Chapter 7: Time Out I
A/N: Okay, trying to pick up the pace without being too picky about the fanfic because I am being too picky, and typing without looking at the keyboard really sucks right now! (Baby steps, baby steps…) I've noticed a lot of people have been adding me to their favourite writer/story/alert list. Either it's my b-day, or you all know each other ;) Thank you very much for your support! (Alert list would be better…I've been lagging myself :P)
Thundercracker and Skywarp just joined the fray with guns a blazing, while Optimus Prime and Megatron are going at each other, one on one, hand to fist. The twins improve their jet judo skills with first hand experience, but that flying rat called Skywarp learns a new trick and disappears with Sideswipe on board (three guesses to where he's going). Huffer and Gears hands Laserbeak and Buzzsaw a ground full of earth, which proves how good they work and grumble together. Prowl's probably running a million different strategies right now to counter the seekers intervention, calculating the number of Decepticons who might be coming. Soundwave aims and takes a shot at my back, definitely not his first time.
Force field.
"Trailbreaker, get ready to prepare another force field for immediate evacuation! Ratchet's not gonna make it and Ironhide can only take so much!" the Datsun police car calls to the black automobile.
If Ironhide doesn't agree with one thing, it's being called obsolete and weak. That's the LAST thing you'd say to Ironhide. Just because he's old doesn't mean he's deaf.
"Yeu just get the wounded to safety, 'cause ahm gonna give them Decepticreeps some good ol' liquid nitrogen to cool 'em down!"
Great, but there's just one problem. Skywarp's back, and he's flying in Ironhide's direction, with Sideswipe as a shield. Not intentional, but the weight of one's luck is an equal to one's stupidity, and Skywarp's stupid to a third degree.
Force field, dammit-
"AAGH!"
A small gleeful snicker slips from the female Decepticon's lips as the black Autobot was too late to dodge Thundercracker's passing, shattering the Autobot's audio receptors with a healthy sonic boom. Hungry optics watched the battle turn to the Decepticons favour, and it was only a matter of astroseconds that her commando team would show up and total the remaining Autobots. Casualties of war were a frequent occurrence, and Megatron's scheduled for an unprecedented 'accident'. It was just too simple, too simple! And she couldn't have thought of a better idea. Starscream concentrated on the battle in the shade, waiting for the right moment to claim Decepticon leadership. No one would hurt her when she's carrying the only legacy to the Decepticon empire! At least she'll give Megatron a fitting funeral service. A statue of such likeness to the passing of her soon-to-be late leader, a good eulogy reminding the troops to 'push onward for the future', or some similar patriotic rubbish, a few tears from his devastated lover…she can do that much. Stirring her memories back to light, Starscream drifted from her latest scheme to her old sentiments…
…When did she start hating their leader?
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"Name, soldier."
"Starscream, my lord! At your service!" Starscream raised a stiff salute at Megatron, but her leader was already two seekers down the line, inspecting the rest of his troops.
Did he see past my plating? He's not our leader for nothing, I bet there are many females sneaking into the army like this! What if I get caught? They'll have their way with me and dump my body into the Pits-he's looking at me, Megatron's looking at me! No-!
"Starscream?" the silver Decepticon marched past her peers and strode back to the disguised female, who stabbed her head harder with the next salute. "Yes my lord!"
"You…it was you, wasn't it?" Megatron squinted at the end of his fading question.
I'm doomed!
"M-me sir?" she swallowed the trembling whimper in her fading voice.
"Soundwave mentioned you before…said you were an excellent flier. The battle was a greater success because of your efforts." Opportunity never presented itself twice, and the seeker thought she was due for an rewarding increment. She was an excellent flier, after all. "Thank you, my lord."
"What do you think…if you became Soundwave's equal peer?" her wingmates rapidly shot their gaze at their superior's direction. Either Starscream's that good, or Megatron's full of surprises.
"…T-…That would be perfect, my lord."
"Good."
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'Hmph! "Good". Even perfection has an expiry date! GREAT!' Starscream forced herself out of her reminiscing and steeled her focus on the battle playing out in front of her. Opening her private link between her comrades, Starscream took the reins to their formations as she did before her combat hiatus, putting them in synch with each other even without being a physical trine. Thundercracker was secretly elated to Starscream resuming her careful scrutiny of Skywarp, pointing him to the direction of their enemies. Even though the purple seeker is his friend, the azure flier was not aware of his friend's need of literal supervision until Starscream carried another spark, and that task was itself almost unbearable. 'Starscream can keep her duties! If that's what got her as Megatron's second-in-command, she's got no competition from me!'
