They say never judge a book by it's cover. Well, you'd be more than dead if you tried to judge me by my appearance. I maybe small, but I pack a mean punch if you mess with me and my team... Oh, I'm sorry. That was rude... hey there! I'm Windswept! And boy, have I got a story to tell you. Well, what are you waiting for?! Get over here and get ready for my adventures on Team Prime!
I had absolutely no intentions to get this out so soon, but I felt it was time to come out and reach out to you all as we navigate through this global situation. As of last night, my country closed its' borders to everyone except our citizens trying to get home, the first time we have ever done so. I think that was when it hit me just how scary this COVID-19 situation is.
I didn't want to talk about it, but I am going to anyway. I want everyone to remember that it is NOT all for one. This is something we are all going through TOGETHER. The stories of the ones struggling for basic needs and not being able to get them tears me apart because there was a time a decade ago where I would've been in that difficult position and forced to choose what we desperately needed over what we could go without. The behaviour of these 'panic buyers' is disgusting, and I truly have no sympathy for them. They are a disgrace to their country.
As a person who works in retail and has been seeing this, I've been forced to deal with our products being limited because of these people. I have to TELL people they can only buy one of each product because of this crisis. I hate having to do that, I hate how I feel letting those struggling down.
Do me a favour, and go read this chapter while I patch myself up.
- Transformers Prime does not belong to me. All rights go to the people and brands who were able to create this show.
- Windswept and the other OC's belong to me.
Chapter starts in No One's P.O.V
(Chapter Title: Truth Hurts)
"I have been a fool, made mistakes - monumental ones. I now realize that I was never destined to be a leader, or even an equal partner... And I'm at peace with that. I have gained a clear understanding of my place in this universe, of who I am, of who I was always meant to be, Starscream, a co-second-in-command, humble servant to Lord Megatron… Thank you for listening Soundwave."
Soundwave could only watch as the lucky-to-be-alive Decepticon walked away from him after his confessional, unable to decipher whether he truly meant the words he had said. The silent Cybertronian could do nothing, however, as he was meant to be returning to his duties as the eyes and ears of the Decepticons
A silent Starscream walked into the bridge of the Nemesis with his head bowed, ready for whatever Megatron's orders were for him. He was not only lucky but grateful to be alive since his Master chose to spare his life. It caused him to rethink his place within the Decepticon army, and how lucky he was to be still sharing the second-in-command position with Slipstream.
"Is this true?"
"Starscream never mentioned it?"
"If he's up to his old tricks, I shall grind him to powder."
Starscream coughed to let the two Cybertronians discussing him know of his presence, already aware by the sound of his Master's voice that he was in some kind of trouble.
Megatron looked over his shoulder seethingly, "Starscream."
"Lord Megatron." The Decepticon began walking up to the two. "Please excuse Airachnid's impertinence. Now, what is it I allegedly failed to mention?"
"The Harbinger."
A nervous gasp escaped from Starscream, "What about it?"
"Eons ago, a Decepticon transport crash-landed on this planet," The triple changer began explaining, bringing up a file describing a ship's biomechanics.
"Oh please, common knowledge," Starscream started scoffing, "I scouted the crash site when we first arrived on Earth."
"Then I presume you recovered the experimental weapon prototype the Harbinger had been transporting?" Airachnid guessed, standing before Starscream with Megatron behind her.
The Seeker's strangled gasp was his only response.
"Where is the crash site?" Megatron demanded.
"It was never logged into your ship's database."
"You failed to record the coordinates of a Decepticon transport?" Megatron seethed at Airachnid's admission on Starscream's behalf.
"An oversight, Master." The silver Decepticon tapped his head, "But I noted its exact location."
"Then you can lead Airachnid, so that she may retrieve the prototype for me. And take Moonlight with you." The Warlord began to walk away, "Slipstream is still in recovery and I need her at her best."
"My personal native guide," Airachnid sarcastically exclaimed, "How delightful."
Starscream could only grit his denta together in realisation - Megatron's calm and quiet demeanour was not fooling him…
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
"Hey, partner, heck of a view you've got up here. If there's even a small chance your spark is out there listening…well, we could really use you, Cliff. Seems like every day, another Decepticon arrives on the scene. The team's grown since you've been gone, but we're still outnumbered and outgunned… Yeah. I know what you'd say... 'Sounds like a fair fight.' Well, if that's the world we live in, so be it. I just want you to know…I haven't given up. I'm gonna find the 'Con that took you from us."
I watched Arcee face me with her usual determined expression. Her quest for revenge never seemed to be too far from her mind. I could tell every time she would meet with Airachnid on the field… But it wasn't like the others and myself couldn't relate to it - we all had our own personal revenge quests. Bulkhead and Breakdown, Starlight and Moonlight, Sunburst, Aquastrike and I all had our personal vendettas against Slipstream for different reasons. And of course, while it wasn't a 'revenge quest' per se, Optimus and Megatron's battle was one for the ages.
But if was revenge Arcee was going for, then I was gonna be with her all the way. I wasn't gonna tell her that 'revenge isn't the best option' bullscrap because a. she wouldn't believe me because b. I was in the same position as her with Slipstream. And c., just like every other 'bot murdered by those wretched Decepticons, Cliffjumper deserved to be avenged.
I nodded at her with a smirk, "Let's go get the son of a glitch."
There was something in the air that gave me the feeling we were gonna get answers about Cliff's death. I just hoped the 'something' was right because the answers were well overdue…
NO ONE'S P.O.V
A clearing in the forest provided a place for a silver jet to make its' landing, transforming into the Cybertronian form of Starscream. His red optics looked to the grey clouds above where a black helicopter transformed into the recently recruited Airachnid, landing beside the silver Decepticon. Nearby, the sounds of an engine were heard, a pink and black Ducati 1098 motorcycle suddenly appearing from the trees and transforming into Moonlight, who Megatron had personally requested to join in on the mission.
"Your chosen vehicular modes lack thrust," Starscream hummed.
Moonlight hung her head before glimpsing over her shoulder at her winglet-less back. She was in no mood for Starscream's insinuating comments - she wanted to forget the past and move on.
