Thunderhoof
Shockwave is able to give Ratchet some programs files which he passes on to Arcee on her way to Crystal City to meet up with Skyfire and Drift. Together they will head to Iacon to join:
Optimus and Elita, Grimlock and Thunderhoof
Coming from Vos, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Sideswipe and Windblade.
Prowl, from Praxis.
Ultra Magnus will come in from Simfur with Wrecker equipment.
And of course: Slipstream and Megatron from Charr.
From there, they will all Space Bridge back to Earth and to Thunderhoof's roost. This is far too sensitive to be handled in front of the humans and even Fixit. That little mech really doesn't need to be part of conversations about damaged family connections that the war has caused. Besides, he does not like Thunderhoof one little bit. Ultra Magnus and Prowl are having a hard enough time trying to accept that he is now part of their family. It's enough to crash anyone's logic processor, let alone two set too tight. No need to add Fixit's innocent processor into the mess.
So Bee drives up from the Earth base, exchanging places with Grimlock, Sideswipe, Drift and Windblade. Under Drift and Windblade they can handle the original mission. That!, the older officers, are damn sure of. Although, due to past dealings with Starscream, Bee slips Sideswipe a secured com-link. Mostly so that the two operations won't collide. For that confidence, Sideswipe is grateful and promises to kept himself in line.
But now they all are back on Earth dealing with wayward Starscream and one of his dangerous plans…. Once again. There is a collective sag of shoulders.
Ultra Magnus unpacks the Wrecker equipment. Arcee and Thundercracker add in Shockwave's programs. Thunderhoof and Prowl feed in their gathered intelligence information. Skyfire codes in an old com-code he and Starscream used in their academy science days.
Slipstream sets down a tray of cubes, "And now…. We wait."
"I hate this part," Skywarp snorts taking a cube. The former Decepticons all glare at him. "WHAT?! Oh come on, you all hate this part, too!" He waggles a finger at the Autobots. "Yes, even you!"
Prowl shrugs, taking a sip, "Yes, I do agree. I hate this part."
Thunderhoof is pacing, making his stomps shake the table and rubbing at his chest with the hand that is not holding a cube. "I'll kill him!"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Several of the larger bots approach the antler one knowing that tone is dead serious.
Skyfire leads him to a large rock to sit. "You need to calm."
"She will feel your angst and it will do her no good," Ultra Magnus tips a bit of high grade into Thunderhoof's cube.
Megatron snorts, "THAT is not going to help, Magnus!"
The large blue one glares at the silver one, "Yeah, really? And you would know?"
Megatron rises to his full height, clenching a fist. "Yes…. I do know." The stern quite admission would be more than enough to silence troops of any faction.
"How could you when you were hyped on Dark Energon?!" Ultra Magnus snarls right back leaning in: chest to chest.
"Ohhh," Slipstream sharply inhales, trying to keep it quiet.
Elita is at her side easing her down to another rock shooting a silent order to her mate. Optimus is swift to respond.
He takes Megatron's shoulders to pull him aside, "Hey, hey, why don't you come over here." It isn't working and Optimus looks around for help.
"Once again, taking his side over-"
"Do NOT finish that!" Elita barks at the Wrecker General. She hasn't used that tone in a very long time, but it still has it's effect.
Optimus' spark kind of flutters to her command persona. She swiftly sends back along their reconnected bond 'not now, Love'. He coughs still trying to shove Megatron aside, which gains him a curious cock-optic look from his former-foe.
Thankfully, Thundercracker comes to the other side to assist moving Megatron where he can see Slipstream grimacing. Megatron instantly cringes and swiftly comes to her, clutching her to his chest and murmuring into her helm top.
Elita knows this expression between mates after having been there for Firestar and Inferno as they were expecting Smudge. She looks up to Megatron, with an ever so light tip of her head. He gives her a wink and an equally ever so sly smile that only she can see. She pats his elbow and whispers, "Well this certainly complicates matters."
"Tell me about it," he huffs, "OW! Damn-it Slipstream!"
"Then stop it!" she pinches him once more for good measure.
The snarling over by Thunderhoof has switched from Magnus verses Megatron to Magnus versus Optimus.
"This whole mess is because of HIM! And you just can not-"
"This isn't helping!" Prowl tries to talk his mate down.
