Part One -
The Seeker Trine stared fearfully at the Warlord as he advanced on them.
"Will you join me, or join your friends?" His red optics gleamed with sadist glee.
All three of their wings lowered in fear and they stared nervously at him.
{Skywarp, are you able to teleport Thundercracker?}
{Yes, but-}
{Good, I'll distract him, you get yourself and TC out of here}
"Well?"
{But Star-}
{Listen to me Skywarp! This is the only way!}
{He'll kill you}
{I know}
The red and white Seeker, the Air Commander and leader of the Trine, stepped forward. Megatron smirked and opened his mouth to speak when he was suddenly hit with a missile.
{GO!}
He heard the tell-tale 'plop' of his brother's teleportation and smiled. But the smile was wiped from his face when Megatron punched him hard and grabbed his wing. He shrieked in pain as his wing was bent and ripped.
The Seeker struggled but the Tyrant kept on breaking his wing until it was hanging on by a few cables. He let go and the Seeker crashed to the ground, coolant tears falling freely.
With the last of his consciousness, the Seeker shut the Spark-bound link with his Trine.
….
Red optics flashed online and stared at the dark ceiling of his room. Grey wings lowered slightly as he sighed and sat up.
"What a dream" he murmured, standing up and going to the mirror in the room.
Bright red optics stared back; they took in the ghastly grey and darker grey armour with red accents. His once large wings lowered even more, having been forcefully bent by their owner to fit a Decepticon fliers wings.
He abruptly turned and left his quarters, feeling sick with disgust. His smaller wings twitched when he felt someone brush against them and shot a death glare at the Vehicon Drone that did so.
"B0B, I expect you not to touch my wings" the Seeker snapped and the Vehicon Drone instantly apologized before taking off in a run.
Everyone on the ship knew the rules when it came to Seekers and their wings, so the Second in Command was allowed to be harsh when one of the rules were broken.
He entered the Command Center where the Third in Command, Soundwave, was already at.
"How much longer until we get to the Energon deposit?" the Energon Seeker demanded.
Soundwave pointed to the main window and the current leader of the Decepticons looked out it. The deposit was barely a mile ahead. His red optics narrowed and he sent out Vehicon Drones to claim it.
The sudden explosion surprised and irked him.
"Those brainless brutes" the Seeker hissed, "the Energon is worthless now"
He turned when he heard the door slide open and was surprised to see two Vehicon Drones dragging in a heavily injured Cliffjumper. They threw him at the Commanders pedes and the Autobot struggled to sit on his knee plating.
"Starscream, been a while" he coughed harshly and Energon splattered on the ground, "where's your master?"
Starscream felt anger and rage when he heard the Autobot call the Tyrant his master, but he was quick to reign in that anger, remembering that the Grounder had no idea what Megatron did to him.
"Megatron is currently on vacation, I run this ship until he gets back" the Seeker bit out.
Cliffjumper let out a surprised huff, "you?"
"Yes me, now take our... guest here to a cell and keep him there until Megatron returns. And for Primus's sake get someone to patch up his wounds and clean this floor"
The two Vehicon Drone dragged the surprised Autobot away as another Drone entered and cleaned up the Energon mess. Starscream tilted his head towards Soundwave.
"I will be out for the next hour or two, Soundwave please make sure no one gets themselves killed"
The mute Cybertronian dipped his helm slightly and Starscream left for the deck, ready to go for his daily flight.
He relaxed his wings and spread them to their full length, they arched over his helm in a stretch before lying flat. He smiled and ran off the deck of the Warship, offlining his optics and feeling the warm wind on his faceplates. He continued to fall until his instincts told him he was close to the ground; he transformed and flew up, spiraling as he did so.
He did acrobatic flips through the air as he drifted on air currents, barely even using his own thrusters. He glided for a while before finally starting his thrusters and flying up high. He flew until he was high above the clouds, the sun soaking his back with its UV rays.
He offlined his optics and let his instincts guide him. He dropped below the clouds and looped easily around the wind turbines, his sensors guided him around mesa's and over military bases.
He flew easily and quickly, not even getting close to his limits as he caused a double sonic boom at his speed. There was a reason he was Air Commander of the best Seekers out there.
It wasn't because he forced himself in that position, it also wasn't because he followed orders. It was because he out ranked them in flight, with and without his Trine at his side.
He flipped so that he was heading up and finally onlined his optics once more. He flew high up before transforming and going into another free-fall, this time he wouldn't catch himself until he was sure he was close.
He watched as the ground got closer and closer, he was so close to breaking his record when he got a sudden Comm. and instinctively transformed, hovering 100 meters above the ground. He let out an annoyed growl and answered.
"This had better be important Soundwave!"
:Decepticons,... Megatron... have returned:
Starscream felt his Spark drop at the transmission and he quickly shook himself, "very well, tell him I will meet him at Mine D-19"
Soundwave cut the Comm. and Starscream let out a loud scream before flying to the largest mine they discovered and were still mining. He transformed just outside and made sure his wings were back to the way with wouldn't get him beaten for. He entered the mine and let out an instinctive shiver as he nervously looked around.
