Fanfiction part 7

STOP!!! This isn't the beginning! This is!

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you haven't seen all of Transformers Prime and Predacons Rising, and read Transformers: Exodus, go no further! I refer to major plot developments that will give spoilers, and also half of this story won't make any sense if you don't read the novel. You really ought to play Fall of Cybertron and/ or read the Rage of the Dinobots and Beast Hunters comics as well. Everyone should, just because they are so awesome. 

Legal stuff: I don't own any of these characters or settings and this is just a fan work.

Last time Starscream escaped from prison and found himself in the odd position of impulsively distracting an angry Predacon to rescue another Seeker. He used the opportunity to claim the position of Air Commander, to the delight of the impressionable young Seekers and the dismay of the Autobots. They do consider the possibility of letting him do it temporarily because the new Seekers are so bad at flying.

>>>Sooo, yeah, they let him train the new Seekers, but insist that he starts actually cooperating and providing intel. He’s fine with that, since he wants Shockwave taken down, and he likes the feeling of being indispensable. Megatron was totally right about his ego.<<<

After flying in formation all morning the young Seekers were glad to get out and race. Every single one of them could beat Smokescreen now, even through courses with tight turns. It still made Starscream cringe that that had ever not been the case. But what mattered was that they were fast now. The line of them blasted between the towers of Iacon, following the hardest course he had devised for them yet. Up front, he took his time, swooping wide through the turns to get a better view behind him.

What he saw pleased him. Behind the two purple Vehicons, the other seven Seekers were keeping up, hitting every turn exactly right, their altitude changes and hesitation rolls precise. A couple had gotten good at overtaking each other during turns, and the middle of the line was full of varied alt modes waiting for their moment. It was always tense when they did that among the towers, and the Autobots had warned him not to make them do it. They could handle it though.

He rolled over and dove for the final obstacle of the race, a new bridge that was not quite finished. Had he picked it just to show off to the crews working on it? He sure had! Everyone liked to watched his Seekers racing. He slipped under it and pulled up, went upside down, let his nose drop, and swooped under it again, keeping his loop a perfect circle. Then he slowed down and watched.

The Vehicons came in together and nosed downward, with Solarflare right behind them. As the purple jets slowed and lined up on the space under the bridge's widest span, Solarflare flipped onto his back, steepened his dive and accelerated. He rolled a quarter turn and slipped between the Vehicons on his side, then rolled right way up and looped the bridge before they had even crossed under it.

Impressed, Starscream climbed and headed back toward the tower they used as an airfield. He landed on top of it, transforming at the same time, and Solarflare touched down a few moments later, hovering for a couple of kliks before transforming, and wobbling when his feet hit the ground. His landings were still terrible. He looked around, seeming surprised that he and Starscream were the only ones there, and jumped when the Vehicons landed right after him in their usual aggressive poses.

"Whoa! Seriously?" Solarflare cried. "I finally beat you guys! Commander Starscream, you saw that, right?"

"Indeed," Starscream said. "Most impressive. I particularly liked how you passed them with flair." He tilted his hand, imitating the maneuver Solarflare had pulled off, then turned to the Vehicons. "Step it up, you two."

"Jeez, the tyrant of the firmament," one of them muttered.

"Don't worry about it," said Solarflare. "I know you guys have been going easy on us. But you can go all out now that you have some competition."

One by one the other Seekers touched down, making Starscream wince. Tomorrow they would be practicing landings all morning. So said the “tyrant of the firmament”, apparently. Starscream had to admit he liked the name. It was much better than Emperor of Destruction. What had he been thinking? He gave them a moment to rest and marvel at Solarflare's win, then he gathered them back in.

"Next we will discuss armaments and do some target practice, in alt-mode and proto-form." A couple of the Seekers looked excited. "Shooting uses nearly as much Energon as flying, and we will be doing both. Everyone go fill up, then meet back here."

They wandered off, only a couple by air, and Starscream was about to go get some target drones, when he thought of something.

"Solarflare," he said. "A word."

The kid turned around and trotted back to Starscream.
"What is it, Commander?"

"Were you unaware that you stayed in the lead after you looped the bridge? You seemed surprised."

"Well, I just couldn't believe it. I'm not that good at flying."

Starscream thought he was getting there, but there was a problem.