"Are you going to preen or are you going to guide?" Airachnid asked impatiently.
"Maybe if you let us know what it is we're looking for, then Starscream might tell you the Harbinger's coordinates." Moonlight had been left in the dark when she had been recruited, only being told to play backup to Starscream and Airachnid should they run into trouble. But if there were going to find trouble, then Moonlight wanted to make the decision on whether they needed backup or not.
"That information is need-to-know. And right now, neither of you DON'T," Airachnid retorted, eyeing Moonlight as if she was trying to figure out her true intentions.
"Oh, you would do well to respect me, Airachnid. Before I joined Megatron, I was Air Commander of a squadron of Energon Seekers," Starscream began boasting proudly.
"On Cybertron," Airachnid clarified with a smirk, "And how many eons ago was that?"
"Just recently, I personally vanquished one of Optimus Prime's fiercest warriors. Cliffjumper," Starscream didn't waste any time coming up with another reason why he should've been more respected.
The look Airachnid gave Starscream when she looked at him showed off how impressed she was, "You snuffed an Autobot?"
"Yes I did," Starscream replied knowingly, "Without mercy."
"Oh… Even Megatron showed you mercy when he planned to terminate you in the mine."
Moonlight raised her eyebrows at Airachnid's statement, glaring at Starscream, "You're not supposed to be here right now?"
"What?!" Starscream ignored Moonlight to snap at Airachnid, "He told you about that?!"
"We talk."
Moonlight smirked, "Mmm, careful… if you start getting along with Megatron a little too well, a certain twin of Starscream's is not going to be happy with you for long."
Airachnid replied with a wink, "That's the idea."
Moonlight replied with her mouth agape. She had yet to work alongside the Decepticon since her arrival, but she had already decided to do her best in making sure she didn't get on her bad side - she needed her on her side.
Starscream let out a gasp of defeat. He was unsure of what Airachnid knew, but could already tell she knew more than she was letting on. He decided against asking any more questions, "The wreckage lies just beneath where we stand. I will need to find a point of entry." Starscream turned away to ponder how he would be able to find the entry.
A sudden drilling noise made him turn back, finding Airachnid drilling a hole into the ground herself. He growled at the newly created hole. "Showoff."
"She does a better job at it than you." Starscream scowled at Moonlight's comment before watching her drop into the hole to follow Airachnid.
The Seeker eventually followed the female Decepticons into the ground, which lead into a hallway of an abandoned ship deep below ground level. Airachnid scuttled down the passageway on the roof with her spider legs. Moonlight trailed after her with a knife in hand in case of a sudden attack.
"Suit yourself - I conducted a thorough search of this husk years ago." Starscream strolled along after them as he continued attempting to prove his worth. He paused when he found Airachnid activating the computer systems in what Moonlight presumed to be some kind of horror, "What are you doing?"
"Accessing the cargo manifest, or didn't you think to do that during your thorough search?"
"Idiot," Starscream muttered loudly, "The ship's systems haven't been activated for eons. The Autobots could detect its Energon signature."
The systems let out a location ping, "Ah, here it is; Section 23." The location the spider Decepticon referred to appeared on the monitor, highlighting a section of the Harbinger ship with small notes describing the exact area running down the screen.
"Optimus, our scanners have detected a Decepticon energy profile. But it's… ancient."
Optimus Prime wandered up behind his medical friend, looking up at the monitors where the locator beacon was flashing red on a certain area of terrain. He could only hum at the find, "The past has a way of catching up with the present, Ratchet."
Airachnid wasted no time scuttling around in search of Section 23, the area of the Harbinger which was hiding a specific weapon that the Decepticons, especially Megatron, was in need of. She couldn't afford to waste time, she had to prove to Megatron that she was a far capable confidant than Starscream - or Slipstream for that matter - ever was. Although that was turning out to be easier said than done after his recent actions.
Moonlight attempted to keep up with Airachnid, yet was distracted by Starscream just lazily following them in a slow walk. She didn't quite understand why he was hanging back too much, which caused her to keep within middle distance between the pair.
"Section 23 should be right about…here?" Airachnid was forced to stop her as a large dirt wall blocked her path. She deactivated her extended limbs and looked at the wall in confusion, "The ship just ends. It must have broken in half during the crash."
There was a hum of smugness behind her, "Or in the air. If you performed actual research, you would have learnt that an Autobot battalion shot the Harbinger out of the sky."
Airachnid whipped around at the new information, "How far away is the other half?!"
"I'm afraid that information is need-to-know," Starscream simply stated, playing with his taloned fingers.
Airachnid hissed and suddenly activated her webbing, bounding Starscream up in it and slamming him to the ground, much to Moonlight's amusement.
"What are you-?"
"You tried to make us look like a fool before Megatron," Airachnid snapped, "Have me return empty-handed while you locate that weapon yourself."
"How dare you accuse me?! You are nothing but a scavenger! An opportunist!"
"Aren't you one to talk."
"Perhaps… but I have changed. Seen the error of my ways. I live to serve Megatron now."
Moonlight raised an eyebrow at Starscream's 'admission' - she wasn't truly convinced of his words.
"You won't live to serve anyone if you don't tell me where to find the rest of this ship," Airachnid threatened, hovering above the bound Seeker on her extended limbs, "Now."
Starscream let out a defeated sigh, "A few clicks north of here through a stone arch. Now release me!"
The spider Decepticon scuttled off the Seeker and back onto her two feet, "When I have the weapon in hand. That is IF I can find my way back without my guide."
Moonlight narrowed her eyes at the Decepticon, "Who said you were going on your own?"
Now it was Airachnid's turn to raise an eyebrow, thinking the thought of bringing Moonlight with her over. She had heard of the Decepticon in the past, and was aware of her… interests in Megatron, and anything that could make her look good before him… Perhaps if Airachnid was able to help Moonlight with Megatron, then maybe she could return the favour and help her boost through the ranks.
The black, gold and pink hinted Decepticon smirked at the black, pink highlighted Cybertronian, raising a hand in the direction of the Harbinger's other half, "Why don't you lead the way, then?"
