The Other Side
HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL REVIEWERS! The positive emotion coming from this fic is enough to send me into orbit! Its been just wonderful! Thank you all for your kind words, and inspiration. I have a request almost finished, so hopefully, I can upload it shortly, RL permitting!
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Starscream wanted to pace so badly, but the injury to his right thruster prevented his mobility and subsequently, his transformation. He was in no condition to be pacing, but the fact that the simple act had been banished from him made it all the more desirable. He settled for sitting on the side of the too small berth, tapping his left thruster against the metal. The action didn't do anything to quell the intense need for motion the seeker craved, so regardless of medical advice, he stood up on his injured thruster. And squawked, cursed, and landed with an undignified clank onto the berth.
Primus he hated inactivity.
He hated being injured.
And he slagging hated being stuck in the enemy brig! Slag Megatron for leaving him behind when an arrant shot from the Autobot sniper clipped his wing. As he performed the tightest corkscrew maneuver ever attempted, a blazing fire swept along his thrusters and destroyed the majority of the circuitry. A small part of his CPU wondered if the tyrant hadn't shot him as he spiraled out of control toward enemy lines. He wouldn't put it past him. Primus knows Starscream had taken such pot shots at his leader when he was down. Slagger deserved them, in the seeker's opinion.
So here he was, locked away in a cell clearly designed for a ground frame, with a busted thruster and a horrible processor ache from landing upside down on a hard, metallic body. He had intended on taking out an Autobot with his landing (he refused to admit to a crash), but his injury was so severe he lost consciousness before he had targeted anyone in particular. The only proof he had of his impromptu landing was the violent streaking of red paint and the unfocused rantings of an enraged medic as he applied a rough field patch. Next thing Starscream knew he woke up in a cell and was unable to stretch his wings in the cramped space.
Distant voices drew his attention to the hall, where the lights blazed so brightly it made the orange walls glow like an inferno. Starscream narrowed his optics, hearing the voices become more distinct. With a sinking feeling he realized who was coming to torment him.
Those two blasted twins that enjoyed launching themselves at the seekers. Well, Starscream wasn't going to back down from a fight, whether it was verbal or physical, but he be slagged if he allowed them to get the upper hand. After millions of years, there were thousands of nights spent with his trinemates wondering about the complexity of the Autobot twins and their unnatural obsession with anything with wings. He had a rather lengthy resume of questions and insults that would no doubt put the troublesome duo in their place. And if he ever made it back to the Nemesis, hopefully he'd have some answers and maybe win a bet or two.
Soon the twins entered the brig, the red one trying to assuage the grim look his golden twin wore.
"How was I supposed to know the stupid Cons would attack and it would throw my timetable off?" Sideswipe was saying, completely oblivious to their audience.
"You should never use a timer," Sunstreaker grunted, optics glowering. "It's only a matter of time…."
The duo stopped directly opposite of Starscream, though they kept their backs to his cell. Instead they faced the two empty cells across from the caged seeker and continued their conversation.
"I've tried using remotes," Sideswipe said, a touch of sullenness in his voice. "They're easier to detect if you're actively broadcasting. Red's caught on. I've had to change the game plan."
Sunstreaker snorted in disgust and without invitation, stepped into the left cell. Sideswipe offered a partial shrug and entered the right. Both turned and planted themselves on the berths, facing the Decepticon captive on the other side. Starscream offered a curled sneer, just waiting for the jibes, but the twins paid him no mind.
Sideswipe stretched out on the berth, tucking his arms behind his head and staring up the ceiling. He had to raise his voice so his brother could hear. "You know, we're in here so often, why do we even bother having quarters? Shouldn't we just move our berths down here and make it permanent? Seems such a waste of space."
Sunstreaker ignored the glaring seeker and assumed the same position as his brother before answering. "I bet if you asked Prowl, he'd freeze up and Ratchet would have our ball bearings on a silver platter for spazzing him out again."
"Yeah, don't want to irritate the one who can pull your plugs out through your muffler," Sideswipe agreed.