Optimus is silent with his words, but his glare and his low growl is more than enough to convey his thoughts.
Skyfire is trying to soothe Thunderhoof by massaging on the back directly behind the spark and telling him it will be all right.
Bee is frozen in horror as his mentors snark and hurl accusations at each other.
Arcee leans in closer to Thundercracker trying to focus on the machine and in return, he curls his wing protectively behind her and making sure his strong torso presses against her lighter frame.
It's Skywarp to the rescue. Having plenty of experience in separating Decepticon skirmishes. He does what does best:
Everyone to their corners.
He warps Magnus to the middle of the pool of water- to 'cool off'.
Optimus back to Elita's side where she can explain further their predicament.
Prowl to the computer to set his emotions aside and focus on the task at hand.
Therefore leaving Skyfire to calm Thunderhoof, and Megatron to take care of his own mate.
Lastly, he speaks up for himself.
"I'm done with this! One more squabble from a team that is trying to do something together, and I'm headed back to Cybertron. You all can deal with this on your own!"
He points to Ultra Magnus, "This is Starscream's fault, not anyone here and you DAMN well good an know it!" He flicks a finger between Optimus and Megatron, "If these two can bury the sword of whatever hurt their friendship to finally live their lives in peace, can't we all?!"
Thundercracker reaches out to pat his purple friend's shoulder. To many, Skywarp is a goof and flighty. But he would not have been part of Starscream's trine just because he can warp. And Thundercracker never would claim him as friend if he was a complete loose wingnut. No, it's this right here that really shows his true nature. Fierce and a force to be reckoned with when focused.
"What are you thinking?" Thundercracker encourages Skywarp to continue.
There's an audible sigh of relief that someone is listening to him.
Megatron nods warmly, "Please, Skywarp, continue."
Slipstream reaches a hand out towards Skywarp, "You know something, don't you?"
With a weary smirk, Skywarp shrugs, "Well if there is one good thing to come out of today's fight, it's that I think we all need to get to the bottom of Starscream's problem."
A collective groan and a couple, 'good luck there!' is muttered.
But Bee steps up to be in command of this mission. "No, wait, I think he has something here." He steps into the center as Magnus steps out of the pool, shaking the water from his feet like some soggy cyber panther they all know.
"Why can't Starscream accept the peace many of us have been enjoying. Shockwave has gone back to his science just as Skyfire, Perceptor and Wheeljack have. Megatron is doing his part to rebuild Cybertron. Thundercracker finally gets to help restore Vos. Prowl back to protecting the citizens. What is his deal? If we don't figure this out and get through to him, then what is going to stop him from doing something again?"
Slipstream takes Megatron's hand and soothes over where their little one is growing. "Megatron, this little one will never be safe from his cutting words. I don't want the war to continue to destroy the future. I may have already lost my brother, but…"
He wraps his arms around her feeling her grief. "Alright, alright, Slipstream." He looks to the others in pleading. "I don't want any more of the next generation to suffer."
That humbles even Magnus. "You two are expecting?"
Megatron nods, and sheepishly smiles. "I do not understand why Primus grants the gifts He does."
Once more there is a collective expression. This time of smiles and snickers.
Skywarp resumes passing out the cubes of Energon. "Alright, then we agree we need to figure out Starscream's deal before we approach him?"
Collective nods.
And peaceful conversation ensues.
~~00~~
While Bee's team has been gathering, Starscream has been randomly changing locations with his prisoner. He varies if he stays in a place for a few hours, a few days or even a few minutes. An iceberg up near the Arctic, a mountain peek in the Andes, an active volcano in the Pacific, or even a tropical spit of rock in the Bahamas, and once or twice even out to the Moon. None of them close to his Red Energon pick up points.
Sometimes he uses Red Energon, others a ground teleport, regular supersonic flight, or even a lazy cruise.
It's enough to give Strongarm motion sickness. And she knows that is part of his goal. If he keeps her off balance, she will not have a chance to signal help. Even though he has her blocked and insulated in many different ways. That he also rotates, because he is sure Bee has reached out to his friends to zero in on his equipment and try to catch him.
Without having to keep a trine or a squadron in line, it's easier to focus his skills.
What does surprise him is Strongarm. She accesses each new environment, a few times poking a finger at his defenses, maybe trying a couple com signals but nothing aggressive. It's more of curiosity than it is to escape. She wants to learn, but is smart enough to not to put herself in danger.
