After his discussion with Jetfire, Starscream isolated himself in his room.
"I'm sure you heard that," he spoke aloud in the silence.
There was no answer to confirm if the Forged heard him. Perhaps they were testing him, so Starscream reported in to them normally as he was meant to.
Starscream was immediately told, "Let no harm come to Councilor Arcee, but allow injury or death to the Seekers. It is necessary to frighten the Autobots away from entering the Predacon territory again."
Starscream felt cold. There was no possible way he could purposefully put his Seekers into danger. Somehow, he had to make Jetfire's mission successful while making it look like a failure.
He hoped he would figure it out on the way. As Jetfire had recommended, Starscream selected the Seekers who had been itching to get into the territory for a long time. Sunchaser and Charred Mist would come with them, so that they would not feel the need to sneak off there on their own. These two had also had good relations with the Predacons citizens in the past, especially Sunchaser, so Starscream hoped they could help with negotiations.
Although, Comet had heard that his best friend was going into the tunnels. Nervous for him, Comet followed them to the meeting place near the new border. He placed Charred Mist's hand onto Sunchaser's wrist, telling the yellow Seeker, "Don't you dare loose him in the dark!"
Comet looked down to Arcee. "There won't be Predacons down there, will there?"
"There may be some," she answered. "But we will listen for them and avoid them."
He whined and hugged Charred Mist. "Be careful, you!"
Comet had already asked Starscream if he could join them, but Starscream had refused him. He did not want to bring too many Seekers into the territory.
The black and red Seeker flew off, before Arcee led the three Seekers into what looked like a simple hole. She slipped easily through it, then Starscream sat on the ground and scooted down and through the tunnel entrance. He squeezed his wings back to fit through, as did the other two long-winged Seekers. Upon landing, their feet disturbed a layer of ash in puffs.
There were visors over their eyes to hide the glow of them and to help them see in the darkness. Even with them, shapes were difficult to make out unless they were near the blue glow of energon crystals or pools. As the tunnel sloped downwards, the fliers were unnerved, but Arcee hurried on without wasting time. She picked tunnels without hesitation, even when they suddenly forked. The three Seekers rushed after her, sticking close.
She stopped and listened often to the sounds around them. Arcee checked the air flowing through the network, aiding her in keeping check of their position. It all impressed Starscream, and he found himself enjoying following her.
Arcee stopped them in a tunnel running near the surface. The Seekers had sensed they were near the surface, but the scraping of claws above them shocked them with fear. They were dead silent as a pack of heavy Predacons prowled over them. When Arcee crept forward, they trod slowly and carefully after her.
They returned to a deeper level, where black tunnels often appeared at their sides. From one of them came the thud and chink of walking, clawed feet. The Seekers froze, but Arcee quickly pushed them ahead, then squeezed back. For some reason, she wanted to stare down that tunnel and listen more carefully. It did not take long before a humming sigh drifted up to them, the unmistakable sound of an Insecticon.
They relaxed, and Arcee directed them towards the approaching noise. When they saw the hulking silhouette and an orange band of light, Arcee called out, "You there. Are you lost?"
The orange eye bent down to her. The Insecticon was darker than most of his kind, mostly black with unshining, gray claws.
"No Insecticon is ever lost in the underground," he rumbled.
"So you realize where you are?"
"Yes," he growled. "I am here intentionally."
"For what reason?"
"Predacons have killed hivemembers," he hissed. "Shadejaw will get revenge. This is me. I will kill the Predacons fool enough to come into the tunnels."
Arcee was obviously not keen on bringing him with them or arguing with a stubborn Insecticon. She led the Seekers back, and the Insecticon ignored them now to dig his claws into the wall. He was crunching on fresh, raw energon by the time the group had ventured deeper into the Predacon-controlled land.
At last, she led them up a wide tunnel, but she was the first to peek her head out into the open plain. She ducked back down soon after.
"There is one Predacon close in the sky," she whispered to them. "Black with ten pink wings."
Sunchaser gasped, "Oh, that is Flutter! There is no other Predacon like that. He is my friend!"
The Seekers climbed up the ridges of the walls, then they peeked out from the hole. Immediately, they narrowed their eyes at the unexpected, bright light. They had climbed up in the middle of a silver field of metal, the hole guarded by natural, metal heather. The moonlight glared off the field, creating a white haze from here to the distance.
The Predacon that Arcee had spoke of hung nearby in the sky like a black hook, turning its head to scan for prey among the heather. The three pairs of wings on its back and the two pairs on its tail glowed red-pink in the beam of the moons, flapping constantly and audibly from where the group watched.
Sunchaser shrone like a yellow sun as he waved his arms to the the hunting Predacon. Charred Mist ducked down just before it snapped its head towards the twinkle. Promptly and without making a sound, the Predacon turned and swooped down toward them. The three left at the hole remained for a few more moments, watching the black Predacon closing in. Its rare, ruby eyes were focused upon Sunchaser as its feet uncurled, bearing gleaming talons.
"Down!" Arcee boomed.
She grabbed Sunchaser and Starscream each by a wing, letting go of the wall. As she fell, they fell with her. They collapsed in a heap on the floor, hastily getting to their feet as they heard a thump beside the hole's entrance above. Arcee pushed them into the shadows to where Charred Mist was already concealed. Then, she glared up as the Predacon's wolf-like face loomed over the hole and blocked out the moonlight.
The head yanked back and they heard the sound of transformation. A bot reappeared, grabbing the edge and peering back down the hole.
"Sunchaser?"
The yellow Seeker padded out into sight to stand next to Arcee.
The Predacon narrowed his eyes and pointed an accusing claw at him. "What are you doing here?"
He grabbed the rim and squeezed himself in. Everyone moved back out of his way into the shadows. The black Predacon dropped, the folded wings on his back jostling as he landed in a crouch. Then, the Predacon straightened up and glowered at them.
