In the same way, he treasured every suspicion and investigated it in search of advantages. He hadn't survived so many millennias precisely because of his good luck. Despite the immature and voluble behaviour he was constantly associated with, the Decepticon Aerospace Commander was more careful than anybody would have thought.
That was the reason why he didn't consider it an exaggeration to focus his attention on the image of his hated leader accompanied by the daughter of the terminated King Kadar.
Such a sight didn't surprise him, nevertheless. Since the first time he saw Megatron and Princess Adara together he had perceived their bizarre complicity. Starscream's analytic mind only needed a quick scan to fully understand the origins of a certain organic perfume. However, it was until that day at the desert in which Starscream allowed his thoughts on the matter to exceed the importance he had given them in the beginning.
Megatron would have never permitted the proximity of a human being. Why, then, was he tolerating how close that flesh creature was to him? Why was he talking to her?
What really caught Starscream's attention was the way the female looked at the Decepticon leader. The Seeker wasn't an expert in human physiognomy, but he immediately perceived she was highly interested in Megatron… Fascinated would be a more appropriate adjective. The mere thought was repulsive.
Hiding behind the trunk of a huge palm tree, Starscream narrowed his optics when Megatron abruptly turned toward his location and with a simple wave of his arm made clear the order to approach. The hope that his presence remained unknown broke, announcing bad omens. However, refusing was not an option. Not in that moment, at least. Starscream knew he had to be patient until an opportunity showed itself. How much he was able to stand the waiting, however, was excluded in any calculation.
---------------
Adara frowned when she heard the heavy footsteps approaching behind her back. She didn't notice the presence of the tricolored robot until she saw him. Those machines were amazingly able to mimic in a foreign environment despite their large size.
But all thought about the matter evaporated as she recognized the newcomer. She didn't have to look at his face, neither his wings, neither the contempt on his mouth… Her shiny green eyes fixated on his right foot, the same foot that just a few days ago had snatched the life away from her father and had turned him from a tyrant into a bloody mass.
His killer… although he was no more culprit than herself. Megatron certainly knew how to move his pieces.
"Slacking off as always, aren't you Starscream?" Megatron said, enjoying with evil satisfaction the tension that immediately took over between his Second in Command and the human female. "Don't you have duties to attend?"
Starscream shot the girl a fast glance of disgust before stopping in front of his leader.
"I already finished securing the borders and assigning surveillance shifts. It's not me who is neglecting his duties, Megatron."
Adara discreetly glanced at Megatron, curious about the reaction he would have against the evident double sense in the words of his servant. She highly enjoyed the way the Decepticon leader seemed to play with his victims before destroying them.
"Perfect, then. Your large amount of spare time makes you the ideal volunteer to deliver this report to Shockwave," Megatron continued as he roughly threw a small dispositive toward the Seeker.
Starscream awkwardly caught the data pad, not expecting the sudden movement.
"What? A codified message? Why don't you transmit it yourself?"
"I could, indeed, but that would deprive Queen Adara of witnessing the wonders of interdimensional transportation. Besides, the space bridge must be tested before sending our first energon shipment."
Starscream narrowed his optics and said something in that screechy language Adara had listened to once, the same one she used to seal her father's fate.
"Where are your manners, Starscream?" Megatron smirked. "You will speak in this country's language when its sovereign is present."
Starscream clenched his fists, refusing to submit to docility. He shot Adara a dirty look, who gave him a similar response.
"I said I won't be part of the amusement of an insignificant human, no matter the rank she has in the joke of hierarchy this country has."
"Who is this one, Megatron? Your buffoon?" Adara retorted.
Megatron burst in laughter, finishing with Starscream's attempt of control.
"Beware of your words, human! In no universe will you dare talk to me like that, do you understand?!" the Seeker exploded.
"In which other way am I suppose to address a servant?"
"Who are you calling servant, you miserable fleshling?!"
"True, that was my mistake. You are not an ordinary servant, but the buffoon. Your function is to amuse Megatron. I wonder if you will be able to amuse me as well."
Starscream advanced a threatening step toward Adara but Megatron roughly grabbed his arm and pushed him backward.
"As much as I hate to stop your ridiculous attempt of self-embarrassment, Starscream, I must address priorities. Proceed to the space bridge. It needs to be tested immediately."
"But… but… are you going to allow this… thing talk to me like that?!"
"The Queen will talk to you in whatever way she pleases. Don't forget we are nothing more than simple guests in her country."
Megatron's cynisism couldn't be more clear and the human certainly was enjoying the charade. That made the situation doubly humiliating for Starscream, if such a thing were possible.
"I won't tolerate this insult! I am nobody's joke or servant! And that includes you too, Megatron! I'm the Second in Comman…!"
Starscream couldn't finish. Voracious fingers closed around his neck, brutally crushing his throat's inner circuitry and paralyzing his vocalizer.
"You will obey my order and you will obey it now," Megatron spat with a voice so cold that Starscream felt the lubricant inside his body freezing.
Megatron released his prey and Starscream had to make an effort to remain standing. He wouldn't give Megatron and his human pet the satisfaction of finishing off his hurt dignity. After a moment of silence, he shot a distrutful look toward the recently built space bridge.
"Does… the space bridge have enough Cybertronium to fully operate?" he asked with a strangely husky voice for his usual high range.
"It has. Do you think I would send my Second in Command to an imminent destruction?" was the ironic answer. "Of course, as you know, failure is always a possibility. You can never predict the exact behaviour of dimensional portals. Fortunately, our technology has reduced the accident rate almost to a minimal… Almost."
Adara laughed noisily, each of her guffaws a painful stab to Starscream's pride.
"You are so generous with your servants, Megatron," she said. "Your buffoon should be thankful for having a master like you."
The irate Air Commander made one of the biggest efforts he had made in his life to avoid turning the human female into a spectacle of blood and entrails rivaling her creator's. Megatron's presence was too imposing to try anything. How big his anger would be if the human was terminated was a question that would still need to wait for an answer.
"You've already lost enough time, Starscream. Leave. I will be generous for once and activate the space bridge for you. When you arrive to Cybertron help Shockwave to be ready to receive the two thousand energon cubes I will send in twenty five breems. By the way, don't rush in coming back. Your presence is not required, even less appreciated."
Within the many teachings acquired living under Megatron's shadow, Starscream had learnt that many times maturity came by shaking hands with defeat. Continuing resistance would have been as useless as it was unworthy, a heavy weight that would finish breaking him down.
So he chose silence instead and walked toward the centre of the space bridge. As the hatch closed behind him and the always unpleasant sensation of the interdimensional journey started to drag him in a reign of dust and debris, Starscream made himself a promise.
Megatron would pay, as well as his human toy. An indescribable fate was awaiting her. When the moment would come, she would plead… she would beg Starscream to kill her, and he would wash his humiliation away with her tears and her cries of unbearable suffering.
And blood.
There would be lots of blood.
To be continued.
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