Ha ha; I love sneaking things into fics. It helps appease the urge to write completely knew ones. If you're curious – I adored Senator Ratbat from All Hail Megatron. His relationship with Soundwave was interesting & I wish it was explored more. Ah well, took some liberties with it and you get part of the content of this chapter.

But for now, back to Rumble & Starscream! :D And forgive me for the end of the chapter. XD Thanks for reading & Reviewing! I read them all! I do!

Chapter 9

After much deliberation and encouragement from Frenzy, Rumble decided it probably was for the best to discuss his crush on the red, white and blue Seeker with his boss, before said crush returned from his training trip. It still felt a little weird (and embarrassing) that he'd have to ask permission to pursue someone, but it couldn't be helped. If his brother was right, Soundwave wasn't happy. And when the big guy wasn't happy; none of the cassettes were happy. It was like Soundwave's mood was transmitted to all of them internally. What if he got really mad over this? Rumble looked up at the suddenly menacing door to their shared quarters and tried not to panic.

"Enter."

Rumble jumped a little at the voice from the other side of the door. Right. Soundwave always knew where his cassettes were. Man, Starscream was doing a number on his processor – and not in a good way - if he was forgetting stuff he's known forever. Rumble slid the door open and entered to see Soundwave sitting at his terminal. The little bot winced when he noticed that Ratbat was sitting in the boss' lap, being stroked lightly. That, that was never a good sign. Soundwave only pet his favorite when he was in a poor mood.

The cassette gulped and took a few steps farther into the room. Ratbat was like that constant warning that Soundwave always got what he wanted in the end. Rumble tried not to think too hard about it, but there was no mistaking (or forgetting) that Ratbat was a cassette against his will. Sure, he'd eventually gotten used to it and (grudgingly) accepted his fate, but it took ages for that to happen. It was creepy sleeping next to a cassette that never, was never allowed, to come out and stretch or transform. He had just sat there in Soundwave's warm chest, fuming and angry until he finally admitted Soundwave was in charge and he'd do as he was told.

Rumble was terrified of sharing a similar fate.

Soundwave had turned to look at him at this point and Rumble tried to calm down. He was okay. Soundwave wouldn't do that to him. "Hey, uh. Frenzy mentioned you might wanna' talk to me about uh," Rumble hesitated and turned his head away to look up at a duct. He ended up blurting out the last word in a rush. "Starscream."

"Rumble infatuated."

"Infatu-whated?"

Soundwave paused for a moment. Ratbat snickered slightly and Soundwave thumped him behind the ear and was rewarded with a hiss. He really needed to expand Rumble and Frenzy's vocabulary one of these days. "You want to interface with Starscream."

Rumble's energon pumped a little faster through his veins having forgotten how blunt Soundwave could be. "Uh. Yeah, that." Rumble chuckled and rubbed his head a bit. "That's cool with you, right?"

When Soundwave continued to stare at him disapprovingly, Rumble had a feeling this was going to be a very long conversation.

"You were supposed to go left you excuse for a hang glider!" Starscream screeched as he threw a particularly heavy smack to the back of Ramjet's cone. "Left! Not Right. Left!"

Skywarp was covering his mouth desperately trying not to laugh out loud or dare bring the wrath of their 'leader' down upon him and Thundercracker off to the side. They were on day three and were finally tackling the harder formations from Starscream's new playbook. Needless to say, it had been rough going considering how long it'd been since the six of them flew as a single unit. It was obvious 'Screamer was getting to his breaking point, but as long as he was yelling at the others Skywarp was a happy camper.

Thundercracker wasn't nearly as amused sitting next to his easily amused partner. All in all it had been an interesting couple days. For the most part they had the easier of the new formations down, but there were some hiccups of course. Specifically in the six-set seeker formations. They had just forgotten how to fly together as a complete unit. Simple as that. Though, the blue seeker had to admit it wasn't completely Starscream's fault. Their two teams naturally leaned towards trine formations with or without Starscream skipping practice. It was only natural that they had trouble; the personality clashes didn't help much.

Ah well, he just hoped Starscream would finish up soon so they could either call it a day or continue drills. And then maybe Skywarp would stop snickering. Thankfully it looked as though Starscream was done with the second flight team.

"Alright, enough." Starscream muttered as he backed away from the white jet. "Just, everyone take a break. We'll try this again in an hour."

Starscream waited for the coneheads to wander off grumbling before heading over to his own two personal idiot fliers. He collapsed into a seated position on the ground next to them and shut off his optics, fully intending to take a nap. "I'm surrounded by morons."