"Did you look behind you? They were right there. You were focused forward, on your route and your speed, and in a battle they would have shot you down."

Solarflare's face fell. "Sorry, Commander Starscream."

"Just stay aware of what is on all sides of you. Obviously in a race it is acceptable to stay in front of an opponent, but you must still know where that opponent is. It will at least make it harder for them to pass you. Hmm, come to think of it, the Vehicons did not seem to know you were behind them either. They should know better."

Solarflare considered that, his wings still drooping. Starscream clapped him on the shoulder.

"Don’t let that stop you from celebrating your victory. Your hesitation rolls are quite precise, and using one to slip between the leaders was just what I would have done."

"Really?" Solarflare's wings perked up, and he followed Starscream toward the elevator to drone storage together. "I’ve been working on them. What else should I practice harder at?"

Starscream smiled. The fact that he asked that question spoke volumes about the young Seeker's dedication. "Landings, Solarflare. Practice landings. Now go get some Energon."

As Starscream watched him fly away, he considered if he should have said anything. Maybe he didn't have to tell them every single thing he'd ever learned about aerial combat all at once. Maybe it was too much pressure. But if he didn't prepare them, they would be in danger. From what? He sighed. Why couldn’t he bring himself to trust the new peace? He certainly didn’t intend to break it, but he needed to be ready to make his move when someone did, and he needed the Seekers to be ready too.

It was nearly noon when all the Seekers stood lined up atop their tower again.

"You have all learned to make weapons, correct?"

"Yes, Air Commander," they said in unison.

"Show me."

With a mishmash of ratcheting sounds, each Seeker went through the partial transformation of turning his arms into weapons. Starscream walked down the line noting each bot's choice.

"Mostly ion cannons," he said. "A good choice, especially for an alt-mode weapon. They are very accurate and pack a lot of destructive punch. They can shoot someone's arm clean off."

A murmur went through the Seekers, who looked at their weapons with newfound respect. The two Vehicons nudged each other until Starscream gave them a look. He held up the portable Grid node he had brought with him.

"This has designs for a few other options you can scan and practice with. I am partial to Null Rays myself." He transformed his arm to show them. "They disrupt electrical systems, including neural nets. Even a glancing shot will often stun an adversary, giving you time and options during a fight. Repeated hits, or an accurate shot to the Spark, are quite deadly. It is a weapon with idiosyncrasies, but I find it to be extremely effective."

He handed the Grid node off and the Seekers gathered around it, flipping through the different options.

Solarflare looked at the Null Ray. "How many Decepticons did you kill during the war, Commander?"

Starscream thought for moment and counted on his fingers, changing his arm back to start a second hand. Megatron counted, even though his demise had been temporary. He lost track somewhere among all the Vehicons and random soldiers.

"Hmm, quite a few it seems." Suddenly he stopped. Why would Solarflare ask that? His treachery wasn't that legendary was it? Which side did they think he had been on? He wondered about it as the Seekers put the Grid node away. Most of them stuck with ion cannons, but Solarflare and one other switched to Null Rays, and one picked (?).

"You two," Starscream said. The Vehicons approached him. "Get the drones powered up and set them for random motion. And get in some practice yourselves. You know what they say about Vehicon trooper aim."

"Wait, no," one of them said. "What do they say?"

"It isn't good," Starscream replied. "Now get going."

"Wait," the other Vehicon said as they walked away, "did he mean what they say isn't good, or our aim isn't good?"

"Same thing," said the other one.

"It's suppressive fire! It's not about accuracy!"

"I'll let you explain that to Starscream."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to practice..."

Starscream only half paid attention to the target practice, distracted as he was by Solarflare's question. He had assumed that everyone knew that he, like the Vehicons, had been a Decepticon. The only possible reason they would not know was if the Autobots had deliberately withheld the information, since they controlled all the information at the moment. But why would they do that? Were they waiting for him to slip up and reveal something that would drive a wedge between him and his Seekers? He would scarcely have credited them with such a Soundwaveish scheme.

As evening approached, Starscream followed the Seekers to their construction shift. They had the night shift, but they always showed up bright and early to fly. Such things were possible now that there was finally enough Energon to keep them going. Two construction bots whose shift was ending ran up to Solarflare, towering over him and telling him how great he’d been at the bridge. They nearly knocked him over in their enthusiasm.

