(COMMISSION) The Slave

by The Robotic Dragon

On Velocitron Seekers are enslaved by grounders, forced to serve them in every way. Starscream is repeatedly sold and abused by various masters until he is one day bought by Knock Out. With his newest master, he begins to learn more about the world and that there's something not right about slavery, causing him to question if he must actually serve the grounders.

11. The Breeding Stables

The next orbital cycle Shamelessly Rich and the other racers were loaded onto the trailer and drove the many joors back to the ranch. Starscream and Shamelessly Rich passed out in their stall, exhausted from the long trip and race.

The following orbital cycle Opulentus came to the race stables and entered the stall.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as he buckled the halter onto the racer.

Shamelessly Rich didn't say anything, just hugged Starscream close.

"You have me worried with how much energon was coming out of your mouth." Opulentus pulled his head down and patted the racer almost lovingly. "We will have you scanned and see what's wrong. Then, I will take you to your reward for winning."

Shamelessly Rich didn't react, just kept his arms wrapped around Starscream. Opulentus pulled the lead and the racer followed, practically dragging Starscream with him. The grunt managed to finally get out of his hold and walked beside him, holding the racer's servo. Opulentus took them to the vet building where Conduit was showing Knock Out organs from racers.

"What are you doing here?" Opulentus grunted at his son.

"I'm learning, that's what." Knock Out rolled his optics.

"I think you should encourage your son's eagerness to become a doctor. He is already very knowledgeable." Conduit replied.

Knock Out proudly smirked as he poked a tool into a fuel pump.

"He would make more breeding race Seekers." Opulentus grumbled, handing the lead to Conduit.

"Shanix is not everything." Knock Out grunted. "Some of us want to actually be happy with our lives."

"Knock Out, run a scan on Shameless." Conduit instructed.

"Okie dokie!" Knock Out skipped over, grabbed the lead, and clicked his glossa as he led Shamelessly Rich into the back room.

Starscream followed, perking his wings as he watched Knock Out walk Shamelessly Rich into a cylinder tube-like device. He speedster stepped out and went to the control panel for the machine, messing with it some before activating it. Shamelessly Rich was soon having red rays shine all over his body as they circled around him. They scanned over his body twice before Knock Out removed the racer from the machine and tethered him to a metal ring in the corner of the room. He then snuck the racer some energon goodies before going to read the results.

Starscream stood beside Shamelessly Rich and held his servo, the racer purred his engine, happy to have his mechfriend there with him.

"Well, what do we have?" Conduit asked as he walked into the room with Opulentus.

"I'mmaa reading it!" Knock Out replied as he was looking over the results. "There's… A crack in the fuel pump."

Conduit looked at the results. "Yeah, that would certainly explain the energon. We will need to run an ultrasound." He looked at Knock Out. "What causes cracks in fuel pumps?"

"Not enough fuel consistently, constant overheating, and crashes." Knock Out answered.

"Exactly. And cracked fuel pumps are very common in race Seekers because of how hot they get during races and workouts. This is one reason why they aren't raced constantly and need breaks between races. Now, if the fuel pump is significantly cracked, how do we repair?"

"Fuel pumps are really finicky so it's safest to just replace the entire thing."

"Exactly! So, we need to confirm that the fuel pump is indeed cracked and is the issue, then we will need to conduct surgery on Shamelessly Rich."

"He needs to be able to compete in the final race." Opulentus grunted.

"He will, fear not. Fuel pump surgery doesn't take as long to recover from as engine surgery. But he will need to miss some training."

Knock Out walked back over to Shamelessly Rich, untethered him, and led him to another corner. Starscream watched as Knock Out placed an ultrasound over the racer's chest and watched a monitor. He and Conduit looked at it, then moved some outer plating to scan even more.

"Yup, entire fuel pump is cracked open. He's probably been in pain for an orn if it's been taking a while to get this bad." Conduit commented. "I will replace it tomorrow morning."

"Can I help?" Knock Out asked eagerly.

"Don't you have school?" Opulentus grunted.

"I have the whole orn off! Maybe if you weren't an absent sire you'd know my school schedule." Knock Out rolled his optics.

"Yes, you can help." Conduit replied, trying to avoid the two getting into another fight.

"Yes!"

"But before we can have surgery, we need to make sure he's in good enough health. I need you to scan his spark, take an energon sample, and run a physical."

"Okie dokie!"

Knock Out trotted to the other room with Shamelessly Rich in tow to do just that. Opulentus sighed.

"Don't make him damage my prized race Seeker." He grunted.

"Your racer will be fine. You should try encouraging your son to follow his dreams and not put these Seekers before him all the time." Conduit grumbled.

"Without these Seekers we would have nothing. They must come first or else we'd be poor and homeless."

Starscream followed Knock Out and watched as the young speedster gently took an energon sample from Shamelessly Rich as the racer ate energon goodies. He then scanned the Seeker's spark and gave him his physical, all while giving the racer treats and talking to him like one would to a dog. Shamelessly Rich seemed to enjoy it, seeing this as amazing compared to how he was usually screamed at and whipped.

Once he was cleared to go Opulentus led the racer out and to a trailer.

"Time for your reward, Shameless." Opulentus smiled. "Get in the trailer."

Starscream helped load him in and Opulentus drove them to the breeding stables. Shamelessly Rich excitedly walked out, beginning to go to the breeding barn when Opulentus called him over.

"Not that door! We're going in here." He opened the main door.

Shamelessly Rich perked his wings as Starscream led him over. They walked into the breeding stables and Shamelessly Rich's optics widened. Starscream watched as the racer instantly changed, his entirely demeaner going from a confident racer to scared, anxious, and excited. He suddenly let out a loud call, one Starscream heard so often from the young racers recently taken from their carriers.

Shamelessly Rich snorted, perked his wings, and called again. Then, a call sounded from down the corridor. Shamelessly Rich whined loudly before practically dragging Starscream along. He made his way down the corridor and stopped in front of a stall where a grunt Seeker stood. The grunt opened the stall and allowed Shamelessly Rich to enter. The racer was instantly hugging a race Seeker femme, both of their wings fluttering as they held each other close.

Starscream stood in the doorway of the stall, his wings lowered as he watched Shamelessly Rich begin to cry, the femme also crying as she held onto him tightly.

The grunt Seeker closed the gate. "We should let them be." He said.

"Who's that?" Starscream asked, positive he already knew.

"That's Discreet Affair, his carrier. They haven't seen each other in stellar cycles."

"Hypersonic," Opulentus addressed the grunt Seeker. "Let them be for a couple of joors. I'll come back later to take Shameless back to his stall."

"Yes, sir. Is it alright if I give Starscream a tour while we wait?"

"That's fine."

"Thank you, sir!" Hypersonic smiled. "Wanna see Seekerlets?"

Starscream nodded. "Yeah, sure."

Hypersonic gestured for him to follow as he walked away. Starscream glanced back at Shamelessly Rich, then followed the other grunt Seeker. Most of the stalls they passed were empty, only a few had brood Seekers in them who were all either about to go into labor, or had just given birth and were resting still. Hypersonic took him into the massive energy fenced field, where hundreds of Seekers were. There was a pond, metal trees, real trees, play areas for sparklings, toys, and so much here. The metal "trees" were massive, rising much higher than the real trees providing perching areas for the adult Seekers. While the energy fence was very high, it still didn't provide enough room for a proper flight. Seekers could still fly some, but not nearly enough for a decent flight.

"So, there are almost four hundred brood Seekers here, and with their sparklings it's close to six hundred. Many are being trained by Opulentus so are at the race stables. Some will remain here to race for Opulentus, the ones you care for. But many will be sold once they are trained. The ranch makes most of its income on selling race Seekers and stud fees. This place used to only breed for a while before getting back into racing as well. So, the operation here is very important. The fence actually has been expanded to give them more room, and Opulentus is thinking about making a second stable." Hypersonic explained.

Starscream looked around, seeing so many Seekerlets, but none were over 10 stellar cycles old. There were so many little ones still crawling and needing to be carried by their carriers. Most of the brood Seekers were femmes.

"Why mostly femmes?" Starscream asked.

"The mechs, being bigger, usually are faster at racing so they mostly race while the femmes mostly just have sparklings. But, many of the brood Seekers here were once raced. Discreet Affair was raced. She won a lot of races before Opulentus bought her. Now she has given him a few champions and graded II racers. Some here were bought from other breeders to keep the genetics from being too inbred, but most were born here."

Starscream paused when he spotted the 16 stellar cycle old femme that Shamelessly Rich had been forced to breed. "What's her designation?" He asked as he pointed to her.

"Oh, that's Winter. She's new. Only been here like a stellar cycle. She was bred recently."

Starscream swallowed. "I-Is she sparked?"

"She is. She the pink stripe on her wing? If they have pink on their wing it means they are sparked. If they have yellow on their wing they are nursing a newborn, red stripe means they are not sparked and are resting before being sparked again, blue stripe means they are caring for a Seekerlet who is not old enough to be taken away yet. And the black stripe means they are ready to be bred but the stud either hasn't sparked them or they haven't been covered by a stud. We have a chart in the stables to remind us what the colors mean, and a list of all the designations. There's like, so many charts and the family trees are heavily documented. Melius is in charge of all of it and is super strict about it. The race industry has strict rules about breeding and in order to sell the Seekerlets they have to show their family history. The better the relatives the more likely they will sell for a high price. Coming from champion creators and champion grandcreators can make a Seekerlet sell for millions."