"Maybe the Rainmakers will do better when they show?" Thundercracker offered. If Starscream was whining to them he really was in a bad mood. "They are the best team on Cybertron since we left."

"Hardly. I'll have to spend all day giving them a 'How to Fly in Real Weather 101' lecture." Starscream muttered. "Do you remember our first time in the air?"

"Yeah, we almost crashed. But didn't because we're the best." Skywarp snickered. "That'd be funny if they couldn't take it though considering what their special little technique is." He made a pose pointing to the sky. "The brings of Acid Rain and weather crash due to a little wind turbulence."

"Oh shut up." Starscream muttered and covered his face. He had felt ridiculously tired over the past couple of days. It was like his motivation and good humor had been drained from him somehow. Starscream was pretty sure it wasn't the banishment thing. He was over that fairly quickly and training with his teammates wasn't that awful. There was something missing, but Starscream wasn't sure what it was. He had an idea that it might have to do with a certain loud mouthed little brat but decided it might not be a good thing to admit that. Maybe he just needed more rest and less training. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Aw, 'yer no fun, Screamer."

"Don't call me that!"

It's no fun when subordinates rebel, is it?

"Silence." Soundwave replied squeezing his hold on a far too amused Ratbat. The senator had no power any longer, but occasionally he managed to work in a dig or two to spare his shattered pride. Not that he wasn't justified in his insult at the moment.

Rumble had not taken his advise well.

Soundwave had though his argument completely reasonable: Starscream was a bad influence. The Seeker was a magnet for trouble. Rumble could be accused of conspiringly against Megatron for being in Starscream's presence for such extended periods. Starscream's record with amours partners was not exactly brimming with success. In fact, if he recalled all of them ended badly. He told Rumble as such. He also pointed out the very important fact there was a 89.6% chance Rumble would be rejected should he ask Starscream to his berth. With odds like that what fool would possibly continue this idiotic pursuit?

Apparently his idiot.

It's no use taking your frustration out on me. I'm not the one who put a hole in your wall. Ratbat smirked as Soundwave's hand was clenching randomly around his neck wiring where he previously had been stroking. It wasn't quite strangle worthy, but it could get there soon enough. But you have to admit you have no tact.

Soundwave glared at that smug little face. Considering by the end of the argument, Rumble used his pile driver to hit the wall in frustration before screaming Soundwave was an idiot and running out the door, he may have a valid point. But better tactless than powerless as they say. "And you would have done?"

Nothing. I would have let the little idiot date the moron Seeker and be done with it. Ratbat yawned and stretched a wing out. What he wouldn't give for a proper hand again… Though you really should have known that. If I recall I didn't say a word when you went out with…well, any of them. I permitted you to do as you liked as long as it didn't interfere with your damn job.

"Dating Starscream interferes with job." Soundwave reminded the older bot. "Close working environment and both prone to losing their temper."

They'd both be idiots and lose their temper with or without each other's help. You just don't want your precious little miner to come home crying because the big bad seeker broke him. Ratbat huffed and curled into himself ready to take a nap. He's a grown 'con. Let him be.

Soundwave looked back up at the terminal and decided not to encourage further conversation. Ratbat was aloof and hardly cared about anything that didn't concern him. He was the last to be taking advise from. Soundwave started to type up his evening reports. He'd deal with Rumble after the cassette calmed himself.

Rumble stomped down the hallway muttering all the while, circuits running so hot there was practically steam coming from him heating the moisture in the air. How dare Soundwave say those things? A for sure chance he'd be rejected? What? Did Soundwave think there was something wrong with Rumble!? Was he too stupid? Too small? Too whatever!?

The small 'con turned a hall corner and continued to fume. Soundwave clearly wasn't as smart as he thought he was or he'd have noticed by now that Starscream liked Rumble. The cassette was sure of it. He made Starscream laugh and the flier had eaten with him and talked and lots of other things! Rumble came to a halt in the hallway and clenched his fists. He'd show Soundwave just who would be rejected.

Rumble turned quickly on his heel and started to head back for Starscream's room. He had two days before Starscream returned from his long, exhausting trip. The cassette smirked renewed with a new source of confidence. He'd be sure to have something nice and relaxing all ready to go when Starscream arrived in his room. And when the Seeker was all comfy? Well, Rumble would just have to take advantage of a pliable second-in-command.

Starscream wouldn't know what hit him.