JMJ

Chapter Thirty-Five

Starscream Wants a Second Opinion and Other Non-Medical Matters

"Why does he care about Starscream?" Bumblebee asked a long time ago before his voice capacitator had been destroyed by Megatron.

In those days he had been so much more like Smokescreen, except maybe without the theatrics, but he was just as foolish as when Smokescreen arrived on Earth. Just as naïve about the realities of war, and he was not the only one…

Ratchet looked up at him from his work fixing something that required a blast shield.

"He doesn't," said Ratchet simply. "Not anymore than any other person led astray by Megatron."

"Then how come it seems like when he has a chance to kill him, he doesn't take it?"

Ratchet's optics softened a little, but he hid it by examining his work. "Because Optimus Prime won't kill someone who isn't fighting him back."

"Even when that person is faking it? Even when that person could stab you in the back any chance he gets later? Even if he's mocking your efforts to help him at all? Even if it's risking everything?"

Ratchet stopped a second time and glared at Bumblebee. Despite his lingering frown, Bumblebee lowered his head, feeling a little guilty about challenging the Prime behind his back like this even before Ratchet spoke.

"Optimus doesn't do anything that risks the Autobots," said Ratchet.

"I know, but—"

"The reason why Optimus Prime gives those chances to Starscream is because Starscream is insane."

Bumblebee could tell in Ratchet's tone that he did not fully agree with Optimus in his views about Starscream himself, and that he felt bad about it too nonetheless.

"All the more reason to put him out of his misery," Bumblebee sniffed.

"Maybe…" said Ratchet thoughtfully, "but his instability makes him difficult to kill when you face him head on without a significant advantage on his side. He gives up— to a Prime, of course, as the coward he is, and Optimus believes…"

"That he can sway him?"

"I didn't say that," said Ratchet. "Though just as much as Starscream gets under his casing, Optimus shakes him deeper than that."

Bumblebee could see in Ratchet's optics the panning of a scene from the past— a deep one, and one he thought about long and hard himself. At first Bee expected to hear one of Ratchet's famous tales. He had a way of making even the simplest occurances with Optimus sound like it had already passed on into legend. But whatever Ratchet saw he did not share— at least, not in the fashion of a tale.

Admittedly Bumblebee was a little disappointed. He wanted to hear what secret was between Optimus and Starscream. What happened that had made Optimus try.

"Optimus," Ratchet began slowly," believes that if we don't keep ourselves separate from the mindset of the Decepticons as much as possible, we will lose our way and the war will last until every last Cybertronian has killed each other, and Starscream… Unless he is headed straight for him with weapons at the ready, Optimus will not kill him— not whimpering in front of him like he does. Not begging for mercy. Could you take the spark of someone begging for mercy in front of you?"

"Maybe if it was the lying, cheating, backstabbing commander of the Decepticons," replied Bumblebee and not without some cheek.

Ratchet shook his head. "The thing that bothers me about it is that Starscream knows all this about the leader of the Autobots and takes full advantage of it."

"Well, then if I see him, I'll kill him for him!" Bumblebee declared.

"And yet," said Ratchet turning to a somewhat lighter tone himself, "having an insane commander does give us somewhat of an advantage as he's as ruinous to his own side as he is to ours, and often more-so."

Bumblebee had to think about that one. "Hmm, I see what you mean. Optimus is smarter than us all then."

#

Bumblebee was not exactly looking forward to a chat with Starscream. The fact that Starscream was injured did not help. That would only make getting information out of him all the more difficult. He would try to hide behind his injuries like he always did.

Bumblebee could already hear the groveling and whining and could picture the scene Starscream would make like the few others he had been witness to, especially on Earth where he had seemed to become wormier and whinier than ever. But they did not have time to wait for Starscream to be fully functional. They had already waited two or three days for Starscream to be in better health. They needed information now.

At any moment, the remains of the Decepticons could be upon them, and Bumblebee had to know what angle they were taking. At least to some degree.

Closing his optics briefly, he prepared himself for the fight. It was the kind that made physical combat seem easy.

Optimus had had a certain way with him at times. There had been something between them from the past, and Bumblebee knew it. Starscream had had a strange sort of way of reaching some part of his spark that others did not. Optimus had always looked worn out from mental battle with him, and more-so than combating him in a traditional fashion. Ratchet was somehow in on it too with those embedded messages when he was in trouble even if he did not know the whole thing. But it was something also that had given Optimus an advantage over Starscream that others did not and not simply because he was a Prime. Something that turned Starscream into a remorseful fledgling despite his mind games.

Something that Bumblebee could not use against him now.

With a roll of his optics and a moan that he did not quite let escape, Bumblebee opened the door to the medical center.

"Ah, Mr. President!"

Knock Out smiled as Bumblebee entered. Immediately, he led the way to Starscream's walled-off room.

"You're sure he's in a condition for talking now?" asked Bumblebee doubtfully.

