Red shifted again on her back, slightly exhausted. She didn't get much sleep from the constant digging in her back from a rocky lump. She stared out between the bars at Soundwave. The mech, as usual, was standing at attention. Then, the sound of heavy and light footsteps and looming shadows alerted her two more parties were joining them. 'Uh oh...' She thought to herself. 'Here comes dumb and dumber...'

Megatron shoved Soundwave aside, peering into the cage at his pet. She didn't look good, her red fur all matted and tangled. "Soundwave, groom her. She is atrocious looking."

Starscream pulled his wings back angrily, glaring daggers at Red. He wanted her gone and yet there she was, right back with him in the end and taking Megatron's attention from him! "Master... half humans are dirty creatures. I suggest you dispose of her before she gives you some kind of horrible disease." Starscream growled, long claws clicking against the bars as he sneered in at her.

Red's eyes flickered a bright red. She had not gotten any sleep, and was feeling a bit grouchy. And she was just about fed up with Starscream. "Ah do NOT carry horrible diseases bustah! More lahke ah should beh worried 'bout whut YA might give tah meh! 'An furthah more, Megs, ya should keep biggah tabs on yer second-in-command!"

Starscream went stock still, his optics wide with horror. He gave her the most pitiful look he could, begging her silently not to tell what he had done recently. His wings sagged when he saw that glint in her eyes, signaling she would not hush. Not now. "I don't know what she's talking about! I am loyal only to you, Megatron." He purred, nuzzling up against his partner.

"What had he done?" Megatron demanded, optics blazing as he looked in on Red. "Answer me, pet!"

Red, despite hating the 'pet' comment, continued. "He let meh outta mah cell! Not tha' ah minded much... but 'e forgot tah warn meh 'bout Airachnid! She nearlay made a trophay outta meh!" She glared at the mech, showing no mercy. "He wanted meh gone 'an outta 'ere, fit 'a jealousay ah s'pose..."

Starscream whimpered, wings drooping low as he looked nervously up at a furious Megatron. "Please, she's lying?" he tried weakly, giving Red one more look.

"STARSCREAM!" Megatron roared at the top of his vocalizer, grabbing the thin mech and hurling him against the nearest wall. Starscream squealed in pain, clawing and thrashing as he tried to get out of the other mech's firm hold. "This will be the last time you plot against me!"

"I-"

Megatron tore one of the Seeker's prized wings, the limb still attached but grotesquely bent. He hauled the howling mess of a mech up and threw him into the same cell as Red. "That will be your punishment, wretch!" Starscream landed with a loud clang on his neck, making a short yelp before laying entirely still, his body beaten and starting to bleed energon from all the new scratches and dents. "Now Soundwave. See to it my pet is groomed and watched at all times. If she wishes to kill Starscream, allow her to. I do not want him to leave the cell ever again."

Soundwave said nothing, merely nodding once before opening the door to the cage and motioning for Red to come out. He then looked at Starscream, seeing the mech was in no condition to fight back, so he opened the door wider. Red groaned. "Oh... nice one Red!" She scolded herself, crossing her arms and glaring at the Seeker. "How DO ya get yerself intah these messes?!" She eyed Soundwave, deploying Laserbeak, keeping his visor planted on her. She glared back at Starscream. "Serves ya right y'know!"

Starscream said nothing, his claws hooked into the floor. He struggled to get up, but his neck and back seemed to be broken. He keened softly, a pitiful and agonized sound. With that he went still again, optics shuttered tightly.

"Starscream: Requires medical attention." Soundwave said, pushing Red back into the cage and kneeling beside Starscream. He took the mech's neck and tilted it to one side before snapping it back into place. It would heal that night, now that it was in the right place. Starscream made no sound, trembling silently in agony. His wing was still left untouched, Soundwave knowing if he fixed that he would be in trouble. "Advice: Put out of misery tonight." Soundwave told Red softly, picking her up in one servo and taking out a human brush he had had Laserbeak swipe recently. He slid of her ponytail ties, allowing her red fur to fall into a slightly matted heap.

"Wait... whut?!" She gasped. "Hokay! Ah know ah hate 'th guy, but kill'n ain't NO way 't go 'bout thangs! YA may beh used tah it, but ah ain't! Ah don't kill!..." She stared up at Soundwave, her eyes dancing. "If ya seen whut kill'n does tah folks, then ya know fer certain!"

Soundwave shrugged, dragging Starscream to the back corner of the cage and leaving him there. The Seeker still wouldn't move or speak, optic shutters still shut tight. "Request: Sit still." Soundwave said, starting to work through Red's fur as gently as he could. Surprisingly he was good at it, used to working with fragile keyboards and data pads. For a huge mech, he was as gentle as a mother would be brushing her daughter's hair. "Compliment: Fur is much softer when groomed." Soundwave hummed, as pleased as he could sound.

