Dot held her communicator device close to her ear as she waited for Megatron's response while she kept watch over the barn through one of the windows.
She had sent out a distress call to her close friend.
"Come on, Megs," she urged for the second time, her tone laced with a please. "Please, pick up."
"Dorothy, what's wrong?" The sound of Megatron's voice on the other end brought a sigh of relief from her.
"We have a problem," she replied after doing her best to maintain her cool. "I need you or Optimus to get here immediately. Starscream has shown up, and he's with the kids at the moment."
"Wait, did you just say Starscream?" Megatron let out with utter confusion.
"Yeah," Dot confirmed, staring at the barn that seemed eerily still. "I don't know how he managed it, but the kids invited him. I've tried to get him to leave, but he refused."
There was silence on the other line, leaving her puzzled. She had expected an immediate assurance that he would be on his way now to handle the problem. Unless Starscream's involvement against Mandroid had also led Megatron, like her children, to believe the seeker deserved a second chance.
"Has he harmed any of the Terrans?" Megatron asked.
"I don't think so," she said, unsure since she couldn't see what was happening inside the barn. "But I don't like this one bit, Megs," Dot said. "The kids might believe he's changed after his recent help, but you and I both know that genuine change takes more than just one good deed. You've said it yourself - he represents everything terrible of what Decepticons became. And it's highly likely as well that he aided us only because Mandroid posed a threat not just to us, but to him as well."
Another pause followed, but only briefly, before Megatron finally responded. "I'll make my way there as soon as possible," he said to her. "Keep me updated if anything else happens."
Dot couldn't help it but notice the hint of hesitation in Megatron's voice before he terminated the call. She felt uneasy and began to worry that Starscream might have deceived Megatron somehow, especially while he was trying to help the other Decepticons who have been proving themselves a willingness to change.
Truth be told, Starscream was starting to regret not leaving when he had the chance without appearing like a jerk to Hashtag. He definitely blamed the human for having the audacity to try to send him away so rudely. If she didn't annoy him, he wouldn't have stuck around enough to be inside such a tiny space of a building with the Terrans.
The sensation of the walls closing in on him began to creep into his systems, though the surprising comfort of Hashtag holding his hand helped him in maintaining his composure, which was rather strange to him. In the meantime, Nightshade tapped the floor before an entrance revealed itself to an unseen tunnel, making Starscream blink.
"Come on, Starscream" Hashtag grinned at him, tugging him forward as they all descended a lengthy staircase within a tunnel constructed of metallic components. Nightshade activated the lights, revealing an expansive chamber with unique looking areas. What caught Starscream's optics was the spot at the far end of the room.
"Nightshade made this place for us," Jawbreaker informed Starscream.
"I couldn't do it without my big brother's help though," Nightshade was quick to credit Thrash who was lingering in the background with a frown that his siblings had brought Starscream into their shared space.
"I made certain each corner was designed specifically for each of us," Nightshade said. "I even included a lab."
"A lab, you say?" Starscream asked curiously.
"Yeah, I enjoy tinkering away with some new inventions," Nightshade revealed before showing Starscream into the lab and showing him the device they and Tarantulas had worked on together for a while.
Starscream was surprised by the fact Tarantulas had permitted Nightshade's involvement in any of his projects. Tarantulas was notorious in his reclusive tendencies, disliking interacting with anyone.
Studying the device with intrigue, Starscream took hold of the projector, closely inspecting its features.
Noticing Starscream's interest, Nightshade began to elucidate the intricate nuances of how they and Tarantulas had successfully brought the device to work as Tarantulas intended. Their detailed explanation left their siblings perplexed, but Starscream himself seemed fixated on their words, understanding every detail.
"I see," Starscream remarked before handing the device back to Nightshade. "You know, I used to be a scientist myself before the war," he revealed.
"You were?" Nightshade asked with surprise and interest in their voice.
"Yeah. In fact, I was the first and only seeker ever admitted to the Cybertronian Academy of Science," Starscream said, his tone brimming with pride, which immediately drew the other Terrans, except for Thrash, closer with curiosity and admiration.
"What's the Cybertronian Academy of Science?" Twitch asked.
"It was a prestigious institute on Cybertron dedicated to advanced studies and research across various domains of science and technology," Starscream explained. "Only the best and brightest were granted entry. My friend Jetfire and I were the only non-grounders who were given the opportunity to conduct our own research and collaborate in projects there," he continued, although his attempt to keep his emotions in check faltered for a second as the memory of Jetfire's lifeless form on the battlefield crawled back into his mind. His friend's once vibrant optics, now dim and vacant, were as haunting as the blast hole in his chest.
"That sounds incredible," Nightshade exclaimed, their hands clasped in enthusiasm. "I would have loved to attend it myself."
Starscream regarded him for a moment. "Unfortunately, Nightshade, you wouldn't have been admitted," he responded calmly.
