Disclaimer: I own nothing – at least nothing Transformers related.
AN: Exploring is more than just experiments and new discoveries in science. Sometimes, it's about simple understanding as well.
Thanks to mdnytryder for correcting this chapter.
14/28 Exploring (G1)
If there was one thing Starscream loved about Earth, it was its sky.
This wonderful clear blue infinity, spotted with white clouds, fluffy and innocent looking, was something every Seeker dreamed of since Cybertron had drifted away from its sun and lost its atmosphere to the cold void of space.
Certainly, the star-filled darkness of the Cybertron skies was beautiful too, but it just didn't have the particular feeling to it that gave every flyer the feeling that they were on top of the world, the only ones allowed so incredibly near to perfection.
Starscream simply loved Earth's sky, and he used every available moment to bask in its calming aspect and to let the cool wind on his wings soothe all his worries and rage away until he finally could think clearly again.
Only here in the air, at the point where the light blue faded slowly into pale purple and rich, dark blue, kilometers away from any other living being, could he find the peace of mind to face his failures. Only here could he relive painful memories and reach conclusions he would never thought of on the ground, under the pressure of a dozen glares locked on him, just waiting for an opportunity to catch him in a moment of weakness and use his secrets against him.
Only here, he was able to accept the things that haunted and hurt him the most.
Like Skyfire.
He had seen him today, playing glorified taxi for a bunch of injured Autobots.
Starscream had seen the look the white shuttle had sent his way, disappointed, disapproving and... detached?
The Seeker had anticipated the first two emotions, even though he still thought that Skyfire was the one at fault.
He, Starscream, should be disappointed at his friend, who had simply left him for some mechs he didn't even know just because he didn't agree with Starscream's choice of a faction.
The shuttle hadn't even seriously tried to argue with his friend about the choice he made, hadn't even heard the reasons for his deeds or his way of life.
He just shook his head in that typical, ever-annoying, exasperated manner of his, which always left Starscream feeling either totally dense or nothing more than a Sparkling in Skyfire's optics.
If the Decepticon was completely honest with himself, this lack of arguing and persuasion had hurt more than anything else.
He could have handled it if Skyfire left him because of his beliefs and ideals… but not that he did so without making any effort to understand and win back his one-time partner and friend at all.
That was just wrong!
So why?
Why had he done that and why had he looked so detached, like at the Academy when one of his experiments hadn't gone as planned….
The sudden understanding hit Starscream like a shot out of Megatron's fusion cannon, only with a wider, more devastating force.
The shock was so great, that he almost cut his engines and dropped right out of the sky.
An experiment!
All this time, on Cybertron, while exploring other worlds, here on Earth – he had just been one of Skyfire's experiments.
He could practically hear Skyfire's voice, calm, collected and almost emotionless as he recorded the progress and results of all his experiments:
"Although subject Seeker Starscream showed great potential of deviating from the usual behavior of military build mechs, he returned to the violent and undesirable ways of his kind when no longer under the influence and supervision of my own person.
"Apparently, military built mechs are incapable of showing beneficial traits to the Cybertronian society when not constantly encouraged and urged to do so.
"My personal suggestion would be the complete destruction of the terroristic subgroup of the military type mechs called 'Decepticons', and an immediate reprogramming of all others of their build.
If it is not possible to counter the negative effects of their encoding and to entrust them with simple, non-violent tasks, it would be advisable to extinguish their Sparks in a gentle way and to use their parts as a base for future generations of peaceful Cybertronians."
Starscream didn't know if he should laugh hysterically at the hypocrisy of it all, or cry because of the way he had been deceived all these vorns and his friend is finally lost forever.
He opted for a third possibility, and screamed his anguish at the uncaring sky.
Halftime!
I still need a story for either "Horny" or "Turned On". If you have an idea, tell me.
Another point: Should I do "On Vacation" or "Dominant" next? At the moment, they are even.