God this took forever! Sorry for the slow update, had a crap ton of studying to do but school is now out for me so hopefully quicker updates.
I do not own Transformers Prime and all that jazz!
Chapter 11
Shockwave stood at his terminal typing away at the keyboard. He was looking through several files of decrypted data he just recently obtained.
"Okay let's see what we have here. I hate Megatron, I hate Megatron, I hate Megatron sigh... I fraggen hate Megatron. Well at least Starscream had his priorities straight," Shockwave said amused.
Shockwave's computer screen changed to the sinister grin of his supreme leader.
"Shockwave! How is your progress on the encoded files?" Megatron demanded.
"I am finished my lord, but I'm afraid there wasn't much to be found in these last files," Shockwave replied.
"That does not matter. Bring me the hard drive and we will begin the next faze of my plan," Megatron said.
"And what would this plan be exactly?" Shockwave questioned.
"All in good time," Megatron said before hanging up.
Megatron ended the transmission and began to bring up a new one. Eventually Knockout appeared on the screen but he didn't seem to notice his master's malicious face appear on his screen.
Knockout was examining a strange green glowing device that looked like the cross between a scalpel and a ray gun.
"I risked my paint for this! It looks like a piece of scrap!" Knockout said in bewilderment and frustration. "It probably doesn't even work! There goes another one of Megatron's schemes biting the dust, if I had it my way-"
"I'm sorry what was that Knockout? I couldn't here what you said, can you speak up?" Megatron said unamused with Knockout's banter.
"Lord Megatron! H-how long were you listening?" Knockout said cowering under his leader's gaze.
"Long enough. Now tell me Knockout, remind me of your current usefulness before I come down there and blast you to smithereens," Megatron said in a calm way that made Knockout even more nervous.
"W-well as you can see construction of the device you requested is complete and it is fully operational," Knockout stated.
"Perfect, everything is going according to plan. Keep up the good work, doctor," Megatron said before hanging up.
Knockout sat down and leaned back in his chair examining the device in his hands, he soon grew a smirk and chuckled.
"All according to plan."
Later...
Starscream stood at the main terminal stuck on monitor duty as everyone, including Ratchet, was on patrol. Starscream hated monitor duty, he feared one day he would just offline from boredom. The kids were currently playing the racing game that they usually play. Unlike Bumblebee Starscream doesn't find much entertainment in it, now if it was a piloting game.
To ease the boredom Starscream decided to look through the files on the terminal to see if he could find anything to spark his interest. He found various logs of the Autobots time here on Earth, Starscream realized aside from a very generic explanation he never really did get a clear explanation of what they exactly did on this planet. As he read through the star dates he noticed something odd, all the entries looked like they had something missing. Names, dates, locations were missing and sometimes he found entries that were empty. It was as if someone went in and deleted everything except for the file itself. Starscream's suspicions only grew as he tried to examine the bios of the Autobot crew, but he was denied access.
"What are you all hiding from me?" Starscream growled in frustration.
Starscream's anger began to rise. From the beginning he could tell no one completely trusted him but after all they've been through they still don't trust him. Starscream attempted to calm himself down knowing full well that everyone has their secrets.
"Hey Starscream, are you alright?" Jack asked concern obvious on his face.
"I'm fine, no need to concern yourself," Starscream said straightening his back, pride in check.
"Are you sure? Why don't you take a load off and play with us?" Miko said holding up the controller.
"No thanks, I'm okay really," Starscream stated facing the computer terminal typing away in frustration again.
"Come on Starscream, hey why don't you help me with my notes?" Raf asked enthusiastically.
"I said NO! Quit pestering me! Can't you see I'm busy?" Starscream yelled slamming his hands on the keyboard.
"Geez what crawled up his tailpipe?" Miko remarked.
Starscream stood hunched over the terminal trying to compose himself. He closed his eyes and regulated his intakes, he was soon able to drown out all the noise around him. He was, for once, in true serenity.
"Prime!"
Starscream let out a scream worthy of his namesake and collapsed to the floor, Fowler stared incredulously brow raised.
Starscream quickly stood up brushing himself off and cleared his throat.
"So special agent Fowler is it? I do believe we haven't been properly introduced. My name is-"
"Yeah yeah I know who you are, is Optimus around?" Fowler asked.
"Uhm no, he is out on patrol. Whatever you wish to inform him you can always tell me," Starscream said.
"Right, is there any Autobots I can talk to?" Fowler said trying to look past the seeker.
"I'm a member of the Autobot crew and you can talk to me!" Starscream said getting agitated.
"You? An Autobot? I don't think so," Fowler laughed.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Starscream demanded.
"It means that you're not an Autobot and you will never be an Autobot!" Fowler yelled back.
Starscream and Fowler began to glare at each other, neither one saying anything. Starscream's attention then focused on beeping that emanated from his monitor.
"I have another call," Starscream said menacingly.
"I'll call back later, hopefully when Optimus or another Autobot returns," Fowler said narrowing his eyes, Starscream mirroring.
After Fowler hung up Starscream checked to see if any of the crew was checking in for a ground bridge, who it was came to him as a shock.
"Hey Screamer, how's it hangen?"
"Knockout? How did you get this frequency!" Starscream demanded.
