Chapter 15
"Starscream?"
The mech at mention stared at four bots with stunned expressions on there faces, Starscream had a similar surprised look on his face which he immediately hid. Hidden behind a smirk and a false air of confidence he began to approach the shocked Autobots.
"Well if it isn't the Autobots. What do I owe to this pleasant surprise," Starscream's smirk only grew at their silence. "Why so quiet? Capacitor got your tongue?"
"You backstabbing piece of slag!" Bulkhead roared charging at the seeker ignoring Optimus' warnings.
Starscream was met with the lumbering green giant's mace right in his jaw, Starscream crashed into a wall and was berried under rubble. The Vehicons at attention drew their blasters and aimed at the Autobots who mirrored them, Bulkhead growled and prepared for an all out brawl. A cough brought the focus in the cavern to a figure pulling himself out from a pile of rocks. Everyone including the Vehicons were surprised to see Starscream standing brushing rubble off his shoulder as if that hit was nothing.
"A little quick to the trigger ace," Starscream said rubbing his jaw.
Bulkhead ran at the seeker ready to end him permanently, Starscream dodged and grabbed his extended arm pulling him forward off balance. As Bulkhead attempted to regain his footing Starscream slashed at him leaving long deep cut on his back, Bulkhead's strong hide protected him from a more fatal blow.
"The direct approach? You know that won't work against me, after all I did have a great teacher," Starscream mocked. "Alright, if you know what's good for you Prime then you and your troops leave us to our business."
"You know we can't do that Starscream, not as long you and the other Decepticons proceed to partake in your evil plans for this planet," Optimus explained.
"Evil? Is trying to save our home planet evil?" Starscream asked.
"You and I both know that this planet will suffer for Megatron's endeavors. Even if he does succeed Cybertron will bend to his whim and Earth will become a wasteland, just like Cybertron is today!"
"You think I care? I'll be glad to see this planet and it's inhabitants gone. As for Cybertron, I'll be second-in-command to Megatron's new world order!"
"You know that's not true, your time with us proved that right. You care about this planet," Optimus pleaded.
"I'm a Decepticon now, what I care doesn't matter," Starscream said darkly.
Arcee couldn't believe what was happening, barely a day went by since Starscream defected back to the Decepticons and he's already back to his old treacherous backstabbing self. She looked on with disgust seeing a new Decepticon shield adorning his chest.
"How could you?" Arcee shuttered.
"How could I what?" Starscream said full of malice.
"How could you go back to them! After all we've been through," Arcee said still shaking.
"Easy, because I'm a Decepticon. I was always a Decepticon and nothing could change that," Starscream said with no emotion.
"But we-"
"It was inevitable Arcee. You knew it would happen eventually, you all knew! Yet you were all so surprised when it did," Starscream said.
"We thought you could change," Arcee said angrily.
"Well I guess you were wrong."
Arcee released an enraged battle cry, she extended her blades and attacked Starscream who blocked the strike with his own claws.
Starscream looked at the dumbfounded Vehicons angrily, "Well don't just stand there, attack!"
The Vehicons shot at the Autobots who quickly returned fire.
Arcee broke away from there little standoff and did a roundhouse kick which was quickly blocked by Starscream. Arcee released a volley of midair kicks most of which were blocked by the seeker, Starscream soon had enough of playing defense. Starscream began throwing punches and swipes of his claws, all were blocked as well.
"Give up now Arcee, I know all your moves! You can't possibly win," Starscream said through swipes.
"Who do you think thought you your moves? I know all of yours as well," Arcee said blocking and dishing out her own punishment.
"That may have been true before but now that I got my memories back I can fight like an Autobot and a Decepticon!"
Starscream grabbed onto Arcee, his claws latched onto her shoulder digging into them drawing energon. Starscream kneed her in the gut, Arcee felt the wind being knocked out of her. She clutched her stomach to ease the pain, Starscream backhanded her and she fell to the ground.
"Were known to fight dirty," Starscream raised his hand into the air ready to end Arcee's life. "Goodbye my dear!"