Starscream looked between the two, clearly at a loss as to why they were there. No one had escorted them and the bars hadn't been activated. They were free mechs to do what they please, and yet they ventured to the brig of their own accord? Starscream narrowed his optics at the two, wondering if they were playing some sort of mind game with him. It wasn't usual for them to ignore an enemy and carry on a conversation as if no one else was around. He opened his mouth to start the verbal sparring, when suddenly there was a loud clanging noise, followed by a small explosion.
A small part of Starscream perked up, thinking his comrades had come to his rescue, but with the relaxed look the twins were still sporting, it was unlikely there was a rescue campaign. His curiosity increased when he noticed Sideswipe hold up his hand, fingers splayed and started a countdown.
"Five…Four…Three... Two….One…." Sideswipe called, ticking off his fingers. Before he could announce the reason like a side show charlatan, a voice thundered throughout the base.
"Sideswipe! Sunstreaker!" The voice was definitely the Second In Command's. And boy did he sound pissed!
Sideswipe offered a happy chirp, before changing his demeanor into one of abject supplication. He answered via the ships internal comms, "We're already in the brig."
A sputtering hiss filled the intercom before a rough static-filled noise announced that control had once again been regained. "One week! You know the drill!"
"Yeah, which is why we're in here in the first place," Sunstreaker snapped back. He was already in trouble for something Sideswipe did, he may as well do something to earn his punishment. Riling up Prowl seemed to be a good idea.
As Starscream leaned against the edge of his berth, he stared at the twins in confusion. Apparently they not only made Decepticons miserable, but they did things to their own teammates as well. Starscream wondered briefly if they had been in communiqué with Skywarp, who was just as notorious for that little quirk.
Just as Starscream opened his mouth to inquiry about the twins level of sanity, there came the footfalls of Cybertronian feet. Prowl literally erupted into the hall, his steps so heavy they rang like church bells for the two doomed soldiers. He stopped in front of their cells, looking from one to the other, his doorwings arched so high in a "V" that it looked quite uncomfortable. Starscream winced slightly.
"Explain yourselves!" Prowl demanded.
"Jazz always schedules the game in the afternoon," Sideswipe started, trying to look as innocent as possible. It didn't work. "I was hoping to get him because you know how he keeps saying that he's too highly trained and no one has been able to get the drop on him."
Prowl offered a curt nod but didn't speak.
"Well, it really gets on a mechs nerves," Sideswipe said, now acting irritated. "I mean, I have a reputation to uphold! I couldn't let him continue to brag about being so good he'd never be caught unaware."
"So you deemed it necessary to tar and feather him?" Prowl asked, one doorwing giving a little twitch. Not a good sign. His hand slammed down on the control box a bit too hard. Both cells alighted with bars, keeping the three combatants safely away from each other. It could have been interpreted as Prowl's way of instating their punishment, but in truth, the tactician needed the physical barrier between him and the Pit-Spawned troublemakers else he'd throttle the both of them.
"I didn't use real tar, just some children's glue with food coloring. It'll come off with a good wash," Sideswipe said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. Didn't seem to sink in that his Commanding Officer was standing just a few feet away and his hands were ready to exact revenge. Course there was high energy bars separating them, so that could have bolstered Sideswipe's spinal strut. The only thing on Sideswipe's processor though was his beautifully planned prank and the results. Suddenly Sideswipe perked up, rising on the berth, optics wide as they gleamed in mischief. "Did I get him? Is my record now intact?"
"Your record will continue to grow as long as Prime allows you two to function in this army," Prowl said coolly, trying and failing to calm down. The last thing he needed was his own record detailing his dismemberment of two soldiers and subsequent, though well deserved, courts martial and incarceration. "But to answer your questions," and he allowed himself a malicious sneer that caught the two frontliners by surprise, "No, you didn't get Jazz. You got Smokescreen, Hound, Mirage, and Ironhide."
"Ouch," Sunstreaker muttered, knowing that Smokescreen held a grudge like no other. Mirage could easily cloak and make your life miserable. Ironhide could shoot you and not think twice. The only one who would be able to take the joke was Hound, but since he had just been discharged from the infirmary, there was a chance the 'innocent glue' could cause unexpected and unintentional side effects. And that would bring Ratchet into the mix of retribution seekers.
It was not looking good for the twins. Their life expectancy just lowered considerably.