It was easy to pick out the yellow Seeker, and the Predacon hadn't focused on anyone else in particular yet. Sunchaser pushed past everyone and ran up to him.
"I wanted to see you, Flutter!"
"Don't call me that. That's not my name."
Sunchaser flinched, wounded. "What? You made up that nickname. What happened to you? Why are you being so nasty?"
The black Predacon crossed his thick arms. "Nasty? No one hurt you, did they? See, you should have just left well enough alone. Your kind is so oppressive, sending Seekers to control us instead of just letting us rule ourselves. You had to go."
"We're just a type of police force," Sunchaser exhaled. "We take care of everyone, any race. Why are you like this? We did so much for you! Remember how Moonwing got all those things built for you? Wasn't it lovely? Everything was starting to work out. You were happy. Don't you remember? Don't you care?"
Flutter sighed, "Look, Sunchaser. I care about you, but our races can't be together. Your kind hates us, and you just get hurt around us. That Seeker Redwing and Commander Moonwing were killed working here. You are too weak."
Starscream stepped up to Sunchaser's side. When he could be fully made out, Flutter yelped and stepped back.
"Moonwing! You're alive?" he squeaked.
The Predacon's words had just been so stubborn and stereotypical that Starscream was thoroughly irritated. He muttered now, "Do you recall those times you trained with Sunchaser? I have seen him escape your claws and defeat you in practice. Do not lie to yourself and say that you were taking it easy on him. We have a strength different to yours, so cut this charade of superiority immediately."
The Predacon was completely flabbergasted at his return and his authoritative voice. "M-Moonwing, oh- I am sorry, Sir."
"You have been manipulated by Decepticons and their Predacon puppets," Starscream went on. "A general named Skystalker and the White Dragon. They are brainwashing you to become a soldier to attack the population."
"What?" Flutter murmured. "I wouldn't ever do something like that. Look, all I want is some peace, alright? We all do. We're only asking for more land because there isn't enough food to go around, alright? All these new Predacons are just making it harder. We're starving here."
Sunchaser said, "Primus, why are you hunting the poor animals! Why don't you just process the energon all around you? Why won't you stubborn Predacons just take what we offer?"
"What is so wrong with what we do, eh?" Flutter retorted. "Primus made us like this, so who are you to judge! I won't let any of you shame me for what I am!"
He was bristling, since they had touched a nerve. At that time, Sunchaser opened his cockpit and took out the container of energon he had been carrying. Each of the Seekers had been carrying one, and now Sunchaser opened his and held the glowing cube up to him.
"Don't you want this?" Sunchaser pleaded. "Come on, it is so easy to get and doesn't hurt anyone!"
Flutter turned away his head. "Stop it."
"You can't really prefer hunting," Sunchaser mewled. "Hurting the creatures and hearing them cry out… We're all Cybertronians, Flutter. You're not really so different than me! You don't need anything but energon. So why would you have to drink other creatures' blood?"
"We aren't the same," Flutter uttered. "I was forged with these organs that filter out the remains of prey. If we weren't supposed to hunt, then why do I have them? And don't you dare say that we were a mistake caused by Unicron's corruption."
Sunchaser murmured, "But what if you were a mistake? Does it matter, Flutter?"
The innocent way he said it kept the Predacon from losing his temper.
"You can do anything you want to," Sunchaser said. "Just because you are made with claws, doesn't mean you have to use them to hurt others. You could use them to protect your friends, couldn't you? And your wings and strength can be used to carry heavy things. You would be a great Rescue Bot as well, since you can tolerate fire so well!"
The Predacon could not stop a smile from trembling on his face. "Oh come on, who'd ever let any Predacon become a Rescue Bot?"
"You never know! It could happen in the future if we try. But doing this won't do any good."
"Mmm…"
Sunchaser went on, "Why, you've already been enjoying things your ancestors never did! Your mind is unique and your own, just like it is for us. I remembered you liked story writing and watching dramas. Just hunting and prowling all day every day can't nearly be as fun, right?"
Flutter sighed, "Aye, and playing innebandy or sittin' in the spa…"
"Oh see?" Sunchaser smiled back. "And you can't be the only one who misses it!"
"I guess you're right," he breathed. "We're just all trying to find our way, but we're never really happy even if we tell ourselves that."
"Could you tell us about how it is here?" Sunchaser asked.
"Alright, Sunny, I'll spill. But gimme that thing already. I'm awfully famished." Flutter chuckled and took the energon cube off him. He plopped onto the floor, where Sunchaser happily joined him. Arcee came up to Starscream's side, but Charred Mist stayed comfortably in the shadows. Flutter probably hadn't even realized there was another Seeker there.
The Predacon took a big bite and chewed heartily. "Mhm, okhay. So we got our new leader, Queen Azure. That's the white, ancient one. Apparently she's always had a name, just told us now though. Azure! Her green eyes were always such a rare beauty, but her name comes from her blue fire! It's so bright that it is almost white. I've seen it when she was showing off."
He munched more on the cube.
"Then there's this new face, her general. We call him General Skystalker. He's a rare type of his own. His breath is frigid; his prey goes stiff inside and freezes. The two of them are creepy, frightful. They are obsessed with hunting and they're real dangerous. They don't bother us, since they're real advocates for Predacon rights. So we follow them, but there's a rumor that Skystalker is particular about Insecticons. And someone has been eating them, since some remains have been found. If the General or Queen spotted you… they would try to eat you, they would! They hate bipeds especially more than anything else."
Charred Mist's voice uttered from the darkness, "Skystalker. Is he blue?"
Flutter jumped. "Who's that?"
Charred Mist lifted his visor, letting his pumpkin-orange eyes glow in the darkness.
"Oh," the Predacon laughed. "It's the little one, the black cat. Yeah, you're right. But how'd you know that, Charred Mist?"
The voice that was normally soft hissed harshly, "Because Moonwing says that he killed Aceflight!"
Flutter gasped. "Did he?"