"Gladly," Moonlight smirked as she walked away from Starscream with Airachnid in tow.
"This is not funny, you two! Come back here right now and cut me loose!" Starscream called after them in despair, "AIRACHNID! MOONLIGHT! THAT IS AN ORDER! I AM YOUR COMMANDING OFFICER!"
The two female Decepticons could only chuckle at Starscream's pleas to be freed...
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
"Airachnid!"
"Moonlight!"
"Oh scrap." I slapped my forehelm in frustration.
Of course, as soon as a new mission alert popped up, we would meet with two of my friend's archenemies… where was mine? ...Maybe she was still recovering from her injuries from the mine about two weeks ago. After all, my wrist was still a little sore, Aquastrike was still recovering from her knee injury, and Miko was still recovering from exhaustion after pushing herself too hard trying to free herself, Aqua and Bulkhead.
"Surrender," Optimus warned.
Airachnid snarled and retreated on her extended limbs, Moonlight immediately trailing behind her after giving a 'come get me' smirk to Starlight. And it wasn't long before Starlight took on the challenge, giving chase to her enemy along with Arcee racing after hers… And then, only moments later, we were also giving chase to our revenge-clouded teammates.
"Airachnid! Moonlight! YOU TRAITORS!" Starscream? Oh boy…
Airachnid drilled a hole into a dirt wall behind… Starscream tied up in webbing?! Honestly, I should've been surprised, but I wasn't. Nothing that 'Con got into and how he got into it surprised me anymore. He had become too predictable…
While Airachnid disappeared through her drilled hole, Arcee gave chase into it.
"Arcee! Wait!" Optimus called into the hole.
Moonlight smirked at Starlight nearby before transforming into her motorcycle form… part of it showing off the motorcycle biomechanics - oh yeah, I forgot Moonlight lost her winglets to MECH - and speeding right past us. We activated our weapons to attack her, but she was too agile in her motorcycle form, dodging each shot and disappearing back round the corner.
I grabbed Star's arms before she could run me over to give chase, "Don't even think about it."
"But 'Swept!"
I could tell that for some reason, she seemed to be more fired up about her situation with Moonlight more so than usual, "I said no!" My optics caught sight of the bound Starscream our team were attending to. "How about instead of taking your anger out on your sister, you can take it out on him."
Starlight's grumpy glare was my response, and honestly, I think I deserved that...
NO ONE'S P.O.V
Arcee forward-flipped out of the drilled hole her enemy had created, activating her blaster and readying herself for the spider Decepticon's attacks. She looked from left to right, and held her position, waiting for her cunning archnemesis to make her presence known.
The Autobot was knocked over by the sudden appearance of Airachnid drilling the ground from below up, "Arcee." The tone in her voice showed no surprise at her enemy's presence.
"I didn't peg you for re-signing with the Decepticons," Arcee activated her arm blades and charged towards the Decepticon.
"A temporary arrangement, Arcee. You know I prefer working alone." Airachnid dodged the first swing from the Autobot and used an extended limb to grab the leg Arcee attempt to throw at her, swinging her to the ground like a rag doll before swinging her away and letting go.
The blue Autobot landed on her feet and reactivated her arm blades, charging at her nemesis with a battle cry. Airachnid could only smirk before dodging the hit, grabbing her swinging arm with one hand, and grabbing her other wrist with the other, trapping her in her grip.
"Speaking of." The spider Decepticon pressed her arm armour into Arcee's neck. "Add any more deceased partners to your growing list?"
"Airachnid! Release her!"
The female Cybertronians looked before them, finding a charging Optimus Prime with his activated blaster weapon heading towards them. Instead of continuing her taunting, Airachnid threw Arcee to the side, deciding it wasn't worth sacrificing her life She transformed into her helicopter form to flee, dodging the blaster shots that came from Optimus.
Aware that there was no much point in firing at a fleeing enemy, Optimus deactivated his blaster and mouth guard, turning to his soldier behind him, "Arcee, you know better than to engage the enemy alone."
"Not her. Not after what she did to Tailgate." The memory flashed before her, Tailgate being held up by the bonds, Airachnid readying her talons for the kill, Arcee begging the Decepticon desperately to not harm her partner… and screaming his name as he was brutally slaughtered before her.
Her eyes narrowed, "She will pay."
"Revenge will not bring back those we have lost. Is that understood?"
Arcee turned away, unable to provide an answer for Optimus just as her teammates started arriving.
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
"Move it!"
"No need to use force!"
I rolled my optics at Starscream's little spat with Bulkhead as we brought him to our leader's pedes. That became literally when Sunburst kicked the 'Con to his kneeplates. I looked up Optimus and Arcee's serious expressions... making me think we had just interrupted what looked to be a pretty serious conversation.
"I'll tell you anything you want to know."
Oh, here we go.
Sunburst chuckled behind me, "Yeah right."
"What do you want in return?" Bulkhead scoffed.
Optimus took a few steps forward to Starscream, awaiting his answer like all of us.
"I want to be… on your side."
I couldn't help the small drop of my jaw followed by a gasp I couldn't tell whether it was disbelief or confusion. Disbelief because the unpredictable Starscream wants to leave the 'Cons and join us. Confusion because I didn't understand why he would want to join us since he was a strong follower of a Decepticon cause - whether it'd be Megatron's cause or not.
"On our side?" I think Starscream at first had the guts to think that Bulkhead would actually accept him into our fold as a smile strangely appeared on his face, "Yeah right! And I've been lobbying with the Fallen!"
"There's no way you'd betray the Decepticons!" Sunburst laughed.
"Wouldn't I? What have they done for me lately besides humiliate me? Spy on me? Demote me?" Starscream began his pleas, "While Slipstream watched, Megatron tried to extinguish my spark in cold blood! Then all but replaced me with the traitoress, wretch Airachnid! She and Moonlight abandoned me! Left me for scrap! So why not rat them out?"