The sound of a pissed off mech approaching echoed down the corridor. It didn't take long for Ironhide to appear, though it was hard to discern the weapon's master as he was covered in thick black, syrupy strands and accented by numerous multicolored feathers. He went straight to the black and white commander and shoved a cube of energon in his hands before offering a leering snarl to the two cells occupants then stormed off. His steps disappeared before the twins pulled themselves from their stupor.
"He looked good," Sunstreaker snorted.
Prowl's optics narrowed into slits. "Your punishment detail consists of one week in the brig, followed by a month of cleaning and maintenance duty in the Med Bay."
Both twins started at the announcement. They expected the brig time and maybe some menial work, but to be ordered into Ratchet's domain while their transgression was still fresh? It wasn't a good combination.
"Would it help my case to know that I didn't have a hand in the trap, or in its planning?" Sunstreaker asked, wishing Prowl would just order the firing squad and be done with it.
"No," Prowl snapped.
"Figured not," Sunstreaker groused, plopping back on the berth and draping an arm over his optics.
"Traitor," Sideswipe growled from his cell, sending his twin a dark thrum through their bond.
"Every mech for himself when Hatchet's involved," Sunstreaker answered, not perturbed by his twin or Commander.
"You know the rules," Prowl said, feeling so angry he could probably wipe out the entire Decepticon faction without pause.
"Yeah, yeah," Sideswipe said, nonchalantly. "We're the reason why the rules were written."
"Well, at least you get a new season to entertain you," Prowl said cryptically, earning dual looks of shocked fear.
Whatever put the twins on such edge didn't bode well for Starscream. He felt a chill run along his spinal strut. Something about the way these three had a battle of the wills… it was very unsettling. Suddenly Prowl turned, facing the other captive in the cell block. Out of habit, Starscream pushed himself further back on the berth, trying to put as much distance between himself and the crazed Autobots as possible. Sadly, in a cell, there was only so far a seeker could go. His wings bumped the wall, resigning him to his fate.
Prowl stalked to the seeker's cell and placed the energon cube in a drawer. With a code he closed the hatch, pushing it through the wall, where it protruded into Starscream's cell. The lid automatically flipped up, revealing the cube.
"Drink," Prowl commanded sternly.
Usually Starscream would bristle at being ordered by anyone, but today he did the wise thing and held his vocalizer. He slid from the berth and hobbled the few paces to the offered cube and picked it up, his optics never leaving his captor.
"It hasn't been tampered with," Prowl added, noting the seekers reluctance to drink. Truthfully the cube had been tampered with, but only with additives and a special nutritional blend designed for seekers. When Ratchet had hastened through Starscream's repairs, he had noticed the seeker was vastly undernourished. Megatron had yet to contact the Autobots with demands of his Air Commander's return, so Ratchet was going to use his captivity as a means to replenish his systems.
Starscream looked at the glowing purple fuel and felt his tanks churn. It had been ages since he had a decent amount of pure energon, and from the soft fumes coming from the cube, it was a rather potent grade, just perfect for a seeker's frame. His systems flashed warnings across his diagnostic relay and with reluctance, he downed the cube in a few easy gulps. If he was going to mount an escape, he needed his strength.
The fuel tingled on the way down, and as soon as it hit his tanks, his absorption relays kicked into gear. A warmth spread over his frame, enveloping his body and soothing across his wings. He gave an involuntary moan, ignoring the small part of his processor that was suggesting he save some for his wingmates. But it tasted sooooo good….
When the warmth had passed, he placed the cube back into the slot and pressed the return button. Remembering who was glaring at him from the other side of the bars, his smugness returned. When Prowl picked up the empty cube, Starscream sneered. "I'll have another, Barkeep."
Prowl's optics darkened and for a moment, Starscream was sure the stoic Second was going to disengage the energy bars and twist his wings into submission. Megatron did it so often, Starscream could recognize the look before the action. Considering the foul mood the tactician was in and the still supercilious looks the twins wore, the seeker was treading in highly dangerous waters.
Prowl gave a curt nod and said, "Ratchet will be by shortly with another cube."
"What?" Starscream asked, completely shocked to learn he was getting what he wanted. Something that like never happened on Nemesis.