Starscream looked around and finally saw an Autobot, though it was the last one he’d want to talk to.

"Arcee," he said, sidling up to where she was helping load girders onto the crane alt-mode of a huge new bot who would have fit right in with the Constructicons.

"Make yourself useful," she said, dumping a girder into his arms. "Stack these up."

He set the girder down on the crane, and turned around in time to nearly get hit with the next one.

"Keep up," Arcee said, handing it to him..

"I need to ask you something." He set the girder on the pile.

"Talk and work." She shoved another one into his arms.

“Ugh! Fine!” He set it down and took another one, reluctantly settling into the rhythm of the work. “Look, have any of the new bots learned any history?”

“Only the gist of the war and a little ancient mythology. The archives appear to be intact inside Vector Sigma and Teletraan, but bringing them online is taking forever.”

Starscream hesitated. “Specifically, what did you tell them about me?”

“Not enough. I completely disagree with Bumblebee’s call on this one.”

“Which is?”

“To let the new Seekers form their own conclusions about you, and see how you do.”

“Ah. I can’t say that’s wise, if I’m honest.”

She glared at him. “That’s probably the most honest you’ve ever been.”

“It explains why Solarflare thought I must have killed a lot of Decepticons. It turns out I have.” He chuckled. “He thinks I was some kind of hero.”

He reached for the next girder, but Arcee crashed it into him, pinning him against the side of the crane.

“So help me, Starscream, if you do anything to disappoint them, you’ll wish we had banished you into the heart of Predaking’s territory!”

“Please!” He shoved her away. “I don’t mind basking in a little hero worship, deserved or otherwise. I’m not going to screw it up.”

“The way you run your mouth,” Arcee said, “Some of us are taking bets.”

Starscream glared at her. “And what does Optimus Prime think of this little…omission? Where is he, anyway? The library?”

He took a step back. Why did she look so angry?

“Are you guys done?” a deep voice rumbled from above them. “This is my last load before my shift’s over, and I have stuff to do.”

“Sorry, Dirtlift.” Arcee set her girder on the pile and Starscream did the same, keeping one eye on her. The huge bot swung the load up to where the construction crew, now including a few Seekers, stood ready to receive it.

“Come with me,” Arcee said, and walked quickly away.

Starscream followed her nervously. “By the library, I meant restoring the databases. Not relaxing with a good book now that the hard part of the war is over, not that he doesn’t deserve to.”

“Starscream,” she growled. “Not another word.”

Something in her demeanor made him think she meant it, and he followed her in silence, all the way back to the command center. It was quieter now, with no bots bustling around the halls. They entered a room with several maps displayed on screens, that looked to Starscream like a war room. Bumblebee was there, staring at the maps, marking up the progress of construction. Apparently he never needed a shutdown. Ratchet stood nearer the door, with Megatron. Starscream froze.

“You guys talk to him,” Arcee said. “I’m done.” She left him there and Bumblebee looked up from the maps.

“Well, she’s a delight,” Starscream said. “All I did was ask what you’re all playing at, and she hit me with a girder and dragged me in here.”

“You look all right to me,” Ratchet said without turning around.

“Starscream, what are you talking about?” Bumblebee asked.

“I discovered that you neglected to tell my Seekers who I am-” he glanced at Megatron. “or, was. And I wanted to know if Optimus Prime approved of whatever game you’re all playing.” He turned back to Bumblebee. “Arcee doesn’t seem very happy with you at the moment.”

Bumblebee looked at him. “She may yet be proved right.”

“So?” Starscream pressed his question. “Was it Optimus Prime’s idea to give me a chance to behave myself or something? Or were you hoping I’d slip up and shake my Seekers’ trust? Where is he, anyway?”

“You haven’t told him?” Megatron said, stepping away from Ratchet.

“Told me what?” Starscream snapped, bristling. He didn’t like that Megatron and the Autobots were so chummy, and keeping secrets.

“Optimus - ” Megatron began, but Starscream held up his hand.

“Quiet. I want to hear it from him.” He pointed at Bumblebee.

“And you deserve to.” The Autobot came around the table and stood face to face with Starscream. “Optimus Prime has joined the AllSpark.”

“What? You mean he’s dead?” Starscream couldn’t process what that meant, and it surprised him that he felt nothing, one way or the other. “But he defeated Unicron. What happened?”