"He did," Starscream affirmed. "And your Queen Azure was the one who infected Predaking with the disease. She tried to kill me, and she removed Predaking to take his place."
"Oh no!" he yelped. "Seriously? I- I have to let everyone know!"
"Wait," Arcee commanded as he made as though to stand. "You have to be careful about spreading this information. The Decepticons will kill any Predacon who resists them. You have to act like you are on their side, while secretly changing the minds of your brethren."
Flutter settled. "So that's true? I heard a bit about Predacons getting killed for their parts, but we started thinking that was false news to mess with us. Alright. Secretly? Can do. You can count on me. I'll do my best to make everyone understand what you told me. Wow, but I can't believe… those two are just pure evil, aren't they?"
Charred Mist let out a slow, dark huff in reply and put down his visor again.
Flutter looked at his empty hand, then guiltily at Sunchaser.
"Er, got any more energon?"
"Oh we do," Sunchaser hesitated, "but we were hoping to find two others and give them some."
"Find more? That doesn't sound like a good idea," Flutter warned. "Some of your friends have turned fairly mean. They wouldn't hurt you, but they'd certainly send you off without giving you a chance to speak! You were lucky finding me. How about this: I'll do the talking for you, and bring them back here to meet with you again? And you bring more energon for us?"
"Come here at this time next week," Arcee told him.
"We were hoping that some Predacons might choose to leave too," Sunchaser said. "Do you think you could convince some?"
"Leave? Can we?"
"Of course!" Sunchaser chipped. "Didn't you know? Optimus has been visiting the borders and trying to pass the message. There's a refuge for all the new Predacons being forged, and it's for any Predacon who wants to leave this place too."
"No, I didn't hear," Flutter mumbled. "The edges are the hunting grounds of the clones."
"These clones are brainwashed and dangerous," Starscream uttered. "They are intentionally holding information from you. I assume, if you tried to leave, they would stop you as well. So tell others that if they wish to leave, they should come with us through the tunnels."
Starscream took out his energon cube and tossed it into Flutter's hands. He started to eat it so eagerly that Sunchaser tittered, "How could you have even refused it before?"
"Oh, hush, I know. It was pretty stubborn of me, wasn't it? It's good scoff. Clean and pure, much better without metal and wires and such."
"You like it more?" Sunchaser purred.
Flutter waved him off, embarrassed. "Yeah, yeah." Then he polished off the morcel in his other hand.
Starscream looked back, waiting for Charred Mist to offer him the last cube. It was strange that he hadn't already. He called out his name, but then there was no answer.
Everyone froze, feeling the cold creep into their veins. Starscream rushed over to where Charred Mist had been standing, swiping his fingers through the shadows. There was only air.
"He's gone!" Starscream exclaimed.
Sunchaser cried, "Gone?"
Starscream turned back his head. "He's left!"
Arcee hurried to Starscream's side and peered down the tunnel. "He walked back that way."
"Won't he get lost?" Sunchaser whispered.
"He is out for revenge," Starscream realized. "We just mentioned Skystalker. He would be heading for the surface, then to the Valley!"
"We just passed by another tunnel to the surface," Arcee said. "He must have felt its breeze and noticed it. If he was going somewhere, it would be there."
"I'll look outside for him!" Flutter announced. "If you can't find him, I promise I will keep an optic open for him!"
He jumped and scrambled up the hole's wall back to the surface. Arcee took off running down the tunnel, knowing where to go even in the patches of pitch blackness. Sunchaser gathered the energon containers before sprinting after Starscream. She was too quick for them, and quickly Starscream had to rely upon the sound of her footsteps in the maze.
"Arcee!" he whisper-called.
He was afraid she would leave them to get lost. But she hurried back, grabbing onto Starscream's arm. Sunchaser crashed into him, and Starscream decided to hold onto Sunchaser as well.
"I heard him," she said, tugging the chain of Seekers. "He hasn't left the tunnels yet!"
They heard a delicate patter as Charred Mist raced away from them.
"Stop!" Starscream's command echoed down the tunnel after him. "I order you!"
The steps paused, then continued. Charred Mist cried back, "No! Those two Predacons must die! This all might stop if they do. I will make them pay for what they did!"
Claws scratched overhead. The chase was halted at the sound of thumping footsteps over the tunnel's roof. A low growl rumbled over them, shaking their frames, and another Predacon growled back in acknowledgement. Then, three claws stabbed through the roof of the tunnel between Charred Mist and the group. Another paw reached in, pulling the ceiling open. Charred Mist raced in the opposite direction, continuing his escape towards the entrance leading outside.
Sunchaser squeaked in horror as arms and a muzzle forced their way in. Arcee yanked Starscream to safety, and Sunchaser was pulled with them. There was no choice but to abandon Charred Mist as a Predacon slunk into the tunnel. They hid out of sight around the corner, pausing to listen to the snuffs and growls of the slender hunter.
It stopped, listening. Sunchaser quivered against Starscream as everyone heard the faint claps of Charred Mist's feet down the tunnel.
The Predacon snarled something to its comrades on the surface, as though speaking words of another language. Whatever was conveyed, the Predacons on the surface understood. The slim Predacon scampered down the tunnel, its hide scraping each side. Above, the Predacon hunting party charged ahead, looking to block off any escape hole.
They were gone. Sunchaser grabbed his face and wailed into his hands. Arcee shushed him, hearing the thunder of more Predacons striding closer above them. The yellow Seeker quaked in terror they passed by overhead, racing towards the sound of a distant hunting cry.
"Come on." Arcee jogged deeper into the network.
Sunchaser wailed, "Aren't we going to help him?"
"Yes, but be quiet."
She dashed off and took them up another tunnel that rose to the surface. It opened out gently to the silver plain, not far from the tunnel where they had spoken to Flutter in. A roof curved over the hole's entrance, making it appear almost like a cave set into a slab.
Arcee placed Starscream and Sunchaser by the cave's mouth. She hissed, "Imitate animal cries!"
