Ch. 183
Predaking watched Shockwave pace in front of him slowly. His creator had been working with him rigorously, even if he had been dragged away a few times to check reports. What Starscream had said still resonated with the beast though: remain unbroken. He wondered if the seeker was safe. The Predacon didn't really understand why he had been separated from the smaller mech and retrained. Hadn't he been protecting him perfectly?
Shockwave stopped pacing and looked towards the lifts, his optic brightening, "Stand by your training, Predaking," the purple mech ordered, "or I will not be able to save you from Megatron's final word. How you proceed will dictate whether Starscream will remain in your care. Protect him, but heed your master's word..."
Predaking held in a snuff. Megatron. His master. He didn't appreciate the warlord labeling himself as such. And how he treated the mostly loud and screechy seeker? The Predacon didn't like that, either. Especially since Starscream didn't give him orders. He spoke to him... naturally. He liked that.
The lift doors opened and Predaking held a purr deep in his throat. Though the hulking presence of Megatron surely outweighed the smaller form beside him, the Predacon could only see, smell and hear the shuddering seeker that was made to approach with the warlord. He kept his yellow optics trained on Starscream as the seeker was brought before him and dug his claws into the metal of the flight deck. He kept steady, he kept silent. He remembered the words the seeker had told him: remain unbroken...
"Shockwave," Megatron sneered grandly, "how has the beast taken to your lessons?"
The purple mech nodded, "Very well, my lord. His commands have been corrected and he is now fully ready to accept your orders and your orders alone. You are his master and Starscream is nothing but his charge. Your treatment of Starscream is none of his concern."
Starscream glanced up at the Predacon briefly, noticing a twitch in his mandibles and almost a glare forming on his faceplates. He could tell Predaking wasn't happy with what Shockwave was saying but he was playing smart. The seeker felt his spark flutter.
Megatron purred gently from beside the seeker and gripped his arm tighter, "Excellent... so if I were to do..." the warlord suddenly grabbed Starscream and twirled him away, eliciting a yelp, then pulled him back and held him tightly against himself, causing the smaller mech to struggle and squeal loudly.
Predaking clenched down on his maw, hard. He slowly laid down on the flight deck, folding his claws under his chassis as he watched. He made no move to stop the sudden, yet mostly harmless, attack. Megatron smirked.
"So he will not be a hinderance should I want my dear Starscream close?"
Shockwave shook his helm, "Should you ever come to collect him, Predaking will make no move to stop you. He has come to the basic understanding that you are Starscream's dominant and that his function is to simply guard him when you are unable to. His prehistoric mindset is advanced enough to hold onto that line of comprehension."
Starscream shook in Megatron's hold and struggled again, "Let me go!" he hissed, pulling an arm free, "Put me down, this instant!"
The warlord chuckled, carefully setting his treasure to his peds, "You move far more gracefully when you are not running from me, my second."
The smaller mech smacked Megatron's servos away and he scowled, "Stop chasing and I'll have no reason to run. Now go away. I don't want you anywhere near me."
The larger mech didn't move; he looked to Shockwave once more, "Predaking has an understanding of the events that transpired under C.Y.L.A.S.'s watch?"
Shockwave nodded, "Should Starscream attempt such a thing again, Predaking will immobilize him until proper aid can be given."
Megatron purred, "Very good. I am pleased, Shockwave," he set his servos on Starscream's shoulders from behind, "And you, my dear Starscream..."
The seeker trembled, trying to pull away, but the warlord's servos tickled down his arms and latched onto his wrists. Starscream winced at the feeling and knew Megatron was taking this close opportunity to 'feel his spark', but felt a far more sinking pit in his tank when the warlord's large servos forced his wrists together, the cuffs binding together again.
"I will visit you again soon, my dear Starscream," the larger mech whispered into his audials, "but don't think I'll give you any opportunity to disappoint me again. Behave or I may have to enact far more drastic measures..." he purred and took a hold of the seeker's chin, forcing him to look at Predaking, "starting with the beast. Understood?"
Starscream whined lightly and nodded, relief finally gracing him when Megatron let him go, "Good. I will check on you personally in a few hours. Make use of your time with Predaking. The two of you will not be out here for much longer..."
The seeker shuttered his optics and listened, not wanting to feel or see anything else. He cringed at every pedfall from Shockwave and Megatron, listening to them leave via the lifts. He trembled at the sound of the wind curling and coiling around the ship, taunting him. He flinched when he heard a louder sound begin to creep up, the heavy intaking of the Predacon before him, and he jumped, optics snapping open, when Predaking suddenly bubbled out a roar and leapt to his peds, bounding towards him.
Starscream squealed and put his servos up, "P-Predaking, wait, WAIT, not so-"
The beast slowed at the last moment and excitedly shoved his helm against the smaller mech, intaking his scent and new scents, pushing him off his pointed peds and inspecting him thoroughly as he pressed him gently but firmly against the floor of the flight deck. His long throat gurgled with a thrumming purr and when he was satisfied that he and his charge were properly reacquainted he sat heavily next to the startled mech, setting his claws over him as he yawned widely.
"You- this is-" Starscream huffed, struggling to pull himself free, "I was only gone for a couple of days! You'd think I'd been squirreled away for a century!"
Predaking frowned down at the seeker and growled something then shook his helm and snorted, looking away.
The silver mech could only speculate the response he had been given when he glared and answered back, "And that was my fault?! I was taken away because you defied that aft-helm too much! And yes, believe it or not, that is a possibility!" he sighed, teasing his arms free from under the claws of the beast, "Look, I'm not mad at you. I'm... thankful you did what you did... but if you had held back, I would have been returned to you sooner... I was not well treated."
Predaking's muzzle dipped back down against Starscream and the seeker squealed when he felt mandibles tickle at the still healing gashes on his side. The beast shook his helm, growling and then gruffly whining as he nuzzled gently beside the wounds. Starscream tried to relax his tense chassis and shrugged.
"No, he didn't do that... I'm trying to get away from this place, Predaking. What happened was that I was ensuring another party would assist in part of my plan to do so... granted, I'll most likely have to kill him after Megatron is dealt with, but at least his squabble will be an easier fight to win..."
The Predacon grumbled softly and looked at the seeker's faceplates curiously. Starscream stared back, blinking, and yet dared to look him in the optic without the arrogance of control in those blue orbs. Predaking liked that the most, he truly did. With a careful consideration, the Predacon set his claws on either side of the seeker then rested his helm on Starscream's chest plate, balancing most of the weight on his large paws.
The smaller mech didn't wince, he didn't scream. He simply watched, the hint of an air of fascination coming to grow out from under the shade of his fear and anxiety and pain. Predaking like that, too. Starscream was never boring.
"So..." the seeker gently smiled, tapping his bound servos softly on the Predacon's maw, "was it just as wretched for you as it was for me?"
Predaking groaned and huffed, gabbing a deep, throaty growl in clear displeasure that created a sound to form in the silver mech that the Predacon had never heard before. It came softly at first then stronger and Predaking purred quietly, deciding he wanted to hear this sound more. Starscream was laughing.