Starscream saw a femme calling out as she walked around holding a yellow ball. She paced along the fence, screaming every so often, searching for someone.

"What's wrong with her?"

"Oh, her sparkling was sold." Hypersonic replied. "It's weird. She was only 3 stellar cycles old. Sometimes the masters will sell them really young, or sell someone and not even tell us or have us help load them into the trailers. It's annoying because we want to say goodbye to them before they go to their new homes."

"Do the carriers get to say goodbye?"

"You know they don't." Hypersonic vented. "When it's time to separate the carriers from their creations… It's hard. You hear all that calling? It's other carriers looking for their sparklings who were recently taken away. Some have had twenty or more sparklings taken. There's… A lot of sadness here. Joy when a new sparkling arrives, but it always will be taken."

Starscream stopped to watch several Seekerlets, all toddlers, play at the edge of the pond, their carriers closely watching them. They were laughing and smiling, unaware of what the future held for them. One of them looked up with the brightest gold optics and Starscream's own optics widened.

"That one, with the yellow optics," He pointed. "Who's his sire?"

Hypersonic pulled out a datapad and entered the number that was painted on the Seekerlet's wing. The Seekerlet's bio appeared, and while he couldn't read the words, images of both of the creators popped up, with the grandcreators appearing under them. Starscream bit his lip plate seeing the sire listed as Shamelessly Rich.

"H-how many sparklings does Shamelessly Rich have?" He asked, watching the Seekerlet.

"Here? I think… Maybe twenty..? I'd have to double check. A lot of his sparklings, of all the studs that live on the ranch, breed with brood Seekers who are owned by other masters. He probably has hundreds scattered out there."

"I know they breed the studs a lot, but exactly how much?"

"A lot…" Hypersonic grunted. "They literally breed them with hundreds of brood Seekers. There's studs out there with over a thousand Seekerlets. And that's from live covering. They keep the nanites and either freeze it or sell it. The nanite bank Opulentus has in the basement of the mansion is huge."

"He keeps their nanites in the basement?"

"Yeah, ask Nacreous to show you it sometime. There's nanites there from champions from vorns ago."

"Can I see more of Shameless' sparklings?"

"Um, let me see if I can find them all…" He messed with the datapad, pressing Shamelessly Rich's image so that a list of his creations appeared. "Yeah, there's twenty-six Seekerlets here that are his, and fourteen brood Seekers are currently sparked with his creations. See the numbers? The Seekerlets with these numbers on their wings are his. So, let's look around."

Starscream followed Hypersonic as they searched for more Seekerlets, finding another one very quickly. This one was a 7 stellar cycle old femmling, and she was busy playing on a jungle gym with other Seekerlets her age. Starscream then found a brood Seeker holding a newly emerged that also was Shamelessly Rich's.

"Will he ever get to meet his sparklings?" Starscream asked softly as he watched the newly emerged.

"Unlikely. Some will be sold, some will race for Opulentus. Maybe he will see them in passing during training. But by the time these guys are racing Shamelessly Rich will probably be retired to only stud. So, he won't be around anymore."

"Retired?"

"Yeah, live with the other retired champions on the ranch only to be bred whenever they need him to. Eventually they won't breed him anymore as better genes will come along for even faster racers, and then he'll be like Rain. Just chilling on the ranch. Maybe sent to live freely on Gearshift's ranch. He has a lot of retired Seekers there living freely on his property."

Starscream perked his wings. "He will be free like Rain… Just living on the property and never made to race or live in a stall ever again?"

"Yeah, since he's a champion. If he wasn't making Opulentus rich he'd be sold or given to Gearshift. Opulentus only allows the champions to remain on the ranch. There's a lot of them here."

Starscream bit his lower lip plate. A future with Shamelessly Rich was possible. He just needed to retire in a few stellar cycles. Then, they would never have to worry about races or training or being locked in stalls. Shamelessly Rich would have the entire ranch to fly and explore in, and they could have a family. He smiled, becoming excited about that future.

"Hey,"

Starscream turned to suddenly have a Seekerlet handed to him. Despite being only an orn old, the sparkling was quite large, coming from such massive Seekers. Starscream grunted as he took the little one, holding him against his chestplates. The Seekerlet looked around with bright, red optics and kicked his stubby legs, not interested in Starscream.

"Aren't they adorable?" Hypersonic smiled.

Starscream nodded as he smiled as well. "Yeah, they're adorable."

"You should work with us here in the breeding stables. You get to handle these guys every orbital cycle."

"Maybe one orbital cycle. I've gotten close to some of the racers. They're really nice."

"Yeah, I imagine. These guys are nice here, until it's time to take the sparklings away."

Starscream glanced up at the femme who was watching him closely, making sure he wouldn't do anything to her sparkling. Starscream hugged the little one, imagining for a moment that this was his. He liked how this felt, holding this Seekerlet.

"Want to help bottle feed?"

"Bottle feed?"

"Yeah, some of the brood Seekers don't produce enough energon so they need a little help keeping their sparkling fueled. It's really easy. Come, I'll show you!"

Starscream handed the sparkling back to his carrier, then followed Hypersonic. They went to the stables and walked into a room filled with energon and supplies. Hypersonic showed him how to prepare the weakened energon formula and fill it with additives before pouring it into bottles. They carried them out and went searching for the Seekerlets who needed it.

"Okay, this is one of the newly emerges who gets bottled fed."

"What's his designation?"

"Oh, they don't get designations until they start to train or after they are sold. We just refer to them as numbers."

"Why don't they get designations?"

"Because there's strict rules about designating the racers. They can't have a designation already registered, if they are to be sold then it's up to the new master to designate them whatever they want to, and some don't become racers for various reasons so are sold or given to sanctuaries and Opulentus doesn't want to waste designations on them that he could give to someone who actually does end up racing. We also don't call them anything so we don't get too attached to them. You don't want to get attached to someone who will be sold in a few stellar cycles."

"Their carriers designate them, right?"

"I'm sure they do, but we only find out through Rain. She's the translator. And she doesn't tell us much. Not unless it's important. Like that racer who died on the practice track, we only got her designation because Rain wanted it on the tombstone, so she told us what it was. Otherwise, that femme won't tell us slag."

"Does Rain talk to the brood Seekers much?"

"I don't know. She's only spotted around the breeding stables at night when we aren't around. She's so secretive. Anyway, sit down. I'll grab the Seekerlet."

Starscream sat on the ground and Hypersonic carried over the Seekerlet. He handed him to Starscream and showed the grunt Seeker how to hold the newly emerged. Starscream soon was bottle feeding the sparkling, smiling as he watched the little faceplates. His maternal programming was beginning to kick in strong, and all he wanted in that moment was to have his own sparkling to nurse and hold tight.

He wanted to be a carrier.

Hypersonic sat beside him with another Seekerlet and bottle fed him, both carriers of these two Seekerlets stood nearby watching. Starscream forgot the rest of the world existed, only thinking about this little one he held, and dreamed about his own. He would have a daughter and designate her Chandelle, and maybe a son he will designate Lightning. He will have ten sparklings! And he will love and cherish them all.

"You like this?" Hypersonic smirked.

"I love this."

They refueled the rest of the Seekerlets who needed to be bottle-fed, then hung out some more with the brood Seekers. Starscream made sure to meet every one of Shamelessly Rich's sparklings, and held the ones he could. His sparklings were so adorable. Starscream wanted one of his own.

Eventually, Opulentus returned and called Starscream over. Starscream reluctantly left all the Seekerlets and walked into the stables. He approached the stall where Shamelessly Rich was with his carrier, the two of them still hugging. Starscream noticed that Discreet Affair had a yellow stripe on her wing. She had a sparkling who was still nursing. Shamelessly Rich had a sibling here right now.

"Bring him to the trailer." Opulentus ordered as he opened the door to the stall.

Starscream walked in, his wings lowering, not wanting to separate them. Shamelessly Rich was purring his engine as he hugged his carrier, curling into her frame like he once did stellar cycles ago. She held her son close, savoring this time with him.

"Hey, Shameless…" Starscream swallowed. "I'm sorry, you have to go back to your stall."

Shamelessly Rich flicked his wings, refusing to let go of his carrier.

"If you win your next race I'll let you see her again." Opulentus promised with a cruel smile, fully aware that these creatures had complex emotions and he was exploiting it.

Shamelessly Rich had coolant in his optics as he desperately hugged his carrier, his wings low, not wanting to ever let go. Starscream grabbed his arm.

"I know you don't want to leave her… I was taken from my carrier, too." Starscream swallowed. "You'll be able to see her again. If you win o-or when you retire you'll be able to roam the entire property and visit your carrier whenever. And I'll be with you."

Shamelessly Rich swallowed. Discreet Affair said something to him that Starscream couldn't understand. Shamelessly Rich spoke back to her, and they tightly embraced each other one last time. The carrier kissed her son on the cheekplates, and they slowly released each other. Starscream led Shamelessly Rich out, his spark feeling like it was being squeezed when he heard Shamelessly Rich softly crying. Opulentus had no emotions, simply walked down the corridor and opened the stable door. Starscream walked Shamelessly Rich into the trailer, the racer never looking away from the stables.