Red fidgeted a little. She hadn't had somebody brush her hair ever since... since the accident. Her mother always loved the brush out Red's hair when she was little. It was the only time the tomboyish little girl had ever sat still. Her mother always worked carefully through it, making sure to gently untangle the knots... like Soundwave was doing. It brought back a lonely little pang, thinking of her parents. Adopted or not, she'd always loved them. Especially her mother.

Soundwave gave her a gentle pat before setting her back down on the floor of the cell. "Request: Wait for Soundwave to return with human food." Soundwave turned to go, leaving her there with a shivering Starscream in the corner of the cell. His optics were no longer shuttered, the red that was normally so bright dull and lackluster. He shied away from her when she turned to look at him, making a soft whimper.

Red sighed, feeling guilty. Her dad always said it was wise to turn the other cheek when somebody slaps you. So walking over, her long red hair swishing, she gently placed a hand on one of his wounds. Her hand began to glow, and she made sure Starscream wouldn't pull away as she did this. "Ah don't let folks die on mah watch..." She informed him, healing him.

Starscream leapt up when she blinked, terrified of being hurt more. He yelped, stumbling over himself when his back and neck seared with pain and his broken wing dragged across the cell floor. "No! Please!" he sobbed, the creature stricken since he knew he couldn't get away, couldn't fly. He clawed at the cage bars and keened for Megatron to come back to him and help. "Stay back! I'll fight!" he added when Red didn't let him get away without being healed.

"Oh chill a 'lil will ya? Heal'n energy ain't gonna 'urt ya! Now stay still!" She ordered, healing his wounds again. Boy, he was THE fussiest mech she'd ever healed!

Starscream got ready to scream bloody murder, but found his wing started to feel better, the torn cables and plating repairing under her touch. He hushed, optics wide with surprise. She was... helping him? He allowed her to heal his back, his entire spinal array feeling as good as it had before the scrape with Megatron. Making a soft rumbling purr in his chest, the Seeker lowered his wings contentedly and let Red see his neck to fix it as well, leaning against her a bit like some oversized organic cat. Red had to dig her feet into the ground to keep herself balanced. Once he was repaired, the healing that would have taken a long and painful week now better in mere minutes. He nuzzled her gently in thanks before resting, still not happy with being trapped in there with her. In a moment she might turn on him and tell Megatron some other things he had plotted! What would he do then?! "What do you want... so you will not tell him anything else?" Starscream asked tiredly, staring out of the cage.

Soundwave returned before Red could answer, a whole dinner table adorned with untouched food platters which he had obviously stolen from a restaurant of some kind. He opened the cage door and set the food down for her, raising a servo to strike Starscream since the mech deemed he was too close to Red. Starscream yelped and quickly retreated, glaring. No energon had been brought to him and he doubted any would be soon.

Red saw something attached to one of the dinner plates. A simple chocolate that LOOKED like one that was. But instead, it was hard metal. Her eyes widened a little. 'A tracking device!' She realized. She tried not to look excited. "Uh... thanks.. G'night Gracay tha's a lotta food! Ah'll beh eat'n leftovers fer a week! Long as 'th food don't spoil on meh."

Soundwave left it for her, closing the door and taking out a datapad to work on. It was just to pass the time, not really worth anything. "What about me?" Starscream asked indignantly, personality coming back full force.

"Starscream's fuel: Lord Megatron did not offer."

Starscream hushed at that, wings that had been perked angrily once again lowering. It... hurt to know Megatron didn't want to offer him any energon. So he really did want him dead, then. "Fine! I can just starve, then!"

"Megatron: Most likely agrees."

"Ah'd offer ya some 'a mine... but I doubt ya can eat mah kind 'a food. Sorta like ahm energon-intolerante." Red said, then quickly slipped the chocolate into her sweatshirt pocket. She hoped it'd send the signal back to them... however, she had thought about Laserbeak, still deployed. To be on the safe side, she wouldn't activate it until later.

Starscream sighed softly, waving a clawed servo. "I will be dead soon, anyways. Best not to waste your food." he muttered, flopping over onto his side and forcing himself to recharge. There was nothing else to do, after all.

"Inquiry: Should Starscream be removed at night?" Soundwave tried again, going in for a different tactic, honestly not wanting her to be stuck with a creature like that all night. "Starscream: Will most likely stay awake."

Red sighed. "You just try tah sleep in 'ere fer a couple 'a nights!"

Soundwave was entirely right about Starscream being loud at night. The faceless mech had gone back to his quarters, curling up and trying to block out the sound of Starscream keening from the brig, his calls in Seeker dialect for Megatron. It was spark-breaking, really. But the worst part was was that he was keeping poor Red up.