"You intrigue me," he admits one day handing over a cube of Energon. He only ever gives her enough to keep her just above the hungry line. Not enough energy to cause him problems and most certainly not drugged. If they do arrest him, he does not want torture to be among the charges. Only kidnapping.
"How so?" She asks. She rarely talks to him. Sometimes he drops her off on some forsaken place and doesn't return for days. She is sure he is monitoring her with surveillance, so she is not ever truly alone.
"You still don't try to escape."
She huffs, drains the meager serving and hands the empty cube back over. "As I have already explained," as if he is a toddler asking 'why' for the bazillionth time.
The does make him smile. "Do you have any idea who I am?"
She stands, stretches, touches her toes. He doesn't mind her doing calisthenics because once more restricting her movements too much would be considered torture. He does know current Cybertronian law and how to juuuuust skirt it.
"I know the file on Cybertronian record. I know a few stories Ultra Magnus, Prowl, Sideswipe and Bumblebee have told. And from my own observations."
"Oh ho, and putting all that together, what do you know of me?" He proudly smirks.
She curls to the side, closing her optics, "You hold grudges if you don't get your way."
That blunt simple childish assessment infuriates him. "WHAT?!" He screeches.
She winces to the pitch, and then resumes rolling her joints to keep them from getting stiff.
He strides up to her ready to punch her, managing to plow his fist into the wall beside her head instead of into her mouth. Then, in a flick of his wings, dashes off the island.
Shaken, she watches him fly away, "I feel sorry for you, Starscream," she whispers. No, she's not sure she will ever admit that to anyone. Well, maybe Thunderhoof. He would understand.
Primus, she misses her spark mate.
Then she smirks, "Maybe that is just what Starscream needs!" But who?
~0~
Starscream launches into the stratosphere. He targets a few pieces of 'space junk', blasting them away. No it is not to help the humans! It's to keep his targeting sharp and besides, it feels really good to blast something to smithereens. Pretending it's Megatron's hand, wing tip, foot, face…
'You hold grudges if you don't get your way.'
Is it really wrong to want to have 'his way' when in reality that he doesn't want his sister hurt again?
Or is it that he is trying to stop Megatron from having his 'happily ever after'?
He shakes his thoughts, targeting another scrap, watching it be obliterated.
Does Megatron deserve to have a 'happily ever after'?
Doesn't Slipstream?
"Fuck!" he snarls blasting multiple targets.
And then, he gets a ping. At first he is not sure he really heard it. Maybe it was just one piece of space junk clashing against another. But he hears it again, INSIDE his helm. Searching and searching, he finally identifies the signal.
Skyfire. Way back when they were students innocently studying science believing they would be the next great mechs to find something astounding and make an adventure to pursue. When science was all that mattered.
And Slipstream looked up to him like he was her hero. He could do no wrong in her optics.
And then she met Megatronous. And his speeches about equality and improving life swooned her. And made Starscream want to be an even better person beyond just science. He wanted to be an active participant of that movement.
He wanted to be Slipstream's hero again. He wanted to save Cybertron for her. He wanted to save her from the pains of the coming war.
After all, it was his duty as her big brother to protect her.
Right?
What is 'right' or 'rite' anymore?
He makes a few more laps around Earth, out to the Moon and then sends a signal back to Skyfire with coordinates.
Time to deal with this.
~00~
The waiting is awful. The discussion is enlightening. But the meeting will be painful.
"We got something!" Skyfire announces. Everyone is crowded around the terminal as the large mech pulls up an image of the coordinates Starscream has given them. Then he steps back letting the shorter ones in closer.
The image is turned, evaluated, and scrutinized.
Earth. Asia. Deep water with a whole bunch of rock-island like pillars jutting out, covered in thick foliage. No rock is widen enough to hold more than two bots. There are active warp-inhibitors/repellants.
Skywarp snorts, "Smart."
No roads. A specific time stamp to a ground bridge with access for limited bots. Anyone else, will have to fly in, and he will know it.
"This is a nightmare," Prowl mutters.
"You all wondered why I kept him around, this is why," Megatron taps the screen. "He is not to be underestimate. I made THAT mistake too many times."
"Didn't we all!" Optimus snorts.
