So this is another fic thanks to my sister, the one who thinks I'm completely nuts but still manages to give me ideas for three oneshots. The other two are Manicure and Nightmare, both posted separately but this idea can fall under The Medical Journals universe. Call it an AU of an AU if you will. The prompt was "Starscream in charge". Now technically, this isn't him *in* charge, but gaining control. Anyways, it's an idea, I'm stressed like unbelievable, and i needed to type SOMETHING. So, short and sweet but I'm having a rough day and needed to disappear into my world for a bit.
This takes place during TMJ universe, but seeing as it's Starscream in charge, not Megs, it branches off of the original time line. Hope that makes sence and hope you like it.
Oh yeah! And un-named possible spoilers if you squint :)
2211Nighthawk.
Starscream took a step back, wings pinned too tight against his flared armor, fans running far too hot and fast to be healthy. He swallowed the energon dripping down the back of his throat but he didn't dare move to wipe away the blue fluid running down his faceplates from a busted nasal ridge. It dripped off his jaw onto his dented and scratched raw chassis. His cockpit was still intact by some miracle, but heavy fracture lines crisscrossed the reinforced glass and threatened to shatter if he breathed too hard. Every plate of armor on his frame was dented somehow, some of it missing entirely and ragged gashes dug deep into his protoform. Weak with energon loss and the beating, his legs threatened to give out on him but he still didn't dare move.
The massive bulk of a mech didn't even shift from where he lay crumpled on the ground a few feet away, his back to the seeker. Nothing moved and the only sound was the wet, heavy venting of Starscream.
The silence roaring in his audios, Starscream swallowed again, then hesitantly took a step forward. His claws instinctively tried to dig into the ground for purchase but on the hard floor, they barely scratched the surface. The lower knee joint on his left leg didn't bend properly and he hissed when he had to put weight on the damaged joint for a nano-klick before his other leg caught up with him and he could get the weight off of it. He froze again, then took another limping step forward, wings flaring slightly even as he felt the thrusters on his back heat up in preparation for a fast take off.
Still the mech didn't move even when Starscream was a step away from the mech and well within striking distance. But he didn't move. Starscream held his breath, freezing all his systems but only roaring silence met his audios. No wet venting, no rasping breath.
He flared his wings for balance and with a clawed ped rested it on the mech's shoulder guard and pulling him toward himself, rolling the mech onto his back.
Grey, sightless optics didn't move from their wide in shock position and Starscream dropped his ped back to the floor, wings pinned back in unease.
His helm snapped around, nervous red optics darting around with too much paranoia but realizing he was still alone, a low hiss escaped him. It had a hard, dangerous edge to it and with any amount of effort it could reach a scream that would shatter audios. Seekers, and to a lesser extent Praxians, were known for their shrieks but Starscream could reach a pitch that most could never hope to copy.
The low hiss came again, catching in his throat and he coughed harshly before filching at the sound, wings flattening against his back.
He straightened, sharp optics brightening with a feral glee as he took a step to the side, wings starting to flare wider again. The hiss came again and he smiled, fangs bared as he paced silently around the unmoving mech.
"Still think I'm worthless?" He asked in a low rasp. His spark stopping scream came at a price but the raspy voice was worth it if only to see mechs run in absolute terror. He sneered, kicking at the mech and his pedclaws left deep scratches on the mech's armor. "Still think that I can't do anything?"
His armor stood on end, his wings flaring high and wide.
"Still think that pit-spawn traitor is better then me?!" He shrieked, the scream echoing in the dark room and he threw his helm back with a cackling laugh. "You treated him like a god and he betrayed you! I knew he would! You didn't believe me but I knew he couldn't be trusted! That pit-fraggin' miner!"
He laughed until he couldn't breath, energon still dripping down his throat and he roughly dragged his bracer across his liplates to get rid of the metallic taste. Something flashed and he froze before twisting his arm a little to examine the razor sharp knife he held. It was snapped off at half it's length, the tip still buried in the other mech's spark chamber. It had been one beating too many, the mech's rage taken out on the seeker because of the fallout caused from the mech closest to them betraying everything they stood for.
It had taken all his desperate strength to drive it into the mech's spark, in between his heavy armor and into his black spark but he'd done it.
He'd crumpled, his servo still around Starscream's throat as his optics widened in shock at the knife in his chassis. It didn't take long for the mech to leak out, not with the primary line to his spark severed, but Starscream would not take chances. Not with someone as dangerous as Megatron. It had been half a joor since he'd stabbed the Warlord, and nothing had come of it. The mech was down, not moving, and there was no spark signature.
