Chapter 8
Run, Starscream, Run
Starscream hadn't realized how threatening his comrades in arms could look before the eyes of a human until he had the sadistic glances of the Insecticons focused on him.
Sadistic… and hungry. As the rest of the Decepticons, Starscream knew that the Insecticons had practiced repulsive refuelling methods to counterattack the lack of energon during the many centuries they had spent on planet Earth. Devouring human beings was certainly no novelty for them.
"Food approaches, approaches," Shrapnel rasped, eyeing his prey greedily.
"Good, I'm hungry," Bombshell responded eagerly.
"Don't you even think about it, you rust encrusted cockroaches," Starscream spat angrily, backing away slowly despite his harsh words.
"Don't bother fighting us, flesh creature," Kickback said as the trio began to advance.
"You will perish, perish."
The humanised Starscream opened his mouth to retaliate, but found that the three imposing figures bearing down on him snatched his voice before any words could form. He continued to move backwards, until his bare back touched the cold metal of the wall behind him.
"G-get away from me, you sick freaks," the human managed to stammer as he edged along the wall slowly, "I am not your next meal, do you understand me?"
"There is no use in insulting us, insulting us," Shrapnel replied, "empty threats won't get in the way of our next meal."
"You smell so delicious," Kickback hissed.
It was then that Starscream realised he had no other choice but to run, his flight instincts kicking in as Bombshell pounced forward. The human managed to dodge the attack, narrowly, and ran down the corridor, his flesh body building up speed as adrenaline kicked in.
"Destroy him, him!" Shrapnel commanded. Transforming into his insect mode he gave chase, his large antennae catching in the floral fabric tied around Starscream's intimacy.
"No! Slaggit!!" The human cried furiously as he felt the cool air gracing his nether regions once again; despite his fear he couldn't help but feel the heat of humiliation returning once again.
He hated his life.
But, despite that hate, he wasn't ready for it to end; and certainly not at the hands, or mouths, of those three beasts.
Reaching the end of the corridor, Starscream veered to the right, totally unaware of where he was heading. He needed to think, needed a plan; he couldn't fight them... It didn't matter, in the end, where he finished up, just as long as he remained functional.
And then he saw it.
The ventilation shaft near the base of a wall... If he could reach it salvation would be his; there was no way the Insecticons could follow him, it was barely big enough for a human to climb through.
Pushing his flesh and bone body to the limits, Starscream dived at the shaft, his hands grasping desperately at the metal grill blocking his entrance. He pulled on the bars frantically, shaking them will all of the strength he could muster, but they refused to give way.
"Now I've got you," Kickback called from behind.
Hands still clutching the grill, Starscream turned his head to find the metallic grasshopper waiting for him. A furious kick from the Insecticon's back legs caught the Seeker in the head, sending him sinking to the ground in a wash of pain and confusion, a cry of fear escaping his throat.
"Get away from him, you filthy junk piles!" Skywarp shouted as he suddenly appeared between the predators and their prey. "If you want him, then you have to get through me first!"
The sound of laser fire met Starscream's ears mercilessly, the sound bringing him out of his momentary stupor. He became aware of the warm liquid snaking slowly down his face and instantly understood what had happened.
He clutched his head.
"Screamer," Skywarp called between shots. "Run for it; I'll keep these cockroaches distracted."
Despite the increasing pain in his head, the human complied, unable to think of any other way to react. He stood up unsteadily, and began to pull on the grill once again until finally, it gave way.
Without a thought for the darkness or small dimensions of the shaft, the ex Seeker pulled himself up into the small opening.
Blood streaming freely over his naked body, Starscream began to crawl through the ventilation shaft, feeling every second weaker. Claustrophobia began to take hold as dizziness swept over him; by the time he reached the liberating grill at the end of the long tunnel all he could do was lean on it with his body until it gave way, the human tumbling unceremoniously out with it.
He lay still, the grill caught uncomfortably beneath his shivering, sweat-covered body. But he didn't care about the discomfort of the invading metal pressing angrily into his flesh, it couldn't have been less important.
It was the pool of crimson growing before his reddened eyes, staining the purple metal with his defeat, that caught his attention.
"Screamer...?" The human heard Skywarp ask as the seeker teleported beside him. A rough finger prodded his back. "You dead?"
"Does it look like I'm fragging dead, you moron?" Starscream retaliated angrily, struggling to get up. As he managed to regain his balance his left hand automatically moved to cover his crotch, his right hand making its way to the gash on his head. Gingerly, it touched the broken flesh.