Thundercracker and Skywarp share a look. Too bad Starscream can't hear this praise.
"What do we do now?" Thunderhoof asks what many are thinking.
And so the planning begins.
~~00~~
Dawn.
Starscream has been here since the night before waiting for Bee's team to try sneaking in before the allotted time. He even scans the local fishing vessels for signs of little Cybertronian drones.
One little thing catches his sensor sweep during the darkest part of night. He takes note of it, but lets it through. Let them think they have out foxed him. It will be their down fall. Always is.
Right on time. Just as the sun hits that one pillar, the bridge opens. Out steps, Bee, Prowl, Thunderhoof, and Ultra Magnus.
Starscream frowns. That should have been Megatron, not Ultra Magnus. But can you blame the parent? Not really.
Skyfire flies in, hovers, dropping off Optimus and Elita before landing himself on another pillar. Skyfire he is not surprised to see fly in, but Optimus and ELITA! Together again, whoa! That is a surprise!
And then, here comes the rest of the flight squad.
Royal blue, purple,…. teal. And one heavy battle-grey Cybertronian.
The blue and purple land together on one pillar, the grey and teal on another.
"Anyone else coming?" Starscream teases as they all unfold.
Bee looks around, counting heads. "Nope, I think this is everyone."
"Hm," the kidnapper knows they are lying. One more is sneaking her way up into a position. He says nothing for the moment, letting her continue up to the pillar he and Strongarm are standing atop.
He looks around counting his own heads and their positions to himself. He still has behind him open to escape out over open ocean. He can fly, Strongarm can not. Nor can her little rescuer scaling the pillar.
"Alright, so let the pleading, demanding, bargaining and psycho-babble begin," he wearily rolls his optics in bored fashion.
"You are the one with the problems!" Bee throws out first.
Starscream taps his chin with a long finger, "Um, let's analyze that, shall we?" He points to Megatron and Optimus, "Two friends on a joint cause to save their home, actually rip it apart with their need to 'be right'. (He shoots a glare at Strongarm) "As if I'm the only one who holds a grudge because I 'don't get my way'."
She rolls her optics leaning back against a tree, crossing her arms.
He goes back to the old friends. "In the process of their pissing match, having already destroyed a brotherhood-friendship, one turns to enhance himself anyway he can now shredding a sacred spark bond in the process!"
Slipstream steps even closer to Megatron who loops an arm around her waist showing that their relationship has healed.
Starscream now turns his attention to Elita and Optimus. "Oh, but even better! While he can excuse his way with 'drug induced actions' the royal, most romantic couple that fairytales are swooned about-"
He narrows his optics dropping his voice to an evil octave, "Stab a blade right through their own. One abandons his mate. Not once, but TWICE, while the other lets him get away with it. Pathetic!"
He snorts.
Elita lunges, just about ready to walk across air to strangle the snarky one only to be halted by a strong tug on a revitalized spark bond. She snorts a Thunderhoof-sized huff, and backs up, keeping her optics on Starscream.
He arrogantly smirks.
But now, Starscream turns his attention to Thunderhoof and Strongarm. "You should be grateful your bond isn't secured. You still have a chance to avoid their plight and live your lives in relative peace." And just to add good measure, he smirks to Ultra Magnus and Prowl, "I protected your CHILD from making a mistake. You should be thanking me, not trying to arrest me, Chief," he snarkily snarls at the end.
Ultra Magnus is none to happy that he agrees with Starscream on that. He wanted to be the one to get through to her, though. Not STARCREAM! Of all mechs. The parent grunts.
Starscream cocks a hip. "Alright, psycho-babble, check. Do we go with bargaining, pleading or-"
He leaps up, rolls backwards, firing a rocket. He has it under his control that it curls and flies around and between each of them, before striking the pillar Strongarm is on, cutting it in half. While they are watching the rocket, he moves at Red speed to first snatch Thunderhoof and use that momentum to hurl him at another pillar where no other bots are standing.
Then launches after falling Strongarm, and dropping her, none to carefully onto Thunderhoof's pillar.
What does surprise him is who leaps into the air just as the rocket severs Strongarm's pillar in half, sending the sneaky non-flying spy tumbling into the deep water below.