She sprinted away, leaving them. They immediately understood that they were meant to lure away the Predacons. Sunchaser and Starscream peered out and saw five Predacons tearing across the expanse, spread out like a fan. Flutter was in the sky, flapping desperately and trying to look ahead of them in case Charred Mist unexpectedly broke out into the open.
Sunchaser cupped his hands and howled like a rusthound. He then snarled, as though about to enter a fight with another animal. They slid back out of sight, but Starscream joined in the act, mimicking the high-pitched cries of Bulkhead's pet turbofox.
"Yib yib yib yib yib yib!"
The Predacons turned their heads and skidded to a stop. Starscream heard them one of them shriek a rallying cry to its hunting party before heading this way. They didn't get far before they all heard the low, mooing moan of a docile animal.
Arcee!
Sunchaser growled again, and Starscream yowled in reply like a fox. The Predacons broke off into two groups, closing in to where both they and Arcee were hiding. The Seekers fled down the hole, caring not now if they got lost. They crashed into walls and turned the corners randomly, squeezing through narrow tunnels so they could not be followed. Then, they finally stopped, hearing silence.
They panted until they cooled down, before Sunchaser whispered, "Do you think he made it?"
"Yes," Starscream exhaled. "But I don't know if he stayed in the tunnels or went out."
"Probably out," Sunchaser breathed.
They stayed put and waited.
"What if they got Arcee?" Sunchaser whispered.
"No," Starscream murmured. "She can take care of herself."
Half an hour later, Arcee finally came across them. Sunchaser cried out with joy, then they both rose to their feet.
"It doesn't seem like they got anything," she reported. "I checked and listened, then searched for you."
"Thank you, Arcee," Starscream whispered in the darkness. "Your quick thinking saved his life."
"He is still in danger, if he is out there," she warned. "That was reckless of him. I will look for him again later in the tunnels, but for now… I am going to take you back."
Starscream felt soothed when she grabbed him and led him the way back to safety. He was still quite worried for the smallest Seeker, but he was also guiltily relieved. Charred Mist's disappearance would look like Starscream's doing, so to those watching him, it would appear that the mission was a failure.
They escaped the deadzone and exited back out the tunnel they had come from. Starscream knew that the Forged might be listening now.
"I am sorry," Arcee sighed at the entrance.
"It was his fault," Starscream replied. "And I am as frustrated and surprised as you are. He has never disobeyed me before. His desire for revenge has made him unstable."
He gazed to the sky in the direction of Vos.
"I will have to report Charred Mist's loss."
They said farewell to Arcee before heading back to their capital. There, Starscream would make his first report to Jetfire, and then the second to the Forged.
Sunchaser must have blathered to the others, because soon Starscream was caught by Comet in a desperate craze of grief.
"You were supposed to bring him back!" he shrieked.
Comet smacked his own face with his hands and shivered into them.
Starscream didn't want to tell him about the close call. Instead, he said, "He ran off. I am sorry… He went after-"
"Aceflight's killer," Comet uttered. "The blue Predacon. Oh, the fool! He'll never even get close. That place is crawling with one thousand Predacons an-and… He's such an idiot! How could he do this to me?"
He choked and pushed past Starscream. He was worried for a moment that Comet would tear into the Predacon territory after him, but when Comet threw himself out his own apartment window, he flew off in the opposite direction. Starscream tracked his signal, finding that Comet was aimlessly heading to the Neutral Territories. There were no new cities built there yet, so when the signal halted, Starscream imagined that the Seeker was perched on a pillar, wailing.
Days went by, and there was no news about Charred Mist. Arcee searched the tunnels, then returned to Starscream. He had been surprised to get a visit from her in Vos, but she cared enough to tell him, "I just cannot locate him."
"Thank you for searching," he murmured.
They did not look at each other. Both looked toward the floor, sharing the belief that Charred Mist had been killed.
Then, before a week had fully passed, someone clawed and pounded at Starscream's door in the early night. Comet screeched, "Moonwing! Moonwing!"
Starscream immediately assumed the worst. He burst from his berth into the hall. "What is it?"
"It's- it's, o-oooh they f-found a body at the b-b-border-"
Comet choked up, unable to speak. He took off running down the hall, and Starscream followed. There was a ledge on every floor, since Seekers preferred to jump off buildings instead of using available elevators. They leapt out into the open air, not having to fly far before they saw an unexpected crowd. It was a mass of Seekers following a stretcher as its load was rushed toward the Air Command's main tower. Silverbolt flew down and stopped the stretcher-bearers by the door, then drew back at the sight of the corpse.
Starscream could already see that is was not Charred Mist. The colours were much too bright to be him: purple and orange. He landed beside Silverbolt, hearing him as he called for Jetfire. One of the Seekers who had been following closest to the stretcher were shrieking, "It was an attack! An ambush!"
Starscream craned his neck and cut through the crowd sideways to get closer. Who he saw made him gasp inwards slowly. Twilight lay dead on the slab, eyes lightless and four claw marks scored over her front. Energon was still leaking from the young body of Starscream's Seeker. Comet quailed and nuzzled into Starscream, but Starscream was so shocked that he only absentmindedly put his arm around him.
Not another. He had trained with this clever, talented Seeker, and she had been friend to all who had worked in Predacon Valley. A mind like hers had had the potential to be a lieutenant or commander, and she had fought bravely against the two Predacons with the rest of Starscream's group on their first unaided mission. How long ago it seemed now, when they had shared the rapture of victory. He could still imagine them all together earlier than that, far away in a library as Twilight teased Aceflight as they studied.
Jetfire flew down and stared at the corpse with wide eyes. Starscream instantly turned on him.
"I warned you that the Predacons would kill us!" He could not prevent his voice rising into a grieving snarl. "The border patrols were supposed to be informed!"