"You'll see." Starscream hissed again. "You'll see I'll be a better leader then you, or anyone! I will lead the Decepticons, not you! And I will rule Cybertron."
The knife, though broken, was still razor sharp and it took nothing to slice lines in the former Warlord's neck and sever his helm.
Still limping, and energon dripping from his wounds, he shoved the door open and stalked into the lower hallways of Dark Mount. The mechs and femmes he passed dropped their optics at the sight of him and nobody noticed the dark mass clutched to his shattered chassis. They knew what happened when the Decepticons lost a battle and without their once glorious Second, his rage fell on the new, lesser, Second in Command. It didn't matter that he was a scientific genius, or that he was the Air Commander with an entire armada under him. All that Megatron cared about was that he was not that pit-spawn miner and worse, that he hadn't managed to terminate him before he got to the Autobots and told them everything. And Megatron reminded him every time they lost to those pit-spawn Autobots.
The doors to the command room slid open and Starscream limped inside. Shocked optics locked on him then immediately dropped to individual stations as they avoided his gaze.
"Soundwave." He rasped, voice rough and still choked with fluid. Someone glanced up at their partner before shooting a quick glance at Starscream, then dropped again. "Where is Soundwave!" He yelled, that famous shriek sharpening the words till they could cut metal.
He felt a presence pressing against his processor and he spun with a hiss, the tall slim mech nearly invisible in the dim shadows that filled the base.
He didn't say anything and his full face shield hid everything but the sudden tightening of his armor gave him away.
Starscream bared his fangs in an ugly grin, flaring his wings. The stiff panels locked together behind him, arching up over his back and making him look far bigger then he really was.
"Soundwave." He said as soft as a file on armor. "Loyal Soundwave. Following Lord Megatron like a blind mech."
Nobody missed the snarl in his voice and a few brave ones turned toward him. Soundwave didn't move but Starscream felt the pressure on his firewalls.
"Will you still follow him Soundwave?" He asked. "When he leads us into blind slaughter will you still follow him? Like he followed that gutter scrap before he betrayed us all?"
He could hear the mechs and femmes spinning to him in surprise, feel their shocked and worried optics on his wings. The pressure on his firewalls became sharper, more dagger like as Soundwave silently made his demand.
Starscream bared his fangs again as he hurled the severed helm at Soundwave's peds. The mech jumped back even as shocked gasps filled the room.
"Megatron underestimated me too many times." He snarled, raising his voice so that everyone in the room heard. "He thought he could keep me under his ped like he did that weakling miner, he never listened to me when I told him he was a threat to us all."
"You failed me Starscream."
The seeker went rigid as the unmistakable snarl and Soundwave took a step forward as the recording continued. "I gave you one simple command, to terminate that mech before he got to the Autobots and you failed!"
"Megatron never killed him when he had the chance!" Starscream shrieked and Soundwave clapped his servos over his audios at the damaging pitch. "He was too weak to rip his spark out himself! I will not make that same mistake, now make your choice Soundwave!"
The seeker had his null ray cannon out before anyone could move and had it aimed at Soundwave.
"Follow me Soundwave." He snarled. "Or follow your old Master."
Nobody dared to even cycle air as all optics snapped to the silent mech and what his choice would be. With his usual silent grace the mech stepped over Megatron's severed helm before dropping to one knee before Starscream, his helm lowered and his presence retracting from Starscream's processor.
"Lord Starscream." He whispered in his mangled, shredded voice. Around him he could hear the others sliding to the ground, copying the mech's submissive posture and he smirked as 'Lord Starscream' echoed through the small group.
"I said I wouldn't make the same mistake." He said, the triumphant smirk morphing into a vicious snarl. Soundwave's helm snapped up in shock but all it did was give him a clear shot.
The recoil kicked back his arm and the boom was deafening in the enclosed area. A femme screamed but he ignored it, finally letting the null ray collapse back into his clawed servo.
"Who's in charge of communications." He demanded, still staring at Soundwave's rapidly greying frame.
"I-I am L-Lord Starscream." Someone, a mech stammered.
"Send a message out to everyone under my command." He ordered, shifting to give the slim mech a sharp look. "Tell them Megatron and his loyal pet Soundwave had terminated by my servo. I am in charge of the Decepticons."
His lip plate curled back to reveal a fang as he deliberately sidestepped the growing pool of energon surrounding Soundwave before giving Megatron's helm a disgusted look. "Someone clean that scrap up." He growled, kicking the helm at Soundwave's limp frame with a hiss before stalking toward the door. Abruptly he paused in the doorway before turning back to the command room.
"Things are going to be very different around here." He said, red optics sweeping the room and daring someone to argue. "We're gonna start doing things my way."
Love you all, read and review. :)