Thundercracker, not the Autobot flyer Skyfire, but his former trine mate. In a thunderous roar of rage and worry, he is a precision projectile. He is not fast enough to catch her before she hits the water, thus he has to plunge under. He's a flier, not aquatic. But he is focused, and very, very skilled.
With a blue curl, he is out of the water, with a blip of softer blue & pink on his back and soon back to Elita and Skywarp.
Thundercracker has no words for Starscream, all his attention on Arcee. Optimus hands over his emergency blanket and Elita gets her covered, keeping his guard position. Prowl goes into his own EMT mode.
Knowing she is being taken care of, Lieutenant Bumblebee addresses his foe. "What was that?!"
"Oh, you mean not all your people were directly in sight like you stated earlier? If I had know, I would have handled things differently. But as you can see, I allowed no harm to the young femme. She is safe with her lover."
"That was low," Skywarp growls. "Even for you!"
Starscream glares back flicking a finger between Arcee and Bumblebee. "She's a spy, he's a Scout, they know the dangers." Then flicks his finger to Strongarm, "She has no idea what she is walking into." And he points to Slipstream, "And I tried to save you and am still trying to save you."
Slipstream steps away from Megatron and even if his mately-fatherly side is screaming to clamp himself around her, he knows he can't. He stands back. This whole thing is apparently clear to every one:
It's between Starscream and Slipstream.
Ever so softly, because it really has nothing to do with any of the others, she lovingly tells her brother: "It's not your duty to protect me. I'm not a child or even an innocent adult. I wasn't when I first fell in love and I'm not now. I am safe."
The brother's helm shakes an erratic negative. He can't accept that as truth. "nah-no," he nearly pleads.
"Yes," she very, very softly affirms her statement.
To punctuate her resolve, she looks away from her brother to the injured femme and Starscream's friend.
Thundercracker is knelt, supporting Arcee in his arms while Prowl runs his limited scans and Skywarp becomes the trine in charge glaring at their former Trine Commander…. And friend.
"Hey, Love," Thundercracker strokes over a nasty leaking gash to her helm.
She tries to smile, but it hurts and one of her optics is completely out of focus. "Thunder?"
"I'm right here. I got you in my arms." He tries to sound strong, but there is and evident waver.
That does not do Skywarp any good. He looks to Prowl, who's expression says it all: she needs to get out of here!
"I… I don't feel…so-" She curls, and Thunderhoof helps her turn so she can purge water and breakfast to the ground.
Skywarp flares, lifts his chin and growls getting Starscream's full attention. "I'm taking them both to medical."
Not a question. Not a request. Not a demand. Not a plea.
A fact.
Starscream swallows hard.
Thundercracker won't even face him. Or more like, he can't because his spark is all about the one he loves ailing in his protective arms. He won't even spare his friend a glare.
Or is it 'former friend'? Starscream's spark pangs for another damaged relationship he may have caused.
With another gulp, he gives Skywarp a single nod and touches something on his wrist. The warp-inhibitors are deactivated immediately.
"Skywarp," Optimus softly gets the purple mech's attention away from Starscream. "Take this. It will get you through the Space Bridge with Primal Authorization," and tosses a gold disk to the flyer.
Skywarp catches it carefully. Prowl steps back, and in a ''whap!" The two former trine mates, and one of their current loves are gone.
Starscream shakes off the moment and reactivates the inhibitors. Then looks around to reaccess his situation.
Optimus and Elita are waiting for his next move.
Prowl and Ultra Magnus are communicating silently, probably also accessing and plotting.
Thunderhoof is holding Strongarm protectively to himself and she soothing him right back.
Skyfire is clearly showing his disappointment in Starscream. Once again, but a bit more disgust this time. Even an ever so slight shake of his helm, and heavy shoulders.
Bumblebee is looking into the air.
What?
Starscream tries to see what he is looking for. Then he hears a Cybertronian-like flyer's sound but it's not one he recognizes.
A few moments later, a gorgeous red, black and gold trimmed femme unfolds beside Bumblebee. "How can I help, now that I am here?"
The yellow Lieutenant gives his instructions. "Wait with me."
"Got it," and turns like everyone else to face Starscream.
Starscream is torn between questioning the new arrival and trying to posture that he has control of the situation. But it is a weak posture.
"Starscream," his sister once again says his name softly, "are you alright?"
"Huh?" He most inelegantly turns. "What did you say?"
