Right. The Plot Bunnies From Under The Bed (not Dreadmoon this time...) got me again last night, so I was spurred into action to finish this chapter this morning. As ever, much thanks to Prof. Wayzegoose for telling me the science of Dynamic Equilibrium.
Cyblade Silver: Cheers muchly! Glad you like ;)
Skins Thunderbomb: Here it is - the scoop on the...waitaminute. Plushie Starscream?! Fuzzy, cuddly Screamery goodness?! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! (Glomps Starscream)
Starscream: Gak! Get off me, you crazy femme!
He loves me really.
Starscream: No I slagging well don't...
Careful or you'll slip out of character.
Naphtali Phoenix: (Beams hugely) Glad you like. I haven't seen too many, either, but one I've found and I like is 'Little Red Riding Hood' - it's either here or on Lexicon - and it's really cute and sad. (PS, if anyone's ever found any good Starscream/Skyfire slash, I'd love to know. There's hardly any around...thanks. ) The prejudice is a nice little spur for the fic and will feature pivotally later too, if I get that far...and I'm relieved the nickname works. I wasn't sure if it was too sickly for the Screampuff...
Soryu: Speaking of sudden turns, wait till you get to the end of this one. I was bitten by the plot bunnies AGAIN, so I have a new lease of life and a new... ah... thing to add to the mix. Remember who you asked me about before?...He'll be back sometime soon. And the two are earning, don't worry. I've been keeping score...(evil grin.)
Jess: Me too. Love that noisy seeker. ;) Sorry, but the other two won't be making an appearance - unless I can work in a cameo somehow/where... But there's Starscream! Lots and lots of Starscream! (Of course...)
Okay, I'll stop rambling. Here we go again...
Ethos warrior
"I don't understand any of this, Skyfire!"
The scientist looked up at the complaint. "Give me a moment to explain, then."
"You said that on the way up here!" the flier persisted. "I don't see what some crazy bunch of loonydrones has to do with Derby and Combine, or why we have to hush up as soon as we run into anyone in a corridor..."
"Mostly because you're not supposed to be in the Academy, let alone up in the Towers," Skyfire interrupted mildly, flashing a look at Starscream as he rummaged through a box of parts. "But also because the Converters... Well..." He hesitated as Starscream leant forward expectantly. "They're... not an easy 'crazy bunch of loonydrones' to talk about. Not without sparking a major debate, anyway..."
"But why?" the flier persevered stubbornly. "Are they another cult? There're enough around already - what's the big fuss about another one turning up?"
Skyfire sighed and sat down. This would have to be handled carefully. "They aren't some fashionable new cult, Starscream. The Converters have been at work long before every other sect or cult on Cybertron ever existed."
Starscream's optics shone wide and fascinated. He pulled up a stool on the opposite side of the table and settled in to listen, his expectant expression so like that of a child waiting for a story that any other time Skyfire would have laughed.
He wasn't laughing as he told this story.
"Converters and their beliefs have existed ever since transformers discovered the most basic elements that make up the Universe as we understand it. At its core, their philosophy is that the Universe itself is a computer programme, with each galaxy as a subroutine and star systems as sub-sub routines, so as such everything is made up of digital data - that every particle of every substance is composed of either ones or zeros, positive or negative - opposites, like any other programme you could think of."
Skyfire watched Starscream's face to make sure he understood. The idea that the Universe could be a programme was one of the main ongoing religious debates - such as they were, transformers not being overtly religious as a species - and usually caused controversy whenever it was mentioned. The flier caught the faint hint and nodded, motioning for Skyfire to carry on.
"This idea isn't exclusive to the Converters, of course, but it forms an integral part of their beliefs..." Unthinkingly Skyfire had slipped into 'lecturer' mode, keeping optic contact until he started to explain something and his hands started waving, his expression thoughtful and preoccupied. Starscream was sharply reminded of one of his lessons. He smiled fondly to himself and listened as Skyfire kept going.
"Some extend the opposites part of the theory and maintain that particles flash between existence and nonexistence a billion, billion times per fraction of a second - one or zero, positive or negative, existence or oblivion...that the Universe jumps between states constantly and it is the change itself that makes the Universe itself exist. It is the change, the conflict between the two states, that keeps the Universe going - we call it Dynamic Equilibrium. If there were ever to be an imbalance - all one state of pure good or pure evil, to use the two extremes - the balance would be lost and the Universe programme would crash. Total stagnation, the dead centre of the scales, is impossible."
Starscream was sitting very, very still, an unreadable expression on his face. With an obvious effort he kept his voice level as he ground out, "I think I can see where this may be going." Skyfire gave him a worried look, but the flier made a quick, impatient motion with one hand, scowling silently at the tabletop, and the scientist continued.
"The Converters take this to an extreme. They believe it is their duty to preserve the balance, at all costs..." Skyfire hesitated. What he could add to this was no more than underground rumour - hearsay, he was sure - but then up until now he'd believed Starscream's null ray to be an accident. Who could tell? He silently sent down a prayer that he was doing the right thing...
