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lexicorp · 5 months ago

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Transformers Earthspark: Another Place, Another Prison

Unicron is ultimate cosmic boogyman and it's great and I rlly couldn't resist getting him in the lore-

The opening scene for this chapter is decently inspired by that one scene in TF kingdom with the disk bs. I like giving him both those intense and subtle notes. It's really the TFP vs Armada for me again lol.

Other than that fun stuff, the rest of the chapter is Starscream interacting with Jackie and a couple of the Maltos. Our lad is struggling so much with all the slag he's got in his processor. It was /so/ gd tricky writing this chapter with it's style of pacing and reflecting his fragged up mental state with him being dissociated and jumping between points in time in his head. Navigating the other's character's behavior and his towards it is certainly wild af too istg.

This chap got so long-

Previous Chapter: Obligation

First Chapter: The Need For Read

Next Chapter: Distractions

Chapter 14: Not All Scars Can Be Welded

There was this surrounding, choking, all consuming pressure. Then, Starscream’s optics fell upon the planet-sized force looming before him. He was capable of nothing but to stand in limbo amongst the shards of metal, rock, and dim stars who were the only promise of anything else beyond this carnage.

It was Unicron.

This couldn’t possibly be real. The Planet Eater, Chaos Bringer, harbinger of doom, and twin to Primus himself. Here? Now? Impossible. Yet his cursed spark dared to foolishly argue otherwise.

Starscream squinted into the light emanating from the serrated pit that illuminated him, and someone else. Meridian. That wretched creature in the state he’d been when he should have perished. Hardly human at all, with all his disgusting augmentations, combining what bit of organics he had left within his mechanical frame. It was impressively worse than his original body. Mandroid indeed. He should have stayed in that smelting pit where he belonged.

Unfortunately, Meridian remained. Talking with Unicron. As if the pest could offer anything to a god.

What were they saying?

Against Starscream’s better judgement, he attempted to drift closer. Although he still made certain to find a sizable asteroid to hide behind. Perhaps they were distracted, and hadn’t noticed him yet.

“There is no need for you to come here yourself, Unicron.” Meridian was apparently attempting to uselessly plead his case. “With what power you have given me now, we are perfectly capable of ridding Earth of any remaining Cybertronians. That is all that matters.”

His answer was a chaotic cacophony of hissed whispers that could hardly be parsed out from one another. Some words. Some screams. Some cracks that Starscream could practically feel what, or who, they belonged to. The noise attempting to strangle his processor with its weight.

Then, a proclamation distinguished itself with cold certainty.

“You fail to comprehend my purpose. Meridian.”

There was a chilling silence. Starscream had gripped his optics and forced them shut. But he could still see it. Those whispers too, still reverberating in his audials.

…

Then suddenly came Meridian’s voice in turn, croaking out his demand yet again. The ignorant fool. “Your purpose is no concern of mine. I only need you to help me destroy those Transformers. MY purpose, is to rid the human race of their vile influence. The destruction of Earth as a whole is hardly an option. If you want to devour a planet, why don’t we go for Cybertron? Surely that would be more worthwhile.”

“I will spare your pathetic planet, IF…you destroy the Matrix.”

The Matrix? Why would Unicron make any sort of bargain with this mandroid? Did the Matrix of Leadership hold power that threatened even the Chaos Bringer himself?

A flicker of amusement came to Starscream at the thought of Unicron being afraid of a glorified, privileged trinket. What, would the Prime opening his chest plate to flashbang them into oblivion all it would take? He couldn’t help but laugh. Out of all the powers of the Primes, and Primus himself; that was what the Planet Eater was fixating himself on now? Sure, Optimus Prime was insufferable, but Starscream thought it absurd that he’d again be set to be a savior against the oldest evil in Cybertronian history.

“Of course.” Meridian stated with falsely placed confidence and a trace of annoyance. “I’ll make sure to leave nothing left of them, this time.”

Such promises.

Did this arrogant hunk of flesh and scrap really believe he had the capability of doing such a thing? Starscream hadn’t been able to destroy the Autobots with the power the corrupted stone had given him. How dare this fool think he could do any better. What advantage did he think he had? The pathetic glitch was only a figment of Starscream’s impressive imagination. With what army? With what weaponry? Clearly Mandroid’s plan had only gone so far as “I want them dead” and nothing towards how he was even going to accomplish it. If he thought that he’d suddenly be able to single handedly take the Prime and the others down–just because he had weaseled his way into Starscream’s circuits by some will of Unicron–he was going to have a rude awakening.