Red slammed her hands over her ears, her head throbbing. It was bad enough the floor was yet again digging into her back, but this?! "Ugh..." She groaned, turning to look at the Seeker. "Would. Ya. Turn. It. DOWN A 'LIL?!"

Starscream wouldn't hear it, keening a few more times before churring and clicking softly to himself in the ancient Seeker language, looking so forlorn as he stared out of the cage bars for any sign of Megatron. The silver mech wouldn't come. "He's left me here..." he whispered softly, curling up and fussing with his claws. "You made him hate me!" He then snapped, growling at Red. "I only wanted him to like me, not you! He likes his 'pet' more than he cares about me. I'm his partner!" Now he was rambling, deciding if Red was there, he might as well talk to her. This might not be keening, but he was still loud enough to keep her up.

Red groaned, practically fed up. "No WONDAH they call ya 'Stahscream'." She commented then sighed, rolling her eyes tiredly. "Look... if ya will jest, shut up fer now, ah'll 'elp ya out a 'lil kay?" She bargained.

Starscream watched her, optics full of mistrust and yet a longing to let someone take care of him. He made a quiet sequence of churring whines before hushing, his nervousness and fear making him revert to his instincts. "Promise?" he asked after a few minutes, still watching for anyone to come get him. He wasn't sure why, but he was starting to warm up to the little techno-organic. Sure, she was partly ruining his life, but at the same time she was trying to help him even more than she already had. Perhaps he could tolerate her company...

Red felt a twinge of sadness and pity towards the mech. He was like a cat in a way... a bad one, but knew exactly how to worm into her soft-spots. She sighed. "Promise... 'an franklay, it IS mah fault yer in this 'ere mess any'ow." She winced at her headache. "So yeah, ah'll 'elp ya."

Starscream purred happily before turning over on his side and fell into recharge. Red sighed herself, partially relieved and partially satisfied she could now get some sleep.

Soundwave returned the next morning. Red was wide awake, but yet again tired. She fingered the tracking device, which she had forgotten all about, and found a button to activate it. She quickly hit it, sighing with relief. Suddenly, she saw Laserbeak fly out of nowhere, and fly back to Soundwave, having seen the tracking device. "Wuh-oh..." She murmured.

He transformed back and attached himself to Soundwave. The mech looked at her. Soundwave opened his servo, motioning for her to give up the tracking device. He was not a harsh or angry mech, always asking for things calmly before acting aggressively.

Red raised an eyebrow, pretending to be naive. "Whut?" She asked. She had to be cautious... give them some time to locate her directly.

Soundwave motioned for the devise again, having thought Red hadn't noticed his first attempt for her to hand it over. "Request: Require tracking device."

"Ah..." She decided to have a burst of courage. "AH AIN'T GIVE'N IT 'T YA!" She clutched it inside of her pocket protectively. Never in a million years would she hand it over willingly!

Soundwave made a warning growl in his chest, standing up to show he meant what he said. "Soundwave: Requires device NOW." The mech opened the cage door and stepped inside, trying to snatch Red up in one of his servos. He stepped on Starscream's wing, the mech howling as he woke and bowled Soundwave over as he leapt up.

Spotting the door was open, the Seeker grabbed Red and bolted out of the cell, heading to the flight deck. "It appears that I get to repay you." Starscream said, avoiding a blast from Soundwave's frequency gun as he scrambled out onto the top of the Nemesis. "Best of luck. I am sure we will meet again!" Starscream added, transforming and leaving her hidden behind some of the Nemesis's pillars in hopes she could escape on her own.

Red kept herself hidden, waiting for her chance. Then she remembered one teensy, itty-bitty little detail. She slammed her palm onto her face. "Stahscream, ya idiot! Ahm onna stink'n, fly'n SHIP fer cry'n out loud!" She groaned. The sound of pedes alerted her that Soundwave had found her hiding place. "Uh oh..." She yelped as a spindly servo snatched her up and held her up to his visored face. Even like that she knew, he was not happy at all. "Uhm... H'lo! Heh!" She chuckled nervously.

Soundwave flipped her around and held her by the scruff of her shirt collar, glancing up at Starscream as he jetted into the sky, out of shooting range. So be it. "Statement: Lord Megatron will not be pleased."

Red struggled and squeaked. "L-LEMMEH GO! L-LEMMEH GO YA OVER-SIZED FACELESS TIN-CAN!"

Soundwave shook her a little to shut her up before heading back to the brig where her cell was. "Inquiry: Why escape? Soundwave has not harmed Pet."

Soundwave brought her back and place her back in the cage and shut the door before COMing Megatron.

