THIRTY-FOUR: INVITATION

Starscream turned to Bumblebee in panic. "Please!" he begged, hands clasped tightly together. "Please! Take out my brain modules too! I beg you!"

"What?" Bumblebee said. "No!"

"But then I could be free of this curse! Please, Bumblebee, have mercy!"

"No," said Bumblebee again. "Starscream, get a hold of yourself."

"I don't think I can! I don't even know if I can be free! I don't know anything anymore! I'm sorry! Alright, I'm sorry! And I would have told Optimus Prime I'm sorry a million times, but he's not here! I know now, I understand, I was wrong! I know that now! I was a murderer! A betrayer! The Decepticons were wrong! I'll give them up! I'll be an Autobot! I'll do whatever you say! Please, Bumblebee, have mercy, have mercy!"

At first Bumblebee looked so disgusted that he looked to Starscream like he might have fired at him to end his misery—not that Bumblebee would ever have done such a thing to an unarmed prisoner, but he got control of his expression too before Starscream had finished, so that by the end of Starscream's panicked ranting, Bumblebee sighed and said, "Starscream, you don't really mean it."

Panting and gasping and writhing on his knees, Starscream almost did not hear Bumblebee. He still felt like he was going to burst.

"It's only because you're in a cage," Bumblebee went on. "The moment we let you out how can you say that you won't just go back to your ways again? Even if you give up the Decepticons. Even if you claim to be an Autobot. You'll still be what you are. It doesn't work like that. Even if we replaced your brain modules like Skywarp, you'd be so angry and confused that you would blame us for it."

"I…" Starscream lowered his head. His wings drooped with it. He knew that he would blame them.

"You wouldn't believe that you would have willingly given up your memories."

"You won't even give me a chance otherwise," gasped Starscream. "I've learned my lesson. Can't you see that?"

"But you haven't," said Bumblebee. "There's more to evil than being a Decepticon. There was evil before and there will be evil after. It's just a name. You still only care about yourself and no one else."

Slowly the words sunk in, and slowly, slowly, Starscream calmed down. He hated being himself. He hated what he had become, and he feared that what he perceived Bumblebee was saying was right, and that he was doomed with no way to escape.

He shook his head. He could not believe that.

"Optimus said that every sentient being has the capability of redemption," said Starscream very softly.

Bumblebee nodded. "Yes. He did say that."

"Then…" Starscream hesitated. "Please. I would ask Optimus. I would be his humble servant to the end of our days if he was alive now. You must believe me. I'll be yours in his stead. What must I do? Even if I never escape this cage, at least I could escape this constant mental anguish, so that I can at least live with myself."

Bumblebee was taken aback at first by these last words of his sentiment "even if I never escape this cage". Bumblebee could not help but ask though quite doubtfully, "Do you really mean that?"

"I don't know," Starscream admitted fidgeting a little. "I really don't know anymore."

"There's only one way you can escape, Starscream."

Starscream lifted his head miserably and carefully with searching optics.

"You have to think about others more than yourself and let go of your pride."

A strange sort of fear told hold of Starscream's mind and face.

"For real," emphasized Bumblebee.

Starscream nodded, a sort of daze had overcome him as he stared at Bumblebee's optics. A lid ticked queerly, and his wings twitched, but again Starscream nodded.

"Even some Autobots had to let go of their pride," said Bumblebee. "It's a hard thing once it's been inflated. I know. I understand that. I mean, I can't say that I understand being a Decepticon, but I do understand having to let pride go. Are you willing to do that?"

Starscream nodded. "Even if it takes the rest of my life, but I hope it doesn't take that long." And he moaned. "If only Optimus was here."

"That won't help either," Bumblebee told him with a shake of his head. "You had your chance when he was alive. Many chances. He pitied you, you know, and he would have helped you, but now you have to do it without him online."

Starscream nodded yet again.

"Yes, he did pity me," he said. "He pitied me from the moment Megatron took me under his wing. I did not see it that way at the time. I thought he was only afraid of me or did not think I was good enough, and that that pity only came later, but you are right. Even if he did fear what Megatron's powerful words would strengthen me to do, he'd always…"

"Okay, okay, but you gotta stop feeling sorry for yourself too. Think about those you hurt."