Did Starscream honestly think his pleas were enough for us to give him a chance? … Well, it gave him the opportunity to allow us to discuss it. Bumblebee and Starlight held back to guard him while the rest of us pulled away to talk about the seeker's reasoning to join us.
I looked over my shoulder briefly, watching Bumblebee activate his twin barrelled-blasters and Starlight pull out a knife in case Starscream was giving us the slip.
"He's telling the truth about Megatron trying to scrap him. 'Swept and I saw with our own eyes," Arcee began the debate.
I nodded in agreement with my friend. I could kind of understand what she was trying to say.
"You're not saying you actually trust Starscream?" Bulkhead questioned.
"Trust him?" I started in a scoff, my voice rising slightly, "Of course not!"
"But you and Arcee are suggesting that this might be the one time our objectives align," Sunburst realised defeatedly.
Starscream had been with the Decepticons for years, long before and after Megatron's three year exodus. He knew things that we were desperately needing to know, information that he could give up to us as a thanks to Megatron and Slipstream for always having his back. This could be our chance to finally gain the upper hand against the 'Cons for once, to finally know the secrets they've been hiding from us.
"You're right to be worried, Bulkhead and Sunburst. But I agree with Arcee and Windswept." The looks Bulkhead and Sunburst gave Optimus at his statement were emotionless, but I could tell that they weren't happy with his final decision.
And to be honest, I wasn't entirely happy either. I didn't trust Starscream as far as I could throw him… There was just something about this unanticipated plea that didn't make sense. Why now did he just decide that he wanted to join us? It was so sudden, it was making me nervous about whether we were making the right choice in possibly giving him a chance.
NO ONE'S P.O.V
The dark helicopter form of Airachnid's choice of transportation blended in with the dark grey clouds above her, flying under a stone arch as she continued her quest for Megatron's trust. Behind her, the dark motorcycle form of Moonlight trailed after her, having been able to escape the Autobots just like her aerial teammate.
The pair eventually arrived at what appeared to be an abandoned crashed ship, the force of its' impact having destroyed part of a mountainside as evidenced by the smaller mountain rocks lying around it. Airachnid and Moonlight knew what this was - the other half of the destroyed Harbinger.
After finding a way into the destroyed ship, the pair wasted no time in continuing their search, eventually coming across a storage compartment. Airachnid shoved the lid of the compartment off the tomb eagerly, reaching her hands into it.
"Be still, my beating spark." Moonlight watched with a smirk as the former rogue pulled out a small handheld weapon before it was activated, extending out to look as if it was a long bo staff. But Moonlight knew this was no ordinary bo staff, especially when Airachnid activated the weapon and blue electricity started coursing from one end...
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
I got the feeling that a storm was brewing by the way the dark grey clouds were rolling in above us as we drove towards our destination. After our little huddle, we asked Starscream what he, Airachnid and Moonlight were up to. He gave us an answer quickly, explaining that they were simply looking for a weapon buried deep in a destroyed Autobot ship known as the Harbinger. However, only he knew the coordinates and was forced to share them when Airachnid attacked him out of the blue… the coordinates of which he immediately shared with us...
Sunburst told me in private he smelled a ratbot in his story, but I wasn't willing to let Starscream get away. He had information we needed - whether or not we forced him to, he was giving us that intel.
We pulled up at the coordinates, transforming in front of a large mountain arch crossing from one side of us to the other… Starscream had mentioned we would know if we arrived based on this site...
"What do you know?" Bulkhead hummed rhetorically.
"Still could be a trap."
"I thought you were on the side of 'let's trust Starscream!'," Sunburst sarcastically quipped beside me, earning him a silent glare from Arcee.
I rolled my optics as Optimus transformed behind us, "Starscream's loyalty to Megatron has always been questionable. If he has truly split from the Decepticons, our prisoner's knowledge of their agendas could make him a valuable ally."
"You don't mean permanently, right?"
"As in 'keys to the base' and everything?" Bulkhead agreed with Sunburst in his disbelief of Optimus' words.
"However unlikely that scenario, every sentient being deserves an opportunity for redemption."
"Even bot killers? Even Airachnid?"
"Even those like-" I slapped Sunburst in the torso when he went to move and put his thoughts in. Why is it that every time Optimus is trying to give us his opinion, there are others that always have other ideas?
"Without that hope, we may never achieve lasting peace."
Nothing more was spoken as Bulkhead went to the back of Optimus' trailer, which we used to transport Starscream, "Rise and shine, Screamy." He yanked the 'Con out by the legs harshly, not caring as he was slammed onto the ground.
The Decepticon gasped at the brute force of Bulkhead. Even though we had removed the webbing off of him, none of us wanted to take any chances with the 'Starscream wanting to join us' development, so we had put servo and wing cuffs on him instead, which were only locked by a key one of us possessed.
"We're here. Where's the ship?" Arcee started demanding.
Starscream stayed silent as he climbed to his knees, turning his helm sharply towards each of us for a moment, "It's through the arch. Among the stones."
"Bulkhead, Bumblebee, Windswept, you're with me." Optimus instructed, "Arcee, Starlight and Sunburst, remain with our prisoner."
This'll age well...
We turned away to go find the ship just as a set of footsteps were heard behind us.
"Optimus, please," Arcee begged softly, causing Optimus and I to hold back and turn to her, "For Tailgate."
"You desire to avenge Tailgate will only to continue to cloud your judgment." Optimus didn't let Arcee get another word in as he walked away.
I went to walk away with Optimus and the others, but something grabbed my wrist. I turned around to find Starlight looking at me with desperate optics.
"You're gonna leave me here because of Moonlight too aren't you?"
I didn't understand why Starlight was asking me of all people considering I'm not the one in charge… but of course, I was gonna leave her here. If Optimus was going to leave Arcee here because of her feud with Airachnid, then I had to do the same with Starlight… If Slipstream was here, I know Optimus would practically cuff me to Starscream so I stayed here rather than get angry with her… It's because Optimus worried about all of us on top of his duty of being a Prime. He didn't want us to make the wrong decision… My uncle was a lot more caring than he let on, but could only show it in a certain way…
I softened my optics slightly at her, "If Slipstream was here, Optimus would be doing the same thing to me." I shook my servo out of her grip and followed my uncle, Bulkhead and Bumblebee to the ship.
