CHAPTER 9
Starscream was about to continue drinking his energon tank, when his gaze fell on the tape recorder on the table by the instrument panel. Perhaps the energon could wait until he had documented the event in another log entry. He picked it up and was about to enter another entry when he remembered what Sideways had just explained to him. If he had left the tape on when he left the ship, and the Blendtrons had been there and listened to his log…gasp! Who knows what they might have found out?!
He played the log back to entry number 25.
"Starscream's log, entry number 25. Success at last! I managed to seize a large energon crystal…"
Starscream listened to the recording until it ended where he thought he had turned it off.
"*Gluglugluglugglug*… *BEEP! BEEP! BEEP*! Oh, what NOW? Can't a bot enjoy his energon in peace? …A message? For me? From whom? 'Meet me at the cove. Nightbird.' *sigh* I guess that means I'll have to wait with my energon consumption. *TSHOORR* *clak* *clak* *clak* *TSSSWWOOOM*"
So now I have arrived in the cove. That must mean…
"Hey, Scream! Are you there?"
"The joint's empty, Drancron, of course he's not here. Probably out getting some energon."
"Unlikely, Rartorata. Look, he's got a tank full of the stuff. Probably just got back from a successful raid or something."
"Then where IS he? He's not been kidnapped or anything, has he?"
"BY UNICRON, WHAT IF NIGHTBIRD GOT HIM AND DESTROYED HIM ALREADY?!"
"Don't be silly, Rartorata. If he was dead, we wouldn't be here."
This made Starscream tilt his head in curiosity. So they are merely protecting me to ensure their own safety. Now it makes sense… Wait, no, it still doesn't explain WHY…
"Hey, look at this! A tape recorder!"
Starscream stopped thinking and concentrated deeply on what was being said.
"Looks like he left it here. And that forgetful fool forgot to turn it off. Perhaps it'll tell us where he went…"
"Wait, don't turn it off yet! Let's give him a message before we find him!"
"Uh, okay. Hey, Starscream! When you're listening to this recording, know that we've found a few things on the ship that might help you with your…problem. *TSCAH* And, um, you don't need to worry about that guy, we've taken care of him for you."
Starscream turned and looked at his deceased clone. His waist had been torn up, and – he gasped – a shiny golden T-cog was lying on the floor beneath him. Well, I guess I don't have to get my claws dirty then.
"Look, we just want to tell you…if you're planning on getting your wings back, you should save the energon you've collected here. You're going to need it afterwards. That's all. Bye!"
The log entry ended there.
Starscream walked over and picked up the T-cog, looked at the clone and smiled maliciously, and placed it on the table next to some tools he hadn't seen before. Scalpels, drills, all sorts of equipment for…surgery.
He stiffened. Did they expect him to replace his T-cog all by himself?
It wasn't like he had any choice. Apparently none of the Blendtrons were familiar with surgeries, otherwise they would have offered him help…or perhaps they actually didn't care. Either way, he was on his own. The only thing he knew about surgery was one time when he had dissected an Autobot, during his 'scientific career', so to speak. He had been fascinated by seeing all the organs inside a Transformer body, including the spark chamber, the voicebox, the fuel tank and of course the transformation-cog. But was he really skilled enough to perform self surgery?
"Guess we're about to find out."
Starscream's log
Entry #26
Tonight was such a hectic event.
Firstly, I was interrupted in my energon drink by a message from this Unicronian – sorry, Ex-Unicronian – assassin named Nightbird.
Secondly, she was trying to frag me.
Thirdly, the Heralds of Unicron showed up and saved me! And here I thought they were messengers of chaos and evil and what not. Not that we Decepticons aren't evil, but Unicron is, like, really super-bad.
Fourthly, I found out that Sideways and the others are actually from the future! As in, a place where things are yet to happen-future! How is that even possible?!
But Sideways wouldn't tell me anything, other than useless stuff like Nightbird wants me dead because apparently I have a major impact on the future somehow, but he won't tell me HOW!
Well, and then I also found out that I left my last log open, and you may have noticed that someone else added to that entry. Those were the Blendtrons. Apparently they believe I will perform self surgery, to install my new T-cog.
Other than that one Autobot I dissected eons ago, I know next to nothing about surgery, let alone doing it on myself!
But, oh well. Such is life, I guess. You live and you learn.
I was going to drink the rest of the energon right away, but apparently those Blendtrons think I should save it for the surgery…
I don't really want to do this, but I really miss flying. My wings are getting all stiff from not getting used – I might end up forgetting how to fly!
Ugh, I guess I have no choice then.
I'm not sure if I'm going to survive this, but I have to take the risk.
I can't remain in this state forever. I have the tools, the T-cog and the energon, and despite tonight's tensions, what with raiding the mine and almost getting killed by a motorbike, I don't feel tired yet. Why not now?
I will update the log if I survive.
If you don't get an update…it was nice talking to you.
And by you, I mean myself.
Goodbye.