"I'll try." Starscream closed his optics as solemnly as he could given the emotional drainage he had just gone through. "I'll try…I know this my last chance. It's the last chance I asked for, and I'm determined not to waste it. But know this, Bumblebee, on this day I vow that if I am the last Decepticon, I will end them!"

#

Needless to say, although Bumblebee had tried to be kind, he did not believe that Starscream truly meant a word of what he said. Oh, yes, he believed that Starscream thought he meant what he said. He could tell his sincerity at the time, but that had always been the funny thing about Starscream. His mind could change like a switch, and how could Bumblebee expect any different than that Starscream only had this particular switch on because of how miserable he was.

But it did surprise him how Starscream did try. It was not overly noticeable at first. Mostly when Bumblebee came to visit him after that, he would talk as before, feeling sorry for himself about being tricked into being a Decepticon. Even the fact that Starscream did not appear overly excited about his new cell as much as he had been proved nothing to Bumblebee. After all, he knew that Starscream valued freedom far beyond a new cell. Who would not? Yet the thank you for it was far more sincere than usual. Bumblebee had to give him that.

However Bumblebee was distracted within the next year, because a new set of hatchlings unexpectedly on the way.

Ratchet theorized that this might have happened because of how fresh and vibrant the planet was at the moment, and with some findings made by Smokescreen, (who was turning more and more historian after his original duty) it was discovered that there were mentions of such a thing happening before. The Cybertron they knew from just before the War, did not produce new Cybertronian life for hundreds of years in between, but this had not even been fifty.

Now this partly disturbed Bumblebee. In the original plan they were going to have the first generation of new Cybertron take care of the next, but they were not ready for that in so short of time. Not truly. But it was worked out in the end. It was a little different depending on the clans and the maturity of the first generations, but the next generation was simply cared for by the clan leaders with extra help from their first generation overall like older siblings.

Another distraction was the new permanent contact with the Dinobots, which was rather confusing at first even if quite exciting. They had been invited to the planet for a feast in their honor for what the Autobots had done for the Raptor-bots and for destroying their captor. Bumblebee had to convince them to wait until after the hatchlings were well on their way to adulthood before such arrangements could be made, because of the mistake in visiting Earth at the wrong time with the first generation. But Bumblebee and Knock Out were especially wanted. After all, Knock Out had been the one to kill Lockdown. All the attention went to his head for a while too and that was not exactly a pleasant experience, but he soon got over it once he returned to Cybertron for which everyone was most grateful.

Before that had become a reality, there was also the visit from Raf and his grandson (yes, grandson, just turned nine, the humans grew way too fast, though Bumblebee tried not to think hard about it). They had come to see the newest generation in the growing process.

As Ratchet was quick to remind everyone, it was the first time as far as he knew that another race had witnessed this process. Even if it was just Raf, it was a little strange for some, especially Ultra Magnus and Jetfire who never had that close of a relationship with the humans. But Bumblebee liked that visit. He had to say that it had to be one of his favorites, and he had spent long hours with Raf and his grandson in their very high tech suits designed by Raf himself…

Needless to say again, this all left Starscream rather in the dark for a while. When Bumblebee remembered him when things were becoming more settled, he realized that it had been the longest between visits since he had begun visiting him. Starscream probably decided that Bumblebee may never return.

As he came to the door to the cell, he prepared himself for the sobbing and complaining awaiting him once the door would open. But as he opened it, nothing happened except Starscream slowly turning his head towards him from where he stood gazing out the window.

Had Starscream's optics been as piercing red as lava flows, he looked at him at that moment in a way that he had never seen Starscream look at anyone. It was strange, but it almost looked to Bumblebee to be a strange look of pity, but then he might have just thought Starscream in a hazy mood or half-crazed if it had not been for the fact his optics were not piercing red. They were nearly not red at all, and of course that was what made Bumblebee jump.

He almost looked like a different person with his huge optics so, well…not red. They were not quite blue, but they certainly were not red, save for the dull reddish rings rimming his pupils Bumblebee saw after a second look.

Of course that queer expression of pity dissipated from Starscream rather quickly when he noticed Bumblebee's surprise, and stiffening in alarm.

"What?! What happened? What's wrong?"

#

Bumblebee shook his head. "Nothing's wrong!"

Starscream cringed. "Do I look sick?" he wanted to know. "What?"