"He believes that you should have a cube every four hours, but if you feel so inclined, you can have as much as you need," Prowl said, some of his anger dissipating now that he wasn't facing two pain in the aft glitches.
Starscream stared speechless at the Second. The first time in recorded history that has been accomplished.
Without another word, Prowl spun on his heel and left, not daring to look into the opposite cells. It was a good thing too, because he was receiving a lecherous grin and snarling scowl.
When Prowl was gone, Sideswipe called across the hall, "Hey Screamer!"
Starscream snapped out of his stunned stupor to stare at the red menace. "Don't call me that!"
Ignoring the irate glare sent his way, Sideswipe smiled and continued on as if he wasn't receiving the worlds deadliest glare. "Just wanted to let you know that was an awesome landing."
"Shut up!" Starscream snarled, his temper emboldened by the warm energon. "Some fool shot me down!"
"Yeah, that was much was obvious," Sunstreaker added, enjoying the rage now smoldering behind crimson optics. "Your thrusters were on fire and were you screaming like a feme."
Starscream's hands curled into fists. His voice was a very touchy subject. But before he could launch into a tirade, Sideswipe cut across.
"Well, whether someone shot you or not, the fact remains that you couldn't have performed a better landing even if you had months to practice!" Sideswipe crowed, rising up on the berth and sitting on the edge. His face was alight with genuine amusement. "Prime never saw you coming!"
"I could…..co…" Starscream's anger ebbed away, replaced by confusion. It took a moment for Sideswipe's words to sink in. He could only stare dumbly at the opposite cell. "Prime?"
"Yeah, it was fantastic!" Sideswipe whooped, giving the seeker a beaming smile. "Prime and Megs were fighting, Megatron somehow gained the upper hand, had Prime lined up, and here you drop in and land right on top of Prime, deflecting Megatron's shot!"
"I did what?" Starscream asked, looking over the red streaks against his white plating. "I landed on …Prime?"
"Knocked him out," Sunstreaker said, a rare smile gracing his face.
"Megs was slagged off!" Sideswipe added, his face still beaming with excitement. "He was ready to end Prime and here you fall in, knock him out, and took Megs' glory!"
Starscream allowed himself a smirk. Anything he could do to get under Megatron's plating was good, and the fact that he performed this particular stunt while unconscious only further aggrieved the tyrant.
"Everyone thought Megs had taken out Prime, so everyone concentrated their fire on Megs, which caused him to order an immediate retreat," Sideswipe continued, enjoying having a rapt audience. "Megs tucked tailpipes and disappeared and we found you passed out on top of Prime."
"Priceless," Sunstreaker snickered.
"Did I terminate him?" Starscream asked eagerly. It would have been glorious if he took out their more feared rival. It would make Megatron's humiliation double.
"Naw, just knocked him cold," Sideswipe said, oblivious to the disappointed look on the seeker's face. "He came to a few minutes later, saw how bad you were injured and ordered Ratchet to patch you up."
Starscream examined his thruster and with a disgruntled noise, realized that not only had the burns been attended to, but several circuits that had been disabled for quite some time were starting to come online.
Just as Sideswipe mentioned the medic, his bulk came through the door like a snowstorm. He stomped to the seekers cell and deposited the cube in the small drawer as Prowl had done, and punched in his code. With a beep it sealed on the outside and reopened inside the cell.
"Drink it slowly," Ratchet said with a dark glower. "Don't need you getting overcharged."
"Why not?" Sideswipe asked, hiding his amusement when Ratchet visibly stiffened at his voice. "It's not like we have decent entertainment around here. A drunk Screamer could be very entertaining."
Starscream grabbed the cube and hobbled back to his berth, trying to put as much distance as possible away from the medic, who now looked ready to erupt. Ratchet whirled on the twins, his plating radiating heat in a mirage effect as he slowly stepped toward their cells. He resembled a predatory ghost, ready to pounce on its unsuspecting prey.
"You just wait until your sentence is up," he breathed, his voice coming out as a raspy growl.
Starscream wanted to run and hide at the tone. He nearly fell over when both twins offered partial shrugs in answer, not perturbed in the least by what was to come when they were freed. Had they no sense of self preservation?