He whined softly when he no longer could see the stables, then remained silent for the rest of the drive. He didn't make a sound as he was unloaded from the trailer and walked back into his stall. Starscream locked them both inside, his wings low as he watched the racer sit on the floor in the corner, looking down.

Starscream sat next to him. "You want to talk…?"

Shamelessly Rich swallowed. "I… Not see my carrier…. Since I started training. I miss her."

"I know you do… I miss my carrier, too."

"I win to see her again."

Starscream unsubspaced a cloth and wiped it over Shamelessly Rich's optics as more coolant leaked out. "I saw some of your sparklings. You have a lot living in the breeding stables."

"I not know them. I know my carrier."

"I know. They practically don't exist to you. Do you want to know them?"

Shamelessly Rich shrugged, not looking at the smaller Seeker.

"Do you want to be a sire? Like, help raise your sparklings?"

"I not know how to raise. I know racing."

"But if you could learn how to raise them and be in their lives, would you want to be a sire?"

"How's this?"

"Like, the sires we see in the movies we watch. They're playing and caring for their sparklings. Do you want that?"

"Maybe… I not know… What like."

"I know you don't… I-I don't know what it's like to be a carrier but… I-I want to be one."

"Masters take your sparkling. They always take."

"Maybe not if the sparkling is a mix. What good is a race Seeker that is part grunt? They aren't fast enough."

"They take."

"The grunt Seekers have sparklings. Nebula has two sparklings that are still with her. Whirlwind has a daughter. There's a couple of others who have sparklings on this ranch. The mounts live with their creations. Reckless has three siblings and both his creators, and all of the mounts have their family members with them. I don't think the masters would take a sparkling we had together. They would make them work around the ranch. That's it."

"I not believe you."

"Well… I don't know what to say to convince you. But… Maybe I'm right. And… I hope that one orbital cycle we have a sparkling together."

Shamelessly Rich looked at him. "You want me to breed you?"

"Yeah…"

"Breed when?"

"I don't know… When I'm ready….?"

"Masters not want me to breed you. You slow."

"We wouldn't be breeding for the masters, we will be breeding for us. To be creators together."

"How breed? You small. No sparkling fit in there." He pointed at Starscream's abdomen.

"I think I can manage."

"I breed because I make big sparklings. They fast. Big for you."

Starscream vented a sigh as he leaned against the racer. "You're silly."

"I fast, not dis silly."

"You're silly to me."

"I fast to you. And big."

"And cute."

"I is cute."

"You want to watch a movie?"

"Yes. But… Movie have pow fight."

"Pow fight…?"

"Yes, what word? When…. When fight… And is… pow."

"You talking about punching or…?"

"Is pow fight! What word?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about… I love you, but we have got to work on your vocabulary."

"I love you, but you need work on your speed."

Starscream snorted a snicker. "You're so adorable. I love you."

"I love you, but you slow."

"Yes, I'm slow. And you're fast, and adorable, and handsome." He smiled up at the racer.

Shamelessly Rich smiled down at him. "I not slow when breeding." He chuckled.

Starscream rolled his optics.

---

The next orbital cycle Starscream walked Shamelessly Rich over to the vet building where Conduit and Knock Out were preparing for the surgery. Starscream swallowed, nervous about Shamelessly Rich having this surgery, but he had no choice. Knock Out led the racer to the surgery room, and Starscream was forced to leave. He spent the next few joors hotwalking and hosing down racers, as well as bathing a few. He finally was summoned back to the vet building in the afternoon where he anxiously awaited Shamelessly Rich to be handed to him.

"He is super high." Knock Out giggled as he led Shamelessly Rich over.

The racer was definitely out of it, his optics wide and bright, stumbling over his peds, wings low, and almost bumping into things. He groaned, knowing something was off but not sure why. Starscream took the lead from the young speedster in one servo as the other grabbed the racer's servo.

"How are you doing, big guy?" Starscream asked.

Shamelessly Rich only moaned before stumbling over his ped. He caught himself, flicking his wings and whining.

"He's fine. He's on a lot of pain dampeners. Take him to his stall and let him recharge it off. He'll be on medication for a few orbital cycles until he's fully healed." Knock Out explained.

"Will he be like this until he's done self-repairing?" Starscream perked his wings.

"No, he's on the really good stuff right now because of the surgery."

Starscream glanced back at Conduit who was talking to Opulentus, then turned to Knock Out. "Can he walk back to his stall like this?"

"Yeah, just take it slow. No need for manacles. He can't fly like this." He giggled.

Starscream nodded. "Alright. Come here, Shameless. Let's get you in berth."

The racer followed, almost falling a couple of times, but he made it to his stall. He collapsed on his berth and almost instantly passed out, loudly snoring. Starscream locked the stall door and crawled in berth with the racer. He lifted up Shamelessly Rich's arm and pulled it over him so he could snuggle into the broad chestplates of the large Seeker. He smiled, happy to be here with this amazing mech.

---

Starscream stayed with Shamelessly Rich until the morning when he had to leave to go work. He waited until after the racer was given his pain medication by Conduit before he went off. He kept checking on the racer whenever he walked by the stall leading racers to and from their stalls. Shamelessly Rich just recharged, exhausted from his surgery and sleepy from the drugs.

Finally, Starscream could rejoin him, and stayed cuddled with the racer while giving him many kisses. Shamelessly Rich didn't say or do much. He smiled and slowly kissed back, but mostly drifted in and out of recharge.

Starscream perked his wings when he heard the stable doors being opened followed by vocalizers. He got up and walked over to look through the bars, curious what was happening. Opulentus, Melius, Grit, and Conduit were there, talking to each other.

"Show No Mercy should be retired and stand to stud." Opulentus said as he looked at the named racer in his stall. "He hasn't been raced in a while and he demands higher stud fees now with Shamelessly Rich and several of his other offspring being Graded I winners."

"I agree on Show No Mercy being retired." Melius nodded. "War Prince also should be retired. He only has lost five races in his entire career and competed in two derbies. He is getting too old, almost half a vorn. He won't last much longer if he keeps competing."

"Grit, you have any impute?" Opulentus inquired of his eldest.

"Nah, I agree. Show No Mercy and War Prince both have high stud fees, both are old for racing, and they have solid records. Keeping them as studs only is the smartest thing to do." Grit replied.

"It's settled then." Melius nodded. "Let's give them their physical before release."

Opulentus opened War Prince's stall and led him out on a halter as Grit did the same with Show No Mercy. Conduit checked them over, looking at their denta, their optics, joints, scanning them, and making sure they were in fit condition.

As he was giving them their physical, a horrible shriek sounded outside the door. Opulentus rolled his optics.

"Must she always be so dramatic…?" He grumbled.

"Maybe you shouldn't be so easy on her so she actually obeys." Grit grunted.

Opulentus gave him a hard look. "We owe everything we have to her. If you dare whip her I will disown you."

Grit rolled his optics.

Four grunts entered the stables, all of them holding chains that were tied to a squirming and kicking My Rainbow Sundae. The old Seeker shrieked and fought back at the chains around her neck and halter, but the grunts managed to wrangle her inside. Opulentus approached her.

"Rain! Rain, calm down." He grabbed one of the chains tied to the halter and pulled her closer.

Rain hissed at him, splattering mouth lubricant all over his faceplates. The racers in their stalls who saw this began to loudly laugh. Opulentus didn't say anything as he wiped the lubricant away, calmed himself down, then spoke.

"Rain, you need to calm down. Look," He pointed at the two racers standing in the corridor. "I am retiring them. Hey, listen." He snapped his digits until she paid attention to him. "Did you hear me? I'm retiring them."

Rain snorted, flicked her wings, and slowly stopped struggling. Opulentus smiled as he reached to pet her helm, but she jerked it away.

"See? Now you understand why I brought you here?"

She only growled her engine.

"Remove the chains." He ordered the grunts. "Then you may go off and do whatever you want."

The grunts quickly did so, untying her and removing the halter before making their hasty exit, terrified of the former racer. Rain snarled and flicked her wings at Opulentus before walking over to Show No Mercy and War Prince. She shrieked something at them, and War Prince answered her with a softer cry.

Starscream watched as the three racers spoke in their language to each other, the two mechs becoming excited while Rain remained her usual grumpy self.

"Do they understand you will show them how to live freely on the ranch?" Melius asked her.

She glared death at him as her wings flicked. "They know." She grunted, her claws twitching, wanting nothing more than to use them on these grounders.

"Excellent." Melius smiled as he removed War Prince's halter.

War Prince glanced back at the speedster, then around him, confused why something wasn't keeping him tethered or chained down. Show No Mercy was next to have his halter removed, he was also confused by what was happening. Rain said something to them, and they quickly walked over to her. She flicked her wings at the speedsters, hissed, then turned and stomped out with the two now former racers following her like scared sparklings after their carrier.

Rain shrieked something back, which caused all the racers still in their stalls to laugh and cheer. Then, the old Seeker transformed and took off, War Prince and Show No Mercy following after her. The three disappeared into the darkening sky, the two mechs flying for the first time under their own free will.

Opulentus walked over to Shamelessly Rich's stall and looked in. "In a few stellar cycles he'll be next. Definitely will keep him around to stud."