Five minutes dash by and Starscream was already bored with waiting for the femme con team. The battle was at a wavy stalemate and there was no time to spare. Having spent her time under discriminating captivity in the Nemesis, Starscream only increased her plans for Megatron's fatal downfall. There were numerous sites where the Decepticons would raid for energon, and around those areas were precarious natural disasters waiting to happen to their leader. Unstable land, a torrential river…the Earth is a fickle thing indeed, who would not spare her human or robot inhabitants. A small reverberation quivered into Starscream's audio receivers, and the female lightly stepped aside for her team to arrive from the ground itself. Twin drills ferociously bore its way out of the brown surface, and the earth gave birth to the femme con's base. A small voice comically rung from the enormous mobile base to betray the identity of one of the Decepticons residing in the base.
"Mother, Starburst and team ready and reportin' for duty! What do we do?" the base chirped in the glaring sunlight. Starscream smiled at the unresponsive drill tank base.
"What you all were programmed to do. No female Decepticon has been treated as much as you all, so..."
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Optimus Prime was doggedly persistent, and Megatron would have passed a bitter compliment to his rival if the Autobot truck wasn't resisting his attacks as of that moment. Taking cover from the yellow beams over passing his helmet, the chalk coloured leader was ominously balling his frustration into his next shot. Reinforcements only neutralised the battle, neither faction gaining favour over the other. His warriors were spread out too thinly, and the Autobots had scurried over the advantageous side of the natural landscape, gaining ample cover for the rest of Prime's troops. Megatron had to make a clearing for his army to escape…that much he could do and salvage. There would be better days if the Constructicons weren't-
"FEMALES, TRANSFORM!"
Transform?
"MERGE INTO-!"
Merge?
Any Transformer with a good pair of working optics took a glazed look at the Transformer casting the largest shadow over the battlefield. The younger mechs would have passed a few one-liners on the looming female's conical chest, making comparisons to a mechanical Madonna if this female wasn't a very large Decepticon.
"Hestia reporting for duty…to CRUSH ALL YOU PUNY AUTOBOTS!" The visor faced female growled at her newly gained audience.
No reaction.
Twin cannons calculate it's way out of her menacing arms.
"So run already…'cause I need TARGET PRACTISE! Cue the large land-clearing-kick-aft-artillery BOYSSSSS!"
The Decepticons automatically sprinted back to let the large gestalt female decorate the soles of her feet with Autobot carcasses, while Starscream stood preening herself on the newly formed gestalt's shoulder. Taking cover from the stray debris raining from all sides, Megatron's keen vision picked out a silver wing hiding behind Hestia's shoulder mounted guns, recognising the owner without her face or her keening voice, enthusiastically commandeer the Decepticon gestalt to destroy their enemies.
Starscream can be resourceful when she want to be. Or when she feels like it.
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"Crush them ladies! Run them to the ground below!"
'Primus, I think Starscream's having more fun than us, sis!'
'Tell me about it. Can you FEEL her POWER-TRIPPIN' aura right now?'
'Concentrate on your attacks. You both are our main artillery.'
'Mom's gonna be SO proud! Wheeeee! This base is wicked…I feel so big…'
'I know I'm the foot, but there's going to be so much dirt to clean off later on…can we shoot them more?'
'As per Starscream's orders, we have to focus, or our combined formation will not hold. This form has not been tested for any glitches, and we have a time limit-'
'Focus…'
'Oummmmmmmmmm….'
'This Autobot's fingers are tickling me!'
'Aren't they like, under you already?'
'Boom boom boom, damn, they run fast-hey, we need some shivs! Got any shivs?'
'What's a shiv?'
'We're getting along just right…but, does that mean we're focused?'
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Starscream couldn't have timed it better. The spontaneity of her new team chased both Autobots and Decepticons from the field, driving Megatron to the foot of a precarious mountain. The previous battles had taxed the Autobot's gestalts, and the others were too far to aid their human-loving, wheel-spinning comrades in this field. Hestia was comparatively light among the Transformer gestalts, but she was the fastest and her mental relays was not lagging like the rest, so she could be left to her own devices. But the fledgling gestalt still needed some supervision on her first run with the enemy, so the red seeker knew exactly what do.