Megatron sits back to his rock and snickers. Slipstream scowls at him. "What?!
"You aren't helping," she pokes.
Megatron may look jovial in his recline, anyone that truly knows him knows this is a ploy. He's actually in a springboard position to launch right at Slipstream and take her away. Probably killing Starscream along the way.
"I'm not helping?! What would you have me say to him?" He dismissively flays a hand at his former Air Commander. "He wants me dead, not having a care what that will do to you. He cares more to be right and in control than he does for what YOU want. How is that any different than the caste system we fought against? How does HE know what is best for you, me or any of us?!"
Starscream takes a step and thrusts a finger in Megatron's direction. "Well you and Optimus PRIME certainly thought you knew what was best for everyone at one time!"
Megatron sets his chin and fires back, "And what did that get either one of us?" He turns over his shoulder, "Care to answer that, Elita?" Then to his own spark mate. "I love you."
Slipstream steps into his embrace. "Don't you dare apologize one more time."
The great once-leader, softly chuckles to her order, resting his chin to her helm top. "Yes, dear."
"Damn right," she finishes.
Once more Starscream is looking around at the couples. Optimus has one arm securing Elita to his side where she always should have been. One of her arms around his waist just as snug, more than glad to be back at his side. Both of their trigger hands are free and ready to protect their loves. No doubt they are armed, just concealed for the moment.
Thunderhoof has turned so that his back is a shield between Strongarm and Starscream, but also so that her parents can see she is safe. She hangs on tightly to his chest forbidding him to move without her.
Prowl and Ultra Magnus are pillars of readiness. United in purpose. One to take him out, one to protect their offspring. Not to be messed with. They are a deadly couple. Older experience and brilliant tactician bonded together… he will not survive if he makes a bad move.
Starscream is on the verge of admitting he does not have control of the situation.
It's so quiet that even though the latest arrival is softly asking only Bumblebee, it carries all the way to Starscream.
"Has Starscream ever been in love?"
All heads turn to Starscream.
He backs up. Oh this is so not the kind of spotlight he wants.
Megatron chuckles until Slipstream warns him not to be cruel. "No, hear me out. The femme has a point. Starscream might be pretty smart in many areas-"
That compliment raises the flying scientist's brow.
"-but I have never known the mech to take time for a relationship that goes beyond friendship. Have you?" He asks his mate.
While she ponders this, Elita finally speaks up.
The older femme is not mean in her question. In fact, she's looking up to Optimus as she softly explains. "Starscream, have you every known what it's like to have your spark smile just at the barest sound of their voice? To feel your spark beat in time to their footsteps as they approach you? To know, that even when you are parted… you will always love them? No matter what an idiot they are?"
Megatron snorts a smile liking the way Optimus sags to that last one. "We were both idiots, weren't we?"
Optimus smirks, "Damn lucky idiots," he leans in pressing his fore helm to hers. "I do not deserve you, my spark mate."
"Yes you do. You are just too idiotic to realize it." She presses a kiss to him.
Megatron's laugh reaches everyone.
"I want to be like them, " Thunderhoof presses his fore helm to Strongarm's. "If… you…still" For a mech used to running a large operation, he is floundering here.
She smiles, "I'm nervous, but I like how I feel when I'm with you. I have fun, I am safe, and -"
"Safe?" He sags.
The smile broadens. "I'm safe now, aren't I?" Wriggling into his arms further.
He blushes to her faith in him. Then looks over his shoulder to Starscream. "I don't know, is she safe?"
Is he ready for this to be over? Will it ever be over? Can he let go even though he isn't right and things haven't gone his way?
"I was not harmed. I may not have been able to get back to you, but I could move around and had enough Energon. He never hurt me. He never planned to."
Starscream shakes his head adamantly, "NO! I would never hurt her!"
Strongarm shrugs, looking over to her parents. "Then no harm." She knows what she had said to Starscream is being punctuated by his sister's words, and Windblade's question. There really is no need to cause more harm.
Ultra Magnus looks down to Prowl. "What do you think?"
"She is a legal adult, and can press charges if she would like," the chief of police states the laws.
"But she was AWOL from her duties," the general reminds.
Bumblebee looks over to Starscream as he is watching his fate be decided. "Well damn if that wasn't one heck of a training exercise for a cadet!"
Windblade snickers. Bee grins.