"What have you been doing all this time?"

Starscream hesitated, shifting his digits out in front of himself nervously.

It had been some time since Bumblebee had been here, but Starscream had not been idle. He thought of pressing further about what was wrong, but after a second time of finger twiddling, he cleared his voice capacitator.

"I only did what you told me to do," said Starscream. "I…" He lowered his head overcome with grief. There was nothing he could think of to say that he had not already tried to say. He had apologized so many times it was beyond count, but now that he truly did feel remorse in a calm manner that he had come to feel only so recently, he had no words to expression such remorse.

Bumblebee studied him with care, but for a few moments Starscream did not look up, and when he did he was still very stooped and his face carried the look of a very shamed child that had broken his mother's favorite vase and she was crying about it.

"Why did you come?" asked Starscream then.

"To check up on you," said Bumblebee. "I know it's been a while. A lot's been going on."

Starscream nodded solemnly, his face relaxed now. "I can only imagine, and they deserve your attention far more than I do."

Again Bumblebee made a strange, examining sort of look, and it made Starscream uncomfortable. Bumblebee noticed this, and tried to change the subject. He smiled friendly in manner and made himself comfortable in the light of the window.

"How about I tell you how things are going?" he asked.

Starscream shrugged. "They're going well, I trust."

And Bumblebee told him how everything was, and Starscream listened intently, not withholding his interest in the world that he could not share, but it was a little more like a child hearing about a place that he may never go to, and dreaming about it or waiting for that possibility now had to be good enough. Often he looked out the window as though trying to see the events that Bumblebee spoke of, and he asked many questions. At first Bumblebee was hesitant to answer some of them, but Starscream never really asked any vital information that he could use against anyone even if he did escape. He asked especially questions about Jetfire and Skywarp and how they were getting along.

"Well," said Bumblebee, "Jetfire has set up his clan base very dramatically, actually. He's got a series of aeries now, with elevators for the rest of us, but it's definitely the place for flights, and we've all got our own smaller hatcheries now for this generation. After the young sparks have settled in the main one for a little time with common knowledge and making sure they're healthy they go to the smaller ones for the clans, so Jetfire's been busy with that too. Skywarp's helping him and Skyfire from the first generation has sort of become a second for Jetfire so he's a great help to him, especially since Jetfire is now the head of the aerial security."

"I can't imagine there's been too much out there to worry about," Starscream remarked.

"Well, no one," said Bumblebee, "but they go up and check the passing comets and other space debris for resources and if anything is of interest to the science department, and Jetfire has drills in case there is an emergency. He also has been at times training the first generation to fly to the best of their abilities, though that's been put on hold for the present."

"I suppose Skywarp doesn't remember aerial acrobatics?" Starscream asked.

"I don't think so," said Bumblebee. "That was lost to him as much as most everything else, but I know you could—"

Starscream lowered his head feeling rather frustrated after Bumblebee sharply cut himself off. Starscream's brows tightened and he made an exasperated sigh.

Bumblebee looked about to tell him something to console him or apologize, but Starscream would not have it. He shook his head, and said staunchly with hands thrown behind his back with a theatrical flair, "They'll work something out, I'm sure, Mr. President."

Bumblebee stifled a laugh, "I just meant that you may—"

"No, no, I understand," said Starscream with another firm shake of his head. "Besides I figured out most of my tricks on my own, I'm sure they will too. It's only a matter of time, and as you said, there is plenty of time."

"Okay," said Bumblebee with a shrug.

Something about the way Bumblebee looked made Starscream feel that Bumblebee was teasing him, but he tried desperately not to be offended. That was what the Autobots did all the time was tease each other, as far as Starscream knew, but it was difficult just for his personality to accept that, for despite his theatrics and often childish behavior he was not one to see the world in a playful light very often. He still sunk a little in his shoulders after Bumblebee's candid shrug and frowned suspiciously. He could not help it.

And after Bumblebee left from his visit, Starscream for a long time pondered over Bumblebee's queer behavior that day. Never once did he believe that it was because of the change that had come over him. He did not think it was that drastic in a cell to warrant such behavior, and it never once occurred to him that his optics had changed until one day he noticed a strange blue reflection on the window pane.