Nightshade blinked in confusion. "Oh? And why's that?" he questioned.
"Are you saying Nightshade isn't good enough?" Thrash asked Starscream with annoyance, ready to defend his younger sibling if he had to.
Starscream frowned at him. "No, I'm not saying he isn't good enough," he retorted before redirecting his attention back to Nightshade. "Even I can tell you're gifted. But you're not a true Cybertronian. The academy's board would have hardly spared you a second thought and deemed you as a lower-class hybrid."
"That's… sounds like discrimination," Twitch stated, her expression clouded with disapproval.
"Unfortunately, Cybertron was full of that," Starscream grunted out. "That's why Jetfire and I were the only flyers within the Academy for some time. They didn't think any flyer was capable of working in the science field. Many in the Academy couldn't stand having us there, thus why they eventually found a way to get rid of us…" He spoke with a trace of resentment.
"They kicked you out?" Hashtag asked in shock.
"Yeah…" Starscream admitted with an annoyed sigh. "Although, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to me when it happened, especially to me. After all, I was merely a cold construct Seeker manufactured to serve as a loyal warrior for military purposes."
"Cold construct Seeker?" Nightshade tilted their head to the side in confusion. "Forgive my ignorance, but I'm unfamiliar with that term."
Starscream raised an optic ridge, noticing how Nightshade and their siblings looked kind of lost. "You don't know what a cold construct Cybertronian is?" he asked.
The Terrans all shook their heads in unison. Even Thrash's irritation had turned into curiosity as he stared at Starscream, waiting for him to continue.
"I figured at least Megatron would have told you guys a bit about it, given that many Decepticons were cold constructed," Starscream said with a frown. Now he was wondering if the Terrans had any sort of clue of how terrible Cybertron was before the war. "But I suppose I can explain it myself."
"Oh, yes, Cybertronian history," Nightshade chimed in with a touch of excitement.
"Story time, guys!" Twitch declared, prompting everyone to gather around Starscream, their eyes fixed on him in anticipation. Thrash remained in the background, but his attention was clearly on Starscream.
"Well…" Starscream hesitated. Normally, he relished being the center of attention, but now he felt a twinge of insecurity about sharing his origin.
Would the Terrans view him differently?
Would Hashtag consider him a freak just like many Cybertronians would look at cold constructed Transformers?
"So… you're all aware that sparks are the core essence of a Transformer?" he asked. All nodded in affirmation. "Well, the natural way that a Cybertronian is 'born' is when new sparks emerge from the planet when an energy pulse is flashed from Vector Sigma. Then, the spark develops their own body, which we call a protoform. And of course, through time, they develop their own personality, their own form, and individuality."
"Yeah, yeah, we know all about that," Thrash said, waving his head dismissively.
"Thrash, don't be so rude…" Twitch lectured him before she turned to Starscream. "So how are cold constructed Transformers different?"
Starscream didn't respond for a moment. "Well… there was a time when a huge demand for Transformers was needed. So instead of waiting for new sparks to emerge, a scientist was able to synthesize new sparks by tapping into the legendary energy of creation through the Matrix of Leadership before they were placed into artificially build bodies made for them."
The Terran's expressions morphed into horrified ones, making Starscream hesitant to continue. Though he went on with his explanation. "There were times when too many sparks were created so they were 'frozen' in photonic crystals until they were 'thawed' once enough bodies were built for them. That's why we are called cold constructed."
"That's… horrible," Jawbreaker exclaimed in shock.
"Originally, it was easy to differentiate between naturally born Cybertronians and cold constructs by the color of their optics," Starscream explained. "Red optics indicated cold constructs, while blue represented those who were naturally 'born'."
"But your optics are blue," Twitch pointed out.
"That's because my friend, Jetfire, found a way to change it to blue for me," Starscream mumbled. "Eventually, the majority of the Decepticons, that were not cold constructed, decided to change their optics to red as well out of respect for their comrades who were cold constructed."
"But you kept yours blue?" Hashtag questioned.
"I was one of the few who didn't change them," Starscream said. "I refused to go back having red." He omitted the part about how his decision had caused him maybe problems in the beginning when the war started, including Megatron. Everyone believed he didn't want to go red eyes due to being too prideful and was trying to be something he wasn't. But Starscream couldn't bear to lose the only reminder he had of Jetfire…
"So, why did Cybertron need more sparks?" Nightshade asked.
"A Prime, by the name of Nova Prime, wanted to create a grand galactic empire," Starscream replied. "He sought dominion over the cosmos, so he needed an army loyal to him in order to establish dominance over other races."
"Gees, this just keeps getting worse," Twitch muttered to Hashtag.
"I don't see why being born differently would prevent you from attending the Academy," Nightshade commented.
"That's because cold constructs were considered inferior, even beneath the labor class," Starscream said.
"But, that's not fair," Thrash said with annoyance, surprising Starscream. Thrash approached the group. "You and the others didn't choose to be cold constructed."