He had thought he could protect the Seekers from the Forged's plan to kill one Seeker each week. Starscream had been so sure that the Seekers would stay away from traps, but now here lay his friend dead before him, no older than four Cybertronian years.
Jetfire breathed, "I did warn them."
An indignant Seeker cried, "Those Predacons were outside of the border! They looked like they wanted to talk, Sir, so we went to them. Twilight went ahead since she has the most experience with the beasts. They waited until we got close, then they sprang on us!"
"What?" Jetfire raised his head, his eyes icy blue.
Starscream cried at him, "How are you surprised? It was obvious that they would do this!"
Jetfire muttered, a bit harshly from stress and from Starscream yelling at him. "Was it really? That the Predacons would feign peace, then lunge? No. It was not obvious. What everyone expected was a direct attack or an ambush among the buildings. Nothing like this…"
"Cowardly beasts!" someone cried.
Comet rubbed at his leaking eyes. At that time, Cloudtips and Soft Breeze arrived on scene.
"No!" Soft Breeze boomed. "Twilight!"
He demanded an explanation, and soon got one from the enraged Seekers. He and Cloudtips then noticed Comet whimpering into Starscream. They hurried over to them.
"This is awful," Soft Breeze whispered. "First Aceflight, then Charred Mist, then Twilight…"
Yes. Starscream had now lost half of the group he had trained with in the advanced program. The knowledge of that made his spark ache. His thumb traced the joint of Comet's needle-wings as both stared at Twilight's body.
"Kill the Predacons!" someone roared.
"Avenge our comrade!"
"Kill the beasts! Kill the beasts!"
The Seekers liked that line. They began to chant it together as Silverbolt and Jetfire hollered for calm. Starscream, too weak to blame Jetfire anymore, walked Comet away from the scene. Soft Breeze and Cloudtips followed them into the more quieter apartment complex. Up there, they encountered Sunchaser and Sandstorm, the former space pirate who had also worked in the Valley with them. Both had just seen Twilight and had come looking for them.
"Those Predacons are out o' control," Sandstorm grumbled in his rough voice. Though his accent had faded a bit more since the last time Starscream had spoken with him. "Alas, poor Twilight. Another unfortunate young'un… Fortune is that we saved her body from the revolting tastes of them beasts…"
Comet flinched, thinking of Charred Mist.
Sandstorm sighed conclusively, "I'm starting to think that the only good Predacon's a dead 'un..."
Yet Starscream was going to meet with some Predacons that night: Flutter and all the other good Predacons he could find. Before his rude awakening, Starscream had been resting with an alarm set. Now struck by Twilight's death, there would be no more sleeping, although Starscream did not want to be in the comfort of friends either. He set out to be alone.
A big energon cube sat at his side. Starscream was out of sight of the Predacon territory, but near the border as he waited behind a building. He had found a thin, rusted pole and was playing with it in his hands, flicking off flakes of rust with his thumb. The ground and air chilled him, but Starscream let the numbness sink in although another hour remained before he would meet Arcee here.
A shadow passed by in front of him, but when Starscream glanced up, he saw nothing. He passed it off as the change in lighting as a cloud floated over the biggest moon, since he had heard nothing either. But then, something in his peripheral vision moved, thin and tall and striding toward him.
Following a stripe of darkness, Soundwave stalked toward him. The purple glow he had once had was gone now, concealed so that he emitted no light. He was like the darkness he strode through, though even darker much more dangerous. Fear electrified Starscream, causing him to hop backwards and onto his feet.
"What are you doing here?"
Soundwave strode closer; Starscream moved back. He came closer still. Finally, Soundwave confronted him, showing an audio clip on his visor then playing it.
It was Starscream's own voice.
"I warned you that the Predacons would kill us! The border patrols were supposed to be informed!"
Starscream had no excuse to explain these words. Soundwave stared, promptly understanding that there was no doubt about Starscream's betrayal. No lie could even come to Starscream's mind, and the silence led Soundwave to quicken his pace. His expressionless face rapidly approached, shooting Starscream with such fear that he whirled on his feet and ran.
Soundwave's feet scraped on the ground as he switched to pursuit. Hearing him, Starscream transformed and attempted to get into the sky. A portal opened in front of him; he swerved wildly to avoid it, but another opened soon after at his side. He swore and dropped in proto-form, transforming again once another portal opened below his feet. Starscream dived out of view behind the buildings, but he would not remain hidden for long. Soundwave had taken to the air, rising higher to keep him in his sights.
Starscream gasped and threw himself into a bombshelled building, transforming then rolling and skidding into a wall. He heard Soundwave's soft engine descending and heading to the building. Starscream raced for a rickety starwell before Soundwave burst through the hole after him. A tentacle zapping with electricity chased him, but Starscream had gotten too far ahead, and it ran out of length. Soundwave kept running, luring Starscream to flee to the lowest floor.
Rusted stairs suddenly broke underfoot, and Starscream plunged through one flight of stairs, then the next and the one after. He crashed onto the ground floor with a bang, turning and groaning. Starscream picked himself up, stumbled when his knee crumpled, then steadied himself. He had not been injured seriously in the fall. Glancing back up all the holes he had made, Starscream saw Soundwave's visor, staring down at him.
"Soundwave!" he called. "Wait! I admit, I betrayed you, but-"
Something was missing from Soundwave's chest. Starscream only noticed when he heard the incoming hum of Laserbeak's flight. The minicon swooped through a gaping window and beelined for him with tasers crackling. His fall had gotten Starscream here before Laserbeak, and then only his reflexes saved him from being shocked. The Seeker threw himself to the side as though dodging a blast, clapping Laserbeak on the wing in passing. Laserbeak wobbled and scraped a wall, but recovered almost instantly. He saw Starscream springing out the doorless threshold, and he spun around to speed after him.
Soundwave leapt from the top of the building. Starscream saw the shadow fling out into the night, and his spark leapt at the sight of him. Never had he been pursued by Soundwave; he was clenched with absolute terror as the faceless visor descended from above, transforming at the last second.
