The Plot Thickens

by Matthew W. Quinn

Author's Note: A friend of mine from the Scouts is writing an ROTF story of his own. It's entitled "What Goes Around, Comes Around" and it's written by Isotrope. It can be found on my Favorite Stories list. It's told from the POV of the Decepticons in Shanghai and begins just before the big Autobot/NEST raid.

September 10th, 2009 AD, 6:15 AM

McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey

"Now this is interesting," Optimus Prime said, more than a little mockery in his regal voice. "The mighty Starscream, come cap in hand to the 'traitor' Optimus Prime."

The Decepticon second-in-command stood before the triumvirate of Optimus Prime, Ironhide, and Ratchet in one of the aircraft hangars. Behind him stood dozens of human soldiers, armed with "bot-killers" and heavier weapons. Behind the three Autobots stood many others of their kind. The three Autobots watched Starscream with skeptical gazes, Ironhide the severest of all.

"At the suggestion of a 'fleshling' no less," added Ironhide, who was even less pleasant than Optimus. "Has Megatron become so monstrous that not even your warped slag-heap of a mind can tolerate it?"

Starscream did not immediately respond to Ironhide's baiting. Instead, he kept his crimson optics locked with Optimus' blue ones.

"I come bearing a proposal that will be beneficial to both factions of the sundered Cybertronian race," Starscream said. "If the one who lacks self-control had not interrupted —"

"YOU KILLED MY SON!" Ironhide roared. He moved to raise his enormous cannon…

This was a move quickly terminated by Optimus. The senior Autobot forced his warlike lieutenant's weapon toward the ground with one hand and terminated Starscream's countermove with another. He put his body between them, giving both of them — and the assembled human soldiers — further incentive not to shoot.

"STAND DOWN, IRONHIDE," Optimus roared.

Starscream laughed. Optimus immediately turned his steely gaze on Starscream.

"I would be very quiet right now, if I were you," Optimus said, voice polite but full of warning.

Starscream shut up immediately.

I know you're angry, Optimus transmitted electronically to Ironhide. And you have damn good reason to be. But we could end the war, if this isn't some trick.

It's Starscream, Ironhide replied. It probably is a trick. And he's no Jetfire or Wheelie. He was involved in the worst of their crimes…

Optimus sighed mentally.

Ironhide, do you want what happened to you to happen to Lennox? That may happen, if the war continues.

Ironhide fell silent for a long moment.

Fine. But make the bastard keep a civil tongue in his head or I might just rip it out.

I can do that.

Optimus cleared his throat.

"Continue," he ordered Starscream.

"I don't know," Starscream began, sarcasm heavy in his evil-sounding voice. "I might not be able to trust you with my personal safety, considering —"

"If you were truly concerned with the survival of the Cybertronian race, you would not let your plan be affected by such petty concerns," Optimus rumbled.

His words silenced Starscream for a long moment.

"Very well," Starscream said. "I know why Megatron is seeking the Witwicky boy. Besides revenge, of course. The boy knows the location of the tomb of the Fallen."

Silence hung on the air for a long moment. Optimus was the first to speak.

"The symbols he has been hallucinating?" he asked.

Starscream nodded.

"Megatron wants to know where the tomb is. He thinks he free the Fallen and bend it to his will."

"Madness," Ratchet gasped. "Pure madness!"

Starscream nodded.

"His defeat, at the hands of a human boy no less, has unhinged him."

"As if he weren't unhinged already," Ironhide growled. "The bastard destroyed Cybertron —"

"And you Autobots are finishing what he began," Starscream hissed right back. "Giving our technology to these insects. We were this galaxy's dominant species after the Quintessons were destroyed, but our numbers dwindle. These humans were dangerous enough before, but with all the secrets of Cybertron at their command —"

"The humans would have made it to the stars sooner or later," Optimus said. "They should not remain vulnerable to our wars."

"They're vulnerable now, Prime," Starscream said. "For their sake if not for that of our species, you should agree to assist my plan."

"And what might this plan be?"

Starscream paused for a long moment, as if it was difficult for him to speak.

"Replace Megatron as leader of the Decepticons with someone more reasonable. Someone willing to end the war that will lead to millions of years of Cybertronian civilization disappearing into the darkness."

"And that someone is you?" Ironhide asked.

Starscream smiled.

"How well you know me."

"I do," Ironhide said.

Ironhide turned to Optimus.

"How do we know this isn't some trick?" he demanded.

"I've seen some of the glyphs," Optimus responded. "They describe the last battle against the Fallen and where he was buried. I'll need full access to the data to confirm this, of course, but we still have Sam."

He turned to Ratchet.

"You can remove the data from his brain without hurting him?"

Ratchet nodded.

"Yes sir. And it won't overload his brain like it did his ancestor's."

"Excellent."

"I still don't trust him," Ironhide said. "Starscream's the smartest of the bastards. He might lure all of us into a trap —"

Jetfire stepped from the crowd of Autobots standing in ranks behind their leaders.

"I knew him before the war," Jetfire said. "He was not always the monster Ironhide remembers. Perhaps the old Starscream is coming back."

Starscream looked at his old friend, but said nothing.