Starscream wasn’t going to be a part of this nonsense. This story his processor was concocting in his recharge this time was certainly a unique one, but hardly believable. He was quite certain now that this was only an odd nightmare. Visions of Unicron and this Mandroid conspiring some slag about the Matrix? Please. Ridiculous. How unrealistic can you get?

He didn’t need to stay here. How did lucid dreaming work again? Did he only have to think of a door or–

“S t a r s c r e a m.”

Meridian was gone. Starscream was now where he had been instead. Right in front of Unicron. And getting closer. Like he was the next in line to be devoured.

Unicron spoke Starscream’s designation like it was a javelin made of frozen titanium. Sent straight through the spark, and pulling him forward as it remained locked inside his frame. Forcing his attention directly into that Primus damned Pit. Clicks of those jagged spires within Unicron’s maw were like ticks of a metronome for the encore of harsh whispers echoing from within it. Talking directly to him. The chaotic bouts of knowledge urged themselves to be known in a way a parasite ached to feed on its host. Taking more than anything that was given. It constricted any of Starscream’s own thoughts with only this visceral, impending promise. With a command that aimed to carve its way into his code.

He didn’t want to hear it.

It wasn’t real.

Unicron wasn’t real. He refused to believe any of what he was seeing would happen. It couldn’t. He wouldn’t be a part of it.

“Y o u W I L L s e r v e y o u r p u r p o s e. T h e r e i s N O e s c a p i n g i t S t a r s c r e a m.”

No.

This…WAS real.

And yet. As his optics and audials burned and glitched wildly to spite him. As his vents refused to open. As he felt the sickening sound of the entrance of the destroyer’s mouth closing behind him.

Starscream ripped his helm from his servos, and as soon as he truly witnessed what was inside with unwanted clarity; he woke up.

***

Starscream shot straight to attention with a sharp gasp paired with an intense need to transform, and jet out of wherever he was now. But when he attempted to do so, his systems countered the command as soon as the blasted thing on his ped got in the way. Instead, his thrusters sputtered and launched him back against a wall.

The crimson lightning was flickering erratically, some of it taking on an oddly more violet hue. Starscream attempted to focus on his servo, feeling out the solid surfaces at his wings and peds. Then began refocusing his optics to what was around him. The berth in this ridiculous room the Malto’s made him. The posters with his seekers and that one with Megatron getting shot in the faceplate. That stupid Bumblebee lamp he now recognized he held a shard of. There were those two human adults, too. Twitch, and the hum of her rotors. She was holding a rather protective stance in front of her guardians...

Then there was Wheeljack. “Primus Starscream, ya always know how ta make an entrance, don't cha?” His servo was extended carefully at a respectable distance with no weapon in sight. “Ya really gotta stop tryna break my things as soon as I fix ‘em, y’know.” Wheeljack nodded to the device that’d interrupted Starscream’s escape. Right…

He stared blankly at the servo and the mech attached to it. There was a mech attached to it. Starscream was in the Malto’s underground residence. The future still plagued his processor, no better than the past. Yet what he needed, was the present. He needed to know that THIS was what was real. No Megatron. No Unicron.

Starscream’s wings shuttered and he managed a shaky in-vent. That strange strategy Hashtag had shown him, could only do so much it seemed. It was painfully hard to focus. He felt numb. While at the same time like he could purge his tank at one wandering thought. So, he tightly gripped the sharp fragment of that porcelain lamp until he could feel a light drip of energon from his digits, while he lifted the other in an undecided attempt at taking Wheeljack’s offer. Part of him wanted to know with concrete certainty that it wasn’t an illusion. Another dreaded the thought of the potential, undesired answer.

So he hesitated. Locked in place. His gaze focused on scrutinizing Wheeljack’s faceplate. Searching for a clear solution that could give him the confidence to take that chance. It shouldn’t be so hard. Starscream was air commander, and leader to the Decepticons; he could take a mech’s fragging servo. It’s never killed anyone before. Wheeljack was harmless enough anyway. Unless he had a shock switch in his palm or somehow rigged it to blow. Although the former sounded far more like something Skywarp had done. There should be nothing to worry about. Acknowledging this mech’s non-threatening gesture wouldn’t be the end of the world.

“You alright…? Are ya gonna take my servo or what? Did ya knock your processor loose again?” Wheeljack fidgeted as he was apparently not too fond of the staring contest that Starscream was clearly winning. “Y’know ya gotta get up for me ta take a look at that.”