Starscream thrust his hand forward, Arcee brought her arms in front of her to block and closed her eyes out of instinct. Seconds past and nothing happened, Arcee opened an optic to see what was going on. Starscream's claws was mere inches away from her face, Arcee looked up confused. Starscream's optics widened, he was ready to end her life but the moment his hand got too close they suddenly stopped. All it took was a simple thrust of his hand and she would be offline, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't kill her. He retracted his hand and took a step back, he stared at his hand looking like he was trying to will it to obey him. Starscream closed it into a fist and moved his gaze towards Arcee, his red optics met her blue ones. His gazed pierced hers, it was almost as if he was piercing through her very soul. For a second Starscream's optics softened, he had a sad look in eyes.
'I can't do it.'
Starscream started to walk away until he was blasted in the chest and knocked back towards the entrance of the cavern. Starscream stood back up clutching his wound and watched as Bumblebee crouched next to Arcee inspecting her wounds.
Starscream got the attention of his troops, "Fallback into the caverns!"
The cons complied and Starscream lead them all into the cavern, when the last one entered he blasted the ceiling with his missiles covering the entire entrance.
Arcee ignored Bumblebee's prodding and stared at the collapsed entrance to the cavern, her thoughts were on a particular seeker. There was a spark of hope, just maybe she could get through to him. She got up shocking Bumblebee, she ran to the rubble and began digging through. Her lead was immediately followed by the rest of the Autobots.
Meanwhile...
Starscream and the Vehicons ran down the cavern and met the rest of the miners still hard at work drilling deeper into the ground.
"Pack up anymore energon you've found, were getting out of here!" Starscream commanded.
"I'm afraid we can't do that sir," a Vehicon said.
"You dare defy me? Pray tell as to why we can't retreat?!" Starscream yelled.
"Lord Megatron said we cannot leave until we strip this mine clean and fill our quota," the Vehicon said.
"That fool will get us killed!" Starscream said angrily. He pointed at the Vehicon soldiers who were previously guarding the cavern entrance with him, "Guard the tunnels! We don't want to have any unwelcome guests."
Meanwhile...
Ratchet and the kids managed to listen in on what was going on, they were in denial as well to these turn of events. Ratchet hoped Starscream would make the right decision but so far things are looking grim. Jack was thinking of his conversation with Arcee and how she is dealing with all this, he had to do something. But what?
"We have to do something." Jack was interrupted from his thoughts.
"Miko it's too dangerous," Raf said trying to reason with Miko.
"We have to get through Starscream's thick skull," Miko said.
"But what if he doesn't want to talk? He could turn on us and what about the Vehicons?" Raf asked.
"Starscream wouldn't hurt us. Were his friends whether he likes it or not," Miko explained.
"But the the Autobots won't let us get close," Raf interjected.
"Come on Raf, you sound like you don't want to bring him back," Miko accused.
"I do it's just-"
"Alright let's do it." Jack said making up his mind.
"What?" Raf and Miko said.
"Jack are you okay? You're usually the last one to agree with Miko crazy ideas," Raf said.
"Yeah... hey!" Miko pouted.
"Starscream is our friend, we have to help him. Optimus believes that everyone deserves a second chance," Jack said with an air of confidence.
"Did he say anything about a third or fourth chance? What about a one millionth chance?" Miko joked.
Jack ignored her and asked Raf to activate the ground bridge who hesitantly complied, the trio entered the vortex much to Ratchet's chagrin.
"Augh! Optimus is going to kill me!" Ratchet face palmed.
Ratchet was about to activate the comm but hesitated. He looked to be deep in thought, he finally decided against it.
'Whatever they plan to do better work or they'll never let me hear the end of it.'
Meanwhile...
The kids stood back waiting for their guardians to break through the rubble, they eventually made broke through and the kids waited until the coast was clear. They entered the cavern and ran down a random tunnel, at this point they didn't really have a plan for when they found Starscream. It was simply go in, avoid the cons, find Starscream, and get out simple as that.
"The Autobots have already been seen in the caverns? Search for them in their last known location!" Starscream commanded a few of his troops.
The Vehicons ran down one end of the tunnel leaving Starscream alone with his thoughts, or so he thought.
"Starscream!"
"What now-"
He turned around but found no one there, he moved his head around trying to focus on whoever said his name. They sounded familiar.
"Down here."
Starscream's eyes shifted slowly downwards to see three humans looking up at him happily, their happy expressions began to falter seeing Starscream glare down at them.