Starscream looked up as Skyfire unconsciously leant forward over the table as if someone could be listening. "There have been rumours," he said quietly, "that Converters have had sleeper agents in both factions of the civil wars for millennia, and they see keeping the War going as necessary to keep the Programme, the Universe, running and balanced. The sleepers are entrenched into the factions and use any means to keep the leaders fighting-"
"That's crazy!" Starscream burst out, slamming his fists down on the table and making Skyfire jerk back in surprise. "Even if one side does win, there'll never be total good or total evil - it's impossible! Even if it's only two neighbours arguing or taking a different view about the stupidest thing imaginable, you can't have everyone in the Universe in total harmony, good or bad! You'd have to...aurgh, I don't know, turn everyone into drones doing and thinking the same things the same way, and then this precious balance would be thrown off and the Universe would explode!"
"I don't think that's quite what they had in mind, but it's a fair enough argument..." Skyfire said, grinning despite himself at the would-be philosopher. "The point is, it sounds like Derby and Combine have fallen in with the die-hard Converters and taken it to extremes. Their attitude and the things they've done are enough to get them thrown out of the Academy, and if they're so far gone they can't be trusted to stay out of trouble on their own and keep away from hotspots, they'll be put into a detention centre. If we can prove it..." he hesitated again, not sure if he should carry on, but Starscream had taken things capably in his stride so far - and Skyfire trusted him. "Starscream, I think that they might have done something to your null ray to goad you into fighting them."
Starscream's optics flashed so sharp and hot Skyfire had to look away. The flier clenched his fists, tightly; the scientist could hear the joints grind and squeal in his fingers, incoherent snarls bubbling from behind his clenched teeth. To his credit, Starscream had enough self-control to whirl round and slam his fists into the nearest wall and not any of the worktops covered in experiments. Skyfire watched him carefully, letting the flier take it out on the solid, reinforced wall but close enough to step in should he damage himself in his temper. The sensible, solid teacher was a little concerned, but underneath him Skyfire imagined the two mechs and cheered.
Not that he'd tell Starscream.
A few emotive punches and kicks later, the wall looked slightly more dented than reinforced and Starscream turned round, murder in his optics but in control of his emotions again. Skyfire opened his mouth...
"Feeling better, are we?"
Their heads snapped round as one, startled optics searching out the intruder and praying it wasn't someone that knew the young mech wasn't supposed to be there.
A dull, dingy green mech stood in the doorway, his expression so mildly neutral it even made his features looked bland. He strolled casually into the room as if he hadn't even noticed the sudden tension in the air, Starscream's optics boring into his back as the younger flier wondered uneasily where he'd seen the stranger before...
He headed for a workstation near the back of the room, but stopped next to Skyfire with an vague, absent-minded air. "Oh...where are my manners. Forgive me..." He held out a limp hand, fingers curling up affectedly. "My name is Missionary - I'm a scientist."
If he heard Starscream snort, he ignored it. Skyfire winced inwardly at his student and carefully took the slight, proffered hand, grasping it for a brief moment before letting go as the other did the same. "Skyfire. I'm a Professor here." He saw the other's optics slide to Starscream in an obvious, lazily questioning glance, and continued hurriedly as he saw the young flier bristle. "...And this is my...partner, St-Sprite."
Starscream shot him a look, but he didn't wait to decipher it. Skyfire picked up the box he'd been rummaging in before with as much calm dignity as he could and glanced at his student. "We'd better go, S-Sprite, or we'll be late." He turned back to Missionary. "It was nice to meet you, Missionary, but we have to be going."
"Of course, of course." the mech said, fluttering a droopy hand like a handkerchief. He leaned in towards Skyfire slightly and Starscream stiffened. "Good luck with the stammer, old boy" he said in a loud stage-whisper.
"Ah...thank you." Skyfire said, optics narrowing slightly. He hovered for a moment then turned to the door, Starscream following close behind with the odd disconcerted look back at Missionary, now busying himself over a tabletop.
And if he's a scientist, I'm Nova Prime... he thought, unable to shake the uneasy, nagging conviction that he had seen the mech somewhere before...
Just as he was heading out of the door, he heard Missionary call out "It was good to meet you too at last, Starscream."
The door hissed shut.
Sorry if this was too sciency, but I had to explain it to Starscream if nothing else. I tried to make it as interesting and less dry as I could. As ever, please read and review. By the way, any annoying songs that Skywarp can drive starscream crazy with would be gratefully recieved for the next chapter of 'Windreaper'...
Starscream, Skyfire and Nova Prime (whoever s/he is...) are © to Hasbro, Marvel or whatever. Nova's from the comic, so s/he's Marvel's, I think. The Missionary and the story are © me, as are the Converters, Derby and Combine.