"I knew him before the war too," Optimus said. "He was the rising star of the science division, which I headed. I wish I could share your optimism."

"Retrieve the data from the boy," Starscream interrupted. "Allow me access to it as well. Then I'll contact Megatron and tell him I've retrieved the information, but you don't know I've done it yet. He'll come to retrieve it personally. Then…"

His voice trailed away. He smiled.

"It will be time for regime change."

"The human children have had a long, difficult night, thanks to you," Optimus said. "It is only fair we allow them to rest before we begin the operation."

"Do not let them rest long, then. Thundercracker is relaying false reports to Megatron, but he will not be able to deceive him forever."

September 10th, 2009 AD, 8:15 AM

McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey

Sam dreamed he and Mikaela were laid out on a sunny beach somewhere when the sound of a horn blowing in the distance intruded. He looked up, annoyed at this interruption.

The blowing of the horn grew louder, tearing Sam from his sleep. He found himself stretched out in Bumblebee's backseat, Mikaela snuggled up against him. She was awake too, bleary-eyed and looking exhausted.

Bumblebee blew the horn again. Then the rear doors popped open.

"I think he wants us to get out," Sam said.

"Yeah," Mikaela said. "What for?"

The two of them climbed out of Bumblebee. As soon as they were clear, he transformed into his humanoid form.

"Optimus has accepted Starscream's proposal," the Cybertronian said. "It's time to remove the AllSpark's energies from your head."

Sam swallowed. The Decepticons' idea of removing that from his head involved removing his brain, something that he doubted he would have survived.

Bumblebee smiled.

"Don't worry, Sam," he said. "It will be quick and painless, and you'll be just fine afterward."

"All…all right," Sam said.

The two humans followed Bumblebee into a vast hangar. Ratchet stood there, watched by Optimus Prime, Ironhide, and Starscream. The Decepticon smiled as the two humans entered, something that sent shivers up and down Sam's spine. A delegation of NEST officers, Simmons among them, watched as well.

"Come here," Ratchet said.

Sam walked towards the Autobot, trying to ignore his nervousness. As he approached, a metal tentacle that looked disturbingly like the one that had been up his nose not all that long before emerged from Ratchet's wrist.

"The energies of the AllSpark are bouncing back and forth across a particular part of your brain," the Autobot medic said. "That's what's causing the hallucinations. I will draw them out of you, into myself."

Sam nodded. Ratchet stepped forward, the tentacle reaching for Sam's nose. He nearly flinched away anyway, until he felt Mikaela beside him, her warm hand enclosing his.

He took a breath. The tentacle, cold and enormous, forced its way upward into his nose. It hurt, but not as much as the previous attempt.

The tentacle shifted one more time.

"Got it," Ratchet said. "Almost there."

Something surged out of Sam's brain into the tentacle. He jerked forward, involuntarily.

"Careful there," Ratchet cautioned.

The tentacle withdrew from Sam's nose. He exhaled. The AllSpark's energy was gone. He wouldn't go insane like his ancestor.

Whew.

Ratchet turned to the other Cybertronians.

"I've got it," he said. "I'll distribute the information to all of you —"

"Not yet," Optimus said. "I would like to view it first."

Starscream leaned forward.

"I need that data," he hissed.

"Why?" Ironhide demanded. "So you can give it to him?"

"If I give him the data, there will be a moment of vulnerability where you or I will b e able to destroy him," Starscream hissed back. "Besides, if I do not have something to show him, he may not come to collect the rest of it."

"You'll get it," Optimus said. "After I've deciphered it fully."

"On the way," Ratchet said.

A moment passed. Optimus closed his great blue optics. Sam swallowed. Though he recognized this as irrational, he feared that the AllSpark's energies might somehow overpower Optimus's brain, or threaten his spark.

"I understand now," Optimus said. "I know where the Fallen is."

He looked toward Ironhide and Starscream. A moment later, both of them nodded.

"Information received," Starscream said.

"You see," Mikaela said, speaking for the first time. "I told you it would work."

Starscream nodded.

"You are clever, little human. You should have been born a Decepticon."

"Why thank you."

Sam stiffened. The wariness that had washed over him when Simmons had revealed her involvement in criminal activity so long ago washed over him. Only this wasn't helping her father in a chop shop…

Then Starscream looked at Sam.

"The same to you," he said. "Prime told you to use the AllSpark to destroy him if it were necessary to keep it out of Megatron's hands. You instead killed Megatron with it. You saw what you wanted and you decided to take it."

Sam swallowed. That was not what he wanted to hear.

Starscream smiled. Sam got the distinct feeling Starscream was enjoying his discomfort.

"I think you two work very well together."

From among the gathered humans, Simmons laughed.

"Isn't that sweet? Your relationship has been blessed by an evil alien warlord."

Sam found his voice at last.

"Shut up Simmons."

The humans laughed, with the notable exception of Simmons.

"Now," Optimus said to Starscream. "You and I have much to discuss. Come along."

Optimus headed towards the far end of the hangar. Starscream followed, a bit too eagerly for Sam's taste.

"You too, Ironhide," Optimus said.

Starscream's gait became much more subdued after that.