"If he keeps winning we can raise his stud fee to so much more." Melius smiled. "If he wins the Navitas Stakes, and the Breeders Cup, his stud fee could easily be raised to 60,000 and breeders will eagerly pay for it."

"He'll keep winning. He has it in him."

---

A few orbital cycles passed and Shamelessly Rich was moving around and not so tired, but he wasn't ready for training yet. The racer remained in his stall as Starscream was made to keep working. Starscream did the usual work with the racers, nothing new. He didn't mind it as he did like all of the racers. He did miss seeing War Prince, as that racer was always so sweet. Most of the racers were grumpy and ready to fight, probably due to how they were forced to live in stalls never to come out unless to be exercised with a whip lashing them… But War Prince always seemed able to purr his engine and be gentle to whoever was handling him.

Starscream was glad he was now free somewhere on the ranch with Rain watching over him.

Starscream was in the middle of scrubbing a race Seeker down at the outdoor wash area when Hailstorm flew over, transformed, and landed near another grunt Seeker.

"Scramjet!" Hailstorm shouted excitedly. "Ignition has gone into labor!"

Scramjet's optics widened as his jaw dropped. He turned to Opulentus who was near him checking on one of the new racers. Opulentus smirked.

"Go on. Be there for the birth of your sparkling." Opulentus waved him away.

Scramjet smiled. "Thank you, sir! Thank you!" He transformed and took off, Hailstorm also transforming and following after him.

"Alright, Scramjet!" Someone shouted, followed by other grunts cheering him on as he flew away.

Starscream bit his lip plate, resuming scrubbing the race Seeker clean. He focused on doing his work until everyone was wrapping up and Breeze approached him.

"I know you've been… Avoiding everyone for a while now, but you should come with us and congratulate Ignition."

"I do like Ignition. He's a good guy." Starscream said softly as he locked the stall of the race Seeker he just put away. "But I haven't been avoiding you guys. Well, not all of you."

"I know, I heard things from people. I don't judge. Not everyone thinks poorly of you, Stars. Just, come by for a couple of kliks, congratulate Ignition and see the sparkling, then you can disappear again. Ignition will appreciate it."

Starscream nodded. "Okay, I-I'll be there."

Breeze smiled. "See you there, then."

Starscream watched him walk away before venting a sigh. He did want to see the new sparkling, but he just didn't want to be around some of the other grunts. Well, Mostly Silverstorm and Whirlwind. He knew they both hated him. Maybe not Silverstorm, but…. It was awkward between them still.

He checked on Shamelessly Rich before leaving the stables and flying over to the Seeker barn. He hesitated before entering, and saw a crowd of Seekers gathered outside of Ignition's room. He patiently waited as the other Seekers went in one by one to see the sparkling and congratulate the creators. It took a while, and he watched TV with a few other Seekers who were waiting until Nebula finally ushered him inside.

He swallowed, stepping into the room, his wings low. They perked when he saw Ignition lying on his berth, obviously exhausted from the labor, and Scramjet sitting on a chair beside his mate, holding his servo. On the berth between them was a tiny Seekerlet bundled in a blanket, recharging peacefully.

"Hey, Starscream," Ignition greeted with a small smile. "Come see my sparkling."

Starscream approached and sat on the empty chair placed by the berth for the visitors. He bit his lip plate, amazed by how tiny the newly emerged was.

"You can hold her.' Ignition weakly gestured. "Her designation is Cirrus."

"Y-you sure?"

"Yeah, everyone has gotten to hold her. Go for it."

Scramjet picked up his daughter and carefully handed her to Starscream. He helped Starscream place his servos in the right positions to support her little head and body before he leaned back in his chair. Starscream looked down at this tiny being, the smell of the newborn hitting him hard, and he soon was smiling. His maternal programming kicked in hard, like a tornado tearing everything apart, and all he could think of was how much he wanted a sparkling, how he needed a sparkling. How his body craved to be sparked and carrying his own little one.

The instincts annoyed him, but also…. He did want this. Maybe his programming was right.

He bit his lower lip plate, only one thing on his processor and that was to have his own sparkling.

---

He returned a joor later to the stall, spending as much time as he could with little Cirrus and her creators before he was shooed away for the next Seeker to take his place. The programming had not gone away, and he was becoming nervous about what his body wanted. But if he ever was to be sparked there was only one way to do it.

He walked into Shamelessly Rich's stall and was immediately bombarded with kisses and a tight hug. Shamelessly Rich purred his engine loudly, his wings fluttering, so happy to have Starscream back in his arms. Starscream swallowed before looking up at him.

"Hey, can we talk?"

"Yes, we can talk. We talking now!" Shamelessly Rich giggled.

"I mean…" Starscream pushed himself free and took a couple of steps back. "Shameless… I…" He swallowed, trembling now as his wings lowered. "I-I think…. I think I want interface."

Shamelessly Rich cocked his helm. "Interface? Oh! Breeding! I want breeding, too. Nice to breed."

"I mean… I-I… I want a sparkling. I want to be a carrier. A-and I'll only ever be a carrier if I have interface. I'm scared of interface, but… I-I have to do it to have my dream. So… I-I want interface."

"You say you want dis, but you shake and you cry. Why say dis when cry?"

Starscream wiped at the coolant in his optics. "I'm just scared. Th-that's all. But I need to c-conquer my fear. I want to be a carrier… I-I really do. I've thought about it a lot. I-I can't have much in this world because I'm a Seeker, but I can have a sparkling who will always be mine. I want to experience carrierhood… I want this…. More than anything."

"I happy to breed you… But you are sure you are wanting breeding?"

Starscream swallowed. "If I don't do this… I'll never be able to get myself to. I… Please, be slow… And gentle…"

"I be very slow and gentle. I be… You say no more, I no more. I stop. Over. Promise." He smiled.

"You won't be like how you were when you dry humped me?"

"No!" He waved dismissively. "I was joke then, because I was not in you. But when I in you, I obey. You are… Master. I obey." He nodded.

Starscream slowly nodded. "Okay… L-let's do this."

"I wait on you." Shamelessly Rich nodded.

Starscream swallowed, his legs shaking hard, almost causing him to fall over. He walked over to the berth and managed to climb on. Shamelessly Rich approached and kissed him on the lip plates.

"I prepare us both?"

Starscream bit his lower lip plate. "Y-yeah."

"Turn. On front."

Starscream slowly rolled over, and Shamelessly Rich helped position him so he was on all fours. The racer touched Starscream's codpiece, and the grunt opened it, trembling harder. Shamelessly Rich purred his engine, trying to comfort Starscream as he began to rub Starscream around the valve. He tried to be gentle, not wanting to hurt the small jet.

With his other servo he stroked his own spike, trying not to get too excited so he wouldn't be rough. Starscream bit his lower lip plate, feeling sensations coming from his valve he hadn't felt before. He pressed his thighs together, only for Shamelessly Rich to pry them apart again. It felt so weird, and yet good, and like he wanted to close his legs while also wanting this to continue. He didn't understand the mixed signals!

Shamelessly Rich stopped when he deemed Starscream's valve was ready. He softly screeched something, one servo grasping Starscream's hip while the other guided his spike. Starscream was trembling even harder now, his wings rattling when he felt the tip of the phallus touch him. Shamelessly Rich purred his engine and began to very slowly push himself into the smaller being. Starscream whined loudly, his optics widening as he grasped the berth top.

"Ahh, AHHH! Shameless! Stopstopstop!"

"Is hurt?" Shamelessly Rich asked as he perked his wings, only halfway in.

"I just… Give me a moment… You're… Very large."

Shamelessly Rich smiled. "Thank."

"Why did you have to be so large?"

"I am….. Blessed."

Starscream rolled his optics. "Just… Let me adjust. I need to get use to this."

"I wait. You adjoost."

"Adjust."

"Ad… Just."

Starscream exhaled loudly. "Can you…. Do it without going all the way in?"

"Not all in? Half breeding?"

"Whatever you want to call it. You're just… It's a lot."

"I try. For you." He fluttered his wings.

Shamelessly Rich wrapped his arms around Starscream's waist, pressing his chest against Starscream's back. The grunt Seeker swallowed when he felt Shamelessly Rich's hot exhales caressing his nape.

"Hah!" He gasped when Shamelessly Rich gave him the first thrust.

"Is good?" The racer perked his wings.

"Gentler."

"I go gentler."

Starscream gasped again when he received a second thrust, but it wasn't as forceful. Shamelessly Rich purred his engine, then thrust again. Starscream let out another loud gasped, grasping the berth top.

"Is good?"

"Y-yeah… I-I think so." Starscream nodded.

"I breed now. Speak if need to."

Starscream swallowed as he nodded. He gasped and moaned as Shamelessly Rich began to thrust, not going fast as he concentrated on being slow and gentle, and not penetrating all the way. His wings fluttered, happy to finally be inside Starscream. He carefully bit Starscream on the nape, not hard, just enough so Starscream felt it, but it didn't leave any marks.

"C-can we kiss?"

"Kiss while breeding?"

"Hah! Yeah, like, hah! Like in the movies?"

"Okay, we kiss! Like in movies." Shamelessly Rich smiled.