"Hestia, watch out for any flying projectiles to your LEFT-!"
"WHERE?"
Using her automotive arm, the gargantuan Decepticon takes a fevered swing to her side, cracking the mountain top with the hilt of her energon dagger. At the foot of the same mountain the gestalt clumsily stumbled back into, stood Megatron and his warriors scattering like ants. Everyone was taking leave of the inevitable, and Hestia will soon disengage into five females. The ruby seeker discreetly warmed her thrusters, to leave her perch and take to the greying skies. Whether Fortune took sides with her treachery was of little concern to Starscream, who forgot to look back as she blasted off from the safety of the giant's shoulder. There were many more circumstances to steal Megatron's ruling position, so there was no need to make sure her plans were foolproof. Megatron was the fool, and that was enough proof she needed.
So why was her feet pointing at the sky, slowly drifting away from her?
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WARNING
WARNING
Low energon levels
Fuel reserves: 34.6
Suggested disuse of secondary devices; stasis lock prevention do not use-
Stasis lock imminent-
Stasis lock imminent-
Stasis lock imminent-
Stasis lock imminent-
Stasis lock imminent-
Stasis lock imminent-shutting down primary systems-
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The meeting of minds soon returned to each individual as Hestia divided herself, disconnecting the females to their respected forms. Dark optics caught sight of the gestalt team being equally efficient with withdrawal from the stale battle, and Megatron shared the same idea as with everyone else, until his optics found another dilemma falling from the skies. Survival of the fittest was a general belief under Megatron's rule, and abandoning fellow warriors was understandable; if a Decepticon could live another day to fight and win the battle previous unclaimed, their comrade's sacrifice would not in vain. General selfishness was another informal practise, and those who conquered this belief became the efficient master over those who were slaves to this principle. Starscream was obviously skilled in that area of conceit, having forgotten Megatron's precious spark resting inside her for a vainglory chance for leadership. So selfish was her actions, that she even jeopardised her own spark, literally giving herself to an untimely demise waiting for her at the end of her descent.
Megatron thought differently in this fleeing moment. Frenzied strides ended to launch the silver mech to the air, abducting an unconscious free-falling seeker into his arms. Taking another sharp turn as soon as he reached the ground, Megatron retreated into a grotto recently carved into the palisade, as luck had offered him amidst the skirmish. The tyrant mentally cursed at the circumstances, tasting the lingering similarity of the situation that was born, with the probable culprit being the femme con that lay in his arms. Diving into the cave, Megatron ignored the heavier debris pelting his feet, and rolled the female and himself away from the collapsing entrance. The belly of the mountain rumbled in discomfort at its inhabitants, ceasing its grumbling when all Transformers were driven away by its ill-omened thundering.
As soon as a clear line was available, Megatron opened his communicator to find the tape deck on visual, albeit a little warped by the static. Guessing by Soundwave's call, the Autobots would be miles away from the site, allowing his troops to make a clearing from the outside. Either they help him dig his way out now, or the illustrious leader of the Decepticons would go 'missing' for a few days, leaving his derelict army to run their own agendas. One concept based on this idea of deviancy was already unacceptable, and Megatron was somewhat thankful that Soundwave would consider verifying his presence before his death.
"Megatron," Soundwave called, betraying the monotony of his voice to relief. "Constructicons will be arriving shortly. E.t.a., three breems to excavate the mountain. Not advisable to use firearms within the mountain. Autobots retreated."
"Typical!" Megatron inadvertently chided his communications officer with the insult meant for their enemies, and shut his comm. link after his last order. "I'll be waiting, Megatron out."
But the vermillion jet was not that fortunate, as the aspen leader was too preoccupied with Starscream's treachery radiating from her unmoving body, even while she remained offline. Of course it was her plan all along. Who could churn out wave upon wave of 'grandiose' astrosecond-per-thought plans to his downfall and expect it to work? Restraining a habitual disposition, Megatron had to loosen his fingers itching around the neck of his second-in-command, one by one. It was deliciously tempting, but the life shining in the jet's chassis reminded him of her function in his personal life, and the tyrant took a dry victory to quell his anger by running a sharp slap across Starscream's cheek instead. He was going to give her more than a lame backhand when she left her slumber.