I didn't say it often… but it still felt weird calling Optimus my uncle...
NO ONE'S P.O.V
Arcee and Starlight's disappointed glares at the Autobots leaving them behind were interrupted by the whining of the bound Starscream behind them.
"Is the clamp really necessary? I promise not to fly away. It's really giving me a crick."
Arcee walked up to the Decepticon with her hands on her hips, "I can shove you back in the trailer."
Starscream could only moan in disappointment at the answer.
Sunburst snorted and folded his arms, bending his shoulder downwards, "Betcha he keeps this up the whole time." He was surprised when he didn't receive an answer. "Starlight?" He looked around for the pink and white Autobot, annoyed when he made a dreaded realisation, "Scrap."
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
Optimus, Bumblebee, Bulkhead and I activated our blaster weapons, cautiously walking around the area Starscream directed us too. There was no doubt in our minds - Airachnid and Moonlight were here somewhere. But the problem was they were known to be sneaky when it came to their attacks. They could carefully strategise how they wanted to approach us, and honestly, that nerved me a little more than Slipstream could.
"Be alert. Airachnid is known to attack from below ground," Optimus warned.
"Right," Bulkhead nodded.
We continued our cautious walking, me taking point as I scanned the area, trying to figure out where Moonlight and Airachnid could come from if they didn't attack from the ground first. I felt something on my shoulder, causing me to stop and look at Optimus with a questionable look, but he was more focused on what was ahead.
I looked to where he was looking and found part of a broken ship embedded in the mountain wall. The Harbinger… well, the other half of it. That was where the weapon Airachnid and Moonlight were looking for was apparently being held.
Optimus signalled us to keep moving silently, which we obeyed, our weapons still activated as we carefully moved over to the broken ship.
Something scuttled into view on the ship before a sudden blue light started beaming towards us. Optimus and I rolled out of the beam's way into separate directions. My leader wasted no time firing at the scuttling Airachnid on ship as she dodged every shot.
"I got her!" Bulkhead ran up to aim his blaster and fire at the spider 'con. But she leapt up to dodge the shot, landing and firing her weapon at him. Bulkhead went to charge up further at the femme, but he was hit with the beam, immobilising him in place…
Frag...
"The Immobilizer, true to its' name." Moonlight leapt into view beside Airachnid with a smirk as the spider 'con activated the weapon again towards us.
NO ONE'S P.O.V
Arcee paced in front of the bound Starscream in frustration, having been left to guard him alone as Sunburst had to leave to catch a fled Starlight and bring her back to them before the others returned and realised she had disobeyed orders.
"I'm not really so bad, you know. Megatron, he's the evil one."
"Tell it to someone who cares," Arcee paused to snap, annoyed that she hadn't given the slip to Sunburst as Starlight had.
"Like whom? Airachnid? What I wouldn't do to get my hands around her wretched throat," Starscream snarled.
"So we can agree on one thing."
"Oh, you have no idea. She showed up one day. And the next thing you know, she's acting like she runs the place." Arcee couldn't help the smirk in the corner of her lips as she listened to Starscream's whining. What she had done to him was nothing in comparison to what she had done to her. "She whispered lies into Megatron's ear, maneuvered to rob me of my rightful place!"
"Well, she terminated my partner," Arcee growled, looking away.
"What?! She's taking credit for scrapping him now too? That was my doing!"
"What?" Arcee raised an eyebrow in surprise, causing Starscream to gasp in the realisation of what he had said, "You weren't there."
The Decepticon knew he had dug himself into trouble, now he had to find a way to dig himself out of it, "Of course I wasn't. I don't know what I was thinking."
"Who are you talking about?" Arcee pointed at the Decepticon.
"No one," Starscream cocked his head to the side, "Who are you talking about?"
"Tailgate."
"Who's Tailgate?"
Arcee's jaw dropped in realisation - if Starscream wasn't referring to Tailgate, then there was only one other person that was her partner that he could be talking about…
"You were the one...You extinguished Cliffjumper."
"Cliffjumper?" Starscream shrieked as Arcee held her arms up in a fighting stance towards him, causing him to wave his bonded hands in front of his face, "No! No, no, no, you misunderstand!" The memory of him stabbing his own clawed hand into the red horned Autobot's chest flashed into his mind, watching him collapse lifelessly before him. He had to find a way out of this! "It wasn't like you think! The troopers mortally wounded him!" He clutched Arcee's wrist with his bonded ones tightly. "I was trying to help Cliffjumper! Put him out of his misery! He begged me to!"
Arcee growled - she knew Cliffjumper better than anyone she had ever met, apart from Tailgate. She knew he would've never begged for mercy. It wasn't his character. She reacted by forcing the Decepticon's hands off her wrist, kneeing him away from her.
Starscream quickly realised he was not fooling the blue Autobot when he had no sooner got to his knees again that Arcee had leapt towards him, "OK! OK! It was a mistake! I've made many, but I've changed! You wouldn't terminate a defenceless prisoner, would you?"
Arcee wouldn't. Which was why she stepped away from the villainous Cybertronian, and pulled out a key, throwing it to the ground before him.
"What? What is that?"
"The key to your cuffs."
"What for?"
"Cliff would have given you a fighting chance."
Starscream shook his head, "No! Please! I don't want to! What's past is past! I'm one of you now!"
Arcee took it as the wrong answer, activating her blasters towards the cowardly Decepticon, causing him to start deliriously whimpering, "TAKE IT!"
Starscream took a moment before reaching down for the key and picking it up. However, one glance at the angry Arcee caused the key to slip out of his grip, fearing for his life before the small Autobot.
"You're pathetic." Arcee bent down to grab the key for him.
Starscream's whimpers turned into a hum of smugness - his charade had gone on for long enough, and now was the perfect time to strike. He activated his talons, stabbing the unsuspecting Arcee. She dropped the key in fright, droplets of blue Energon spilling as Starscream took the key from the ground.