"Well," Skywarp said, "you sure look like slag, so you could be dead. Frenzy told me once that humans can continue to function after deactivation, I think he called them 'zombies' or something... whatever... so yeah, like I said..."
"I'm not a slagging zombie you stupid glitch!"
"Woah, nothing to get angry about, I'm sure you can have a very happy and fulfilling life as a zo..."
"SHUT UP BEFORE I'M FORCED TO RIP OUT YOUR SPARK WITH MY BARE HANDS!!"
"Gee, thanks for saving my life, Skywarp," the purple seeker cooed sarcastically to himself. "You're welcome, Starscream, it was my pleasure...pffftt..."
"Are you done, idiot?"
"Huh...what's that? You want something Starscream?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. I want you to teleport me to my quarters, NOW."
"What's the matter, Screamer, you scared of being alone or something?"
Starscream shot his idiotic subordinate a murderous glare before responding again. "No, you moron," he hissed with a dangerously calmed voice. "In case you haven't noticed, I am bleeding. I need to repair myself, and I don't particularly want to be seen by my loyal subordinates in this state."
Kneeling, Skywarp picked up his wingmate, regarding the flesh creature with a mixture of disgust and intrigue. His hand now firmly pressed against his brow, blood had begun to seep from beneath Starscream's palm, dripping in rivulets down his arm, further staining his fragile skin.
"Mmmh, you know, Screamer," he said after a moment's silence, "you really don't look too good. That leak you've got is kinda nasty...maybe you should let Hook take a look at it?"
The ex Seeker felt his blood freeze. "No fragging way!" he responded.
"Screamer, I'm serious, you could have some major damage there...you look like something I'd scrape off the bottom of my foot after a raid on a human settlement."
"I will not allow myself to be subjected to the 'mercy' of that sadistic freak. And anyway, I'm fine; it's nothing I can't fix myself."
"Ahh, sorry Screamer, but I don't think so," Skywarp said as he stood, Starscream still in his hand. "Not to mention the fact that if I don't take you now, TC will kick my aft and take you himself."
"I said I'm fine, slaggit," Starscream yelled. "Now take me back to my quarters. That's an order."
"Nope" Skywarp replied as his body began to disappear. "By the way, I see you managed to get naked again... You must really like it, huh?"
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The grimace on Hook's face reflected just how much he despised the image before his optic visor. It was no secret that the snobby Constructicon hated wasting his time repairing his comrades in arms, but it was obvious that being asked to deal with a flesh and bone patient was more than outrageous. It was an offense.
"So?" Skywarp asked. "Can you repair him?"
"No," the Constructicon dryly replied.
"Oh, come on!"
"I said no, now get him out of here. He's staining my workbench with his disgusting human fluid."
Starscream shot Hook a murderous glare from his place in the middle of the workbench. One of his hands remained fixed on the right side of his face, completely stained by his own blood. He didn't know what was worse, being injured or being the object of his hateful comrades' scrutiny. At least the rest of the Constructicons were not present due to some maintenance repairs they were doing on the opposite section of the base, their absence decreasing the danger of further mocking and probable deactivation.
"I told you it wasn't necessary to come here, Skywarp!" he complained. "I'm fine!"
"Yeah, fine… that's why you have a blood leak in your right optic, correct?"
"Technically, the blood is not coming from his eye, but from that small filament area above it. Eyebrow is the proper term, I think," Hook said, zooming in his optic circuits on said area.
"See?" Skywarp continued. "You know what you are talking about. So, you can repair him."
"I'm not going to stain my hands with the fluids of a flesh creature. It is degrading."
Skywarp smirked. Hook's weak point was too easy to find. He was surprised he hadn't used it before. "Well…" he absent-mindedly said as he folded his arms. "If you're not capable of doing it…"
The Constructicon's optic visor shone with evident anger.
"There is nothing beyond my reach."
"Obviously, repairing a small fleshling is…"
Hook stared with immense disdain at the naked human that continued to bleed on his workbench.
"Immobilize him" he said dryly.
Skywarp savoured victory as he directed a hand toward Starscream.
"No! Don't you dare touch me, Skywarp! Just get me out of here! It's an order!"
"Sorry, Screamer, I don't take orders from a fleshling."
With a strange delicacy considering his usual careless behaviour, Skywarp grabbed Starscream's head with his thumb and index finger, and forced him to lie down on the table.
"Aaaarrghh! Enough!! Let go of me, you pit spawned malfunction!" the Air Commander cried as he punched as hard as he could the black Seeker's fingers. Of course, without any result.
"If you don't want to lose an eye, I highly recommend you to stay still, Starscream," Hook said as he approached with a laser scalpel.