For now, Megatron had to bide his time, lazily staring at the gleam in Starscream's side. The spark's growth was becoming more prominent in his aerial commander, and Megatron had to admit it looked pleasantly healthy on the outside. Dim optics peered at the stalactites aimed at the recumbent Decepticon. Before Starscream could fuss to herself again, cold fingers piqued her senses back to reality, leaving her body to bring back a whole palm over her sides to stroke the developing spark. It felt…awkward. Starscream recognised the hand, but not the pleasing sensation from the touch. She found it gentle at first, but Starscream's memory banks quickly polluted her opinion and summarised it to be quite alien, snapping her reflexes wide awake. The red seeker struck the same probing digits over her body and attempted to twist them away, but Megatron responded with readiness at her defensive manoeuvre and pinned her wrists above her helmet.
"Just because you're bearing my creation…" Megatron breathed in a low growl, "…doesn't mean you aren't expendable."
"(…Bite me)." Starscream hissed in venomous retort. A pair of solid teeth lunged forward in a vicious movement to separate the seeker's lips permanently, but hers thinned to bear its own set with willing brass to return the favour. The heavier of the two pressed Starscream's wrists into the ground to hoist himself vertically, forcing a small yelp from the jet. Heavy feet paced around the cave in near darkness, with Megatron searching his vocabulary to expound the constant disruptions she layered his plans with. And he was running out of words.
The first angry question came with a coal black hand thrust in her general direction. "Why? WHY do you choose to aggravate me over your petty games for conquest?"
"(Answered that one yourself, Megatron)," Starscream's optical sensors flickered between apathetic blinks. Having limits to her caustic remarks, Megatron stomped in to confront the maroon Decepticon, stopping to observe the jet scuffling into a sturdy corner. Balling into a torpid position, Starscream looked a stark contrast to her unreserved mordancy just seconds ago, and dimmed her optics offline. A humbled whirr from the female's systems was the only indication to Megatron that she was not falling into permanent stasis lock, reserving the energy from the fatigue that plagued her. The seeker was just too tired to function properly for the day as the sparkling was taxing her usual vigour. 'Is she online?' Megatron tempted himself again to toss a decent beating at Starscream, if it could exorcise her treachery.
"Wake up, you useless female, and tell me how much energon do you have left." Her optics didn't glow to his reply, so she mumbled in her debilitated state. "(…Always useless to you…never happy…energon levels too low, but I can still hear you…slag…)"
"We will be free soon, so keep yourself online…I don't want you to die with that spark still inside your body."
"(So…I am useful…)" Starscream made a weak snort at that comment and hid further into herself. "(Megatron…)"
A talking female is a conscious female, and that was good enough for the tyrant. The aforementioned mech took a seat nearer to the femme con, so dialogue was easier for her.
"What." Megatron was not very fond of small talk, especially with the seeker in question. "(Do…do you know why I betray you?)"
"It's translucently obvious Starscream. Your mind has been clouded by your shallow conception of power."
"(…Power…is that all?)" It was Megatron's turn to scoff back at her. "You think you're cunning Starscream, but you're too selfish to see the bigger picture; that's why you keep failing, female. Your vision's too narrow, and you've forgotten everyone around you." Megatron quite liked Starscream in her current mood. He could reprimand her and she couldn't do anything but repeat his words like a castigated child learning her lesson.
"(…Forgotten…everyone…?)"
"There isn't much to you other than your yellow hide." But then again, Megatron did prefer a soldier with little background. He (or she) won't be laden with some kind of superfluous burden, that would instigate a soldier to build a history with the Decepticons, good or bad…
"What's that?" Megatron's words trailed off to the noise on the other side of the cave.
Drilling. And it got louder by the second. 'Finally,' the tyrant stayed his optics to the light cutting the darkness, and the pulsations halted. Shadows ran past the miniscule holes on the other side of the cave, and a large red blur punched an opening for it to run into the cave, transforming mid-way to grab his weapon.
"Game's up, Megatron," Optimus Prime made his point, and so did his gun, aimed at the infuriated Decepticon. "PRIME!"
"And don't wear it out…" the Autobot truck narrowed the space between him and his archenemy.
A/N: I had to cut the chapter short...or I'll trail off into oblivion. Going on a company trip soon, not like that's gonna impeded the speed it takes to write a fanfic with a straight mind :P Thanks again to ev'ryone for your reviews and support, it's greatly appreciated:DDD