Chapter 17: The cat and the snake (part 2)
"We need to talk," The doors slammed open as she stepped into the shadowed room. Her body was sent into a dark pit swallowing her whole. Iridescent optics glowed through the dark and stared at the smaller frame.
"I have not sent for you, leave at once."
"No you didn't, but I'm here and we have some matters to discus about."
"I don't care for your gossip femme." Growling, she stepped further into the dark room until her thigh bumped into what she figured was the front side of a desk.
"Starscream, for your information I'm not leaving until we talk." She hissed her patience being tested.
Keep calm, you looked for him suck it up. She thought bitterly.
"I could always drag you out, maybe torture you, then leave your sorry aft to rust away somewhere," He snarled putting a data-pad on his desk the light from the screen lightened up the room a bit more making both of their faces visible.
"How about we do this the nice way, I'll give you information if you give me some," She smirked at him slightly.
"On Megatron I presume?" He drawled out slowly.
"Perhaps, if that's what you need." She looked at him unable to measure his decision by his facial expressions- she only stood silently as the silence got her more anxious.
"Explain," he finally answered.
"You once told me that you needed me for information on Megatron, I'll give you information if you give me some information in return." His lips pursed in thought as he stared at her his calculating gaze burning into her.
"Depends on how good your information is and then we'll see." He smirked leaning back into his chair comfortably at ease. She crossed her arms across her chest letting her weight rest onto her hip.
"I want my information first and then I'll tell you what I know, or I'll just have to go find another source somewhere else."
"For that groundling, you would have to leave wouldn't you?" he snickered, his long clawed fingers felt along the bottom of his desk looking for the button that locked the door. Hearing the loud beep that signaled the lock mechanism, Shadowblur snarled at him. Hauling air through her vents, she forced a calm façade over her finally realizing that it wasn't her that had the control of the conversation, he had it.
Leaning farther back into his chair his smirk widened, his long defined canines clearly showing almost glowing in the dim lighting.
"So please share what you know." She could clearly hear the amusement in his words; he was playing with her, mocking her. Racking her processor she searched for some helpful memories? It was all she had at the moment so why not give it a shot- the least that could happen was her death right?
"Tarlon." She calmly uttered.
"What about it? If you're going to tell me the pathetic planet was destroyed because of him then I already know, I was there." He flicked his wrist about showing his annoyance.
Oh, really well how surprising. She thought bitterly.
"You know there are other reasons why a planet could be destroyed especially when it comes to Megatron. But, of course you're the second in command you must already know of the planet's resources."
Sitting up he looked at her. Glaring, he waited for her to continue, "Because not every planet is as "pathetic" as it looks, Tarlon? Well it has an energon source. Where do you think your energon comes from when Shockwave doesn't have any to disperse to the troops?" She smirked, this could actually work.
"Obviously you don't know anything about how our troops work. Shockwave is the one that gives us the energon when we don't have any. Our back up energon comes from him," he sneered uninterested.
"Cybertron doesn't have any energon remember? That's why we all left, to find more energon sources during the war."
He paused, frowning.
"He has extra troops there, troops you don't know about. Backup."
It wasn't the complete truth but at least she wasn't lying. His frown deepened as he scowled at her.
"Then how of all bots do you know this?"
"Oh, I'm not the only one who knows, there's Soundwave, Shockwave of course and many others to name."
He stared at her silently thinking. He kept is cool façade slip as he seemed doubtful.
"That doesn't explain why you know, it's only been a few human months you've been here you simply can't know all of this already."
"Just like everyone here, I have connection to certain people, one of them luckily was one of those troop member." She smirked, "Everyone knows that you know where the other seekers remain. You were their king once, their high commander, ruler of the skies- such a pity that you fell from the title you had to become a groveling second in command."
His eyes flashed darker, a deep growl vibrating from deep within his chest. Standing out he turned his null rays onto her.
"I am a king! And I shall rule the decepticons because I am the rightful leader, I am much more suited to lead them than Megatron is or ever will be!"