Starscream stopped moving, paralysed by fear.
"W…what are you going to do?"
"I will cauterize your wound."
"Are you… going to… burn me?! No, wait!!"
"There's no other way. I am not familiar with the functioning of human organisms, but I'm sure that heat will stop the bleeding."
"But you'll kill me!"
"I doubt it. I can operate with millimetric precision. Of course, I can't guarantee it won't hurt. I have no painkillers for organics."
"You have no painkillers for anybody, you slagging freaaaaaarrrghhhhh!" Starscream cried in pain as the laser scalpel started to burn and seal his injury.
Wasting time was not one of the Constructicon surgeon's defects, just as mercy wasn't either. Hook proceeded with his improvised repair session, towering his patient with his big shadow and his very cold glance.
The procedure was eternal for Starscream, every astro klik an unbearable agony. Hook never hurried in anything and that was not going to be the exception. No matter how much he hated lowering himself by repairing a human, his status of perfectionist and artist was not going to be questioned.
Finally, it was over. The laser scalpel retreated and Skywarp released his humanised commander from his grip. Immediately, Starscream directed his hand toward his eyebrow. He could still feel the injury vibrating, but the bleeding had stopped.
"Hey, you look better, Screamer!" Skywarp cheerfully said as he slightly punched Starscream with his finger, almost breaking his back. "You can stop whining now. Come on, let's get you cleaned up."
Starscream rubbed his sore back, forgetting for a moment about the pain in his eyebrow. "Do I have to remind you every astro second that I have bones inside this flesh bag I have instead of armour, you imbecile?!!"
"If you finished exchanging words with your pet, Skywarp, you'd do well in removing him and your idiotic carapace out of here," Hook said.
"I'm nobody's pet!" Starscream yelled. "And you better remember that, Hook, or I'll make sure you will end up assembling nothing but pre-moulded drones."
From one of Hook's fingers a small but sharp saw emerged. "Are you familiar with the term castration, Starscream?"
The Air Commander covered his exposed crotch with his hands and retreated, almost falling from the workbench. Skywarp bended over himself in pure laughter, but managed to grab Starscream by an arm and teleported them both out of the Repair Bay.
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Safely locked within the solitude of his personal quarters once again, Starscream fell to his knees.
He felt empty, defeated... Like the most worthless piece of scrap the universe had ever had the misfortune of creating. But more than anything else, he felt pain.
His head throbbed; he wasn't sure if it had been Kickback's attack or the repair session afterwards, but he was certain he felt worse now than he had before. Every muscle in his accursed body ached, it seemed as if his exertion had pushed them past their limits and now they screamed out in retribution, tensing and cramping without remorse.
But there was more than the mere physical hurt sent to punish him that night.
There was dizziness too, like a dense fog had descended upon him to cloud his vision and his thoughts, muffling all sounds so that only the voices in his mind could be heard clearly. He felt warm, unusually warm, yet his skin itself felt cold, as if his body couldn't decide on how it should feel.
Not that any of that mattered.
Slowly, the human lifted his hands, holding them trembling before his face. He stared at them avidly, apparently captivated by their grotesquely soiled design, turning them over so that his green eyes might capture every detail.
He was dirty...so dirty...
It took more effort than expected for Starscream to pull himself up onto his feet again, his body heavy beyond its size and composition. With slow, uneasy steps he made his way to his cleaning unit, his hand never abandoning the sanctity of balance afforded by the cold, steely walls.
Starscream sighed heavily as he reached his destination, terrified of the mirror he knew was waiting mercilessly within the unit for his arrival.
But friend and foe had never had much distinction in Starscream's life, and so with a deep breath he closed his eyes and ventured forward, knowing the lustrous surface would not return the beloved image of himself he was accustomed to...
Daring to look at his blood-stained reflection, Starscream grimaced at the sight of the angry red scar now marring his eyebrow. The flesh around it had grown swollen, acquiring a shade of purple not dissimilar to that of Skywarp's paintjob; darker tones coloured his right eyelid and the bridge of his nose. Until that moment the Seeker hadn't thought it possible that his appearance could get any worse.
But it was the red of his blood that disturbed him the most; though it had begun to dry in some places the colour remained ever vibrant, a sharp reminder of how fragile he had become, how close to death he now was...
Despite having faced millennia of war, never before had Starscream felt so mortal.
Water rained down upon his flesh once again as defeat gave way to a sudden urgency for cleanliness; like his first shower it brought little comfort but anything was better than simply standing there, staring at himself.
Helplessness returning, Starscream lowered his eyes, watching on in silence as blood and water mixed, crimson swirling gracefully about his feet before fading away to nothing.
