Did not want to be written, but here you go. Sorry it's so short. But! It's mostly Starscream and Rumble. Who would have thunk it?

Oh, and I finally finished Season 3 of Transformers G1. Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime & Ultra Magnus = Win. *squee*

Thanks for reading & reviewing!

Chapter 7

"So, what are you doing?"

Rumble hit his head on the top of the counsel when he jerked up. He'd been alone in the room for so long the sudden voice startled him. He looked behind him to see a pair of blue and white peds. He then shifted his head up to see a certain seeker looking down at him. "Starscream?"

"I hardly think my name is what you've been doing under that control board." Starscream smirked and placed his hands on his hips as he stared down at the tiny 'con. For what seemed like the first cycle in ages, Rumble wasn't following him around like an organic mongrel. The second-in-command hated to admit he was curious to find the reason for the change in behavior. "I wasn't aware you were on repair duty. Doesn't your brother Frenzy usually handle the delicate work?"

"He had another freak-out." Rumble shrugged and rolled back under the desk. Wirework really was his brother's thing, but Frenzy wasn't much good when he was in recharge. "Soundwave put him to bed."

"Freak-out?" Starscream muttered and jumped up to sit on the control counsel. "Oh, yes. I remember. Took his sonic-attack too far and hit Astrotrain."

"He gets carried away." Rumble connected one last wire and pulled himself from under the control. He was all done anyway. And now he had some company. Rumble smirked. Some very nice company. "Not his fault he gets excited."

"It is when he starts hitting teammates."

"You're one to talk Mr. Beat-the-Slag-Out-of-Blitzwing."

Starscream scowled. "That's different! That idiot triple-changer missed the target by two whole meters!" The flyer made a show of looking haughty by turning his head up and crossing his arms. "What sort of leader lets his troops get away with such neglectful shooting?"

"I'm just yank'in yer cords." Rumble snickered. "No need to get all huffy."

"Ha ha." Starscream inspected his servos absently. He waved a hand in the air in a circle. "Your humor slays me."

"Glad to be of service." Rumble stretched out his limbs and turned to look up at the taller bot. This was the first time the cassette could recall where Starscream came to see him. Well, the first time he came to visit without having something to yell about. Rumble couldn't help the tiny smile pulling at his mouth. "So, what brings you my way?"

Starscream jolted a bit before returning to his nonchalant pose. No need to tip off the runt that he was missed. It was his own darn fault for throwing off the status quo! Somehow Starscream just couldn't concentrate like he used to without the smaller con's constant chatter in the background. The damn lab was just too quiet. "Just checking up on control room repairs. It's not every day that idiot saboteur sneaks in and blows up our control panels."

"Funny, thing. Soundwave was already in to check on that a couple clicks ago. And since it wouldn't make sense for old Megatron to waste two officers' time looking in on the same thing," Rumble crooned as he jumped up on the control station to be eye level with Starscream. "That can only mean one thing."

"And what." Starscream lowered himself down to get into the pipsqueak's face. "Would that be?"

"Ya' came ta' see little old me." Rumble leant in farther until he was even closer to Starscream's face. An inch or so closer and they could touch. "Now, then. What can I do for ya?"

"Who says I'm here to see you?" Starscream smirked and shifted back up to put more distance between them. Physical intimidation doesn't exactly work when your opponent in the stare down is encouraging the behavior for some odd reason. "Or even if I was, how do you know it's for something good?"

"I can tell." Rumble poked Starscream's chest with just a bit more pressure than usual. Starscream didn't swat him away; Rumble took that as a good sign. "Just admit ya' missed me."

"Don't be stupid." Starscream pushed himself off the control panel. "How could I possibly miss your endless, nonsensical rambling in the background. Which is completely distracting, by the way."

Starscream was such a liar. Rumble couldn't help but snicker. "I would'a expected a lot more null ray action my way if ya' were really against me hanging out in your lab."

The seeker rolled his shoulder joint uncomfortably; he didn't quite appreciate the knowing smirk on Rumble's face. "Maybe it just wasn't worth the wasted energy."

"Speaking of energy," Rumble started a with just a hint less courage than before, "You wanna' go get a cube? It is almost time for our shift to end."

"I suppose I could use a drink." Starscream started to walk towards the doorway. Rumble was smirking even wider now. Starscream scowled. "But because I require it, not because you suggested it."

"Whatever you say." Rumble skipped off after the seeker. This day was just getting better and better.