"Oh of course," she bit her tongue stopping herself from the sarcastic remark that wanted to escape from her mouth ever so badly- now was not the time, "I merely commented."
He sat down glaring at her before his normal sadistic grin splattered across his mouth once more.
"I'm feeling quite pleased with what you've told me but," he paused his grin turning into a growl, "if I find you've had the audacity to lie especially to me, and especially to me, I will personally see to your death and I will enjoy tearing you apart. I wouldn't mind another head to be mounted upon my wall."
"I doubt you'll be disappointed- now that I've held up my end and you seem pleased I need you to share some details with me."
He drummed his claws against the metal of the desk in annoyance.
"Very well," he held his chin up and glanced at her, "what do you need?"
She looked at him carefully thinking of the right words to say, "I need as much information as possible on somebot." Starscream leaned forward interested now.
"And who might this bot be?"
"A mech designated Thrush." She looked at him calmly expecting some remark but he merely nodded his head calmly before his regular coy smirk appeared.
"And for what reasons, may I ask? I don't believe this is just a simple matter if you are trying so desperately to find someone." He said.
She frowned, "What makes you think I'm desperate?"
"You came to me didn't you? That in itself is quite a desperate move if I do say, so again why the interest?" He stood up gently letting a long claw scrap down her cheek as he purred in amusement.
"It doesn't concern you." She snapped before pulling away from his touch.
"I am a higher authority than you and thus making you my underling, what you do does concern me. As you know we don't take kindly to traitors or deceivers of any kind. So I repeat," he grounded his denta in frustration, "what reason?"
She glowered at him, "I'm sure you already know."
"Then if I already know, why would I be asking?"
"You tell me."
They both glared at each other their faces scowling.
"We are going nowhere but in circles, my patience is wearing thin- speak." He demanded.
She huffed in defeat, "I'm to be traded to a this mech, Thrush."
He pursed his lips, no emotion touching his face as he thought over the information. He sat back down grabbing his discarded data-pad and stared to read it as if the current conversation had not transpired.
"I'll have your information within a cycle. Now leave." He curtly said before ignoring her presence all together. She turned on her heel satisfied with him following through, her steps clicked across the marble floor as she made her way towards the door. She reached them only to remember he had locked them earlier.
"Oh and shadowblur." He started, her back still faced him as she stood motionless.
"Yes?"
"I don't take kindly to branding of any kind. Knockout had luckily buffed it out but its just a fair warning. Watch your back." His voice dropped a few octaves resounding with his promise of vengeance. The doors unlocked sliding open and letting her out. She said nothing to the grey seeker and made her way out of the dark room.
She exhaled, once outside the room as the doors slid shut behind her relief evident through out her face. For a moment she had begun to doubt her own plan but it seemed to have paid off. In a day or two she would have know why this mech had such an interest in her. Quickly she made her way towards her quarters, determined to finally wash off the graffiti from her room walls. Upon reaching her quarters she shrugged off the chilling feeling of optics watching her. Her hand slipped over her door lock and she waited as the doors hissed and opened. A small growl caught her attention as she was prepared to take a step in wards, freezing in place she raised her audio receptors and heard the familiar ping of metallic claws clinking with the floor. She smiled her spark warming as she knew who was behind her, cocking her head to glance behind her she smirked. The black form of the robotic panther sat behind her calmly looking up at her, the guns mounted upon his hips were grazing the floor. Shadowblur smiled wider, stepping inside the room knowing he would follow. The door shut and she saw no sign of him going past her feet but she knew he was already inside...somewhere. She walked to the closet door having it slide open as she rummaged for cleaning supplies. Once her hands were full of the needed thing she turned around, Ravage was already curled up on her berth his head nestled a top his paws as he watched her.
Making her way through the room she neatly set the canisters on her desk. Feeling the gaze of Ravage on her back she turned and caught his stare. Glancing back he turned his head and looked at the wall growling once before flicking his ear and laying down again glaring holes into the wall.