Starscream looked back at him as the racer lovingly held his chin. He smiled before pressing his lip plates against Starscream's, his engine purring so loud. Starscream moaned into his mouth, jumping a little from each thrust. Shamelessly Rich held him firmly in place, slowly starting to go a little harder and faster, building Starscream up to handle it. The larger jet forced his glossa into Starscream's mouth, ignoring the panicked squeak from the smaller being.

Starscream's claws scraped along the berth top, feeling the harder thrusts, moaning louder as Shamelessly Rich started to go deeper. He pulled his face away from the racer so he could pant, his frame heating up. He winced when Shamelessly Rich bit his nape, a little harder this time. Those long claws grasping and holding the small jet close, pressing him into the racer's torso.

"G-gentle." Starscream managed to gasp out between his loud moans.

Shamelessly Rich snorted, but complied, nuzzling his faceplate's against Starscream's. "I love you."

"Hah, I… Oh! I love you! Hah!"

"You loud." He chuckled. "Online entire stable."

"I-I'm sorry! Hah!"

"No sorry. Is okay." He fluttered his wings as he nuzzled Starscream. "I like. Means I'm big." He snickered with such a slag eating smirk.

Starscream rolled his optics.

"Is small." He patted Starscream's aft. "You small. I'm big. Everywhere." He snickered again. "You are screaming because is good. I breed you good."

"Hah! You're so-Ha! Naughty!"

"No, I happy to be in you. We bond, you love more." He nodded before biting Starscream's nape again.

Starscream whimpered, but didn't fight back. He looked back at the racer, watching him as he loudly moaned and panted. He tried to see the spike, finally looking under and seeing the spike moving in and out, but not quite able to see where it entered. He felt it, he knew it was happening, but still wanted to see exactly what was happening to his body. He winced when he was given another love bite, but didn't tell Shamelessly Rich to slow down or bite less. He had to get use to this so he could have his sparkling.

It wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. Maybe the more he did this the less painful and scary it would become.

Shamelessly Rich started to go even faster and harder, not phased by how much noise Starscream was making. So long as he didn't say stop he knew he wasn't hurting him. He eventually opened his chestplates and clawed at Starscream's chestplates to also open.

Starscream swallowed, nervous about spark bonding. He slowly opened his chestplates, jumping a little when Shamelessly Rich wrapped a servo over his exposed spark. He tightly held Starscream against his torso, biting the smaller jet a little too hard on the nape. Starscream whimpered, grabbing the racer's arm as he raised himself up to be just on his knees. Shamelessly Rich flicked his wings, feeling himself about to climax. Starscream could feel energy building up, feel the heat of the racer's body, and feel the tendrils of energy from their sparks intertwining.

Then, he felt a sudden surge of energy filling his entire being, rushing from his spark outward. At the same time, he felt a powerful, and painful, surge of emotions coming from Shamelessly Rich's spark into his. He felt love, lust, joy, sadness, fear, loneliness, and anxiety. But love for Starscream overpowered all the other emotions.

He then noticed a new feeling in his valve, realizing that Shamelessly Rich had overloaded and was filling him with transfluid. He instinctively closed his legs, pressing his thighs together as he felt the spike throbbing and the fluids spurting inside, feeling the sudden warmth inside of his body. It felt like it was going into the middle of his torso, but he knew that it was going to his gestation tank. At least, according to the book he had been shown by Nebula. Maybe his body was different? Because he felt something weird!

As quickly as it happened, the overload and spark bond was over. Shamelessly Rich loudly groaned and chuffed, his exhales loud and hot against the smaller Seeker's nape. He stayed there, holding Starscream close, savoring the feeling as his spike finished ejaculating. Once his body was done, the racer slowly pulled out as he released Starscream and stepped back. He snorted and flicked his wings, walking around the stall just as he always was made to do when breeding the brood Seekers.

Starscream closed his plates as he collapsed onto the berth and rolled over onto his back panting. He suddenly realized how exhausted and hot he was, his cooling fans whirling loudly. He pressed his thighs together, the feeling of Shamelessly Rich's spike lingered inside of him and his valve. He wasn't sure if he wanted more or needed to recharge it off. It was nice, but also painful, and surprisingly a lot of work. How did the studs breed so much?!

"Your silence… Means you enjoy? Yes? I is good." Shamelessly Rich smiled as he chuckled, proud that he made Starscream speechless.

Starscream didn't speak right away, still panting. "That was…. Different…"

"You love? Or did you love? Want more? I give. I have lot to give." He snickered. "Because I is big!"

"I should have never shown you that movie…"

"Which movie?"

"The one with all the spike jokes…"

"See yes or not, I know I still big. Movie only… Encourage. Movie say… Yes, I agree, you is big." He snickered as his wings fluttered. "What say? What he say? Leaves… Leaves glitches satisfied? Yes? I leave you, my glitch, satisfied." He snickered again.

Starscream rolled his optics. "I… Am going to be very… Careful of what I show you for now on."

"Need more movies with breeding. I see how others breed. I breed you the same. You get… All breeding ways."

"Positions. They are called interface positions."

"I always in first position. Because I am fast!"

"You weren't fast tonight…"

"No, but you… Loud as you cheer me!" He laughed.

Starscream sat up. "Was I really that loud?"

Shamelessly Rich turned and made a shrill call out of the stall. His wings perked as more race Seekers shrieked and roared back. He then nodded.

"They say you very loud. You online some. They say, shut up." He chuckled.

"I didn't mean to online anyone. I'm sorry." Starscream lowered his wings.

Shamelessly Rich gave a dismissive wave. "They forgive. They mad at you, I bite. Is fault of mine for, as movie say… Making you scream my designation." He laughed again.

"You're having a grand time aren't you?"

"I is."

"I am."

"I am. I am having grand time. And you? You have the grand time, too?"

Starscream thought for a moment before speaking. "I-I think… I don't know. It was not what I expected. I am not… In love with it but maybe that's because I'm new to it. I… Can try again tomorrow and see if maybe I like it more than. But… I-it wasn't bad." He touched his chestplates. "The spark bonding… Was kind of nice."

"Is very nice." Shamelessly Rich nodded in agreement. "You been bred. You have my sparkling." He fluttered his wings.

Starscream bit his lower lip plate. "Not… Quite."

"You need second turn?"

"No… See… So… You know how sparklings are made, right?"

"Breeding."

"Yes, interface does start the process. But… Your transfluid has to go into my gestation tank where it will meet my gestation nanites and… Make a protoform, th-the sparkling. I… The masters… Put something in me that… Prevents the transfluid from reaching my gestation tank. I can't get sparked unless this thing is removed. But only the masters can remove it. I… Can't have your sparkling unless I get permission."

Shamelessly Rich slowly lowered his wings. "Not breed? Why? Masters always breed us. Masters want sparklings."

"They want your sparklings. Not mine. I'm… Not important enough."

"What dis? Not important? You care and clean us. No grunt Seekers means masters must do work."

"Us grunts are just sold. We are beaten and overworked and sold when we are sick or injured. There's so many of us that the masters don't need to always be breeding us. There's always more… I'm not… Important. I've been sold so many times already… I was taken from my real carrier and from someone who was like my carrier. I-I'm just… an object. And I'm not… Important enough to breed. If I die, they will just replace me with some other grunt from the auction." He swallowed as coolant began to leak out. "I'm not important at all. You're important. You make the masters rich. I just… Work and then I'm thrown away for the next grunt in line to take my place."

"You important to me." Shamelessly Rich said softly. "I never throw you away."

Starscream faintly smiled at him. "Thank you. I-I needed that."

"Other grunts breed. Is say… One had sparkling, yes?"

"Yes, Ignition just gave birth."

"Then you can breed."

"I have to ask."

"Then ask."

"I don't think Opulentus wants me having a sparkling with you."

"Ask if you breed grunt. He say yes, allow breeding. But breed with me. Never tell." He smiled.

"I… Maybe. Maybe that would work. I don't know…"

"Is work. We have sparkling. You are happy. You are important. You have… Dream."

"Why are you so amazing?"

"I am fast."

"I really love you." He held his arms out for a hug.

Shamelessly Rich trotted over and hugged him, his wings fluttering. "I really love you."

"Don't ever change."

"I not change. Change how? I know not dis."

"I mean… Don't change how you behave. It's super cute and really sweet."

"Never. I stay this way always." Shamelessly Rich smiled before kissing him.

---

Starscream onlined the next morning in Shamelessly Rich's arms. He purred his engine as he snuggled against the larger jet, so happy to be in his warm, strong embrace. The racer onlined and wasted no time in kissing the smaller jet, purring his own engine.

"Beautiful smile. I online most happy when I see your smile." Shamelessly Rich purred as his wings fluttered.

"I also am happiest when I online with you. You're perfect."

"You are small." He snickered before kissing Starscream again.

Starscream bit his lip plate when Shamelessly Rich finally ceased kissing him. He looked up into those large, loving, golden optics and he felt himself wanting something more from the racer.

"Shameless?"

"Starscream." He poked Starscream in the chestplates.

"Do you… Want to frag…?"

"Frag? Oh, breed! I love breeding." He fluttered his wings. "I always want to be breeding."

"You want to… right now?"

"Is yes. Always. When go?"

"I mean with me, you silly."

"I not silly. I fast. And yes, with you. Always. When do?"

