Author's note. Suggestions are very welcome for future chapters.
Enjoy and please review.
"Skyfire," Ironhide said once he reached the Shuttle on the comm. "Ah have a favour tah ask of yah."
"Yes, what is it Ironhide?" the Shuttle responded politely, a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Ah...," Ironhide began, a little unsure how to deal with this delicately, especially when Starscream was listening carefully. "Do yah have some free time later?"
"I do," Skyfire said, a strange note in his tone now, clearly wondering what this was all about.
"Ah'm sorry fer the cloak and dagger as it were," Ironhide apologised. "But only Prime, Ratchet and the other officers know about this. And ah'll need yer discretion on this matter."
"Of course," Skyfire said quietly. "You can rely on me Ironhide, I promise you that."
"Thanks," Ironhide said with a grin. "Well, it ain't classified that ah've taken some leave, everyone should know that soon enough."
Starscream made a sound of impatient; he was getting bored with the conversation. Ironhide smiled, he'd rather Starscream was eager to see Skyfire than highly reluctant. So he now said.
"But what ain't official is why ah'm doing this. Ah'm looking after ah defector."
There was a long pause as Ironhide's words sunk in. And then Skyfire said rather breathlessly.
"A defector...from the Decepticon side?"
Ironhide had made the comm. conversation public so that Starscream would be able to hear. And this was because he wanted the Seeker to hear how keen Skyfire was to see him again and give him hope that this meeting would be smooth.
"Yeh, he is," Ironhide said meaningfully. "He's gonna stay here from now on and ah was hoping tah slowly reintroduce tah Autobots. On a more friendly basis like."
"I understand," Skyfire said in a very eager voice which made Starscream make a strange noise in his throat. "What is it you want me to do?"
"Come tah may new quarters," Ironhide said without preamble. "Just for ah short visit and maybe...yah can bring some non classified science reading material."
"Of course," Skyfire replied with a small laugh. "Is Starscream getting a bit bored?"
"Ahem," Ironhide coughed, not wanting to say Starscream's name even though Skyfire's end was probably quiet. "The Mech ah have with me is a touch idle."
Starscream huffed, folding his arms and glaring at Ironhide.
"I understand," Skyfire said with a chuckle that was very melodious, he just sounded so happy. Starscream shivered at the sound although Ironhide wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. "Allow me a few breems to collect the relevant material and I can be right over."
"Ah'm in the new quarter's wing," Ironhide told him quickly. "The third door down, just buzz when yah get here."
"Thank you," Skyfire said gratefully and the connection was cut.
"That went well," Ironhide said to Starscream who shrugged and muttered. "Sentimental fool."
Ironhide shook his head in amusement; he could sense that Starscream was relieved at how excited Skyfire was at seeing him.
"Remember, he won't see yah unless ya'll want tah see him," Ironhide reminded him. "We'll have the curtain across the room and he'll stay right here with me."
"Right," Starscream said shortly, examining his body, carefully ensuring it was pristine.
"It'll be fine," Ironhide assured him. "The two of yah can talk science talk all cycle if yah want."
"Talk science?" Starscream spluttered indignantly. "What kind of gun toting, slow witted simpleton are you?"
"The kind that calls it science talk," Ironhide teased as Starscream huffed and got up to pull the curtain across the room in preparation for Skyfire's arrival.
Ironhide chuckled again; it was too easy to rile the Seeker up. Ironhide decided to gather some reading material; he suspected he wouldn't be able to follow the conversation once the two scientists got going. He actually hoped that's how things would go, Starscream would settle much quicker if he could easily chat with his old friend.
"Yah need a cube?" Ironhide called to Starscream but received a negative in return.
"Alright," Ironhide said with a smile shrug to himself. He wasn't hungry yet but knew he probably would be in the next joor or so.
He wasn't sure how long he waited but it felt like no time at all until the buzzer went. Ironhide heard a squeak from behind Starscream's curtain but all he said was.
"Ah'll get it, ya'll just relax."
Starscream merely grumbled behind the curtain as Ironhide strode over to the door and checked to make sure it was Skyfire. After confirming that it was, he unlocked the door before stepping back to allow the large Mech to enter. Skyfire was smiling rather widely as he ducked his head to get through the door before standing to his full height.
Since this was a newly constructed wing of quarters, Hoist and Grapple had been able to design and construct much more spacious set of rooms. And since Ironhide had chosen the room with the highest ceiling, it was perfect for Skyfire.
"Ironhide, it's good to see you," the Mech said warmly, optics automatically searching the room for Starscream and finding a curtain instead.
"Good to see yah too," Ironhide said with a grin before saying quickly. "Before we get started, there are a couple of conditions."
As Skyfire looked at him curiously, Ironhide said gently.
"Starscream...doesn't feel up to actually seeing yah yet, so he's gonna stay on that side of the room while yah stay here. Yah can talk as much as yah want teh him but unless he opens that curtain or actually asks yah to go over, yah can't see him."
"Oh," Skyfire said in surprise and disappointment. "Very well Ironhide, if that's what Starscream wishes."
"It is," came a snappish voice from behind the curtain.
Skyfire jumped slightly before saying.
"Starscream, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," the moody sounding Seeker grumbled. "And I'm sure you're doing just great."
"I am," Skyfire said softly, staring intently at the curtain. "But I have to say Starscream, I feel a lot better knowing your safe now."
"Please, like you cared before," Starscream retorted, making Ironhide sigh. It seemed Starscream was feeling rather defensive.
"You know I could never have been a Decepticon," Skyfire said quietly. "Executing bots, capturing and torturing innocent organics, Starscream how could you expect me to do that?"
"Who said you had to do any of that?" Starscream said hotly, making the shuttle exclaim in exasperation.