"What, no hello? I'm truly hurt and here I am trying to say hello to a friend," Knockout said feigning hurt.
"We are not friends! Now, how did you get this frequency!" Starscream repeated.
"Don't get your wing struts in a bind, I just borrowed it from your unconscious... self. Besides, being the generous mech that I am after this short call I'll delete it from the memory drives." Knockout informed.
"What's stopping you from informing your boss?" Starscream crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes.
"Oh please, they don't pay me enough to remember a simple code," Knockout said flamboyantly.
"Okay, saying that I actually believe you. Why are you calling me?" Starscream asked.
"Well I was thinking that you have been such a good sport lately that you deserve a reward."
"Oh yeah? What kind of reward?"
"The kind that helps you remember better."
"I'm listening."
"Meet me at these coordinates, come alone," Knockout said sending Starscream their meeting arrangements.
"Will do," Starscream said signing off.
Starscream placed the coordinates in the ground bridge and activated it, he stopped midway after something donned on him. Starscream turned around and caught the kids gaze.
"What?" Starscream asked.
"Where are you going?" Raf asked.
"Out. It won't take long, until I return Jack you're in-charge," Starscream waved off.
"Me?" Jack asked.
"Yes you! I need you guys to man the ground bridge. Don't wait up for me," Starscream said entering the portal.
The kids all exchanged a worried glance.
Later...
Starscream stood in a large clearing alone, he glanced around finding an odd familiarity in his surroundings. He was beginning to get a little worried thinking of the possibility that Knockout lied to him. Starscream soon grew a smile knowing that if this all plays out his questions would finally be answered and maybe he would get more respect from his team.
Meanwhile...
"Starscream activate the ground bridge," Optimus' booming voice came over the terminal.
All five Autobots stood in an open range waiting for the familiar green portal to appear. As it did the team entered but instead of meeting the seeker on the other end they met their human charge manning the ground bridge.
"Jack, where is Starscream?" Optimus asked.
"Uhh..."
Meanwhile...
"What took you so long?" Starscream demanded.
"I had to tie up loose ends," Knockout replied.
"So how are we going to do this?"
"Yeah about that, I'm afraid you're not going to like this next part."
"What are you talking about?"
"I couldn't get your missing drive-"
"What! Then why am I here?" Starscream yelled flailing his arms in anger.
"Cool your jets. I couldn't get you the drive so I got you the next best thing."
"And what would that be?"
Starscream heard loud thuds coming his way, out from the trees a large hulking figure walked toward the two mechs.
"The one who snagged the drive in the first place."
Meanwhile...
"Knockout? Knockout! That vain Decepticon got a hold of this frequency?" Ratchet yelled angrily.
"Yeah, him and Starscream were talking about a deal," Jack tried to explain to the best of his abilities.
"I knew it! They were in league with each other the whole time! It was just a plan to get on our good side then stab us in the back!" Bulkhead said.
"Starscream wouldn't have been willing to receive so much actual damage to his processor and frame to pull off such a job as this," Ratchet informed.
"Starscream may have become too desperate in his quest to regain his memories and has asked help from the enemy," Optimus wisely stated. "Do any of you know where Starscream was headed?"
"Knockout gave him special coordinates and Starscream exited using the ground bridge," Raf said.
"Ratchet do you think you could look through the ground bridge's logging to see where Starscream was headed?" Optimus asked.
"If Starscream didn't try to cover his tracks then yes," Ratchet answered.
Arcee was silent throughout the whole conversation silently hoping that Starsceam was okay and that the fateful confrontation they would most likely have wouldn't happen now. A feeling of dread came over her knowing that if Starscream truly got his memory back whatever they had would be gone.
Meanwhile...
"Knockout what is this! We had a deal! Come alone!" Starscream yelled.
"Ahh but that's the thing I never agreed to that, you did," Knockout said smugly.
"You did a good job Knockout, my plan is going way ahead of schedule. Maybe you are useful for something after all," Megatron said.
"Thank you my lord, I aim to please," Knockout said bowing to his master.
"I won't give you the pleasure! I'll end both of you here and now if I have to! Just give me my memories and we can all go home," Starscream threatened.
"Oh you mean this?" Megatron said holding a very small rectangular object. "It's quite amazing how something so small could carry millions of stellar cycles of knowledge."
Starscream gasped and readied his missiles.
"Hand it over!"
"Don't worry Starscream, it is in my best intentions to return this to you," Megatron mused.
"Yeah right, you'll probably blast me to pieces once my back is turned," Starscream said.
"Oh no that's your job," Megatron chuckled.
"What are you talking about?" Starscream demanded.
"You'll find out soon enough," Megatron said tossing the drive towards the seeker.
After Starscream caught it Megatron threw another object. Starscream observed it and it looked like a glowing green grappling gun.
"What is this?" Starscream asked.
"The exact same device I used to swipe your memories."
"But I never fought you before."
"The Autobots never told you? I guess they're not as trustworthy as you once thought?" Megatron said mockingly.
"What, the Decepticons are better?"
"You got your memories back didn't you?"
"Megatron!"
The mechs in the field turned to see a speeding truck and other smaller vehicles approaching, all five members of the Autobots transformed and got into battle position.
"Your just in time Optimus. Just in time for the end."