Starscream spent the next mega-cycle preparing for the surgery. He lined up the tools on the instrument panel along with the T-cog. The monitor above was turned on, showing a model of the Seeker himself and his vital signs. The energon tank was right next to it all, ready for use. The recharging table - which he remembered he hadn't actually used yet due to the recent events - was tilted and positioned for use as a surgery table.
"Ener-stat. Cross-clamp. Laser scalpel. Durabyllium drill. And, one slightly damaged but operational T-cog, courtesy of my traitorous clone," he listed and grabbed the drill. "Everything I require to make myself whole."
He laid down on the tilted recharging table, now surgery table. "A simple, painless procedure…" He pressed the button on the drill, which started to spin with a whirring sound that made the Seeker anxious for what he was about to do.
"Nothing to it, really…" He pointed the drill at his chest and started lowering it. "Provided one possesses the nerve…" He mustered all his willpower to not shudder while the drill was a mere inch from his chest. This is a really bad idea, he thought, closed his optics and prepared for the pain…
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Starscream was startled by the computer's alarm. He eagerly removed the drill from his chest to find out why the alarm had been set off.
Four signals appeared on the monitor. They were Decepticon signals.
"Four detachments of Decepticons, GroundBridging to four different continents at the exact same time? Huh," the Seeker mumbled, then smiled relieved. "Procedure postponed."
He went and fetched the remote for the GroundBridge and turned it on. Perhaps it was too soon to leave after having just returned, but he had to see what the Decepticons were up to. Megatron doesn't just scatter his forces for mere entertainment. Maybe they had found really large energon deposits? Or perhaps something bigger?
He had set the coordinates on the signal coming from the Antarctic. At least there he wouldn't be found by Nightbird or the Heralds of Unicron. This would take forever to walk to, he thought. Even if I had my T-cog, it would take several mega-cycles. This way, it will take mere seconds to get there.
"Ahh, a remote control for the GroundBridge," he said, cherishing his beloved device. "I love Decepticon scientists!"
He looked at another piece of technology that he hadn't tried out yet – the hover-scooters. "At least this will be faster than walking."
Mere seconds later, Starscream exited the GroundBridge on his hover-scooter and was almost blinded by the bright light from the day-sky and the white snow. Although it was indeed faster than walking, it was still slower than flying and definitely did not look as cool.
This is so humiliating, he thought while driving through the snowland. I hope the Decepticons won't see me in this pathetic state.
He hadn't taken account for how cold it would be in the Antarctic. Normally his jet mode would fly at such a speed that it would heat him up enough to not get frozen. This time, however, the pace was much slower, and the cold wind was freezing his thin limbs, despite only having just arrived there.
"Brrrrrr," he snarled. "I despise this planet! If it isn't a scorching desert, it is a frigid wasteland!"
He drove on a little longer, looking from side to side. There were plenty of light blue glacial crystals and ice walls, but there was no energon to be seen anywhere. Perhaps Megatron was looking for something bigger than energon?
"Now, where are you, my Decepticon brethren…?" he said and held a servo above his optics to get a better view.
His question got answered right away, as two Vehicon fliers passed him from above.
Scrap! he thought. Please move on, please move on, please move on…
Luck was not with him this time. The Vehicons had spotted him this time – not that hard a job, giving that his gray paintjob stood out here in the white landscape. They turned around and began shooting after him.
Likewise, Starscream did a U-turn and worked the hover-scooter overtime, whilst trying to escape the Vehicon attackers and avoid the large chunks of ice collapsing around him, caused by the Vehicons' lasers.
This was a bad idea, this was a TERRIBLE idea, Starscream you IDIOT! "AHHH!"
He let out a scream as three more Vehicons showed up in front of him – wait, that one in the middle wasn't a Vehicon. This guy was much bigger and a different color scheme and model than the Vehicons. Deep in the back of his memory, he recognized the plane from the night he lost his T-cog. The Decepticon hadn't seen him back then, but there he had had the cover of a forest and the night. Here, it was in the middle of the day and the Seeker was out in the open. Things didn't look so good for him.
Starscream kept on driving, zigzagging to avoid their lasers, but the hover-scooter wasn't nearly as fast as the jet-planes.
"FASTER, YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR TRANSPORTATION!" he shouted at the poor scooter which was already straining itself above its limit.
While still shooting, the large jet flew over Starscream; the tailwind was so powerful that it knocked the Seeker forward and off his scooter, which crashed into the frozen snow, broken. Starscream did a few front flips in the air before landing face-first, then still.
Urgh, not now, please! he thought as the unbearable cramping returned to his chest area, making him unable to move at all, not even crouching to ease the pain.
The four Vehicons landed in front of the near-unconscious Seeker, switched modes and pointed their laser guns at him. The cramp finally settled and Starscream got up on all four with a groan. He shook off some snow from his neck and looked fiercely at the Vehicons, in an attempt to hide his fear.
"Decepticons!" he shouted. "Do you not realize you have just shot down your ship's commander?!"
Someone landed behind him. He looked behind and let out an exclamation as a large blue mech identical to Skyquake stood before him. He had the Decepticon Elite Guard sigil on his chest.
"You command no one," the stranger said. "Deserter!"