"You did Starscream, you and Megatron wanted me to do just that and probably more."
At the mention of Megatron, Starscream hissed slightly before saying mulishly.
"That's not the point; you still turned against me and joined my enemies."
"Enemies you've now joined?" Skyfire questioned pointedly making Starscream shriek.
"You've NO idea why I'm here."
"Then tell me," Skyfire said in frustration.
"It's none of your business," Starscream immediately said, causing Skyfire to throw his hands up in the air.
"Then how am I supposed to understand your point of view Starscream. You shot me for joining the Autobots but then you come and join them out of the blue."
"Who says I've joined the Autobots?" Starscream said angrily, the curtain quivering ominously.
Ironhide was watching everything, ready to jump in if he needed to. Somehow, he felt he needed to let this happen, they had unresolved issues between them and now was as good a time as any to resolve them. At least Skyfire was making no move to pull the curtain aside although he looked very tempted.
"You haven't joined the Autobots...and yet your here?" Skyfire said incredulously. "Why in Primus's name would they let you stay here if you're not defecting?"
"Oooh...you wouldn't understand," Starscream yelled, seemingly punching the curtain which violently rippled before falling back into place.
"I want to understand but you're not telling me anything," Skyfire said, now pacing slightly. "Starscream, just what is going on?"
"Don't ask me that," Starscream said rather hysterically, causing Skyfire to turn to Ironhide for an explanation.
"Sorry, ah can't say," Ironhide said with a shake of the head. "That's fer Starscream tah say."
Raising an optic brow, Skyfire looked pointedly at him, making the old red Mech chuckle.
"Ah get yer point but he'll say when he's ready."
Skyfire frowned again but this time, looked more concerned.
"Did something happen?" he questioned. "Something bad."
Neither Mech answered him but that in its self answered the question. Skyfire looked even more concerned and started to say something but then changed his mind. He rubbed his face, sighing heavily.
"I know you won't tell me if you don't want to but I wish you would. I want to help."
Starscream grumbled but his words couldn't be distinguished. Ironhide took the opportunity to say.
"Yah can help Skyfire, yah can be there fer him when he finally leaves this room and starts interacting with the others."
Skyfire looked at him, still frowning but at least he seemed to understand what he meant. There would be a lot of hostile bots who wouldn't like the fact that Starscream was there and even the non hostile ones would be wary. Even Skyfire had found it difficult to integrate simply because he'd been a Decepticon for a few joors.
"I will help," Skyfire said quietly. "I can put my size to good use for once."
As Starscream made a sound of derision, Ironhide laughed. Skyfire might be a very gentle soul but he was still very big and intimidating. Not to mention, Skyfire had the strength to match his size, it had proved no problem to lift Megatron and toss him like a spare piece of metal. A lot of mechs had thought twice about confronting the Shuttle once they saw his size.
"That might just work," Ironhide chuckled. "And yah would be able to protect him when he flies."
Skyfire nodded with a smile, saying.
"I could easily do that."
Looking over at Starscream's curtain he said.
"When was the last time you flew Starscream?"
"A cycle or two ago?" came the irritated reply before saying. "I don't need your help flying."
"What about the Decepticons?" Skyfire questioned and Starscream scoffed.
"Please, I'm the best flier on the entire planet; I can out fly them all."
"All of them?" Skyfire questioned. "What about Skywarp and Thundercracker?"
There was a long pause and then Starscream muttered.
"What about them?"
"Skywarp can warp can he not?" Skyfire said. "And Thundercracker has his sonic booms...?"
"I DON'T CARE!" Starscream suddenly screamed shrilly. "I don't care if they can do that, they won't catch me and take me back to him...back there!"
Skyfire's optics widened, he'd caught Starscream's mistake and was about to point it out but then changed his mind. Instead he said.
"It never hurts to have a wingmate when you're flying."
"Listen to him, Starscream," Ironhide stated before the Seeker could argue. "Unless yeh'd rather the Airelbots backing yah up, Skyfire yer best option."
"I will not have sparklings watch me," Starscream declared furiously.
"That's why Skyfire will be there," Ironhide told him patiently. "Alright."
"If he insists," the hidden Seeker grumbled.
"Thank you Starscream," Skyfire said warmly, smiling broadly. "The countryside around here is beautiful; there are so many different areas to fly over."
Starscream mumbled incoherently but he didn't appear to be hostile any more. With a much happier expression, Skyfire said.
"Have you had a chance to study anything on this planet, Starscream?"
"Like what?" Starscream scoffed, as though there was nothing of interest on Earth.
"Well, there are many things...for instance how much this planet has changed since we first came here. It went from a virtual ice cube to a world bursting with life, all of them in different environments. I don't think I've ever encountered such a planet; it has poles of snow, vast oceans, forests of all kinds, mountains, deserts..."
"Yes, yes, I'm well aware," Starscream interrupted. "I've seen a considerable amount of this dirtball, probably more than you."
"Then you know how incredible this place," Skyfire said excitedly. "I would give anything to study it properly, to conduct experiments, to observe, write papers..."
"Of course you would," Starscream grumbled but he definitely didn't sound as hostile. Skyfire seemed to sense this and began describing more about what he could do if he were a scientist again and not an Autobot solider.
Ironhide felt himself relax, everything was going fine. It was a good start to Starscream's time here but he knew that unfortunately it couldn't last. Soon, Starscream would need to fly and there was every chance Megatron would use that opportunity to take back his Seeker. Even though they had a couple of cycles until Megatron would attack, Ironhide knew they couldn't rely on this.
And then there where the other Autobots, how would they react when they discovered one of the most feared and hated Decepticons was being given asylum. Either way, things were about to get real tough about here.
Author's note. The time Megatron gave Starscream draws to a close, how does he cope? Find out next time, until then.