He did not think anyone could escape the capable Decepticon if Soundwave put his mind to it. Starscream could hardly think past his white-hot terror. He had trained with Predacons, sparred with Megatron, but all instinct corrupted Starscream. His past life made him fear Soundwave like he was a god-like being that could not be stopped by force. He screamed shrilly and tumbled into another building for cover.
Laserbeak crashed in again. Starscream skittered back and toppled a storage shelf over, forcing Laserbeak to tilt off course lest he be crushed. Then Starscream panted and rounded a corner, nearly crashing into Soundwave already standing there. The visor turned a miniscule degree, regarding him and all his terror, and showing his reflection so that Starscream could see it as well.
His tentacles snaked out again, but Starscream was already on the run, tearing up more stairs. Soundwave sprinted after him, tentacles extended for the thin, snapping legs of Starscream. The Seeker felt the warmth almost tickling his metal, which drove him up faster. He kicked back rubble at Soundwave and the tentacles at every opportunity, trying to gain the maximum amount of distance that he could.
Starscream was, fortunately, much swifter than Soundwave after all the running he had been doing. He made it to the top of this building, only to discover there were no holes here to jump through. His own exit would have to be made; Starscream fired a missile at the wall and leapt through the fire onto the roof of a lower building. He had just barely escaped Soundwave and Laserbeak again, but he knew his luck would soon run out.
He called up desperately to the fire, "There is something you must know about Megatron! I implore you, hear me!"
Soundwave appeared at the hole, rimmed by smouldering metal. Starscream had focused on him for a moment too late, and was not expecting the incoming hum that charged him from behind. Laserbeak cracked into Starscream's legs, sweeping him clean off the building. He followed Starscream as he dropped, hooking onto him and electrifying him.
Air whooshed by as he spasmed, then Starscream struck the ground and lay still. Laserbeak swooped back into the air as Soundwave dropped. He was coming. That very thought shocked Starscream into trying to get up. Pain burned his nerves, but in a way, it felt like the old pain he had known.
Starscream managed to drag himself up after the shock, a feat of which Soundwave had never seen done by any other bot. But Starscream was not going anywhere nearly as fast as he was before. He limped into another building, vainly pushed rubble at the doorway, then tried to collect himself. All this terror thus far had made him lose his mind.
Laserbeak circled the building as Soundwave easily knocked down the rubble. He strode in, appearing suddenly like a ghost before relentlessly closing in. Starscream yelped and dove into a hole in the floor, falling into a cold basement smeared with grime. In the next second, Soundwave's visor leaned over that hole and stared at Starscream, now trapped and helpless from his blunder.
Starscream too seemed to know there was nowhere left to run. Soundwave expected him to fire a missile now in his desperation, but instead Starscream tried to reach out to him again.
"Megatron..." Starscream groaned, "...is an Autobot too.'
Soundwave did not move.
"He's changed," he whispered. "Forever. He came back to try to persuade you all to stop this War…"
Soundwave snatched the hole's edge and swung himself in. He landed with grace, silently stealing away the distance between them again. Starscream skidded back, wobbling into the greasy wall. Soundwave's arms were flexed, ready to swat away Starscream's claws that may lash out, and his tentacles were creeping out, preparing to grab and shock him.
"Optimus gave Megatron a private Trial," Starscream gasped. "He passed!"
Soundwave halted. He was but a few metres away from Starscream when he had said this. When nothing happened in the next few seconds, Starscream knew this had surprised him. Starscream went on in a nervous tremble.
"I… know you had a Trial," he whispered. "You were sent to prison. And I know why you are still fighting…"
Starscream thought about Slipstream and all that the vehicons had told him.
"You are utterly committed to the Decepticon cause and loyal to Megatron. But I ask you, Soundwave, what does the Decepticon cause strive for now? You wanted equality of opportunity- that was what you and Megatron agreed to fight for in the beginning. And now, you don't think this world will ever accept you, because you regret nothing. So you still don't believe that there is a future for all. But there is."
He repeated himself.
"Yes, Megatron has passed the Trial. He did it without having to regret his past. All that was necessary was a desire to cease doing harm. If he could do pass, you could as well."
Soundwave still did not move, but Starscream faintly heard Laserbeak returning. Had he called off the chase then? Starscream's shoulders sagged as he went on.
"Choose peace," Starscream pleaded. "Help us. Are you truly willing to kill one million innocent lives, most of which have never done harm to you? There is another life for you that doesn't include this slaughter. I-"
A throaty growl sounded outside, followed by a puff of fire and a powerful wing flap. Following it, Laserbeak's status flared over Soundwave's visor as the minicon sent a distress signal to him. Just a second later, however, both Starscream and Soundwave heard a crunch of metal in the air. Something massive thumped down onto the city street above them, and without seeing anything, they knew exactly what had just happened.
Starscream's eyes narrowed in horror. Instantly, Soundwave was spinning on his heels, Laserbeak's panicked call still emanating from Soundwave and in real time. Soundwave scrambled back and leapt out the hole, throwing himself over the edge and bolting to the door. He had abandoned the safety of their cover, but Starscream did as well to follow him. Yet before they had reached the outside, there was another crunch that changed Laserbeak's chirring to silence.
A Predacon stood in the streets, Laserbeak charred and impaled in its claws as it tore hungrily at his wing. Two other Predacons perched on the roofs and watched the other Predacon sucking up the energon in envy. Not any of them was prepared for the black mass that struck them. From nowhere, tentacles shot at the Predacons' eyes, striking true and electrifying them. Smoke fumed and light wriggled over the face of the Predacon, who screeched and danced back, tearing off one of Laserbeak's largest wings as it did.
Soundwave did not yield, gripping the Predacon and shocking it until the other Predacons had hurled themselves from the rooftops. Then, he released the Predacon before claws slammed down where he had just stood. The injured one dragged itself off on its stomach, hissing and lashing its tail as it tried to recover.