"What are you organics doing here?!" Starscream growled.
The three cringed at hearing that, usually Starscream call them by name or if they were together and usually they always are he would say 'hey kids'. But he had so much malice and disdain for seeing them.
"Were here to bring you back," Raf said.
"Bring me back? How many times do I have to say this! I'm a Decepticon again and-" Starscream aimed his missiles at them, "we terminate vermin."
The three gasped and stepped back, Jack narrowed his eyes and stepped forward gaining some courage, "Oh yeah? Then do it."
Miko seeing Jack stepped forward as well, "Yeah! If you're man enough!"
Raf stepped forward as well but had no clever quip.
Starscream growled and grabbed all three of them in one hand squeezing the air out of them.
"Impudent little brats! I could crush all of you in an instant! The Starscream you all knew is gone! I will destroy the Autobots and reign supreme!" Starscream said squeezing harder.
"What about Arcee?" Jack gasped.
Starscream flinched loosening his grip, the kids sucked in air after losing so much from Starscream's grip.
"What about her?" Starscream questioned.
"You would never hurt her! You care about her way too much to do that!" Jack said.
"Hold you tongue boy or I'll-"
"And not just her, you care about all the Autobots and us! Were your friends!"
"Friends? You poor naive boy, your poor notions of friendship means nothing to me." Starscream mocked.
"You know that's not true." Jack said.
'Great he's starting to sound like Optimus.' Starscream thought.
"Commander Starscream!"
Starscream jumped, he turned around and kept the struggling kids behind his back. A Vehicon approached frantically with battle wounds.
"Commander we have collected all the energon but the Autobots are preventing us from escaping!" Vehicon said drastically.
"Go on ahead, I'll be there in sec," Starscream answered.
The Vehicon transformed and drove away down the tunnel.
"What are you going to do?" Jack piped up still behind him.
Starscream brought them forward and glared at them, he threw them into the air nonchalantly and transformed letting them fall into the cockpit. He activated his thruster and flew down the tunnel at top speed heading for the sound of a battle. The kids were pretty cramped forced to share one seat and seat belt, if it weren't for the dire situation Miko would be having the time of her life. He entered the scene of the battle, his soldiers were holding their own against the Autobots. A fresh stack of energon cubes piled behind them. Starscream transformed and landed in the middle of the skirmish causing everyone to cease fire.
"Starscream stand back or we will be forced to shoot," Optimus said.
"Oh I wouldn't do that if I were you," Starscream said revealing his cargo.
The Autobots stared in horror in seeing the kids dangling from his hand. Bulkhead was boiling with rage at this point, Bumblebee believed Starscream could redeem himself up until this moment now being forced to be held back by Bulkhead from doing something rash. Optimus was hoping that it wouldn't come to this but his hope for Starscream diminished. Yet Arcee still had hope, the kids looked undamaged. Starscream decision as to what to do with them will decide it all.
"Starscream release them! They have nothing to do with this!" Optimus pleaded.
"Oh I'll release them, all you'll have to do drop your weapons and let us walk away," Starscream smirked.
"Coward," Bulkhead grumbled.
The Autobots looked at each other then their leader for what to do next but eventually complied and deactivated their weapons.
"Good," Starscream sneered, "Activate the ground bridge!"
The green portal immediately appeared and the Vehicons miners and soldiers entered carting in the energon cubes. Eventually the only con left was Starscream with the kids still in hand.
"Release the children Starscream. We held up our end of the bargain now you hold up yours," Optimus demanded.
The Autobots were ready to fight for the kids, fully prepared for the possibility of Starscream not keeping his word. What happened next came as a shock, Starscream knelt down and he let the kids walk out of the palm of his hand back to their friends. Starscream stepped back into the vortex, he and the ground bridge dissappeared. The kids ran to their respected charge, Bulkhead gave Miko a bone crushing hug whereas Bumblebee gave a more gentler one. There was an awkward silence between Jack and Arcee but eventually they hugged as well.
"What were you thinking? You could have been killed!" Arcee demanded.
"We tried to get through to Starscream but it didn't go too well," Jack said crestfallen. "I guess he's too far gone."
Arcee looked at Jack sadly, today was extremely emotionally draining for her.
'No there's still a chance, I'll make sure of it!'