"If you try anything against her, I won't be happy." she said sternly as she picked up a rag and started to clean with it. Ravage hissed once before a strong masculine voice answered her.
"I wasn't aware her well being was important to you."
She didn't look away from the wall, "It's not her safety, I don't care what happens to her but if revenge is on your mind don't do it."
He snarled clearly annoyed, "Why?"
"That's my job," she smirked. Ravage chuckled, as she sprayed a chemical to the wall.
"Very well." He answered amused. A comfortable silence passed between them as she cleaned, suprisingly she always had gotten along better with Ravage than anyone of Soundwave's cassettes. She always liked hearing his voice, something he didn't like using a lot for whatever reason he preferred to keep classified. His voice was just so soothing and deep just as nice sounding as Soundwave's real voice and plus he had that accent that made everything he said proper sounding as if he were one of those prestige and royal cats, she truly loved his voice.
"I'm surprised your not out spying." She finally said.
"What is there that the autobots have that I or Lazerbeak have not already maintained information on?"
"They have Wheeljack already on earth from what I hear, he might be up to something," she scrubbed the wall harder at one of the letters who refused to come out.
"Yes and we all know his experiments never blow up." He replied sarcastically. She snickered, she couldn't help but imagine the autobot inventor missing an arm, black soot covering him as he was being yelled at by their CMO Ratchet. Optimus and Prowl less than pleased to be filling out a report about all that. Another comfortable silence passed before he spoke again.
"I've seen the seeker in your quarters more than once for long periods of times, would you mind disclosing your relationship with the blue one?" She wasn't going to lie, he sounded less than happy.
"Just friends." She answered nonchalantly.
"Friends?" He questioned her not happy with the answer. "Rumble would beg to differ."
"Rumble likes to elaborate stories." She said feeling uncomfortable.
"He does, but I'm not the only one who's noticed, Lazerbeak's been watching you both. She's heard some pretty-" he paused before smirking, "incriminating things. I'm surprised Soundwave hasn't already found out."
"Why does it matter," she pulled way from her work to take a look at her now paint free wall.
"Indeed it does matter, you are the youngest. We may not all be component's from Soundwave but it has always been important to all of us to look after one another, you included."
"It still doesn't answer my question fully." She said.
"It would upset us all if something where to happen to the youngest of us, we've grown quiet attached to you. The twins and Lazerbeak do view you as another co-unit."
"And you?"
"I do as well." His ears flicked and he raised his head to look at her.
"Furthermore, you do know how particular Lazerbeak is when it comes to mechs, you two are the only femmes in our unit, she feels even more concerned over your well being than usual. If possible I believe she sometimes views you as her own."
She laughed at the silly idea before sitting beside the metal feline. His tail flicked out as he moved over a little to give her room.
"I can take care of myself." She said.
"That we know. But occasionally it is a nice change to have not only yourself to watch your back we-" he stopped mid-sentance before his haunches tensed. He hopped off the bed and stood in front of her, his ears flicked once more before the doors opened to reveal the massive form of Megatron himself. The tyrant glanced at the cat as he laid his ears back and lowered his head in submission.
"Aww Ravage, such a pleasant surprise. I am mildly surprised to find you here but I should have know." Megatron smirked. Ravage stayed still uttering not a single word as Megatron walked towards him only to have the silver leader roughly pat his head as if he were his pet.
"Ravage you are dismissed," he flicked out his wrist pointing towards the door. His claws still held onto the black panther gently digging into Ravage's metal skin.
"Yes my lord." Ravage finally answered, the clawed hand that held him let go freeing him. Ravage walked towards the door before turning to send a hateful glare at the back of their leader's head, Shadowblur sternly glared back at Ravage signaling him to leave. Shadowblur turned, her full attention on the mech before her, she clenched her jaw her fists balling at her sides for a moment before unclenching. They both stared at each other for a moment neither moving before he relaxed his tense form.
"I believe the time is more than appropriate to address a issue you've already discovered."