-Starscream: Escaped-

-He's GONE?!-

-Response: Affirmative-

-Did my pet help him?-

-Negative: Merely talked with him. Starscream: Jealous and keening all night for you-

-I will be there in a klick. Keep my pet contained!-

Red, again, was rattled. But, upon quickly recovering, she decided to be 'disobedient' by mimicking Soundwave. She listened to him, and mouthed what he was saying, making robotic-like motions to mock him. Soundwave made a disgruntled rumble in his chest, glaring at her from behind his visor. Nasty pet...

Megatron interrupted them, his red optics full of fury. "How did you get him out?" he demanded to Red. "You somehow lost me my Seeker!"

She stuck out her tongue, pushing herself to the limits, pressuring Soundwave into 'disciplining' her. "Like ah'd tell ya bustah!" She told him haughtily.

Soundwave hit her hard, sending her right into one of the cell walls, quick as a viper. "Demand: Answer Lord Megatron."

"I will make you talk, my little pet." Megatron growled, nodding to Soundwave. "Get the energon prod."

Red groaned, her knee exploding with pain, feeling something hot ooze out. She had to let Starscream get free... her eyes danced, seeing the prod. She tried to get up and flee, but the stabbing pain alerted her she couldn't move at all. "Oooh..." She moaned a teensy bit, still trying to move away.

Megatron growled, gnashing his sharp dentas. "Tell me why you let him go, my pet, and I will bring you to Knockout to repair you." He growled deeply, waiting for her answer. "Besides, what harm would it cause to tell me?"

"Ah... Ah didn't let 'im go! He just bolted and took meh!" She blurted out. "But ah made 'im leave! Ah scared him intah bolt'n fer it!" She lied, trying to protect the mech. Even if she hated him, no one deserved to be treated like she was. She would protect him, whether it killed her or not!

Megatron growled, softly at first and then louder. "How dare he lay a claw on you! The little coward will regret what he did. Once I find him I will be sure he does not leave this ship ever again. And you may watch, pet. His torture will surely be good training for you." The silver mech grinned a little. "In fact, you can be the one to help me. I would normally let Knockout have his fun, but you could learn so much. I will have scouts sent out after him at once!"

"...Uh... No?" Red tried, not wanting Starscream hurt. She tried again, not trying to sound so unsure.

"Ah... Ah won't! He left cuz ya hurt 'im ya dummy! He thinks ahm some kinda 'distraction' or whut-evah!" She glared at the silver mech. Didn't he know ANYTHING?! "So it's basicallay YER fault he left! Ah was jest an innocent by-standah!"

"My fault that he left? MY FAULT?!" Megatron roared, although the words somewhat got to him. Starscream had left because he was hit? He always hit the stupid Seeker and he hadn't run before. "You're trying to tell me he was jealous and left? Ha! How pitiful he truly is! And if he can't take a hit, he is not worth my time."

"Statement: Reverted to Seeker dialect when Lord Megatron did not retrieve him from cell." Soundwave said softly, picking Red back up and trying to get at her badly crushed knee to fix it.

"He... he did?" Megatron asked in badly concealed shock, realizing now how much he had hurt the Seeker. They didn't do that unless they were horribly upset somehow.

"YOWOWOW!" Red twisted herself sharply, glaring at the silver mech angrily, a little surprised by his shocked expression. "YES! 'An it kept meh up 't!" She huffed annoyed, crossing her arms. She then focused her glare on Soundwave. "Ah can heal by m'self ya know!" She informed him, her green eyes snapping furiously.

Soundwave looked as sheepish as a mech under a visor could, pulling his servo away. "Inquiry: Does pet require medical attention for repairs?"

"It heals faster with a bandage... So ah guess a 'lil." Honestly, despite her not liking how he had hurt her, she was deep-down glad he cared enough to help her out. Besides, though she'd never admit it, the sheepish look was actually quite cute.

Megatron growled, although he looked unsure of what to do now. Both Soundwave and his pet had said the same thing... maybe his second wasn't a traitor like he thought. No matter, he would retrieve him. "Where did he go running off to, my pet? Since you two were so friendly with one another I would think he would tell you." Megatron hissed, claws curling around the cage bars.

"Ah dunno where 'e flew off 't! We ain't BFFs or anyth'n!" Red told him.

Megatron made a deep rumbling in his chest, annoyed but not going to strike. "Soundwave, attend to my pet. I will be back shortly." He said, turning without another word and heading out to look for his wayward Seeker. Soundwave poked at Red a bit before bringing her to Knockout, deciding the medic was best to assess her damage.

Red winced, seeing the blood, energon and some exposed cables. "Look... Soundwave... FYI, ah was only try'n tah protect Stahscream! Know it may sound 'lil weird... but still!" She told him, clutching her knee as she was scooped up and brought out of the cell.

Soundwave thought a moment before nodding slowly. "Gesture: Understood. Seekers need better care than what they get." He admitted.

Red sighed a little. Protecting those who didn't deserve protection. 'Whatta life.'