Ch. 79

The cold was what made Starscream rush back to that unpleasant memory, the one from long ago that was supposed to happen now... or was it something he foresaw and it just hadn't happened yet? The seeker was still unclear as to how this all worked. Regardless, he knew that unpleasantries from before were unsettling, making it somewhat more awkward by the red mech that stood beside him.

"The base in front of us holds far too many human civilians," Optimus observed, "I am going to call Agent Fowler and see if he can have them removed safely before Dreadwing, or whomever else, has a chance to do them harm."

Starscream only shrugged and crossed his arms. He didn't bother saying anything. It wouldn't have added to the situation. For now, the seeker was content with scanning the horizon around the little human outpost, his optics detailing the mountains of white and the glaciers of white and the white on white on white...

"Well if it is Dreadwing, he won't be hard to spot," he murmured, pausing as Optimus finished his call.

"Thank you, Agent Fowler," the Prime said, "I will notify you if we should run into any problems," with a gentle sigh, he turned off his COMM, "Agent Fowler is addressing the outpost supervisor now."

Starscream shrugged, "Yes, tell them a large storm is coming or that the next ration of supplies will be delayed and they'll leave quick enough."

Optimus stared down at the seeker, frowning in thought, "You are afraid to be here, Starscream."

Starscream's wings flicked up and he growled, glaring back at the Prime, "Wh- how dare you assume-"

"You have been hesitant and quiet since before we arrived," Optimus stated, "This is clearly not the moment you were hoping to circumvent, but you do not wish to be here, do you?"

The seeker scowled and turned away, grumbling, "Let's just get this over with..."

It wasn't long before a small group of humans rushed from one of the bunkers, supplies held tightly, and into a helicopter that was waiting on the landing pad. Both mechs stayed low to the frost covered landscape as the chopper flew by, then rose, Optimus the first to step forward.

"I will scout ahead," the Prime rumbled as he transformed out a blaster, "Starscream, would you care to fly around the complex to obtain a general view?"

The seeker didn't respond to the request. He was still mildly agitated at Optimus's comment on top of the awkwardness surrounding the situation. So he simply transformed and rocketed into the sky, observing the lovelier contrasts of white on white from above. Starscream could see the Prime shake his helm from the ground and figured he was scolding himself for making the seeker feel small. The silver mech appreciated the act and did a second loop around the complex.

Perfect little buildings on a perfect little landscape. But where were Megatron's troops? Was this all a stage to simply drain the Autobot's already limited resources? Or were they looking in entirely the wrong place?

Starscream grumbled to himself as he paused in flight and simply hovered, activating his short range COMM, "Optimus, can you have Agent Fowler check-"

A green beam of light shot out from the contrasting white below and hit the seeker in the wing, causing a painful surge to ring in his audials. Starscream cried out and shut his COMM off, another agonizing wail accompanying a second surge. Optimus watched from the ground as Starscream struggled to level himself out and looked on in horror as a rapid collection of plasma fire shot into the seeker's side, sending him into a spiral.

"Starscream!" the Prime roared, running and transforming to follow after him.

Starscream whimpered and panted in agonizing panic as he felt himself diving down. The ground was coming up fast, it was coming up very fast. Sheer terror gripped him when he didn't feel the electrical surge building in his chestplate. The ground was nearly upon him. Starscream cried out as he transformed, curling and throwing his arms up to block the oncoming crash when he felt it. Relief. The area around him seemed to slow for only a moment as the electrical buildup crackled through him. The surge grew inside him and Starscream yelped as he was suddenly tossed hard to the side, landing smack into a large pile of snow.

The seeker didn't bother moving. The cold was helping the slowly dulling pain in his helm. Starscream heard Optimus drive up beside him and transform, kneeling at his side.

"Starscream?" the Prime said softly, pulling him up, "Are you alright?"

The seeker wished for a moment that the red mech wasn't so attending, the snow was rather soothing, but that thought quickly disappeared when he felt the tell tale drip of energon slipping down his side.

Optimus frowned at the wound as Starscream hissed and the Prime gently let him go to transform out a blaster, "I need to close the-"

"No!" the seeker shrieked, "Once in my life was quite enough, go find the fragger who shot me down, why don't you?!"

Optimus ignored the distressed tantrum Starscream was performing and fired his blaster rapidly into the snow, the seeker's optics widening at how quickly the snow was melting under the siege.

"Oooh," he whimpered, "that's going to be-HOT!"

He screamed loudly as Optimus swiftly put the end of his blaster against the wound, the crackling sound of alien metal closing being the only solace the two had that the injury was being taken care of. When it was all over, the Prime pulled away to allow Starscream to pant loudly and regain his intakes, his optics scanning the horizon as he waited for the assailant he was sure was tracking them at that very moment.