Then in a flash of an idea, nudges Bumblebee, "You know, I was thinking, I wonder if Starscream has ever been to Caminus? I know some scientists that he might be interested in meeting."
Bumblebee hums, stroking his chin trying his best to keep his smirk under control.
Megatron does not try to control his smirk, but does hide it by turning his cheek on his mate's helm so that he is looking right at Optimus. They share a look.
'Starscream is going for the ride of his life and never going to know what hit him.'
Optimus coughs to cover his own smirk of agreement, but his chest still shakes in his silent laugh.
"What are you and Megatron plotting?" Elita whispers to her mate.
"Us? Nothing! But I do believe Starscream is about to find little control he has of his own life." He whispers knowing how he fell so hard for her. Just as Megatron fell to his knees only for Slipstream.
She jerks her head up, "Imprisonment?!"
He shakes his head, "Nope, Femme Persuasion."
Megatron winks a smirk to Elita. /You damn powerful femmes/ She hears through a very, very old comline that she, Orion, Slipstream, and Megatronous used.
/I'm glad you remembered/ she returns in her happiness for his own reunited bond.
There is a dip of his helm in gratitude to her.
Then clearing his throat, and putting on his best Prime Persona. "Yes, Windblade, I do believe you are correct. Ultra Magnus, can you have Springer and Blades escort Windblade and Starscream to Caminus? We do so want them to be safe."
The big blue mech does a double take but then catches the twinkle in both Optimus' and Megatron's optics.
"But will that really solve the problem?" Although Megatron is facing Prime, the question clearly is for Starscream.
Optimus, cants his helm giving Starscream all the power in his answer. If leaving Slipstream and Megatron alone -permanently- is the end of his problem?
By only her gaze and a pleading surge through their bond, Slipstream asks Megatron if she can reveal their secret.
His love for her, surrounds and warms her from the inside out. Yes he is nervous Starscream will react negatively, but for her sake, prays it will be alright.
She takes Megatron's hand, laying it right over their little one, and looks up to him adoringly. "Starscream, please be at peace that Megatron and I are well. Primus has given us a gift," and now she looks to her brother, "I would like for you to be happy for us. For you too, Uncle. But….," a tear comes forth, "if you can not be at peace, I can not have your angst harm what Primus has given us. I have a duty to this little one. You can either help…. Or not."
'Or not.' Her words are final. Either he accept them and be kind or else he will have no part of his family. He will have no family.
His sister not only has a spark mate she loves very much, but they are to be parents. She has a duty to them over him.
He nods in understanding. Not saying he approves or disapproves, but understands everything is up to him. He has the power of this outcome. His actions will decide their future.
He can not control her destiny, but she will control how much she allows him into her life.
"Starscream," Megatron voice is amazingly soft the mech who has such animosity for him. "I can not allow you to kill me. It could damage the best gift your sister has ever been given. I can not allow any more harm to come to her. Be it in a physical attack, or a break to her spark." He takes a slow inhale, then admits, "I am well aware of the harm I have caused her, I can not let her go through that again. Not from me. Not from you. Not anyone."
This is a kind of softness he would expect from Skyfire or even Optimus. Maybe even Ultra Magnus for Prowl. He never thought he would hear this tone from the great Decepticon Lord.
But then again, he has been dethroned.
Dropped to his knees by both Unicron and Slipstream.
"I understand," Starscream confirms his fate. Not just his physical fate, but his relationship with his sister.
Softly he turns to her, "If you ever need anything, you will let me know?"
She smiles with great relief. "Of course. You are my brother, after all."
With Starscream backing down his aggression, Skyfire finally makes himself available to his former friend.
"Prime," the shuttle steps forward, but making sure to capture Starscream's attention. "If I may be of assistance. I could transport Starscream and Windblade to Caminus. I have been meaning to go myself. No need to bother anyone else." Now he does look directly at his once best friend. "I would welcome the chance to spend time with Starscream again."
The Air Commander is humbled, dropping his helm, wings drooping.
The war is over, and where Megatron and Optimus have reunited with their spark mates, Thundercracker and Skywarp have moved back into peace-time adventures, he has not tried to reconnect with the one who was once his best friend.
Optimus checks with Ultra Magnus. Both of them noticing Starscream's physical signs of defeat. They are in agreement.