Arcee started gasping like she was gasping for air, looking down to her torso where Starscream had stabbed her. She grabbed the wound in pain, falling to her hand and knees - she had been played.
The handcuffs fell before her, "Something wrong, Arcee?" She looked up to the smug Starscream, who was rubbing his wrists after having them bonded for so long. He slowly stalked towards her. "I thought you wanted a fight."
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
Airachnid continued firing the Immobiliser at us, attempting to immobilise us as she had done to Bulkhead. Bumblebee and I weren't having any of it, leaping out of the way of the blue beam. When I had safely landed on a distance behind a large rock for cover, I looked over at Optimus ducking away from the beam by shielding himself with a larger rock. He stood up and went to fire, but stopped suddenly.
I looked around - Airachnid and Moonlight had gone out of view.
Bumblebee and I joined him in taking shelter, me punching my blaster into my open palm, "This isn't good."
The three of us turned around in time to find Airachnid aiming the weapon at us, the blue beam once again activated and heading towards us.
"Freeze." I felt myself being pushed away by someone suddenly, falling to the ground. I looked up just as the blue beam hit my leader, freezing him on the spot.
...Optimus just sacrificed himself to stop me from being immobilised.
Oh, now she's done it...
"Scrap!" I muttered angrily, pointing my blasters along with with Bumblebee's towards the spider 'con and firing.
Airachnid leapt up onto a rock formation. I took the opportunity to get onto my feet and join Bumblebee in dodging the beams that once again threatened to hit us.
NO ONE'S P.O.V
Moonlight nodded in amusement and interest, watching the Autobots fire towards the agile and sneaky Airachnid at the top of the broken Harbinger ship. The Decepticon thought it would be great to have in her corner, to help her once again rise through the ranks and be Megatron's true second-in-command rather than Slipstream. Moonlight believed she was nothing but a placeholder, someone who needed to be high in the ranks - otherwise, if she didn't have respect, then she wouldn't be with the Decepticons. And Primus knew she would never join the Autobots.
A sudden scuffling noise had her head turning sharply, finding a pink and white female Autobot standing nearby, hands curled into fists and her expression angry.
"Take a picture, sister. They last longer."
Starlight narrowed her optics, "Just because we aren't close, it doesn't mean I don't know what you're thinking."
"Oh?" Moonlight hummed in fake interest, "And what is it that I'm thinking of, little one?"
"You couldn't care less about this war. All you want is to be on Megatron's good side - or on him…" Starlight looked away briefly to mutter her latest words. "You'll do whatever it takes to get what you want. You're nothing but selfish."
"Say's the little femme who got everything she begged for as a youngling."
"At least I grew out of who I was." Starlight took a step forward, her optics softening. "You will never get what you want if you keep going this way. This war won't end with Cybertronians like you. You need to be better than who you are now, Moonlight."
"I'm a lost cause, Starlight. Why must you chase me every time we meet?"
"Why must you chase me?" Starlight mimicked, placing a hand on her hip.
Moonlight couldn't provide an answer, which caused her to turn her head away.
"You want me on your side. You won't admit it to me, but you will to yourself. Deep down, you do care about me, sister. You always have, and you're always chasing after me because you always want to know if I have changed."
Moonlight narrowed her optics briefly at the Autobot, but couldn't hold the glare towards her for very long… No… surely her sister wasn't getting to her like this. Surely she didn't care about the Autobot.
"That's all you want, isn't it? To be cared about? To be loved? ...I love you, sister. Even if we are on opposite sides, I will always love you."
Starlight herself couldn't believe she was saying the words, but regardless, it was true. She did care about her sister. She couldn't be angry at her unlike the others could. She couldn't hold a grudge to her, unlike the others. Starlight was too forgiving, and even if Moonlight was pure evil and had done horrible things, she would probably forgive her, because that was what family did.
Moonlight wanted to be sick at Starlight's words - the Autobot didn't know what the frag she was on about! There was no way she cared about her like that. She never had… she never would…
"You Autobots, always trying to make the 'Cons go warm and fuzzy inside by spitting out deceptive lies. You're just as worse as we are."
Starlight glared at the black and pink female Decepticon, "At least we don't lie."
Moonlight had had enough, turning on her heel and beginning to walk away.
"If you know Megatron as well enough as you make yourself believe, you know that he'll toss you away like he's done to Starscream!" The Decepticon paused in her walking. "At the end of the day Moonlight, he doesn't care about you as much as you've made yourself to believe. He'll get rid of you, one way or another."
Moonlight huffed. So the Autobots had found Starscream...and he had been feeding them his excuses for lies again. A smirk played across her lips, "Where is Starscream now, Starlight?" She turned around just as a questionable look appeared on her sister's face. The tables were turning again. "I wouldn't want to leave him with anyone who cared about a certain Autobot he murdered recently."
Starlight looked away in confusion. Who had Starscream murdered recently one of the Autobots was close with? It must've occurred before she had arrived…
A reminder about Arcee's avenging Tailgate by attacking Airachnid appeared in her mind. If Arcee really cared about Tailgate that much, then, of course, she would attempt to avenge him… If Starscream had murdered anyone Arcee cared about, then he was in a world of trouble…
...Unless he had used his well-known cunningness to get the better of her.
Starlight looked up to her sister to ask her about the information but found herself looking at no one. Moonlight had disappeared again.
The Autobot shook her head. She didn't have time to messing around with her sister anymore. Arcee had been left with Starscream, and she knew that wasn't a good thing. She leapt off the Harbinger to warn the others below.
Moonlight appeared from a part of the ship shielding her away from Starlight's eyes, shaking her helm. She had to admit that her sister was smarter than she was letting on… but it still wasn't enough to make her convinced she truly cared about her sister like she had been insinuating.
"Deep down, you do care about me sister," Moonlight mimicked, making a coughing noise, "Yuck."
Arcee clutched her Energon-seeping wound tightly, gasping helplessly for a moment before Starscream swiped at her. She was able to dodge it, but it sent her backwards. Again and again, Starscream attempted to hit her down, but Arcee wasn't going to let him get the best of her like he had done, dodging the blows with the blades on her arms.