"Ratchet, I know you're in love with us, but we've tried to tell you, we're not interested," Sideswipe said in all sincerity.
Ratchet's low growl turned into a roar as he punched in a code on Sideswipe's cell. The bars disappeared and Ratchet stormed in. Starscream stared, transfixed as the medic, the one who swore to protect and preserve all life literally throttled the red menace. His first strike was well aimed, sending the frontliner into a dizzying scramble that left him vulnerable. Sideswipe squawked with each strike and tried to defend himself, but Ratchet's knowledgeable hands struck in all the right places, rendering him helpless.
"Whack him a few times for me!" Sunstreaker called, not bothered in the least that his twin was being mech handled in the next cell.
After a minute of clangs, bangs, yelps, and a plethora of curses, Ratchet exited Sideswipe's cell. He pawed the control box on the way, causing the electric bars to spring to life. Without another word he disappeared down the hall.
Starscream wondered if the red twin was still alive, considering his unmoving frame and his quiet demeanor. When Sideswipe showed no signs of life, he called, "Are you dead?"
Sideswipe remained motionless. Sunstreaker gave the seeker half a glance before answering, "He's not dead. Just offline. He'll wake up aching but laughing. He always does."
"Insane," Starscream muttered just loud enough for Sunstreaker to hear.
"Yes, he is," Sunstreaker agreed, then amended, "And an idiot."
Just then the lights flickered. The only illumination was coming from the recessed lights out in the hall and the blue and red optics of the captives. Starscream let out an involuntary hiss, expecting the worst.
"Relax," Sunstreaker called. "It's just lights out. One of the punishments is an early bedtime." A gruff snort graced the cell before he added, "The other thing Prowl insists on torturing us with is early morning television."
"What?" Starscream sputtered in the dark.
"Usually something associated with sparkling education," Sunstreaker offered, not realizing this had been the most he'd spoken to anyone outside of his brother in over a week. "Prowl thinks it will work on us, but it hasn't so far. Doesn't stop him from trying, though. Poor mech. Just doesn't seem to understand what he's up against."
Starscream watched in fascination as Sunstreaker completely powered down in his cell, his optics shuttering and systems cycling into a low hum. Sideswipe was currently residing on the floor, one leg propped up on the berth. Several white scratched adorned his paint.
Starscream downed the second cube and placed it back in the receptacle before returning to his own berth. It took some time, but he was able to get comfortable. The warm energon coursing through his systems made sure he shut down in record time.
The cell blocks were roused out of their collective recharge when the lights flared into existence and small screens appeared along the wall in every cell.
"Slag," Sunstreaker muttered, throwing his arm over his optics.
Sideswipe let out a high pitched keen as he moved from his makeshift bed. When he onlined his optics, he started to giggle, rubbing his helm and wincing at a particularly nasty dent.
"Slagging psycho," he muttered.
Starscream's optics fluttered open and upon seeing the unfamiliar orange ceiling, bolted upright, scraping a wing along the wall. He winced, distancing himself from the wall and turned to glare at the screen. Images of fleshlings and puppets filled the screen, along with the most annoying song Starscream could ever recall hearing. It only stopped when the humans started talking in small words, obviously centering their attention on immature humans who would be watching their broadcast. Starscream found it insulting.
Sideswipe actually sang along to the theme and perked up, watching with drowsy optics as the screen displayed the childish program. Sunstreaker resigned himself to listening to the broadcast, knowing Prowl would give them a pop quiz when they got out. If all questions weren't answered correctly, then it was back to the cell and back to the programming. It was a dirty, sneaky, disgusting trick, and the twins secretly admired the tactician for coming up with such a diabolical form of punishment.
The day progressed slowly for the incarcerated. Starscream received cubes every four hours, which he hungrily devoured, and stowed a little in subspace for his trinemates, if he ever got out of this hellish Pit.
Afternoon came and went and still the incessant drone of children's programming filled the cells. The twins seemed to be quite entertained, even singing along to the theme songs and making rude comments to perfectly innocent looking puppets and their respective puppeteers. It was quite funny, though Starscream would never admit anything out loud.
By midday, the flyer was ready to commit suicide.