Starscream had insisted on bringing the energon cubes back to his lab instead of drinking in the rec room. Not that Rumble blamed him with the Combaticons all rough-housing in the space. Things always got tense when Starscream and the Combaticons were left alone with each other. Creator or not, there was no love lost between them. Though, it meant things worked out well for Rumble.

"So, what's this one do?"

Starscream sipped at his cube while browsing through flight patterns on his computer. Those stupid Aerialbots were starting to figure out their moves in the air. Starscream couldn't remember the last time he had to think up new flight patterns with only ground troops to worry about. They never noticed any sort of method to their formations due to their place on the ground and chaos with the other surface fighters. However, now with 'bots in the air they were starting to predict their moves. It was annoying. Speaking, Rumble was still repeating his question.

"You listenin' over there? What is this thing?"

"What is what?" Starscream turned and looked at the device Rumble was holding. He snatched it from the smaller 'con's hand and looked at it. Rolled it over in his hands for a moment the circular shape seamless save for a few buttons and what looked like a latch. "You know, I have no idea."

"How can ya' not have any idea?" Rumble frowned and climbed up onto the desk. This height thing was starting to get annoying. "Didn't you make it?"

"No," Starscream frowned and tossed it up. "Where did I...oh yes. That inventor Autobot. Wheeljack, I stole it from him."

"When?" Rumble took it back from Starscream. "I mean, he doesn't like carry inventions out on the field usually unless he's using it."

"He dropped it or something after Ramjet, well, Rammed him." Starscream chuckled at his own pun. Rumble wasn't laughing; the twerp. "I went ahead and picked it up."

"Ah. What'dya think it does?"

"Well, there's only one way to find that out." Starscream smirked and pressed one of the buttons.

The explosion could be heard for miles with a cloud of smoke that made a volcano eruption look like a puff from a tea kettle. The giant wave that crashed into the shore didn't hurt all that much either.

"What the heck was that!" Rumble started as the entire base shook. Starscream put down Wheeljacks, portable tool set apparently (the button opened the latch revealing said tools; Rumble would never understand Autobots...), and started to head towards the hallway.

"Rumble, follow me. We're going to go find out what's going on." Starscream marched his way to the main control room, the cassette tagging behind. Honestly, how was he supposed to get any work done with all these annoyances? Thankfully, his personal lab was close to the control room. The better to bother Megatron with, of course. And while he was on the topic of the Slag-Maker. "Megatron!"

"What is it now, Starscream?" Megatron sighed onto his hand as he ran it down his face. Of course Starscream would show up. As if his day wasn't going badly enough.

"What was that explosion!? Are we under attack? It wouldn't surprise me with your horrible defenses." Starscream smirked and waltzed to Megatron's right side to look at the control team.

"Why nothing new of course." Megatron remarked flippantly. "I have morons on my team."

"We did this?" Starscream looked at the damage to the seafloor and the giant crater. "What had enough force to do that and create an explosion above the water?"

"The Constructicons, who else?" Megatron groaned. "Mixmaster was making some new demolition thing or another and wanted to demonstrate it."

"I take it backfired?"

"Wonderfully."

"Marvelous."

"Now, what are you doing here, again, Starscream? Last I checked you were off the clock, so to speak." Megatron watched the many parts of Devastator start backing away from the excessive explosive material. Perhaps he could con them into throwing it in the Autobot volcano. That would be a good use for that. "Don't you annoy me enough when you're working?"

"For your information, I was doing my part as second in command to check on what could be an emergency situation." If Starscream had feathers they would be ruffled. "You should be grateful."

"I have Soundwave for that." Megatron smirked. "And he was already here."

Starscream turned abruptly to notice the silent figure in the corner glaring at him. Soundwave posture was stiffer than usual and strangely focused. Starscream glanced down at the cassette and suddenly remembered the confrontation from a few weeks ago. So he was concerned about his little pet was he? Well, this could be interesting. Starscream smirked. "Well, since you have things handled so well, I'll excuse myself. Come Rumble, let's go back to the lab."

"Right." Rumble muttered and took a step back. As much fun as it is to pay attention to Starscream, Rumble had been very distracted from the moment he entered the control room. The way his leader was looking at him kept him from listening to any conversation betwen the Big Boss and 'Screamer. Soundwave was angry for some reason. And he hoped to get far away before he could figure out what it was. "I'm comin'."

Soundwave nearly went after his charge and the flier. He knew when he was being provoked and now he was certain that Starscream was up to no good.