Starscream chuckled as he continued his swiping, watching Arcee block his hits with one arm blade while her hand clutched at her wound. However, he was forced to stop his tormenting laughter when Arcee kneed him in his torso, sending him backwards. After a moment of recovery, he and Arcee began circling each other.
"You're tougher to scrap than your former partner, at least the one I scrapped. Was Tailgate weak like Cliffjumper?"
"Just keep talking, Starscream." She was weakened by the loss of Energon and pain inflicted upon her wound, but with a battle cry, she swung her arm blade at Starscream, hoping to injure him enough so it would be more of a fair fight.
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
It took us a while, but Bumblebee and I eventually had the chance to catch our energy for the moment, albeit still being on edge about the Decepticons attempting to freeze us on the spot as she had done to Bulkhead and Optimus…
Argh, Optimus, I get that you're family, but I wish you would just let me handle things!
"Tell me, bugs, do you think Megatron will enjoy his new trophies?" Airachnid asked us tauntingly, "He'll probably use the bulky one here for target practice." I heard something fall to the ground, and then a weird humming noise. "Prime is the true prize. Perhaps he'll adorn the prowl of Megatron's warship."
Blasterfire started raining towards us, causing me to see Bumblebee peeking out from behind our shelter. I pulled him back in just as the blaster hits missed us and went straight for another large rock formation, damaging it and causing it to collapse, a dust cloud beginning to roll in around us.
"Start shooting at it!" Bumblebee told me as he began firing at the formation.
Of course! If we break it down enough, it'll cause a large enough dust cloud for us to take cover in and perform some sneak attacks on Airachnid!
I joined in, firing rapidly at the rocks as the dust cloud got thicker and thicker. Hopefully, Airachnid won't be able to see us now.
NO ONE'S P.O.V
The thick dust cloud wasn't enough to distract Airachnid. Instead, she fired the Immobiliser blindly into the clouds, hoping that she would find some luck and manage to hit the two Autobots attempting to play games with her.
And everyone knew that not only did she hate to lose, she also hated being played.
The dust cloud cleared, revealing the last two standing Autobots frozen in place, having attempted to flee the area only to be hit by her weapon.
"But you, bug?" Airachnid scuttled up the yellow Autobot, "I suspect Megatron will simply dismantle you for spare parts." Then she turned to the red and blue highlighted Autobot. "You, however, I hear, are a very important piece in Megatron's puzzle. You might come in handy." The Decepticon walked towards Optimus, "As a rogue, a scavenger, I should disappear into the night with this treasure. But using it to worm my way into Megatron's favour is too good an opportunity to pass up. Wouldn't you say, Prime?" She paused like she was awaiting the Autobot leader's answer, "I mean, with results like this, I could earn Megatron's eternal trust."
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
Allow Bumblebee to make sure you don't earn that trust.
Airachnid turned around just in time for Bumblebee to land a solid right hook on the spider 'con, sending her flying away from our leader. She landed on the ground hard, knocking the Immobiliser out of her servos and flying into the air. Bumblebee prepared to aim and fire at it…
...When a lone blaster shot fired by none of us hit the weapon, destroying it to pieces...
I looked away from the falling pieces to find the source of the shot, finding a yellow mech near the Harbinger with his blaster activated.
My Energon boiled at the sight, "I thought Optimus told you to stay put!"
Sunburst shrugged, "That was an order I couldn't follow! Where's Starlight?!"
Starlight… as in Starlight who was supposed to be with him AND Arcee guarding Starscream?!
Oh for frag's sake!
Airachnid suddenly whipped around towards Sunburst, "YOU FOOL!"
Bumblebee and I took this as an opportunity to fire at the Decepticon, who leapt up and transformed into her helicopter form angrily and charging towards us. We ran in different directions to avoid the aerial vehicle as she eventually flew away.
Arcee's not gonna like that.
Scrap! Arcee!
I turned to Sunburst angrily, "You left that 'Con with Arcee! Do you know how twisted he is?!"
"Yes I do know." Sunburst and I turned away from each other to find Moonlight looking at us with a blank expression.
"Where's Starlight?" Bumblebee whirred angrily.
"Been and gone. I told her about the exciting news Starscream has for Arcee about one of her old partners. Then she took off."
Exciting news Starscream has for Arcee about one of her old partners…?
Something didn't feel right.
"Which partner?" I couldn't help but ask.
"The tall one with the horns."
… Cliffjumper…
"Hasn't Starscream told you?"
Hasn't Starscream told us what about Cliffjumper? The last time he would've seen him was when his Vehicons were attacking him those months ago before he was mysteriously taken and… killed…
Starscream murdered Cliffjumper…
My spark burned angrily, and my breathing suddenly quickened in realisation. My servos curled into fists and then uncurled again. Anger was boiling inside of me.
"Now, I'd stay and cause trouble, but I'm vastly outnumbered." With that, Moonlight suddenly transformed and sped off, dodging the firepower from Sunburst and Bumblebee…
I grabbed the Bee's wrist, "We need to get back… to Arcee. Now."
NO ONE'S P.O.V
Arcee let out a weakened gasp before she was hit by the cunning Starscream again. And again and again. She wasn't able to make a single move when she was hit to the ground, suddenly kicked down the ground slope, landing hard on her front with a weak groan.
"You should have finished me when I was helpless to fight," Starscream began taunting, stalking towards Arcee's weak form, "Just like I finished Cliffjumper!"
Arcee groaned as she attempted to sit up, her injury, however, weakening her so much that it argued against her moving.
"Now, prepare to reunite with your partners!"
Now on her hand and knees, with one hand on her injured side, Arcee weakly began groaning out words incoherent to Starscream.
"What's that? I can't hear your last words."
"This…is for…CLIFFJUMPER!" Arcee suddenly activated her wrist blade, swiping Starscream across his face.
Surprised by the suddenly alive Autobot, Starscream was unable to defend himself as the hits continued across his chest armour. The balance of power between the pair shifted as Arcee managed to body slam him down onto his back in a cloud of dust, pressing her wrist blade against his neck.
