Chapter 10: Mach 1
A/N: Man, I got work tomorrow…today! Today! Meh. I'm still writing, phew. Probably won't be updating as much 'cause of the mental block (mmm…tofu). Thank you for reviewing again!
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Starscream's room was meticulously clean. So clean that a Transformer didn't need mirrors if it wanted a three-hundred and sixty degree view of themselves. No object or furniture was out of place unless Starscream was using said object, and when she was done, it would be tidied and tucked back into the exact same angle it should be. A neurotically perfect ninety degrees following the invisible contours of the room. If no one knew who or had any whereabouts of its inhabitant, the room looked like a show room for the elite.
Enter Skywarp. And exit.
Now, enter Starscream.
"……SKYWAAAAAAAAARP!!!!"
Drinking his energon cube in the mess hall, the purple and black seeker thought he heard someone screeching his name in a sharp tone only the aerial commander possessed. But she was being held captive by the Autobot army. Rumble had not mentioned anything lately, and Skywarp was known for diligently ignoring night calls from anyone but Megatron. Maybe she came back at night. Maybe she didn't. The seeker looked down at his energon cube and scowled. He was given less rations today. But his cube was of the same measurement as everyone else's, save the Cassetticons and the larger Triple Changers. Oh, wait. He forgot he drank some a few minutes ago. Shrugging to himself, Skywarp took another healthy swig, and licked his lips.
Refreshing.
The large canteen doors almost disappeared as they opened to invite a chair flying violently at sound breaking speeds to smash the purple jet into the wall. Skywarp had no chance to blink before his head was embedded through the wall, letting a small trickle of water spurted from the hole, and clapping her slim blue fingers to rid herself of any dirt, Starscream growled under her breath. Judging by the pure raw energy fuelled by her anger from the aerial commander, everyone thought it best to not look up, in case she burned holes into them with her eyes. Until the floor-branding feet could not be heard anymore, the Decepticons in the mess hall slowly looked up, and started random conversations between themselves. Interrupting the scene, the p.a. crackled and a familiar voice cut through the tense air.
"AND CLEAN UP THAT MESS!!!"
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A pair of blue feet retraced its steps, jogging back to the aerial commander's room. Thundercracker was elated as soon as Rumble announced her arrival. Their aerial commander is finally back! Why was she there for so long? How did she get out? Did she make life hell for the Autobots? (He probably knew the answer to that!) Even when she was not plotting to take Megatron's place one way or another, the red seeker was known for her instantaneous ingenuity, and she must have an engine-splitting story to tell! Inflating her ego was fun when everyone got a laugh out of it.
He made several attempts to radio his commander with no success, so she must be in her room, most certainly exhausted from her break out. Their leader wasted no time calling her for a report on her little 'stay' at the Autobot camp, but Thundercracker held a small inkling of hope that she would be willing enough to tell him. After all, he was one of the rare few Decepticons who genuinely cared for their comrades like he did, even for Starscream. He loved her-
Thundercracker pretended he didn't even think that word.
Okay, so he grew fond of her these past few weeks. She was more than a friend and a wing mate to him, but he didn't care what others would think. He couldn't help doing his best for those close to him, and Thundercracker truly cared for her. He asked here whether she was all right when her scrunched up face said otherwise. He listened to her babble even when no one cared, and he missed her when she was captured, each day that went by fed his worries. He wanted her to know that she wasn't truly alone in this universe.
But first and foremost, he had to know how she was doing right now. And when the time was right, he would bring her to a quiet place, and treading carefully with his words, he would let her know how brilliant she was and how she made his fuel pump skip. Maybe when she was free, they could go flying at night, careening and rolling in the dark sky, just the two of them. Trying to recite his thoughts to her and make it sound as beautiful in words was a little bit harder-
"Slag off TC, I am tired."
..Okay, she wasn't in the best of moods today. Conversations with Megatron usually left the red seeker feeling empty and dejected, and today was no different. But at least…
"…Um, 'Screamer, tell us what happened when you're feeling better, 'kay-"
"Shut up. Slag off."
"…Okay. Well, when you're free I'd like to talk to you sometime alone-"
If Thundercracker didn't jump out of its way in time, the doors to her room might have snapped off his leg.
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"So, how was your little vacation at the Ark? Pleasant"
The red jet sneered at her leaders derisive comments and snapped back with her own brand of cynicism.
"I was gone for nine days and that's the best you can come up with? Oh, spare me, mighty Megatron."