"When will it end?" He howled after the fifth hour.
"Should have been over by now, but knowing Prowl, he's just sadistic enough to play the entire season," Sideswipe answered, then made a loud, gaseous noise at the screen.
Several more hours passed by.
As Ratchet placed two low grade cubes in the twin's cells, and turned to place Starscream's in the drawer, the seeker grasped the energy bars and snarled, "Get Prime!"
"Problem?" Ratchet asked in mild concern. He noticed the seeker's hands starting to burn with the energy of the bars. "Remove your hands and I'll get him."
Starscream released the bars, growling more in anger and frustration than pain. The energy burns on his hands were nothing compared to what he'd received from Megatron on a regular basis. Physical pain he could handle. Emotional pain he could handle. Psychological torture he could handle, but not coupled with incessant singing and errant stupidity. It was too much!
"I want to speak to Prime, now!" Starscream fumed. In his barely contained fury, his voice became rough and deep, something the Autobots noticed with a start.
He was really pissed.
A moment later Prime came into the brig, looking curiously to Ratchet, who had taken a moment to scan Starscream through the energy bars. He was quite pleased with the progress the seeker was making in his rehabilitation.
"You wished to speak to me?" Prime asked when he gained Starscream's cell.
"You win," Starscream spat, optics glaring a red so intense; it looked like they were going to melt his face. "Release me!"
Prime canted his head slightly, unsure of the seeker and his intentions. He was notorious for being manipulative and cunning. He wouldn't put it past the tri-colored jet to use a bit of subterfuge to escape his prison cell.
"I'm afraid that's impossible," Prime said.
Starscream opened his mouth to argue, when the screens showed the ending credits of a mild mannered elderly human, who wished everyone a load of 'weak, emotional', slag before signing off. Then the screen erupted with a large purple dinosaur and both twins erupted in a high spirited version of the theme song, complete with sound effects provided by Sideswipe.
Starscream growled so hard his frame vibrated. He stared at the Autobot leader with all the malice and disgust he could muster and ground out through gritted denta, "I quit! The war! The Decepticons! I quit it all! Just get me the frag out of here!"
"Beg pardon?" Ratchet asked, taken aback.
"I quit! Do you hear me?" Starscream ranted, grasping the energy bars again and earning a bark of reprimand from the medic. "I never want to slagging see any of you again. I'm going back to Nemesis, collecting my trinemates and we're going somewhere quiet and safe from Autobot insanity!"
Prime stood agape. Though he expected Starscream to lie and manipulate to get out of the Autobot brig, there was something in his optics that said he was telling the truth.
"You … quit?" Prime asked.
"Yes!" Starscream hissed. "I didn't sign up for this insanity! If Megatron wants to stop me, he'll just have to terminate me! I'm not doing this anymore! I quit!"
To reiterate his point, the jet roughly scratched the Decepticon sigil off his wings, growling oaths and using words the collected mechs had never heard. Sideswipe filed them away for later use. When there wasn't a hint of purple anywhere on the flyer's frame, he spun on the Prime, optics blazing.
"Release me. Now." He growled.
Unsure what motivated him, Prime hit the release button. The bars disappeared and Starscream stepped out into the hall, glaring daggers. And to the bafflement of all, turned on his thrustered heel and stalked toward the exit. Ratchet and Prime followed along, Prime sending out a comm. to alert everyone of the Decepticon's release. Many stared opened mouthed as Starscream stalked past them. No words, no dirty looks, or threatening behavior was displayed in any way. He simply walked by his most hated enemies without a glance. When he reached the entrance to the Ark, he ignited his thrusters, the damaged thruster sputtering for a moment before catching, and disappeared on the horizon.
Down in the brig, the twins were staring open mouthed at the now empty cell across from theirs.
"…..What?" Sunstreaker was able to formulate after a moment.
Sideswipe offered a partial shrug, returning his attention to the screen. "Maybe he didn't want to be our neighbor?"
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Yeah, I know. Prowl's evil.
NO one should have to watch Sesame Street, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, and Barney, especially not all freaking day!
No wonder the twins are so damaged.
Reviews would be loved… theme songs will be sent to Jazz for his irritation.