"Like… Right now."

He chuckled. "You like breeding now. No more scared."

"I mean… Maybe a little still. I'm still not use to it."

"Is fine." He climbed off the berth, shook his entire frame, then started to grab Starscream.

"Wait, no, new position."

"What dis?"

"You know, like in the movies they interface in different positions."

"I only breed in one."

"I know, that's why you try new things."

"Which position?"

"Um… They call it missionary."

"Mizzonairy?"

"Missionary."

"Miss-on-air-ee."

"That's better. Yes, so, I-I lie on my back and you either stand o-or sit on the berth."

"Is like… Normal breeding but you… Flipped."

"Yeah, basically. I-I want to try it."

"We try! I breed and you scream." He snickered.

Starscream rolled his optics. "You are such a slag eater."

"Masters eat slag."

"They do."

"I kiss you." He then kissed Starscream on the lip plates. "You prepare me, and I prepare you."

"Okay… I-I can do that."

"Is small." He held Starscream's servo. "Need bigger for me." He snickered.

"I'm going to start punching you if you don't stop with the spike jokes."

"And I kiss you."

"Why are you so sweet?"

"Why are you so small?"

Starscream rolled his optics again. Shamelessly Rich chuckled as he kissed the smaller jet, his servo lowering to be over Starscream's codpiece. Starscream opened it then reached for Shamelessly Rich's codpiece. The racer quickly opened his and let his spike out, purring his engine when Starscream touched it. He rubbed over Starscream's primary sensory node, causing the grunt to bite his lower lip plate. Starscream knew how to get the racer hard fast, and the larger jet hummed in approval at Starscream's technique. He soon had Starscream ready, then grabbed the smaller jet's thighs.

"Ready?"

Starscream looked up at him, his optics nervous, but he knew he had to do this for his sparkling to be made. He nodded, and Shamelessly Rich slowly entered him.

"Ah… Ah! Ahhhh!"

"Too much?"

"Just go slow. Hah! Slow, please!"

Shamelessly Rich did so, only going halfway. He perked his wings as he watched Starscream, adjusting them both carefully. "Ready?"

Starscream nodded. Shamelessly Rich kept one servo on Starscream's hip as the other rested on the berth beside the grunt's head. He began to slowly thrust, eliciting loud moans and whimpers from the small flier. Starscream watched those massive, golden optics, feeling a little awkward about this. He was sure he looked stupid with all the sounds he was making. Shamelessly Rich only smiled down at him, his wings fluttering as his engine purred. He then lowered himself and kissed Starscream on the lip plates, the smaller being reaching up to wrap his arms around the racer's neck and helm. Shamelessly Rich reached his one servo around to hold the back of Starscream's head, his other still grasping the hip of his lover. Starscream loudly moaned and whimpered into the racer's mouth, enjoying this more than what they had done last night.

"Ah, I love, hah, you." Starscream gasped out.

"I love you." Shamelessly Rich fluttered his wings.

Starscream cupped the cheekplates of the racer, admiring that handsome visage and those bright, loving optics. He couldn't help but smile at him despite how loud he was being. He was glad he was bought by Opulentus. He missed Chandelle, but had he not been sold… He would have never met the mech he wanted to spend eternity with. He wanted to be with Shamelessly Rich forever. This was the mech he would be mated to, have creations with, and live with until their deaths.

Shamelessly Rich was his, and he was Shamelessly Rich's. For now, and ever.

The racer opened his chestplates and Starscream eagerly did the same. Shamelessly Rich lowered himself so their sparks were almost touching, the energy of their sparks so closely together made Starscream gasp. Shamelessly Rich thrust harder and faster into Starscream, surprised by how loud he got the smaller jet to scream.

Starscream shouted and arched his back when he finally overloaded and sparkbonded with the racer. Shamelessly Rich got a few more thrusts in before he overloaded, groaning loudly as he ejaculated, flicking his wings. Starscream giggled seeing the face Shamelessly Rich made. He always made a face with his glossa out when he overloaded, but being this close to it made it appear especially comical.

Shamelessly Rich purred his engine as he kissed Starscream. "You enjoy?"

"I did enjoy." Starscream cupped his faceplates, holding them in place. "I love you so much."

"I love you…. With… More!" He nodded.

"I love you even more." He kissed Shamelessly Rich again.

Shamelessly Rich snorted playfully in Starscream's faceplates before he pulled out and closed his plates. He stepped away as he erupted in a shrill, loud roar, his wings flaring as he did so. Other racers shrieked and called out, which only made Shamelessly Rich smiled.

Starscream sat up as he closed his plates. "What did you say?"

Shamelessly Rich chuckled, looking so naughty. "I tell them I breed you, you enjoy, I am big, they are… Um…. Wanting what I have."

"Jealous?"

"Is word! They jell-uss."

"Jealous."

"I say, jell-uss." He nodded sagely before drinking from the energon spigot.

"You're good at interface, but suck at pronouncing words."

"Is no suck! You suck."

Starscream smirked. "You know where that originates from, right?"

"Is what?"

"Suck. It originates from interface. Someone would suck the spike of another person. They put it in their mouth."

"Is not go there! Go in you. In… You know where! What word for… Breeding… Hole…?"

"Valve, sweetie."

"Is not sweetie. I fast!"

"I know you're fast. You're sweet, too. My sweetie. My cutie patootie." Starscream giggled as he fluttered his wings.

"What dis?" Shamelessly Rich perked his wings as he gave Starscream a confused look. "What dis mean?"

"It's just slang."

"Your words… Stupid."

"Your face is stupid, but I love it."

"Oh, you are being hurt to me. I hurt back. You are small… And you loud… And you slow."

"Going for the kill there?" Starscream raised an optical ridge.

"I no kill." Shamelessly Rich walked back over. "I… What say…? Destroy? I destroy… You."

"We have got to work on your flirting."

"I flirt like dis." He then kissed Starscream on the lip plates before roughly shoving the smaller being onto the berth.

"Oof! Rude!" Starscream quickly sat back up.

"Yes… You are." Shamelessly Rich chuckled.

"You're silly." Starscream slid off the berth and walked by the racer to get himself energon.

As he passed by behind the racer he had the sudden, powerful, and most invasive urge to slap that beautiful, large, voluptuous aft of his lover. He didn't know why this sudden need aroused within him, or where it had come from, but he had to do it. He must give into the urges, and he would suffer the consequences of his actions with pride knowing he had succeeded in this mission he never planned for. He raised his servo high, not even noticed by the giant who was blissfully unaware of the impending assault on his rear end, and brought it down without mercy on that perfect derrière. The resounding clang of metal made the smaller jet suddenly conscious of his actions and filled him with dread of what would happen next. He bolted, fleeing to the corner of the room while a very confused and surprised Shamelessly Rich watched him hastily make space between them.

"What… the hell…?" Shamelessly Rich looked back at his aft to the grunt Seeker who was cowering in the corner holding a ball up for protection. "You… Hit me."

"I'm sorry! I had to." Starscream couldn't hold back the laughter. "It's so… Big!"

Shamelessly Rich flicked his wings before walking over. He ignored the pitiful screams of the small jet as he picked him up without any effort and carried him back to the berth under one arm. He was ungracefully deposited upon the berth, and before he could escape the large jet grasped his wrists and pinned him down.

"Don't kill me! It's not my fault it's so big!" Starscream was both scared but still laughing about what he had just done.

Shamelessly Rich was not amused. "Explain."

"No!"

"Why being… Trouble?"

"Because I suddenly feel like it!"

"You…. Ridi-cull-less."

"Ridiculous!"

Shamelessly Rich shuttered his optics a couple of times before rolling them. He released the grunt. "You have… No reason."

"Damn right I don't." Starscream slid off the berth, hesitated, then slapped Shamelessly Rich's aft again before bolting.

But, this time he was not fast enough and was grabbed by the racer and lifted up once more. He screamed, unable to escape those powerful arms, and was placed back on the berth. Shamelessly Rich held him down, pinning his wrists to his lower back as he lay on his front. The smaller jet kicked and squirmed, but was unable to move or escape. He was completely helpless and vulnerable, absolutely anything Shamelessly Rich wanted to do to him he would be unable to stop. And… He liked that.

He remembered what Silverstorm had said when the brood Seekers had been tied up and were helpless to the studs. He thought he understood what Silverstorm meant. Sometimes… It was what you wanted.

He wanted more, but he wasn't sure what it was his body wanted. He just knew this was only part of whatever it was he needed. Whatever it was, he needed it from Shamelessly Rich and he needed it now! He needed all of it and he needed Shamelessly Rich to be in control of everything.

"You sorry?" Shamelessly Rich asked, still pinning him down.

"No! I liked it! And I'll do it again!" Starscream kicked at him.

"You hurt me… And no sorry? You mean."

"Yeah, well… You can do it back." He had no idea why he said that, but he didn't regret it.

Shamelessly Rich rolled his optics as he released Starscream. Starscream instantly started to reach over to slap Shamelessly Rich's aft, but the racer caught his arm. He pulled Starscream over and carefully gave him a gentle slap on the aft back. It did hurt, but Starscream was surprised that it didn't bother him. He simply looked up at Shamelessly Rich and with such conviction said, "again."