"I think that will do. Thank you, Skyfire," the Prime accepts the offer to not involve anyone else in this mess.
Skyfire motions to Starscream, "Why don't we go? Sooner the better? I would like to share with you what Perceptor, Wheeljack and I have found out."
Starscream makes the leap to the large flyer. It comes out before he can stop himself, "Wheeljack?! Are you NUTS!?"
Skyfire shoulder checks the shorter one, stumbling him, "Aw come on. You don't seriously believe all those rumors, do you?"
"Who needs rumors with a recent large burnt hole in the ground?"
Sheepishly the large one rubs the back of his neck. "Uh, well, see….that was me."
This time Starscream all out trips, catching Skyfire's arm to steady himself. "YOU?! I don't believe it!"
Windblade gets the thumbs up from Bumblebee and skips over to them. "Do a sense a good story on it's way."
"Primus help me!" Skyfire grouses, folding down to his shuttle form.
Megatron and Optimus share a look as Starscream holds his hand out to assist the lovely femme into the grumbling shuttle. Ultra Magnus shares their look as the shuttle leaves:
Starscream is headed down a whole new unexplored road.
The great mechs all laugh grandly. They crashed hard when they fell in love. Having no idea what hit them until they could not bear to be far from their mates.
Thunderhoof would join their laugh, if he wasn't so afraid of his spark mate's parents. The shorter one more than the taller one, actually.
"Now what?" He huffs.
Strongarm curls a hand around his cheek getting him to look down at her, then with a stretch, rises to press a warm kiss to his lips.
His worries fade into the back while he absorbs the warmth of her love seeping into every fiber of his soul. Their bond might be weak, but it certainly is there and wanting to be stronger!
Prowl has seen Thunderhoof in foot-slamming action. He has seen him directing operations with skill, force, and threats. He has seen the aftermath of someone who has crossed him.
But he has also seen him exposed and vulnerable when his spark has been rend in two. He has seen him shake in guilt.
But never has he seen him surrender to another. To let himself be guided and held by another.
Yet here is his adult offspring, sharing her sacred affections with another. One who can be dangerous, but one who is tempered by falling in love.
Thunderhoof would never willingly harm Strongarm.
The kiss breaks and Thunderhoof strokes her cheek. "I have had so many nightmares of your family doing things like Starscream did to Slipstream. I don't care what it does to me, just… just what it would do to you. I can't stand the thought that being bound to me, will cause a rift for you with them."
"What we have, is ours. How they react to it, is up to them."
His shoulders slump, "You have always wanted to be an officer, like them. Being bound to me changes all that. It's the end of that life for you."
"Not, necessarily," Prowl pipes up.
This is when they all notice that the two non-fliers are still stuck on a pillar separate from the rest of them. Starscream's ground bridge inhibitors still in place, too.
"Little help, Megatron?" Prowl asks.
The heavy flier lifts Thunderhoof, landing them both where the others are gathering. Then he brings Strongarm over, where joining Slipstream wraps her arms around her, softly apologizing for her being in this mess all because of her family squabble.
Strongarm hugs her just as tightly, replying that she is grateful someone else can understand her plight.
The blue-ish femmes have a new sisterhood.
And then Strongarm is surrounding by her worried parents. While they console each other that everything is alright, and giving her supplement Energon cubes, Megatron, Elita and Optimus pull out their weapons, destroying the inhibitors. Bee contacts Sideswipe to give them a ground bridge back to Thunderhoof's roost. While it is being calibrated, fills him in.
Sideswipe is relieved his team is safe, but not thrilled that Windblade is off with Starscream. Knowing that Skyfire's two large fists (and large aft) close by to subdue the wayward mech if need be, drops his worry a little. But when Bee adds in that it was Windblade who came up with the plan to remove Starscream from Cybertron and Earth with the enticement of science and scientists who do not know him, the prankster mech howls with laughter.
Bee laughs right back and promises that he will make sure he gets time with Elita. During the war, she silently encouraged his moral distractions. Mostly for the sake of her mate's sanity but also to keep Prowl from over plotting.
The chief scowls at Bee, "You keep that red menace away from me! You hear me, Lieutenant?!"
Bee is still giggling (Elita's giggles not helping him hold a straight face) as he salutes, "Yes, Chief."
With a swirl of a warm vortex, they all return to the scene of the crime.