Seekers were meant to be up in the air and out in the open, NOT in enclosed spaces where there was no sight of the sky.
He waited for Megatron at a perched area, one where it wasn't as claustrophobic. He leapt down when he saw the Warlord and began explaining about the mine.
When they entered the large cavern, Megatron showed the Energon Seeker what he had found in all his years away. Starscream shied away from it, already feeling the weakening feeling it provided.
"Dark Energon?" he whispered, fear coursing through his veins. If Megatron had Dark Energon now, he would be unstoppable.
"Yes, Starscream, are you ready for the ultimate sacrifice?" the Dark Lord asked in a silky tone.
Starscream let out a sound of distress only Seekers could hear, his wings lowering in fear. Before he could say anything, Megatron grabbed him and plunged the shard into his Spark Chamber.
Starscreams scream echoed as the Dark Energons fiery liquid raced through his veins. He collapsed to the ground and withered; it was like Megatrons most terrible beatings times ten!
His optics offlined before onlining, the red in his optics were now a deep purple. Starscream laid there, letting out keens of pain as he shook.
"Magnificent" the Decepticon leader purred, he tilted his head when he got a Comm. from his Third, a dangerous shark-like grin took place, "an Autobot huh? Bring him here, it looks like I will have two experiments"
The elevator lowered, two Vehicon Drones holding Cliffjumper.
Cliffjumper looked over to the downed Seeker and felt worried about him. His gaze shifted to the Decepticon leader when he heard the signs of a cannon powering up and felt blazing pain enter his Spark before everything faded away.
Starscream could only watch as Megatron executed the Autobot before stabbing him with another shard of Dark Energon.
Cliffjumper laid still for a few seconds before the effects of the Corrupt Energon took hold. He, it growled and snarled as it tore up two Vehicon Drones before turning and charging at Megatron. Starscream watched helplessly as Megatron sliced the Autobot in half before throwing him down.
The Vehicon Drones activated their weapons at the suddenly noise of clanging and only lowered them when Megatron gave the signal to.
Starscream breath heavily as Megatron approached him.
"Interesting, it seems that those who are living can control their Energon lust, while those who are dead cannot" the insane mech noted, "get up Starscream"
The Seeker contemplated on just lying there but was forced to shakily stand when Megatron grabbed his shoulder plating and pulled him to his pedes. He shivered and his wings lowered in pain.
Megatron commanded Starscream to follow him as he left for the Warship. Starscream forced himself to walk, even though every step was like agony, his wings trembled as he transformed and took off towards the large ship.
He almost didn't make it, only barely getting over the deck before the pain and tiredness became too much. He trembled as he transformed and landed harshly. He skidded on his side a few meters before stopping and stood up, violent tremors coursing through his body. He forced himself to follow Megatron, who was waiting at the entrance of the Warship.
They walked in silence until they reached the room where the rest of the Dark Energon Megatron came back with was stored. Starscream trembled at the sight and a strong, dark feeling overcame him.
"The Dark Energon in you will be commanded by me" Megatron calmly stated, "after I take its power as my own!"
Megatron grabbed a shard from the large chunk and stabbed himself with it. Starscream gasped as he felt a sudden connection to the Dark Lord. Megatron screamed in pain.
Starscream could only watch with lowered wings as the Dark Energon consumed the other.
:Lord Megatron! Autobots have invaded D-19:
Megatron's, now purple optics, turned to stare accusingly at the young Seeker.
"Orders...Master?" Starscream bit out.
"The Autobots must not gain the mine, and they must not find out about the Dark Energon until it is time"
"But there isn't enough time to extract everything-"
"Then blow the mines!"
Starscream twitched before turning and leaving to return to the mine he was just at. He unsubspaced a bomb he kept on his being in case of needing a quick escape.
His wings flicked and he dropped the bomb into a group of Energon crystals after activating it. He returned to the Warship just as the mines exploded.
"Commander Starscream, Lord Megatron wants you at the Command Center" a Vehicon Drone with wings called.
Starscream went to the Command Center, with wings raised in fake bravado.
"Ah, if it isn't my trusted Second" Megatron grinned, turning his now purple optics to the Seeker, "tell me everything that has happened during my absense"
Starscream felt the Dark Energon inside of him pulse, however him being an Energon Seeker and Protector made the desire to follow the other dampen.
"When you left six years ago..." Starscream began explaining what has been going on, leaving out certain details, details that he was sure no one but him knew.
Once he finished, Megatron was giving him a shark-like grin.
"Very good, begin preparations with the Spacebridge" the Dark, now Darker, Lord commanded.
Starscream bowed, "yes, master"
He stood and headed off.
…
A week passed and the Space Bridge was finally complete.
The only problem was that the Autobots had found out and were currently attacking the Spacebridge. Megatron went to meet them and Starscream could tell that the Spacebridge was about to explode, so he ordered the ship to get a safe distance away.
Megatron called in mere minutes before the Spacebridge exploded, ordering Starscream to return. The Seeker held his helm tightly as the Dark Energon tried to get him to follow the other's orders.
He fought it and the pain ceased as the Spacebridge exploded.