Shamelessly Rich released him with an optic roll and walked away. Starscream bit his lip plate, knowing something was going on with him. He would need to figure out what this was.

Shamelessly Rich perked his wings when the sound of the stable door opening reached his audio receptors. A chorus of excited and curious racers immediately went off, eager to get out of their stalls. Starscream vented, knowing he would now have to work and not be with Shamelessly Rich for a few joors.

It was odd for him to walk around and work with how much had changed for him in secret. He was no longer a virgin, but he couldn't tell anyone. He was closer to Shamelessly Rich than ever before. And things were happening he couldn't explain. He had to be careful how he walked because he was still sore from the interface.

He needed to figure out what was happening to him, before he annoyed Shamelessly Rich too much.

---

After he finished for the orbital cycle Starscream made his way to the mansion. He was pleasantly surprised to see War Prince playing in the pond behind the house. The retired champion had never played in water before, or seen fish, or anything he was now experiencing living freely on the ranch. He looked like a sparkling, smiling broadly, splashing, and playing a game he had made up on the spot.

Show No Mercy was also nearby, losing his processor over the zap ponies who had gathered around to see him. He was scared of them, but trying to fight off the fear to learn more about these four legged beings.

Some grunts were watching them, not use to the ex-racers ever coming to this area of the property. They always stayed in the woods, as far away as possible, the only form of communication with them was through Rain, but even she was hard to reach at times.

As War Prince was playing in the pond a Blazer who had been on the roof of the mansion approached. He was slow at first, sizing up the racer before suddenly charging over. War Prince noticed him and shrieked as his wings flared and barred his denta. The Blazer shrieked and snarled back, his own wings flaring. The mount began to circle around the nervous racer, debating if he would attack or not. War Prince called out, anxiously backing up, not sure what was happening, but he was scared of this new arrival.

Show No Mercy ran over and put on his own display of aggression, shrieking and flaring his wings. The Blazer roared back, heavier built than the racers so able to handle more of a beating. He lunged at them, and they both jumped back, not sure if they should stay and fight, or fly away.

More Blazers began to land, shrieking, roaring, and displaying every sign that they were going to attack the ex-racers. Warrior was amongst them, but the more passive Blazers, like Reckless, stayed watching from the roof of the mansion.

Starscream wasn't sure if he should run in and try and stop it. They were massive Seekers and could easily rip him to shreds. But he didn't want anyone to get hurt if he didn't do something. He was about to risk it all and try and stop it when the scream of a powerful jet engine erupted from above. With such grace and ease, Rain raced over, transformed, and landed between the ex-racers and the Blazers. She furiously roared at the Blazers, her wings flaring and denta barred, somehow more terrifying than the larger Blazers.

The Blazers all shrieked and made their calls, but backed off, their wings lowering. Despite her advanced age, none of the Blazers seemed to dare want to even challenge her to a fight. They turned and fled, returning to the roof of the mansion like beaten cyberdogs with their tails between their legs. Rain snorted and flicked her wings before turning to the ex-racers. She said something to them, and they slowly returned to what they had been doing before. War Prince pounced into the pond, and Show No Mercy went back to the zap ponies who had ran over to the barn. Rain stood nearby, wings held high, keeping an optic out for her two wards.

Starscream didn't understand how she could be so sweet and motherly one moment, then put on a terrifying display like that the next. He was glad she liked him.

He walked to the side door of the mansion and entered. He found Stardust first who directed him to where Nacreous was.

"Hey!"

"Aw, slag…." Nacreous grunted, not even looking up from the vacuum cleaner he was busy fixing.

"Why slag?" Starscream perked his wings.

"Just… You know…" He gestured to anything and everything. "You're here."

"Is it bad I'm here."

"I didn't say anything." Nacreous gestured his servos out innocently.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to fix this… If I can. It died on me." He looked up finally. "Why are you here? Trying to get me in trouble?"

"I was wondering if… You could help me… I don't know…"

"With what, pray tell?"

"Um…" Starscream wrung his servos nervously. "I… I might… Have… Made love to someone."

Nacreous raised an optical ridge. "You come to a virgin to ask interface questions?"

"I don't know… I… Don't feel comfortable talking to the others."

"Drama happening in your little barn? Well, depending on the question I may or may not be able to help you."

"Um… I… Had… These weird… Feelings. Wh-when the guy I'm with held me down I wanted…"

"I heard enough. Ew, no thank you." Nacreous stood up and set the vacuum down. "Why don't I just take you to Princess?"

"Not Knock Out?"

"Knock Out is doing homework. I'm not allowed to bother him when he's studying." He gestured for Starscream to follow him. He led Starscream to the basement and over to Princess' room. "Hey, Princess."

"Hey, Nacreous." She smiled as she was watching TV, lying on her berth.

"So, I'm gonna leave Starscream with you because he has questions you can answer. I'll leave now." He walked away, leaving a nervous Starscream behind.

"And what are those questions?" She asked, turning off the TV.

"Um… I…. Made love for the first time…"

"Ah, yes, interface questions. My favorite!" She giggled as she sat up. "Close the door and come sit."

Starscream did so and sat on the berth beside her. "Um, so… I-I've been with someone for a while now and we finally… Interfaced last night and… This morning. It was my first time. But this morning I… I don't know. I felt… Weird."

"How?"

"I was messing with…. My partner and I slapped his aft. He grabbed me and held me down and it…. Made me feel… Excited. I… Liked it. And He slapped my aft back and I… Liked it."

Princess giggled. "As you should!"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, sweetspark, it's like the most common fetish."

"What?"

"Bondage! Sadism! Masochism! BDSM." She poked a tip of a claw against his olfactory sensor. "Most people get turned on by being tied down or giving their partner a little aft beating. It's the most common porn. Most of the masters who frag me are into it. Grit ties me down and beats the slag out of me almost every orbital cycle. I've had masters who ask me to flog them."

"But… I-I don't understand. I don't like pain."

"There are different kinds of pain. Fetish pain is the best!" She giggled. "Many who were tied and beaten as sparkling develop a weird… relationship with pain and power dynamics. Then you have people like Grit who only have experienced power so get off on being the one to tie down and beat others. I was trained to like it. I was bred to be an interface Seeker, my body modified so that I had lower pain receptors. I was always being tied down and beaten and rewarded for it. My body has learned to crave the pain, to be chained. I get off on it. It makes me feel wonderful!" She fluttered her wings. "And you, little laborer, have your own relationship with pain. You're use to it, you were hurt all your life. You're use to being inferior."

"I-I don't think I'm inferior…"

"But you are. To the masters, and to whoever you are in love with. You want him to be your master. Here," She got up and went to her computer. She plugged a dataslug in and started to download files to it before handing it to Starscream. "Watch those with your partner."

"What is it?"

"Some tutorials." She giggled. "Do you want to take anything from my collection?"

"Collection?"

She gestured for him to follow her to her closet. She opened the door to reveal a room filled with chains, manacles, collars, leashes, paddles, whips, floggers, tawses, gags, blindfolds, dildos, vibrators, and so much more. Starscream didn't know what half of the things he saw were, but he could guess this all had to do with Princess' "work."

"I… What is this…?"

"For fun. You want your mech to tie you down?" She handed him manacles and a couple of chains. "Let him. You want him to punish you and remind you that you're his little slave?" She handed him a paddle and tawse. "Tell him to ensure you're crying. You want to be left screaming and he makes you beg to be finished?" She handed him a vibrator. "Be his property."

"I-I don't know what to say."

"Take this, watch the videos, and have fun. Then tell me all about it." She smiled.

"Um… Okay…" He began to subspace the items she had handed him. "Thank you. I-I'll watch the videos."

"I know you will." She smiled. "Enjoy, sweetspark. And enjoy his spike!"

He walked out of her room, not too sure what he was walking into, but maybe the videos would help. He didn't understand why his body would want pain or to be tied down… He hated being tied and being hurt. Why was his body being weird?

He returned to Shamelessly Rich, the racer immediately hugging and kissing him, his wings fluttering madly. You'd think Starscream had been gone vorns with how excited the racer was to see the grunt again.

"Hey, miss you, too." Starscream smiled up at him.

"Love you with… All spark." Shamelessly Rich purred.

"Awwwww, I love you with my whole spark, too!" He kissed him. "I got some stuff for us to watch."

"Is movie?"

"I honestly don't know what it is. I was given it by Princess."

"Who?"

"The interface slave who lives in the mansion."

"What is dis?"

"She… She's the really pretty Seeker femme that Grit sometimes takes with him to races."

"You really pretty Seeker."

"You're so perfect." He kissed Shamelessly Rich on the lip plates again. "But what I have is supposed to help us with our… love making."

"Breeding?"

"Yes, that. Want to snuggle and watch?"

"Yes, snuggle! I hold you." He then hugged Starscream tightly.

"Okay, let's do it in berth. Let me go for a moment."

Shamelessly Rich did so and Starscream quickly climbed onto the berth. The racer got on beside him and soon they were both snuggled together. Starscream unsubspaced his datapad and plugged the dataslug in. He selected the first video and played it.

"Hello and welcome to bondage 101." The femme speedster greeted them. "Let's go over the basics of what BDSM is and show you some tips to ensure both you and your partner have the kinkiest interface of your life."

"What is dis?" Shamelessly Rich asked.