"Yeah, what they did to you, Starscream, is terrible," Hashtag said, getting back to her feet. "They should have never done that to you. I can't even imagine if my own spark was forced into a body that wasn't meant to be mine."
"It's indeed unfortunate," Nightshade added, lips pressed into a tight line. They were all about accepting one self and letting others be true to themselves. The fact that someone or others decided to force sparks into a body that wasn't meant to be theirs was messed up. They began to wonder if such horrid actions were one of the key roles for the war that had ignited the prolonged war between Autobots and Decepticons.
Nightshade gazed up at Starscream, focusing on his blue optics – the feature that Starscream had chosen for himself, defying the pressure to conform. They smiled warmly. "I think your blue optics suit you quite well, Starscream," they said, causing Starscream to blink in mild surprise.
"Hum… thanks?" Starscream responded, a touch unsure.
"Yeah, you look pretty cool, honestly," Hashtag grinned.
"Not just looks cool, but he is cool," Twitch chimed in. "Not only are you the fastest Cybertronian flyer, but you're also super smart since you attended that Academy for geniuses."
"You're one of the coolest Cybertronians we've met for sure!" Jawbreaker added in.
The Terran truly believed his words. After all, Starscream even managed to get a bunch of Decepticons to help them out against Mandroid.
If Starscream was a human, he would indeed have a blush form across his cheeks as at this moment he grew slightly embarrassed by the cascade of praise.
"Alright, alright, that's enough compliments for today." Starscream let out a groan as he was feeling overwhelmed with strange emotions building through his system.
"But we're just being honest," Twitch teased with a shrug. "Or are you getting shy on us?"
"I am not shy," Starscream grumbled, looking away, prompting most of the Terrans to chuckle at his response.
Hashtag smiled.
She had heard how big of a showoff Starscream tend to be, lacking any sort of humility. But instead of just pushing them to keep showering him with compliments, he wanted them to stop.
"And I swear, if I hear one more compliment from anyone today, I'm out of here," Starscream warned them.
"Aww, that's not fair," Twitch whined.
"Yeah, especially since you're known to enjoy boasting about yourself," Thrash pointed with a grunt.
"I don't boast," Starscream retorted, feeling offended. "I'm merely stating facts about myself."
It was strange now that he thought about it. He did enjoy boasting about himself; it always felt empowering. Yet now that others were lavishing him with praise, he found himself uncertain how to react. He appreciated it, but at the same time, a part of him felt uncomfortable – like he didn't deserve it.
After all, he was just a pathetic coward…
"If we can't compliment you, can we at least hug you?" Jawbreaker asked curiously.
"No," Starscream frowned, crossing his arms on his chest. "The hug invitation has officially been terminated as of now."
"Aww, but Twitch got to hug you," Jawbreaker whined.
"Actually, I got to hug him two times now," Twitch smirked at her brother while she held up two digits in his direction.
"Totally not fair!"
Starscream rolled his optics at Jawbreaker's complaining. He didn't understand why these Terrans were so touchy. Being surrounded by humans a lot makes someone touchy, he supposed.
"Anyway, aren't you guys going to show me the rest of your home or your hiding spots, or whatever it was you wanted to do?" he grumbled, attempting to steer the conversation away from himself.
"We can show you Fluffy Ears!" Jawbreaker piped up with enthusiasm as he got up.
"Who…?" Starscream wasn't sure if he liked the sound of that.
"Great idea, JB," Hashtag agreed, amused. She turned to Starscream. "You're going to love her. Everyone loves Fluffy Ears. Even Shockwave seemed to like her. We found him holding her when we came back after the fight with Mandroid."
Starscream stared at her in complete puzzlement. But now he grew curious to see who this Fluffy Ears was – a creature that even one of the most dangerous Decepticons didn't blast or use as an experiment.
He imagined the creature to be a powerful unique specimen.
As the group began to head to the stairs, Starscream stopped for a moment, frowning as he felt something rather strange in his spark chamber. He wasn't sure how to describe the feeling, but it felt off. Like, a flurry of tiny sparks, but it didn't hurt though…
"You, okay?" Hashtag asked in confusion when she noticed him stop in his tracks.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Starscream responded simply when the feeling vanished. He then followed through the tunnel before emerging from the barn. The familiar sound of a roaring engine greeted the group. A yellow sports vehicle sped down the road before transforming.
"Starscream?!" Bumblebee exclaimed; his surprise evident upon spotting the current Decepticon leader in the Malto residence. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded with annoyance. He swiftly transformed his hand into a blaster and aimed at Starscream, who returned the gesture by pointing his null-ray cannon.
The Terrans froze at the sight of Starscream and Bumblebee, glaring at one another with deep seeded hatred, ready to tear each other apart. Meanwhile, Hashtag groaned at the fact things were going so well and now was at the brink to falling apart before their optics.
Why couldn't things go according to plan for once?