Knock Out shrugged. "Is he ever?"

He opened the wall enough to allow himself and Bumblebee inside, and then it was shut behind them.

Instantly, Starscream's optics opened. They flashed with heated surprise at this unannounced visit. That was how Bumblebee had wanted it. He was not going to give Starscream the pleasure of planning ahead of time elaborate lies or schemes.

Starscream cringed uncomfortably and shrunk back as Bumblebee looked him in the optics in return sternly.

"You have important company today, Starscream," Knock Out announced the obvious and in a tone that might have been used for a child, save for the slight sarcastic tease about it.

That probably wasn't going to help matters. Anything Starscream could take to feel slighted, he would. He opened his oral vent, but Bumblebee was not about to let him start.

"This doesn't have to take long," he said. "I'm sure you can guess why I'm here."

"Information," coughed Starscream trying to make himself look as pitiable as possible, so that it was a little difficult to tell how much of it was true injury and how much Starscream was playing up.

He winced and blinked and seemed to try to melt back into the slanted table. His panting sounded strained.

Bumblebee glanced at Knock Out.

"He's well enough for visitors," Knock Out assured him crossing his arms, and turning to Starscream, he added, "Just as long as he doesn't work himself into a fit again."

Yes, I know, that's what making this more annoying, Bumblebee thought, but he refrained himself.

"Nnghh," growled Starscream and he grumbled weakly as if knowing and appreciating Bee's reserve, "At least Bumblebee knows how to be civil."

Bumblebee then crossed his arms and glanced lightly from Starscream to Knock Out again. Then Knock Out, who understood well enough, said, "Well! I have other things to attend to, so I'll let you have your chat in private."

And he promptly left the room. The wall was closed up behind him.

"You have no idea the torture I've been going through in here," said Starscream darkly; he paused and bowed his head, "Lord President."

He did not look at him as he spoke this, especially the last bit as he lifted his vision to the luminous skylight above him and leaned his head back onto the table with tender precision and a wince that was probably fake.

"It looks like he's been taking good care of you to me," said Bumblebee with a shrug.

"He's the one who put me into this state," Starscream sniffed, "and he only decided not to rip open my skull for fear of losing his reputation as an Autobot."

"This isn't about Knock Out, you know."

"But it is!" snapped Starscream lifting his head to Bumblebee again. "He turned into a mad scientist lunatic within a few seconds!" and here be began to whimper so pitifully that Bumble released that earlier groan. "The only reason why he did not kill me right when he had me was because he wanted me to suffer! He's no more an Autobot than I am! You must see that! And it may not be my position to say how and where you keep him, but I refuse to be under his mocking care any longer!"

"You survived it when you were aboard the Nemesis."

"Just barely, I can assure you, and that was before he had it in for me!" Starscream complained.

"Starscream," Bumblebee pushed. "Where's Galvatron?"

Starscream glared with most childish pout, "He's a monster ready to burst! You must see it!"

"Galvatron," pressed Bumblebee.

"Knock Out!"

Bumblebee sighed.

"Only if you take me away from the sight of him," said Starscream. "I'll never be able to heal with his sneering face hovering above me like some drooling anthropophagite!"

"That's up to Ratchet," said Bumblebee. "He's the only other one who could take care of you."

"Then ask him. Order him! You're in charge!" said Starscream, and his voice had become rather strangled; he nearly lost its capacitating in his resurging panting. "This sort of thing wouldn't be allowed to happen if Optimus Prime was still online!"

He nearly squeaked the last bit.

"Calm down, and we'll see!" said Bumblebee losing patience. "Now will you cooperate?"

Starscream closed his optics. After a pause he resumed his weak display and filled himself to the brim with his own self-pity. Then he digressed a little with a sigh.

"I'll try to," said Starscream with the semblance of near-sanity anyway, "but you're going to be disappointed. I don't know very much that will be of any use to you."

Well, at least they were getting off the topic of Knock Out.

"Why are you here on Cybertron?" said Bumblebee firmly. "I know you had a mind control device and the phase shifter, and that you attacked—"

"Knock Out?"

It was like he was reading his thoughts. No, just observant and took everything into an account in order to bother people to his own destruction as usual.

Bumblebee did his best to ignore him.

"You had plans to possibly kidnap hatchlings," he went on. "Somehow I doubt any of these things are really what Galvatron is up to— at least in the way you were going about them."

Starscream protruded his lower lip thoughtfully and just a touch mockingly, but he did not answer.

After a sufficiently long pause, Bumblebee tried again sharply, "Starscream."

Starscream sighed bitterly— melodramatically. "Yes. I'll admit it. Those were not Galvatron's plans."

"Then what are his plans?" demanded Bumblebee. "I'm warning you, Starscream, you're only going to make this more difficult for yourself if you don't tell me now."

"Are you in for torture these days without the solid guidance of your virtuous leader?" hissed Starscream.