Starscream shuttered his optics and finally took hold of Wheeljack’s servo, who instantly helped pull him up from his awkward position. Even moving to intercept when Starscream faltered with a wave of dizziness. It was odd. Not just the uncomfortable air of concern, but the physical contact itself. He was led back to the berth to sit down again, and he began to recognize the toolbox and energon pack hovering nearby on a cart. That was why Wheeljack was here. Starscream had gotten into an altercation with Megatron, of course he’d needed repairs…

He released the lamp shard and remembered how his servo hadn’t been there in his last memory file before he went offline. Now, the only thing wrong with it was his minor, self-inflicted cut. Starscream distantly wondered if his buzz saw had been replaced. When he attempted to transform it out–nothing. Unfortunate, but unsurprising.

Wheeljack took the shard and gave him a firm look. “I’m gonna need ya ta say something Screamer. I ain’t exactly an expert on processor damage, but your helm was pretty banged up there. You can hear what I’m saying right?” Twitch, too, flew up to land on Wheeljack’s shoulder and held an inquisitive, expectant expression.

Starscream looked up at them and attempted to operate his vocalizer. He couldn’t have forgotten how to speak. That would be absurd. But he couldn’t think of the correct words. What was he supposed to say?

“Uuuuhh…” After a ridiculous moment of frustrated confusion at such a simple thing, something clicked, and he finally remembered. “Yes! Yes. I am…present. I’m fine. I’m sure your repairs were quite sufficient, Wheeljack. Although I will say I am surprised I have not found any experimental augmentation in place of my servo after your tinkering. How unlike you.” He smirked at the inventor with an air of disappointment, and a hope for any sort of entertaining conversation.

There was a predictable glint in Wheeljack’s optic at the prod. “Oh you bet I thought about it!” He pulled up his holoscreen and sifted through a slew of blueprints for potentially devastating or overly equipt servos. “Like this one! How cool would it be if you could have a built-in grappling hook?? A magnetizer ray? A projectile shield generator? Or! Or, get this. Each digit could activate a different function if you clicked it right! You could have a little blowtorch, a welder, a scalpel, a screwdriver with adjustable sizes, a laser pointer, a tiny little gun that shoots paint or condensed notecards–”

“Oh!” Twitch inserted herself in front of the screen excitedly to select a servo of her choice. “Don’t forget this one! A super stinger based off of Bee’s! It’d stasis lock ‘em for twice the time, and could have melty laser ultra charge mode!!”

Wheeljack sighed wistfully. “Aw but Prowl didn’t want me givin’ ya any more weapons. It’s a waste of a perfectly good opportunity to upgrade if ya ask me. I for one think that they should have allowed me to at least beta test my newest blaster model. I mean, what’s the fun in fixin’ things if ya ain’t gonna make em better?”

Starscream examined his plain servo again. He didn’t particularly have any urge to change it. He only wanted his own gear back. All the same, such additions could be quite interesting. “I couldn’t agree more. It truly is such a shame that they would continue to restrict your creative instincts in such a way. I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to offering my services, if you so wish.”

“Eh, eh. Don’t make it sound like a deal now. You know I can’t resist testing my tech; but even if it pains me, and I don’t like it, Prowl might have a point.” Wheeljack paused as he seemed to only be attempting to convince himself of this so that he wouldn’t defy his superiors orders. He squinted his optics, “About the weapons at least…”

“Yeah, I mean, Scream can’t really be trusted with a firearm—But you know who totally CAN handle it Dad 2??” Twitch fluttered next to Wheeljack’s faceplate with pleading, mischievous optics. “Me. It’s me. Please. I want a literal firearm. I need it.”

“Oh nuh uh, young bot.” Dorothy spoke up as she came closer to them from the door, and looked up with a stern glare. “You are not getting a flamethrower or some unstable laser arm attached to you. Do you realize how dangerous that'd be? No. You are perfect the way you are. No experimental upgrades.”

Starscream scoffed. “What, do you not find her capable of operating anything more than a meager base form blaster? If she is not given the opportunity to even attempt it, it is quite insulting to assume. Sure, Wheeljack’s device could backfire, melt the rest of her arm off, or send her flying into oblivion; but isn't that the thrill of discovery? Why not let it play out.” He looked to Wheeljack expectantly. Such a remark would surely get him revving. If not in some form of defense, then perhaps he’d even agree with him. The explosive technician had always been one for pushing the boundaries of practicality. And, he knew it often came with the sacrifice of equipment through trial and error. A loss of a limb was nothing if only an annoying inconvenience. It’d be an informative experience for the little drone.