Starscream dashed up to Laserbeak, assuming as well that he was dead. However, Laserbeak twitched his other wing in a pathetic attempt to flap over the ground. He yet lived. The minicon was scooped into Starscream's arms, his energon oozing over his arms. At once, Starscream knew what had to be done. Clutching Laserbeak, Starscream looked to Soundwave as the Predacons snapped at him from both sides. Soundwave twirled away from each fanged mouth, but the third Predacon had risen to tighten the circle around him.
Starscream turned his last missile upon one of them, striking its side as it reared up on its hind legs. The consequent explosion felled it to its chest, and the Predacon swallowed its fire to screech in irritated pain. Soundwave disengaged and zipped around their attacks, realizing quickly that the window to escape had been provided. Starscream hollered across the way to catch his attention.
"He is still alive!"
Soundwave bolted back to him, visor directed at the bleeding minicon. Yet Starscream was retreating back into the building, diving back down the hole. Soundwave dropped in beside him just as a fanged face jammed itself through the doorway.
Already, Soundwave was trying to zap Laserbeak's injuries gently with his tentacles, trying to weld the cuts shut with the heat. But the wounds were too wide, and they were running out of time.
"We can save him," Starscream gasped. "Do you know where Knockout's studio is?"
The wall split above them with an earsplitting screech. The beast with blood already on its teeth struggled and tugged half its body through into the building.
Without replying, Soundwave opened a portal beside them. This time, Starscream leapt through it willingly with Soundwave following close behind. They teleported directly into Knockout's workplace and residence, but predicting the best spot to do so had not been easy. Starscream turned at the last second, saving Laserbeak as he came crashing into a wall.
Soundwave too soared through and struck the wall, then he tripped into one of Knockout's decorative pots. It toppled and thunked on the ground, not breaking though it loudly rolled away across the tiles. Rapid footsteps rushed toward the room, before the startled face of Knockout rounded the corner. His hand had been made into a saw, for the clamour had made him suspect that he was being robbed. Then, he recognized Starscream and the dark figure beside him.
The saw vanished as Knockout yelped, "What in the name of-"
Starscream thrust Laserbeak at him. "Knockout!"
Knockout stammered, but received the severely wounded minicon from him. He tripped as he turned and scuttled to his medical room. Soundwave trotted after him, looming over his shoulder as Knockout set Laserbeak onto the berth and began examining his internal damage. Soundwave watched everything in silence, pressing closer to see how Knockout pressed precise tubes together and welded them. The doctor scrunched up under Soundwave's gaze, but he carried on and pressed a syringe of fresh energon into Laserbeak.
Laid down on the berth, Laserbeak suddenly looked much worse to them than they had previously thought. He looked nothing more than a burnt piece of scrap under Knockout's hands. If he wasn't still leaking, then he would have been unrecognizable as a living thing.
"Soundwave," Starscream murmured. "You are distracting him."
Soundwave backed out of the room to stand in the hall. Starscream felt overwhelmed by all the recent deaths, and now, he felt himself begging internally for Laserbeak's full recovery. He had not wanted to hurt him nor Soundwave, even when they had been trying to capture him. Moreover, he felt some guilt for what had happened, first for being so foolish as to reveal he had been a spy, and then for making all the noise that had attracted a Predacon hunting party. Looking at Soundwave's back, Starscream wondered if he would blame him very soon.
Soundwave stared at the door, completely still. Starscream did not feel he should make any noise, so he very slowly uncurled his fingers, then stopped moving as well.
Starscream wondered, Is he his last living deployer minicon?
Half an hour later, the door opened. Knockout stared back at Soundwave with a nervous expression, clearly about to announce something that would not be easy to say to him.
"I don't know if he is going to make it," he murmured. "His vitals are weak."
Soundwave came back to life, hustling past him to see Laserbeak.
Starscream trod closer more cautiously, flinching to see the state of Laserbeak. He was still scorched and torn, halved without his wing. All his cuts had been closed, but Laserbeak lay on his front with wires connected to his back.
The one who had mercilessly hunted Starscream approached the dying minicon. Struck by Knockout's grim words, Soundwave knelt beside the berth and leaned to the side so that Laserbeak's face was near his. Now Laserbeak could see that he was there, but Soundwave raised his delicate fingers next to stroke under a small, upper wing where Laserbeak had not been burned. Soundwave glanced to the harsh tear where Laserbeak's wing had come off, then back to his face. Silent, they seemed to convey a message through their expressionless gazes.
Knockout asked no questions, but he looked solemnly at the wavelengths on the monitor. Soundwave lay a finger over Laserbeak's triangular head and kept it there. Knockout and Starscream watched, stone-faced as they felt strong grief over every move Soundwave made. They had seen nothing from him like this before in all of the time they had been with him. And Soundwave cared not for what they thought, as he focused only on Laserbeak.
They waited for his death in silence. For a long time, the vitals remained weak but steady. Each passing minute added to Starscream's stress, and he yelped when someone spoke to him through his commlink.
Arcee asked, "Where are you?"
Soundwave did not even turn his head. Starscream, not wanting to disturb him, hopped out into the hall.
"I… will not be coming."
"What happened?"
"Something came up," Starscream murmured, not sure if the Forged could hear him or if it had only been Soundwave who could have. He would have to either write it out later or tell her in a deadzone.
Arcee didn't press him. "Then I will go on without you."
"Alright…"
"I'm taking four of them with me," she said, purposefully vague.
What she meant clicked. The four Predacons raised by Megatron and Shockwave: Ripclaw, Grimwing, Divebomb, and Vertebreak. That could only mean they were entering as spies and to undo the brainwashing of the other Predacons if they could. Starscream's already quick pulse spiked at the thought of them going into the hostile territory. These Predacons had never killed small animals before, but there they would be expected to eat them.
They would be suspicious if they didn't hunt animals, and if they did not seem invested in the cause, then the Forged would kill them and use their body parts for other Decepticons.
