JMJ

Chapter Forty-Eight

Dawning

As Bumblebee came to the door of Starscream's cell, he prepared himself for the sobbing and complaining awaiting him. It had been the longest between visits since he had begun visiting. After having given him his new cell, he had become distracted. True he had been surprised to find how hard Starscream seemed to try to live up to his promise. Despite feeling sorry for himself for being a Decepticon and complaining about it, he had become more civil and even a little gentler.

The fact that Starscream did not appear overly excited about his new cell as much as he had been after the second visit with the new cell proved nothing to Bumblebee. Starscream valued freedom far beyond a new cell. Who would not? The thank you for it was far more sincere than usual. Bumblebee had to give him that. But it was difficult to trust him inside a cell. It just was. He could turn like a switch if allowed out into the world beyond.

It had not been Bee's intention to leave him so long, though. He recalled a saying from Earth that Raf had taught him: "When it rains it pours."

First there was the unexpected new set of sparks. The Cybertron they knew from just before the War had not produced new Cybertronian life for hundreds of years in between, but this had not even been fifty.

There was also the visit from Raf and his grandson— yes, grandson, just turned nine; the humans grew way too fast, though Bumblebee tried not to think hard about it. They had come to see the newest generation in the growing process. As Ratchet was quick to remind everyone, it was the first time that another race had witnessed this hatching process. Even if it was just Raf, it was a little strange for some, especially Ultra Magnus and Jetfire who never had that close of a relationship with the humans.

But Bumblebee had to say that it had been one of his favorites. He had spent long hours with Raf and his grandson in their very high tech suits designed by Raf himself…

Then there was the permanent contact with the Dinobots, which was rather confusing at first even if quite exciting. They had been invited to their planet for a celebration in their honor for what the Autobots had done for the Raptor-bots and for destroying their captor. Bumblebee had had to convince them to wait until after the hatchlings were well on their way to adulthood before such arrangements could be made. The mistake in visiting Earth at the wrong time with the first generation had not been forgotten.

Bumblebee and Knock Out were especially wanted. Bumblebee as representative of Cybertron and— well, after all, Knock Out had been the one to kill Lockdown. All the attention went to his head for a while, but Knock Out soon got over it once he returned to Cybertron for which everyone was most grateful.

But now, everything was settled. Bee had time to visit, but he had to wonder if Starscream had given up on Bumblebee. What he would find in there, Bumblebee was reluctant to find out.

His guard escort eyed him with concern.

Well, his hesitance had been too long for comfort, Bumblebee supposed.

Glancing back at the guard, Bumblebee nodded.

The guard opened the door.

Bumblebee blinked in the natural light of Cybertron coming through the window after standing in that rather dim corridor. At first he did not see Starscream. But there he was before Bee became alarmed. Starscream slowly turned his head from gazing foggily out of the window.

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

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

#

Starscream stiffened.

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

Bumblebee shook his head, still looking at a loss. After an awkward pause, Bumble managed, "Nothing's wrong!"

Starscream cringed. Bumblebee's tone proved the opposite.

"Do I look sick?" he demanded. "What?"

"What have you been doing all this time?" Bumblebee asked.

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

There was nothing he could think of to say that he had not already tried to say. He had apologized so many times it was beyond count, but now that he truly did feel remorse in a calm manner that he had come to feel only so recently, he had no words to express it anymore than he had falling at the feet of Optimus Prime in that dream or whatever that was.

He could feel Bumblebee studying him with care, but for a few moments Starscream did not look up. When he did, he was still deeply stooped.

"Why did you come?" asked Starscream unhappily.

"To check up on you," said Bumblebee. "I know it's been a while. A lot's been going on. The next generation's already arrived…"

"Early?" asked Starscream with a raised brow, but he nodded solemnly directly afterwards, his face relaxed now. "I can only imagine, and they deserve your attention far more than I do."

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

"Well," said Bumblebee. "Ratchet theorizes that the new generation might have appeared so quickly because of how fresh and vibrant the planet is now, but that did have us scrambling to get all that settled. I would have come sooner otherwise. In the original plan the first generation of new Cybertron was going to take care of the next, but they aren't quite ready for that. They're to act as older siblings instead and fortunately that is working out better than we hoped."