"Just watch it."

The video explained what BDSM was, gave examples, then showed, in graphic detail, various ways to tie and beat each other to ensure "safe and fun" time. Starscream bit his lower lip plate as he watched, some of the examples shown did make him feel warm between the legs. Shamelessly Rich seemed confused the entire time, constantly asking "What is dis?" and "Why is dis?"

After the long tutorial Starscream played the next video which was a porn video of two speedsters. One was being tied down and getting their aft beaten by the other, before they began to have rough interface. Shamelessly Rich didn't understand this either, only speaking to say, "He faking" and seeming so offended by the idea of the speedster faking his overload.

"Why show dis?"

"Well…" Starscream felt nervous now. "I-I was… Wondering if you might… Wanna try?"

"Why dis?" He gestured to the datapad. "I already am…. Am whipped. See?" He pointed to the scars on his thigh from the whip. "No joy."

"Not for you to be the submissive. I… I want to be the submissive and you… Dominate me."

"Why? Breeding fun by itself."

"You don't get bored doing the same thing over and over again?"

"Is happy." He pointed to his codpiece.

"Surely, something makes you feel aroused that's not just your spike being stroked…?"

"You." He kissed Starscream.

"Okay, but… You don't want to like try something new? Play around?"

"You do?"

Starscream bit his lip plate. "Yeah… Yeah, I kinda do."

"I do for you. Make you happy. Your happiness is mine… Happiness."

"You have such limited vocabulary and yet are so poetic."

"What dis?"

"Just kiss me."

"I can." He kissed Starscream on the lip plates.

Starscream then unsubspaced the rest of the things Princess had given him. Shamelessly Rich had a concerned face, not sure what the hell he was about to be getting into. He held up the manacles.

"I want to try that one thing in the tutorial video where the submissive was on the lap of the dominant and his wrists were tied."

Shamelessly Rich said something in his language, which to Starscream sounded like he said a prayer to himself. The racer sat up and looked at the things Starscream had unsubspaced, not sure about any of this.

"You… Little Seekers are…. Strange."

"Will you do it?"

"Anything for you."

"Here, put these on me then."

"How?"

"You know how. You've had them put on you a million times. Just clamp them on." He held out his wrists.

Shamelessly Rich took the manacles and carefully placed them onto the grunt Seeker. Starscream felt his spark racing both from excitement and nervousness. He kissed Shamelessly Rich before handing him the vibrator.

"Put that in me."

"Why dis? Mine is better."

"Just do it."

"Breeding is me in you. Dis is… Master stuff." He grunted as he watched Starscream lie across his lap.

Starscream removed his codpiece, biting his lip plate as he felt Shamelessly Rich touching him down there. He moaned softly as the racer prepared his valve before pushing the vibrator in. He gasped, his wings fluttering, liking how this felt more than Shamelessly Rich pulling him apart. The racer looked at the control, remembering what was shown in the video, and pressed the button.

"Oh! Hahhhh! Oh my Primus!" Starscream loudly moaned, curling into himself.

"Is not as good as me." Shamelessly Rich grunted. "Is dis… I not read." He messed with it, making the setting go higher.

"Oh, gosh! Ohhhhhhhh! Yes! Oh, frag! Nrrrrrrgghhhhh!"

Shamelessly Rich raised an optical ridge, believing Starscream was overreacting. Nothing was better than his spike.

"O-okay! Ahhhh! Mmmmmm!" Starscream couldn't stop moaning from the vibrator. "N-now…. Now h-hit-ohhhhhhh, mmmmm, my aft! Mmmmhhhhhmmmmm!"

Shamelessly Rich didn't want to, but maybe Starscream deserved it for daring to act like this tiny thing was better than his huge spike! He held Starscream in place with one servo, hesitated, then gave him a gentle slap on the aft with the other. Despite how gentle he was, he was much bigger and stronger, so it was still painful to the grunt. Starscream winced from the strike, moaning still from the vibrator. He squirmed a little, but only felt himself warming up.

"Again!"

Shamelessly Rich was positive Starscream had gone insane. He gave him another smack.

"Harder!"

"Why never say when I in you?" He grunted, giving him a harder smack.

Starscream whimpered from that and felt the horrible desire that he needed more of that pain. "K-keep hitting-hhhrrgh, me!"

Shamelessly Rich nodded to himself, he had indeed chosen an absolutely insane grunt. The craziest out of the entire species. Of course, he would get stuck with one who had lost his processor. He continued giving the grunt Seeker firm slaps on the aft. Nowhere near as hard as he could get, but it was hard enough to elicit whimpers from the smaller jet. Starscream squirmed from the aft beating and vibrator, but he didn't do so enough to escape. It was more of his programming telling him to squirm, but he needed to stay put to receive more of this.

He didn't like how he could kick so freely. He definitely needed those tied. Why was this turning him on so much!? It felt like forever for Shamelessly Rich to make him overload with regular fragging, and now already he felt like he was about to overload. Why was his body like this?

He wasn't sure how many slaps his aft got before he finally overloaded, but his aft was certainly sore from it. He overloaded with a loud cry, and Shamelessly Rich turned off the vibrator.

"My turn?"

Starscream panted, feeling so amazing. "Y-yeah. Get in there."

"Finally." Shamelessly Rich removed the vibrator, picked up the grunt with ease, placed him on the berth, then opened his codpiece. He was soon inside the smaller jet and began to thrust. "I like dis."

Starscream moaned, reaching up to cup Shamelessly Rich's faceplates, his wrists stilled cuffed. "I like this, too." He panted softly. He managed a smile. "I-it feels nicer. I-I like this a-a lot more."

"Want harder?"

"Yeah… Yeah you can."

Shamelessly Rich began to thrust harder and faster. Starscream moaned loudly, looking into those golden optics. He always wanted to be beneath them. He was glad he decided to make this change. Being beneath Shamelessly Rich, having this racer inside of him, was the best thing ever. His favorite place to ever be. He never wanted to be anywhere else.

---

Racehorses sometimes get a lot of surgeries due to the constant damage their bodies take. But only the horses who make a lot of money. The cheap claimers are just thrown away after any injury. The main reason they will do surgery on a horse is if they will breed them. They want to keep making money off them. If they can't breed them for a lot of money, or breed them period (like with geldings), they just kill them. So, if Shamelessly Rich couldn't get a new fuel pump, like how a horse couldn't get a new heart, he would have just been retired for breeding. Horses die of heart attacks and other organ and skeletal issues all the time for racing. It's normal for the industry. Only reason there's less death in this fic is because they are robots so are harder to injure, and they have more options for recovery. Otherwise, there'd be a LOT more death.

Last year (2023) the California horseracing (JUST IN CALIFORNIA) had 83 horses die on tracks. That is JUST during racing in ONE state. Doesn't include those who died in stalls, sent to slaughter, or never registered so we have no idea of their existence. Last year New York racetracks killed 95 horse on JUST the tracks. More deaths will probably appear since FOIAs and all of that are still being processed. That's 178 horses killed DURING RACES in just TWO states in just ONE YEAR. If you don't trust the animal rights groups for this number all of this info is free to the public on the California and New York race horse registries, or you can FOIA request it as the animal rights groups do and you will be emailed the autopsies and all the info on the horses. Go for it if you don't believe me or any of the animal rights groups! I've FOIA before. It's very easy.

Broodmares, mares used for breeding, have their babies taken away at only 1 year old. In human years this is basically 6-8 year old. They will be racing when they are 2-3 years old, which in human years is about 10-15 years old. Horses are fully grown at 4-5 years old. Horses used for racing still have their baby teeth. They start training usually around 16-18 months old. So, the Seekers are taken at 10 stellar cycles old and begin their training. They are raced shortly after they can transform, which they usually can when 14-15 stellar cycles old. So usually by 15-16 stellar cycles they are competing in the races. Not even done growing, still babies, scared, and confused.

The broodmares are repeatedly impregnated. Horses are pregnant for about 11 months. Longer than bovines who are 9 months like us. But unlike animals in animal agriculture who are raped and impregnated again a couple of weeks after giving birth, broodmares usually are given a bit of a break between pregnancies, but about 1-2 years. Still not enough. They go longer in the wild, usually about 3-5 years between having babies.

Stallions of course are raped a lot, too. The high end stallions usually are made to rape over 200 mares a year. And because they only breed during certain times that means during like a month or less they are being raped like 100 times! One prominent stud just died like yesterday, he was only studded for a year and has 75 BORN babies. That's the ones already born after he only studded for ONE YEAR. Who knows how many more mares are pregnant with his babies, and how many more didn't get pregnant after he was forced onto them.

Like, it is insane the amount of sexual assault in horseracing. Animal agriculture is way WAYYYYYYYYYYYY worse, so if the sexual assault of these horses disgusts you... Go vegan.

But at least War Prince and Show No Mercy are now semi free! Bet you guys like that. :)

And look at Starscream! Getting some from his big, weird, goofy boyfriend. Isn't Shamelessly Rich just the silliest big boy? Don't you guys love him!? And remember, he's like... Not old at all. He's about Starscream's age. Like, he's 24-25 stellar cycles old. He's very young and already has been bred so much, raced a lot, all of that. He's been through a lot in his short life. And never once has he walked freely. Always tied up, locked away, or racing.