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Thundercracker entered the almost obscure room. Habit led him to look for a Cybertronian energy signature, but almost immediately he realized his mistake and looked for any simple heat signal. The only one he found was located on a desk in front of the window.
Starscream was there, sitting, with his arms leaning on his folded legs. He was absent-mindedly looking at the external marine scenery; his face was strangely calmed. Beside him, there was a small, empty, red plastic bag. It seemed that the humanised Air Commander had finally given up to hunger and had refuelled with the infamous dog food, or whatever that thing was. Nothing good could be expected from something called Doritos, after all. There was also a glass bottle half filled with a brownish liquid. Whiskey, the label announced.
There was something disturbing about the young human male. Skywarp had informed Thundercracker about the incident with the Insecticons and the peculiar repair session at Hook's tender hands. Despite the fact that he had never had a good relationship with Starscream, Thundercracker knew his Air Commander well enough as to know when he was feeling defeated.
"Starscream?" the blue Seeker asked cautiously.
Starscream looked over his shoulder. "Ah… Is that you, Thundercracker? I didn't hear you come in."
Thundercracker carefully approached. "Skywarp told me about your injury. What is your status?"
Starscream touched the small and barely visible scar that divided his right eyebrow. "Functional, I suppose… What does it matter?"
"I see you finally decided to refuel."
"Refuel?" Starscream asked as he glanced with disdain at the Doritos bag. "I wouldn't call the humiliating process I had to go through refuelling. All I did was introduce those disgusting things into my mouth, chew them and swallow them. I will spare you the details of the very unpleasant flavour."
"And what about that liquid in the bottle?"
"The whiskey? It's some sort of high grade energon… I guess. It's the only good thing Soundwave's runts brought me. It tastes worse than the cheapest fuel, but it helps me to relax."
Thundercracker frowned as he watched Starscream drink from the bottle. From the look on his face, it was obvious that the taste displeased him a lot, but it also seemed that he was beyond complaints. He had suffered too much in a very short lapse of time. Even Starscream had to have his limits concerning resistance.
"Eh… Starscream?"
"What?"
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, wonderful… I'm no taller than my former knees, I'm made of flesh and bones, I've been more humiliated in two cycles than I have in my entire life… Ah, and I almost got eaten by the Insecticons. What else could I ask?"
"I'm sorry… I know it was a stupid question, but…"
"Save it. It's not your fault, after all, not even Skywarp's. I got myself into this hell."
"You won't change anything by being sorry for yourself."
"Well, I won't make it worse either, now will I?"
"Things can always get better, Starscream," Thundercracker said, smiling. "I brought you something that will cheer you up."
"What is it?" Starscream asked without interest.
Thundercracker opened a panel on his forearm and took out a small, flat, white box, placing it right beside Starscream.
"See for yourself," the blue Seeker said.
Starscream opened the box and his face illuminated with relief as he caught sight of the carefully folded black textile.
"It's called a tuxedo," Thundercracker explained. "I scanned you and brought you the best size according to your structure. And don't worry, it's perfectly proper for a human male, I made sure."
Thundercracker was still talking when Stasrcream had already emptied the box and was trying his luck with the pants.
"Huh… Starscream… I think that metallic mechanism goes in the front."
"Sounds logical," Starscream replied as he removed the pants and put them on again in the correct way.
"I know black is not your colour but…"
"Never mind. I couldn't care less about paintjobs right now," Starscream said as he continued dressing up, zipping the pants and putting on the tuxedo's jacket, not caring at all about his outfit not having a shirt.
"So… how do I look?" he asked looking down at himself.
"Less obscene."
"Ha…" traces of his usual irony appeared in Starscream's grimace. Perhaps it was not too late for him, but the dead end he was at seemed every moment more impossible to overcome.
Like reinforcing the lack of hopes, a red light shone on Starscream's main computer and the monotonic voice of Soundwave could be heard, as warm as a death penalty.
"Attention Starscream. Megatron demands your presence in the Command Center. Delay in fulfilling the order won't be tolerated."
The communication ended.
Starscream shook his head and got up. "Well, this is it… It wasn't so unpleasant to fly beside you all these vorns, Thundercracker. Would you mind escorting me to the Command Center? I don't want to be squashed –or eaten– on the way. At least, perhaps, Megatron will give me a quick death… perhaps."
Thundercracker nodded. Maybe it was true; and maybe he was looking at his Air Commander for the last time.
To be continued.
Many thanks to Alaskan Olive and Fire Redhead for inspiring the title of this chapter with their reviews. Keep your comments coming guys and gals, we love to receive them :o)