Bumblebee did not feel even a burn to answer a question like that, but just as he began to speak again upon the Autobots' subject of interest, Starscream interrupted.

"If he's still online, mind you," the prisoner muttered idly, "his plans are the same as they always have been. To rule Cybertron. He believes it is his destiny and that now, with Optimus Prime's demise, he believes he is the only one capable of ruling it. No offence to you, of course…"

"You know what I mean. What are his plans for Earth? Where is he now, and what do you mean by 'if' he's online?"

Starscream smiled, one of his sinister, gruesome, little sneers as innocent as the barring teeth of a scraplet cocking its head as though from curiosity before taking a bite. They leaked like a rusting energon line so often behind a pitiful façade, and again Bumblebee could not help but roll his optics.

"Well?"

"He was betrayed."

"By you?"

Starscream snickered.

"No," he retorted. "I've given up that kind of treachery. I would have been loyal to him until the end had he not been beyond the reach of reason. I was only going to take matters into my own hands for his Cause. I had no intention of killing a mental invalid."

"You've never had qualms about things like that before," Bumblebee could not help but remark.

"It wasn't me," said Starscream with full seriousness. "I wouldn't be on Cybertron if it was."

"Then who?"

"Soundwave."

"That's hard to believe."

"Isn't it, though?" said Starscream raising a brow. "He was out to kill Galvatron and me— and perhaps Skywarp too. Skywarp made it back in through the portal before Soundwave shut it up. Soundwave no doubt meant for the Predaking to do his dirty work, or perhaps he has devised that first the Predaking soften Galvatron up for him to make certain he can be killed easily later.

"I escaped myself only because of my fortune in my happening to find the phase shifter on Earth after the demise of Lockdown. It must have blown pretty far during the explosion, and it's fortunate that it did not get into the hands of someone worse than myself.

"But as for Galvatron, I do not know. The last I saw of him was his facing the Predaking in an epic duel, the likes of which are so reminiscent of the facing of Megatron and Prime, except the obvious intention of both combatants to fight only to the death with no chance of clemency or interruption to be taken. If the Predaking still lives, he would know more about it than me, and since I understand you have fairly decent relations with that barbarous brute like so many others of your monstrous pets— those Raptor-bots for instance and lest we forget Kno—"

Bumblebee held up his hands. "Yes, okay, I get that. Now. If this is true and Galvatron was last seen fighting the Predaking, how long ago was this?"

"Nearly two solar cycles before this happened to me," said Starscream mournfully.

"And do you have any idea what Soundwave may be planning or why he decided to trick Galvatron?" Bumblebee demanded.

"Soundwave's treachery was just as much a surprise to me as it was to anyone else," said Starscream. "He was acting a little suspicious, I suppose, especially after Galvatron denied anyone from salvaging the Knight itself even if we were allow to salvage her cargo…our dear master destroyed it, you see— further proof of his failing mind.

"What did you find aboard the Knight?"

Starscream shrugged. "What you would expect. Weapons, beasts…the offline husk of Swindle. That sort of thing. A lot of items were beyond recovery, especially after Galvatron massacred our chance at perfect success…"

"Alright, go on."

"Well, that's it," Starscream said. "Soundwave always is sneaking about and spying on everyone, so whether that was the motive or not, I would not know. It's a disturbing thing living under such conditions and under such scrutiny in which every word— every movement— is under the constant surveillance of those watchful optics behind that cursed visor and that cursed vow of silence."

"A condition that you could have escaped many times," said Bumblebee. "It's difficult to feel sorry for you."

"That is hard, Mr. President, believe me," said Starscream dryly. "After all, your old leader always took pity on my plight, trapped as I was with the Decepticons under Lord Megatron and Soundwave." He began to wring his hands and to choke miserably. "He knew it was no fault of mine that I was seduced into Megatron's service."

Bumblebee only frowned harder.

Starscream winced, but more from irritation and feeling sorry for himself than actual remorse.

"Is there anything else you wish to ask me?" he hissed.

If there was nothing else to this, then this worked out easier than Bumblebee had hoped, but he did not trust Starscream fully. If he was telling the truth, then obviously Starscream had nothing worth hiding, and yet that was what made the story suspicious. Somehow Bumblebee's gut feeling was that this was the truth, however much part of him warned that going to find the Predaking could be a trap.

Even if Starscream was simply playing one of those games where he tried to make his enemies all kill each other at once, he knew that this would lead them the Galvatron, and that was what they wanted.

Bumblebee shook his head. "If you're telling the truth then there's nothing more you can know. But we will go find out if the Predaking attacked you and Galvatron."

He watched Starscream for a reaction, but he seemed much more preoccupied with himself to know for sure.

"Yes, yes," murmured Starscream carelessly. "But you have to keep your promise."

"I didn't promise you anything except that I would ask Ratchet, which I will do."

"The very least you can do," retorted Starscream.