Starscream nodded. Slowly he glanced out the window.

"How is Skywarp getting along?" he asked gently as a jet flew overhead. He did not recognize who it was, and that did not surprise him; though he had seen the same jet before even if never out of jet-mode. "He's still with Jetfire, I hope."

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

"I can't imagine there's been too much out there to worry about," Starscream remarked, "aside from maybe some personality clash."

"A little, but Slingshot and Jetfire have a strong respect for each other. They're working it out, especially now with the next generation."

"Good to hear."

"They go up and check the passing comets and other space debris for resources and if anything is of interest to the science department. Jetfire has drills in case there is an emergency. He also has been at times training the first generation to fly to the best of their abilities, though that's been put on hold for the present."

He still could not get himself to face Bumblebee. It was so difficult. This is what he had been waiting for. How long had he planned his words to Bumblebee, but they all escaped now, apologies aside. He was only chatting. Strangely enough, that was alright with Starscream, but he still should have the courage to face who he was chatting with.

"I suppose Skywarp doesn't remember aerial acrobatics?" Starscream asked staring down at the lowest roads below.

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

Starscream's brows tightened. He made anr exasperated sigh a little louder than the first as he at last was able to turn enough to glance back at Bumblebee. He threw his arms around his back.

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

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

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

"Okay," said Bumblebee with a shrug.

Something about the way Bumblebee looked made Starscream feel that Bumblebee was teasing him, but he tried desperately not to be offended. That was what the Autobots did all the time was tease each other, as far as Starscream knew, but it was difficult. Despite his theatrics and often childish behavior, he was not one to see the world in a playful light very often.

He sunk into his shoulders further, and he frowned suspiciously. He could not help it.

"Well, alright. I think maybe I'll leave," said Bumblebee, "but I'll come back a lot sooner than last time. I promise you that."

"You don't have to promise anything," remarked Starscream.

"But I'm gunna either way."

After Bumblebee left, Starscream let out a pout. He pondered over Bumblebee's queer behavior. Never once did he believe that it was because of the change that had come over him. He did not think it was that drastic in a cell to warrant it.

He shook his head.

"The new hatchlings making him feel successful or something," Starscream muttered to himself.

His optics caught a glint in the shadows.

With a start he turned to it.

Had that not been the glint from Bumblebee's optics he had seen earlier?

But Bumblebee was not here.

Something from out the window?

He moved and it disappeared. He moved back and it returned.

Spinning back to the window he angled himself to see a shadow of his reflection.

A strange glint of blue caught the window pane.

He gasped and put his hands in front of his optics to see what reflected off the metal of his fingers was clear energon-blue. It was not quite as brightly as from the energon sacks which held the prehatched sparks, but it was certainly not red. Again he gasped. He threw his hands down and stared vacantly out in front of him. A shiver ran through him that rattled his casing.

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

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

What did this mean?

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

He did not know what to think.

He did not trust himself anymore than anyone else.

"Except, that does explain Bumblebee's behavior."

#

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

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

"What is it?' Starscream asked nervously.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Yes," said Vasteffect, and he turned into the corridor.

Before he could begin to follow, Starscream peeked out the door timidly.

"Did the president say why he wished to see me in Capital Hall and not in my cell?"

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

Starscream nearly fell over from where his hands already clutched the doorway of the cell. The casualness of Vasteffect's tone made it all the more surreal.

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

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

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

"So…are you coming?" asked Vasteffect.

Without looking up and with a very glazed expression, Starscream nodded. As Vasteffect stepped to one side to allow Starscream out in front, Starscream scurried rodent-like into position. Vasteffect walked just behind him.

He rubbed his hands and looked about him at a corridor that had always been just outside his cell, but which he had rarely ever seen. It was interesting to note that even a prison corridor on new Cybertron was brighter than the Nemesis command deck.

He felt his mind would freeze as he saw the front doors of the prison open onto the causeway outside, but there he was half in dream stepping out into the capital as busy as he remembered it in the old days before the War, but with a vitality, a true life, that the view from his window had never given justice to and a warmth from the sun and a cleanliness about the atmosphere that was nothing like he remembered in the old days of his fledgling days.