Ch. 204

Taking in larger intakes of cool air was becoming easier now that Starscream had something more concrete to focus on. This wasn't easy, by all means, after all he had accomplished and gone through he would have thought himself stronger. But the trauma of his experience, of 'DEAD', was too deeply rooted to simply be ignored. So holding onto his little fact, 'the situation and bots are not the same as they once were', was helping to ground his anxieties and reaffirm his situation: though he was captured and thoroughly upset about it, he was not yet defeated. Even if he felt it.

Predaking found that pacing before the silver mech to intimidate the two new Predacons was only causing more worry in the seeker and had taken to laying beside him on the flight deck. Darksteel and Sky Lynx had yet to move from their spot across the way and were observing every little movement from the pair. Tensions were high, but certainly not as high as they had been earlier in the day. Instead, this whole situation had become a moment of watching one another and providing a far more calm environment to perform such a thing.

Starscream finally let out a sigh, "This is pointless..." he murmured; Predaking raised his helm towards the smaller mech, listening carefully, "I can't keep doing this... I have to be stronger..."

The Predacon cocked his helm then shook it, grumbling something softly; Starscream decided to ignore the obvious response to his statement, "Something happened before that most likely won't happen again. I got through it, I suppose... and yet," his blue optics glanced at the other two Predacons, still some distance away, "it still has so much control over me... It shouldn't, but it does," he looked towards the sky, letting his shoulders sink, "I am weak for it..." he growled and hit himself in the side of the leg plate with his bound servos, "I am weak for it!" he admitted more harshly, "After everything they sacrificed for me, I can't repay their memory by fighting back? By escaping or taking him down? What would Opt-"

Starscream felt his voice leave him. There was a lump forming at the back of his throat, hot and painful as he tried to swallow it back. There were tears lubricating the sides of his optics. His servos shakily went to his chestplate, feeling the Autobot sigil emblazoned upon it. He couldn't speak of that anymore. He felt truly weak at this moment and now it had nothing to do with the Predacons or thoughts of 'DEAD'.

Predaking hummed lowly and lifted a large paw, tapping his claws against the flight deck to elicit sound. The seeker glanced to the mech then the heavy servo, watching it lift and pat then lift and pat again as though in rhythm.

Starscream sadly smirked, "This? The deck? ... Here?"

Predaking nodded and opened his maw to garble, patting the deck again.

The silver mech shook his helm as his voice came out hoarsely, "Here... Yes, I've dealt with a lot here, too. And yet... I... don't care about any of it... When he comes after me, I just want to fight him. But when I think about them, it just..." he opened one of his servos only to clench it tight, "the fight leaves me. It's almost as if I've lost... purpose- no, no... more than that... far more painful than that."

Predaking nuzzled the side of his helm against Starscream's wing, a low and sad sound coming from deep within his chestplate as it traveled up his throat.

The seeker rested back against him, "Yes. Just like that... Have you ever felt that before, Predaking?"

The larger mech pulled back to shake his helm and Starscream reached up towards him to touch his muzzle, "Then I hope you never do," his optics traveled out across the flight deck to the still observing smaller Predacons, "so when the time is right, you'll need to take care of them, alright? Watch over them. They're not as intelligent as you; they're going to need more guidance."

Predaking snorted, not quite understanding what the silver mech meant by that. The newcomers weren't trustworthy. He certainly didn't want anything to do with them. They were far too loud and squabbled way too much. It was irksome. But the seeker was suggesting he should take care of them? Predaking didn't want to think about it further. He began to nestle in again when he felt a change in the air around them.

Starscream, must have felt it too, because the mech stood quickly, his optics wide as he spread his wings to feel the air around them become heavier.

"What are they doing?" he hissed, watching Darksteel and Sky Lynx look around their small world in as much concern as he had, "They're guiding the Nemesis down. We can't be landing, what are they-"

Predaking growled deeply as the flight deck doors opened and C.Y.L.A.S. came stomping out, Hardshell and Bombshock on either side.

"You need to come in," the disfigured mech snarled; his raised an arm immediately, aiming a missile at the pair he was most worried about, "Now."

Starscream glared as he assessed the situation. The ship was descending and he was not allowed to know why. He had a sinking feeling in the depths of his spark that something crucial had been discovered, something precious to him... No, not the Har-

"And why should I listen to you?" the silver mech sneered.

C.Y.L.A.S. growled again and Hardshell and Bombshock stepped forward, "Because I said so."

The Predacons on the far side of the ship perked up and responded with their own noises. They knew this command, they had been created for it. As the Insecticons moved forward, so did they at the back, Darksteel chuffing and Sky Lynx daring to make a move at the seeker's back to move him along. Predaking rose quickly and hissed as he blocked the smaller Predacons and encouraged Starscream himself, nudging his charge forward and rumbling passed the firm gaze of the black mech who was commanding them.

It was only after the pair had entered the inside of the flight deck hangar that C.Y.L.A.S. gestured with a simple command to the smaller Predacons, 'follow'. And when the deck was void of all bots, the disfigured mech let out a small sigh of frustration and impatience, sealing the doors behind him as he, too, followed.