Starscream's fractious mood slowly manifested in her irascible trot around the war room, pacing faster and faster along an invisible line. Megatron merely smirked in his chair at her short-tempered reaction, and the aerial commander knew what her leader was asking for between his sardonic comments. She spoke of her accomplishments whilst in captivity, not out of fidelity but pure contempt for her leader. She never failed to remind anyone, superior or underling, that she was more capable than their lukewarm expectations of her.
"If you really must know," she cooed sarcastically, "some part of the Ark (I don't know where), has been 'mushroomed', so the Autobot's would most certainly be under-staffed for the moment."
"Good work, Starscream."
"Thank you." She hiss and turned to look at her leader with the look of feigned indifference. His seemingly likable attitude towards her within these few weeks have sparked a guarded curiosity in the red seeker, for she was more accustomed to the Decepticon leader either barking orders, or just hitting her on sight, whether she has done anything or not.
'Is it because of my femininity? Maybe if I goad that bullet head he'll give me some 'answers'…' Her body shook trying to stifle her laughter and she turned to Megatron with a plastic grin that touched her audios. 'All in the name of good fun and games…'
Taking a more alluring stance, the femme con strode to her leader in deliberating steps. Making a small guess as to where their conversation would lead them, Megatron raised an optic and reserved his words, observing her blue finger slide along his chair.
"Dear leader…" she crooned softly to his audios with her so-called sincerity. Nudging the chair with her hip, she stretched herself comfortably around her leader like a pedigree cat waiting for treats. The chair's occupant grunted to himself and her sensuality.
"It's amazing what a little change can do in your life Starscream…" Megatron trivialised. "So you've 'charmed' some of my troops. Think you can throw me under your shallow little spells? Hah! Compared to the experience I've had with, shall I say, other females, you're a mere amateur."
Her leader shot a curt side glance at her, finishing with a blunt threat. "Get off my chair."
Avoiding his glare, she did as she was told…
…Only to float back to his left arm. She traced her hands across his helmet, drawing lightly on his chin, and the grey Decepticon found himself looking straight into her optics.
"What's wrong? Is Megatron afraid to play a little game then?"
A satisfied smile crossed his lips and the larger Transformer stood up. A firm pair of black hands grasped her shoulders, slowly leading her back to the wall, and she staggered back. Holding her wrists and guiding them over her own head, Starscream felt a surge of anticipation roll from her dangling feet to her head when Megatron leaned closer to her face, just past her cheek, and spoke to her in a subdued tone.
"(…What makes you think, Starscream, that your little games would work on me, hm? You have only been a femme con for a few weeks.)"
"(So give me a chance, oh mighty leader…we both want something from each other...)" A small purr escaped her vocalisers. "(…I want power, and you are the embodiment of the Decepticon leadership. You want a good, loyal seeker, one that won't question your word, being the Decepticon law itself.)"
She paused to let him ponder, and the grey Decepticon shook in amusement, and brushed her cheek lightly with his own.
"(…You may be my second-in-command for many vorns, but your experience as a female does not even satisfy one human year. If you think I am willingly play these, stupid games of yours Starscream, you'd better take note, that you shouldn't dabble with something or someone if you're not afraid of getting hurt…)"
"...And Megatron fears nothing."
Starscream felt a jolt and heard her back shriek as it scoured across the wall, leaving red and white paint marks in its wake. Landing head first, she swiftly threw herself on her back to receive her leader's foot, swinging against her cheek guards. Impulsively looking for the exit, the aerial commander helped herself up to the door hastily.
"Get lost, you fool. And don't embarrass yourself like this to me again."
The affronted seeker threw a rude glance, and darted from her leader's optics.
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A few hours had passed, leaving the seeker with nothing else better to do, lying on her side of her recharge bed staring icily at the wall, tending to her head and her wounded pride. Megatron was excellent at dealing humiliation to Starscream, whether she was in the company of others or themselves. Rubbing the side of her face, she was not about to see the Constructicons about her visage. She was just too piqued to see any Transformer for that matter, hating to put up with the questions or the jeers about her cosmetic injury. Fortunately, her face got nicked by the tip of his feet and it did not take the full brunt of the attack, only scarring the surface.
Still, it was humiliating. And TC being overtly supportive didn't help either.
Thank Primus for doors.
A soft hiss escaped from her door and Starscream groaned.
"Just slag off TC!"
The Transformer ignored her requests and closed the door behind him, locking it from the inside.
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A/N: Man, the Starscream Olympics has started :P I found another fanfic with the same idea that Starscream's a girl! YAY! JOY! And weirdness!