"Go on! Do it!" Starscream began pleading, now sporting a battle scar below his right eye, "Megatron will only terminate me for treason if I dare return to the Decepticons. You might as well be the one to put me out of my misery."
"As if I needed convincing." The Autobot raised her other arm in the air in preparation.
"Wait! NO!" Starscream didn't think that Arcee wouldn't think twice about his pleading,.
Arcee was prepared to make the final blow, to finally get revenge on one of her enemies for murdering one of her partners. This time, she was not going to think twice.
"ARCEE!" The yell of her name distracted her from making the final swipe, looking up from her position on Starscream to find a horrified Starlight watching her.
The Autobot couldn't believe what she was seeing. Arcee was really preparing to murder Starscream.
It was only then that Arcee realised that Optimus' words were true. Revenge did cloud her judgement, and it clouded it enough for her to even consider avenging one of her fallen partners this way… Revenge wouldn't bring back Cliffjumper.
Arcee deactivated her arm blade and maneuvered herself off the Decepticon weakly, taking a few steps away before collapsing on the ground suddenly. Starlight ignored the already fleeing Starscream to slide down the hill and begin to help her friend.
"You left Starscream with the Autobots? Do you have any notion of the consequences of your blunder?!"
"But my lordship! It was Starscream and Moonlight's incompetence that cost us the Immobilizer!"
"MY incompetence?! This is coming from the one who was so willing to please her leader she started dancing around the Autobots instead of concentrating on bringing the weapon back!"
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT SOME TRINKET OR YOU WASTING TIME PLAYING WITH THE AUTOBOTS!" Megatron suddenly snapped, pressing his face to Airachnid and Moonlight, "The other half of my Second-In-Command is a prisoner of the enemy! Which means all Decepticon intelligence could be at the fingertips of THE AUTOBOTS!"
Rebecca Rose watched the exchange between Megatron and the ever-wanting to please their leaders Moonlight and Airachnid with amusement… It wasn't going to be long before the Decepticons started falling apart, was it?
WINDSWEPT P.O.V
"The damage looked bad but, was a snap to repair, allowing us to reverse its' effect on you." I looked between Optimus and Bulkhead now that they had been unfrozen, "You should regain your full range of motion before long."
The still-injured-and-currently-on-Cybertronian-crutches Aquastrike watched Bulkhead stretch his arms amusingly, "'Magine if we had dat weapon in t'e mines. You'd've been able to hold up dat roof wit'out a struggle."
"And...Arcee?" I looked to Ratchet at Optimus' wondering of our teammate.
When Bumblebee and I had reached Arcee, we found her being comforted by Starlight, who had found her about to strike the killing blow to Starscream before she was spotted, allowing Starscream to get away. It didn't matter - ...for now… - because not only did we need to get our injured friend back to base for repairs, but we needed Ratchet to repair the Immobiliser to reverse its effects on Optimus and Bulkhead, which was what Bee and I had left Sunburst to do before going to find Arcee.
"She's rather resilient… for a two-wheeler."
We turned our attention to our friend sitting at the edge of a medical berth away from us. she briefly looked over her shoulder at us, probably having heard us talking about her.
"It is the external wounds which heal the quickest."
"I thought settling scores would allow me to move on. Instead, I chased away any hope of winning this war anytime soon."
"Wisdom cannot be granted, Arcee. It must be earned. Sometimes at a cost."
I walked up to the medical berth my friend was sitting on and sat down beside her. I reached my arm around her in an attempt to comfort her. She leaned into me quietly, endlessly staring at the ground.
I think Optimus' words about avenging Cliffjumper and Tailgate by chasing Starscream and Airachnid finally sunk in this time. She had one actual chance to kill Starscream for killing Cliff… and she didn't end up taking it. It was like realisation sank at the moment she saw Starlight… well, that was according to Star.
A part of me felt like Arcee had finally learned her lesson… only time would tell if she had… Huh, maybe if she did, then maybe I could start learning mine too… Maybe we all could...
Starscream slammed his back against the hard rock formation once again in an attempt to break his wing cuffs off. He hadn't gotten very far since Arcee spared his life and allowed him to flee, choosing to attempt to break off the wing cuffs so he could flee the area in a quicker manner before Megatron was able to figure out where he was and chase him down for his attempt to join the Autobots.
Finally, the cuffs fell to the ground, freeing his wings.
"I have been a fool, made mistakes - monumental ones. But I have gained a clear understanding of my place in this universe, of who I am. Starscream, aligned with no side - servant to no one…"
In his jet form, Starscream flew high, preparing himself for his next adventure as no longer a Decepticon. Not even an Autobot. Nothing but a separate party in the next phase of the war...
So... I suppose you all want to talk about something other than COVID-19... okay.
My rewriting keeps being hit with work. As a part-timer, I can't afford to say no, especially when my job is on the line more than ever. So I'm trying and making progress, it's just slow and hard. I still intend on putting these up when they're all complete. These last few are ones that I'm currently happy to leave as is, so at least it takes the stress of these ones away.
I do remain focused on the future of this series. I still want to move ahead with the next story after this one, along with the prequel.
Since I had a rant up in the pre-chapter comments, I better do these here. Thank you to SkyLion27 for favouriting, and a special shoutout/thank you to Angelwings2002 for once again reviewing - Slipstream is a complex character to me, like Rebecca Rose, because she was someone that wasn't written into the show, but I feel could've been a good addition to the show. I'm writing her like there are reasons why she is how she is. To her, the war can be a chess game; sometimes to get the best end result possible, she needs to throw a few questioning pieces around. And whether these actually do affect the end result is up to her. She's fun like that.
I have no certainties regarding when the next chapter will come out. At the moment, I'm not in self-isolation like many of you. But because I work retail and rumours of virus case being tested on in the town I work in, it'll probably be a matter of time. If I end up in self-isolation and my muse kicks into high gear, I may just spring a few chapters on you... I may even do that on my days off anyway.
Thank you for reading, and take care of each other everyone.