“That was how he defeated Unicron. He hid the AllSpark inside the Matrix of Leadership. When he returned it to the Core, he went with it. He sacrificed himself so new Cybertronians could be born.”

Starscream considered that that was a typical Optimus Prime move. Was what he felt resentment? Perhaps. Yes. Because he himself wouldn’t have done it. He would have kept it, and ruled a planet of old bots living out their days with no future. He wanted a future, and it seemed Optimus Prime had delivered it. He didn’t like the debt, or the acknowledgement of the kind of leader Optimus Prime was. After a while he said, “Why was I not told?”

“Honestly, we thought you’d be happy, and we couldn’t take it.”

“Happy about being kept in the dark?” Starscream cried.

Bumblebee and Megatron looked at each other, and Bumblebee shook his head. “Happy that Optimus is gone. No one wanted to hear that from you, and we just put it off. It was a mistake.”

So that was what they thought. Not a bad guess, but it turned out he wasn’t happy. He wasn’t sad either. Everything had changed, and he had to think about his next move.

“I am Cybertronian, am I not? I have a right to know about the passing of a Prime.”

Ratchet snorted. “Why do you care? The job’s not open.”

“What? I -” Starscream gasped. Ratchet looked skeptical. “The thought never crossed my mind. So, who did he pass the Matrix to?” Starscream’s eyes widened and he looked at Bumblebee. “You?”

Bumblebee shook his head. “Don’t look at me. Optimus relinquished the Matrix. It can’t be passed down.”

Starscream frowned. That complicated matters.

“But the Autobots look to you, it seems.”

“We’re just trying to figure out how to rebuild right now. It’s a team effort.”

Starscream rolled his eyes.

“Bumblebee is being a bit humble,” Ratchet said. “His accomplishments have earned him a great deal of respect.”

“Well, if temporarily killing Megatron is all it takes, I can offer a few pointers.” He grinned at his former leader and gave a mock salute.

“Don’t push it, Starscream,” Megatron said. “Your liberty is still not guaranteed.”

Starscream stared venomously at him. He still did not know at whose sufferance he was being allowed to command Seekers. If it was Autobots, he could take it until he could command them in his own right, but if it was Megatron – if he was still under Megatron’s thumb – he would rather be in prison. He chuckled, then laughed out loud.

“Oh, now I see what you’re doing – maneuvering into the Autobots’ good graces so you can whisper in their audio receptors and keep your old rivals from getting the same deal. And they must have been eager to believe it. I bet you even fooled Optimus Pr-“

Megatron’s punch staggered him, and he grabbed the wall to stay on his feet. Oddly, he hadn’t expected him to do that. He put his fingers to his mouth and looked at them. He wasn’t even leaking.

“Maybe you really have gone soft,” he growled. “Your punch certainly has.”

Megatron pulled his fist back again, but Bumble stepped between them and pushed Megatron back.

“Starscream, stop!” Bumblebee said. “What are you trying to prove? Look, you were right about being the best bot to take care of the new Seekers. In a way, Optimus did give you this chance to prove yourself, by allowing them to be born. What they think of you is entirely in your hands. You have their trust, and only you can break it, not me or the Autobots, and not Megatron. No one is hoping for that to happen. It would be a tragedy.”

The Seeker backed up slowly, not sure what Bumblebee was up to, and not liking it. He ducked out of the room and left the building, onto a quiet street. The night was cool and most of the city lights were still out. It was into that night that he launched himself, soaring up until he could see the curvature of Cybertron, glowing blue and alive below him. He could fly anywhere. Kaon was also being rebuilt, having been the least damaged of any city. How many Predacons could there really be? Far to the southwest, his sharp eyes could just make out the gleam of the Well of AllSparks.

New bots were being born right now. Maybe Seekers. He thought of Solarflare and his good flying and terrible landings. What would it prove to leave him and the others behind? It would prove Megatron right, that’s what it would prove. He could keep flying. He was his own bot. And as such, he turned around and headed back down to Iacon, casting a last look back at the Well. Tomorrow they would move landing practice to the afternoon. In the morning he would take them in formation over the Well of AllSparks, a salute to Optimus Prime for giving him a chance. He had all the time in world to figure out how to take advantage of it later.

To be continued...