He gasped and put his hands in front of his optics to see what reflected off the metal of his fingers. Clear energon-blue glowed as brightly as from the energon sacks which held the prehatched sparks. Again he gasped. He threw his hands down and stared vacantly out in front of him. A shiver ran through him that rattled his casing.

He had not dared to hope for such a thing, nor had he even given it a second thought. For all he had known his optics were permanently red. They had been red long before he had been a Decepticon, after all. He had barely been out of the hatchery before his optics began to at least dim in color. Crimson took hold not too long after that.

He could not believe it. It seemed strange to feel so frightened by the realization of a mere color change, but he could not help it.

What did this mean?

Had he truly changed? Or was this just because of how much calmer he felt and had nothing to do with being good or not. Then again Skywarp had always been fairly calm and his optics had been as blazing red as everyone else's had been. Even Knock Out had been calm and confident enough with his blazing red optics as he played for fifty-so years on Earth without Decepticon orders and they had not cooled.

Again Starscream shivered.

He did not know what to think.

He did not trust himself anymore than anyone else at this point.

When Bumblebee returned for another visit far sooner than between the last visit and the visit before, he did not stay for very long. He was very cheerful though. Starscream almost wanted to tell him that he should not trust physical appearance, but he never did. He just allowed Bumblebee to update things, and he asked his questions about them, and then Bumblebee left.

Then it was the very same day that his cell door opened again. This time it was not Bumblebee, but a guard that he had seen once before. Vasteffect, he recalled his name being…

"What is it?' Starscream asked nervously.

"Starscream," said Vasteffect, "The president requests your presence in Capital Hall."

Starscream blinked stupidly, and then he glowered with a squint as he leaned forward. "What?"

Starscream glanced behind Vasteffect suspiciously and then he straightened and looked up at the very tall and large Cybertronian standing before him. He had a gentle face despite his dangerous-looking body, and a very naïve face at that, but Starscream did read absolute sincerity in his optics.

"You mean right now," said Starscream shaking a finger on a loose hinge towards the door. "Without cuffs or bonds?"

"I suppose so," said Vasteffect. "No one said anything about you being bound."

Starscream's spark began to grow hot and his body began to hum. He had not quite reached the point of panting, but he was in a devastating state of shock and disbelief with his mouth open slightly ajar. Then he twitched and his wings twitched twice as he blinked stupidly up at the vast bulk of Vasteffect.

"It's not like you could get far once outside anyway," said Vasteffect with a shrug, "and your weapons are disabled, you know."

"Oh," said Starscream lifting up his missile arm, which indeed had no missiles at the moment from being hindered from growing in replaced. "So they are."

He shuffled his feet a little and then clearing his voice capacitator with a queer sort of cough, he straightened himself as much as his ill ease allowed and wrapped one hand around his back while the other he held up in front of him. He said with a broad nervous sort of smile, "Well, there's nothing to wait for, I suppose. We might as well be on our way. You are my escort, I'm assuming?"

"Yes," said Vasteffect, and he turned towards the corridor, but before he could begin to walk, Starscream peeking out the door asked, "Did the president say why he wished to see me in the palace and not in my cell?"

"Oh, right!" said Vasteffect. "Yes, he said that you are to be brought before the council who will be ending their annual meeting soon, which is why the president wanted it to be today, and he said that you were to be brought before them to discuss your release from prison and, uh, what you're going to do after that."

Starscream nearly fell over from where his hands already clutched the doorway of the cell.

"My what? The president can't be serious!"

"He wouldn't've sent me if it wasn't serious," Vasteffect pointed out.

"True, true…" Starscream's optics shifted about as though he feared someone watching that should not.

"So…are you coming?" asked Vasteffect.

Without looking up and with a very glazed expression, Starscream nodded and as Vasteffect stepped to one side to allow Starscream out in front, Starscream scurried rodent-like into position and then was forced to walk at a steady pace with Vasteffect just behind him. He rubbed his hands and looked about him at a corridor that had always been just outside his cell, but which he had rarely ever seen. It was interesting to note that even a prison corridor on new Cybertron was brighter than the Nemesis command deck.

He felt his mind would freeze as he saw the front doors of the prison open onto the causeway outside, but there he was half in dream stepping out into the capital as busy and alive as he remembered it in the old days before the War, but with a vitality that the view from his window had never given justice to.