"You meant selling me?" She scoffed. His hand reached out gently cupping her cheek gently, jolting her from the kindness of the gesture. Her skin crawled at his touched, her tanks churned and as sick as it made her, her body welcomed the gesture. I bet if I closed my eyes she thought, I could imagine what it was like being held by a father. His arms comforting her from the days unraveling, his fingers soothing her taunt cables- she stopped the thought. He would never do that- for that to happen he would first need to love her. She pulled away glaring at Megatron, his claws accidently scratching her cheek at her sudden movement.
"Sweet child, you misunderstand. Do not view it as a...sale but as specialized work for the decepticon cause." He gently said, sugercoating his words angering her.
"I'm not a sparkling- I understand just fine, I don't need your sweet words. You are selling me, accept it!" She yelled, the anger from all the abuse, the coiled up hatred, her hatred it boiled finally spilling out oozing into her words with a cold venom. "You never wanted me! And it still shows! Even as a sparkling I knew, I knew! You hate me for reasons I don't know, I'm not capable of understanding because it seems you don't have a solid enough reason to hate me other than because I exist!" Her body shook, her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides stiff with the thought of clawing and beating him to make him feel what she had felt her whole life at his side- it wasn't fair. He glared at her, discarding his previous sweet demeanor he had on. He harshly shoved her away, the back of her legs ramming into her bed sending her down on top of it. He raised his fist his face contorted with anger, her hands reached up to cover her face instinct kicking in. She froze, her anger coming back at full force stronger than before. Memories of his past beatings flashing across her optics, the painful and exhausting, excruciating training she was forced to go through as a sparkling only to force her to survive and fight, and kill at a young age to be his perfect soldier. She put her hands down sitting up defiance radiating from her every inch of her.
"What are you waiting for! Hit me! You've never hesitated before, fragging hit me! You've always hit me." She screamed her mind going fuzzy with anger. For a moment they stared at each other their faces angry and worn with the exhaustion of the verbal fight. He finally reach out grabbing onto her door wing throwing her onto the floor, his grip still held on. He hauled her up receiving a pained yelp from being held up by her wing strut.
"You want me to fight you? Your wish is granted." He growled pushing his foot onto her back effectively pulling her wing off. She felt the warm trickle of energon rush down her back making her sticky. She whimpered grounding her denta in pain, her optics filling with cleaning fluid- the will of not screaming out keeping her mouth shut. The sounds of his snickering filled the silent room as he grabbed the back of her neck digging his claws into the open spaces of her armor making her squirm to get away from him. She tried twisting her body around to swipe her arm at his legs but he moved away to quick. Dragging her, her back scraped across the floor leaving a trail electric blue energon.
"Be pleased that I am having so much mercy on you, I should just rip out your vocal box." He growled tightening his hold. She hissed in pain, her body burning from the pain, her processor unable to form a concrete reply. The cold floor touched her wound making her whimper and squirm. She watched as she was dragged from her room down the hall only to struggle against him as she realized their destination was his quarters. Panic ceased her spark momentarily letting her forget about her pain as he opened the door and growled as she hit the back of his thigh. He raised his hand pulling her upwards with it, bringing her to face level he snarled.
"You were always like her." He dropped her onto the floor with a thud his shadow consuming her. She cried out as he walked out closing the door behind him shutting out the only light from the room. She screamed angered, as she got up to her feet her fists pounding on the door. Her back ached her wound gradually closing shut. She cried then, her anguished cried going unheeded as she leaned her forehead against the cool metal. Her knees buckling underneath her, her body finally going lax with exhaustion sending her spiraling onto the floor and she didn't care.
She whimpered her sobs shaking her shoulders as she hugged her knees to her chest. The dark consuming her as she shut off her optics- memories flashing through her processor feeling as if she was reduced to a sparkling again sobbing on the floor. Only this time she was a big girl now, she had to be. Her optics flickered on her face contorted with anger. No one would make her cower any longer, no one would walk all over her, spit at her feet and treat her like scrap. She was reborn- she was stronger.