Did Megatron and Shockwave know about this? Starscream knew they would be devastated if any one of them died. Yet Starscream had not heard about those two at all in the past week. Had they gotten out yet to speak to the High Council? Did they find out more intel, such as the location of the other Decepticons?
"I don't think that is a good idea," he sighed.
Arcee could not argue without revealing more. She did not want to get Starscream in trouble, and she did not know that he already had been. Though she stayed silent, Starscream understood that the Predacons had argued for this.
"Very well," he said.
He felt crushed then, foreseeing more death on the horizon.
When she cut off the call, he quietly hurried back to the medical bay. There had been no change yet. Starscream crept up to Knockout's side and stared at Soundwave's back. They continued to wait for death, but it refused to come. As Soundwave stared at Laserbeak, the minicon clung to the last thread of life.
The night was passing, agonizing slow for them all. In an hour, the pink of dawn would wash over Iacon. It was in that hour, however, that Knockout lifted a finger behind Soundwave's back, pointing to the monitor. Starscream followed his finger to see a feeble spike of recovery in the readings. They looked back to Soundwave as he stroked Laserbeak's tiny head. Soundwave hadn't needed to see the screen to see strength returning to Laserbeak. The minicon, who had been dead-still for hours, twitched his remaining large wing and raised the smaller ones.
Knockout and Starscream looked at each other. But Starscream didn't want to get his hopes too high yet. They strayed closer to Soundwave and Laserbeak, and as minutes passed, the vital signs grew stronger.
Soon, the sun would rise. Knockout kept staring at the monitor, waiting until he was absolutely sure. Then, he made his announcement in a sigh.
"He will live."
After hours of looking forward, Soundwave spun around. Starscream could not help but cry out in joy, then laugh off the night of stress. It was euphoria now after having had been expecting the worse for so long. Starscream pulled Knockout by the shoulder plates, then embraced him. Both of them felt incredibly light to Starscream, and dizzy, he thought they might fall over.
"You are a brilliant doctor," he breathed.
"It is a miracle you got here on time," Knockout sighed. "Any later, and he wouldn't have had any fighting chance at all."
They looked over when they realized Soundwave was staring at them. Feeling awkward suddenly, Starscream released Knockout.
"Soundwave," Starscream murmured. "What will you do now?"
He turned his head back to Laserbeak. He was evidently his greatest concern right now.
Knockout said, "I can give him a new wing. But he will have to stay here for a while and rest."
Soundwave nodded with just a dip of his head. Since he gave no indication of moving anytime soon, Knockout hesitantly asked, "Er… Were you thinking of staying here?"
Soundwave nodded again. Knockout's eyes widened, then he stammered, "Oh, er… sure..."
There wouldn't have been any choice otherwise. One could not merely remove Soundwave from a place he chose to be in, but Knockout wasn't too bothered. Soundwave was not here to do harm, and he would stay out of the way.
"But what about the Forged?" Starscream asked.
Soundwave had no answer for now.
Carefully, Starscream inquired, "Have you changed your mind?"
Soundwave stared at him, without nodding or shaking his head. From that, Starscream sensed that he was still caught in doubt. But he was doubting the cause now. That alone was significant.
Just to be certain, Starscream quickly asked, "Will anyone else come for me?"
Soundwave shook his head.
"So you were the only one listening to me… Will you still try to capture me?"
He shook his head again. Knockout gazed at Starscream in curiosity, finally piecing together everything that had happened up to this point.
A pause came where Soundwave looked back and stroked Laserbeak with two fingers. However, his body was still facing them, expecting that Starscream would ask more.
It was bold, but Starscream decided to press, "This wouldn't have happened if… Well, you understand. It shouldn't have happened, but these Predacons are going to hurt others like they did Laserbeak. We must spare those lives, yet we need your help to do so."
Soundwave had tilted his head to look at Starscream's face. Feeling that he had his full attention, Starscream kept going.
"We need to arrest the Forged, but we need to make sure that we capture all thirty-one of them. If a single one is loose, then they escape with dangerous knowledge and they can still wreck havoc on this planet."
When Laserbeak shifted, Soundwave spun around and leaned back over him. Shuffling his feet, Starscream sighed. He wanted to remind him of what he had said before, although Soundwave's back was now to him.
"There is no need to continue this War. If you just gave up and started anew like Megatron did…"
Starscream wanted to cease trying as Soundwave kept his back to him. Maybe he had already said all that he could, and it was just up to Soundwave now to choose his path. But then, Starscream had thought of one more thing.
"There is something that Megatron offered me. He told me that if my identity was ever revealed, and if I felt there was no place left for me on Cybertron, then I could go live with him and Shockwave. They have established a home on Chaar, working on projects in peace there with some amicable Predacon clones… I am mentioning this because I know you don't think you can live freely on Cybertron unless it is under Decepticon control. I assured you that you can live in a society run by Autobots. But even if you do not believe that, there is still another option for you..."
Soundwave's back straightened as something within his dialogue had appealed to him. From that, Starscream regained his hope.
"Just help us end this peacefully. I swear that no matter what happens, you will not be imprisoned ever again. There is most certainly a future for you."
When Soundwave nodded this time, it felt different than the previous nods. There was something powerful within it, and it felt like a promise.
"So you will help us?"
There was a little hesitation, but then Soundwave bowed his head. Starscream did not know how he would do it, but Soundwave was certainly someone that could be relied upon. Relief washed other him as he thought of how many lives might be saved. They could arrest the Forged, bring back Predaking, and possibly stop the war with the Predacons from happening. And lacking the Forged's leadership, the Decepticon army too would weaken and be easier to capture.
For now though, it was understandable that Soundwave's thoughts were not dedicated to creating a plan. He was still glued to the berth with Laserbeak, mellowed from happiness since his dear companion had survived the attack. Knockout and Starscream could not help but contently stand and watch for a while longer.