Instead, Dorothy’s stupid conjunx inserted his extension to her opposition. “While I am just as excited about the idea of the stinger of the future–that does not sound safe. Couldn't you test it out from a distance? Or without attaching it to yourself?”

Wheeljack hesitated a moment in contemplation. That was far more boring than his sudden bouts of incessant rambling. “I suppose my drones respond quite well to field testing. I don't see why not. Twitch could still be my assistant, from a safe distance.” He winked at her, and Starscream felt a touch offended at being ignored.

He glared at those disgusting humans and an image flickered in his processor. Meridian as he was with G.H.O.S.T, and Mandroid as he was in the end. He was there one moment, and gone the next as Starscream adjusted his optics. Primus he needed to realign his attention on whatever stupid slag was being discussed beside him…

Twitch was apparently happy with that compromise, and now was energetically whirling around them in her alt mode. The others seemed to find something amusing. Then his servo was lifted by some force he didn’t immediately connect the source of. He felt that constricting, weightless pressure again. He tried to focus on the material being wrapped around the insignificant injury, but his digits felt strange. He gripped the edge of the birth until he could finally feel the scrapes his claws dug into the metal.

The clicks in his audials suddenly turned to snaps of another mech’s digits. “Hey now, stay with us here Screamer. I really gotta take another look at your helm.” Wheeljack reached for a scanner and dent detailer. “Twitch asked ya a question.”

Starscream blinked to shake the odd lighting and blurriness from his optics. “What?”

“I asked what happened with you and Megs!” Twitch abruptly popped up far too close to his faceplate with her servos on her hips as she leaned forward.

He flinched and instinctively pushed her away. “Why don’t you ask him? It’s not as if you will believe my tale of events anyway.”

Twitch scoffed with a rev of her rotors and crossed her arms in a huff. “Maybe I will if you’re gonna be a jerk about it!”

“Hold on Twitch.” Dorothy of course needed to assert her own opinion on the matter. Clearly she was gearing up a backhanded affirmation of her bias for her pet warlord. “Starscream, we still want to know your side on the matter. If we’re going to make this work, we need to be able to trust each other, be honest, and work it out when bad things happen.”

Or…not? Why would Megatron’s agent be interested in playing the part of an impartial judge? What was this slag? Make WHAT work? He still couldn’t figure out what this even was! They say one thing, then flip around with some other fragging angle like they couldn’t even decide what they’re own intentions were! He wasn't the one misunderstanding these things. Right? No. No, they just…were trying to mess with him. This was some sort of trap.

He’d love to play along, really. His first instinct had been to do just that when he’d first entered this little box of familial load of scrap. But it was an impossible charade to keep up for long. They wouldn’t believe him. Especially if he constantly got hung up on every little nonsensical sentiment they threw at him.

Starscream again found difficulty in parsing out the words from all those chaotic bouts of data in his processor. “...You can’t be serious.”

“Why not?” Wheeljack retorted plainly as he reached over to meddle around with Starscream’s helm. “The whole point of this is for ya to eventually come on our side, right?”

“You expect me to believe that’s what you all are doing this for!?” He smacked away Wheeljack’s servos and attempted to stand, but only fumbled a bit of distance between them on the berth. “All for your sudden interest in becoming allies!? This only came about because you realized that I wouldn’t remain a passive prisoner so easily. With whatever had infected my spark from Quitus’ blasted Emberstone, you’re afraid of me. Admit it. And you couldn’t think of any better way of keeping me in line than this slag! I’m not stupid. You can’t–” He was shaking again with those sparks of lightning being incapable of deciding whether they wanted to be crimson or violet, and he choked out a laugh. “You can’t make me believe this again. I…I know Megatron only wants me around to–to be his–I–all any of you want is to control me for your own goals! Well I don’t! And if I said that I was only trying to gain some distance between myself and that deranged tyrant, you’d call me a coward. If I said that I had only defended myself, you’d justify his actions like everyone always does. Because, oh right, it must have been Starscream’s fault–Megatron never lashes out unprovoked! I TOLD him to leave me alone! HE NEVER LISTENS!”

Wheeljack held his servo’s up defensively. “It’s alright Starscream, calm down. We’re listenin’, promise. Ya don’t needa yell. I’m right next to ya.”

Starscream put his own servo up to his helm and forced his vents to cycle in a rhythm he tapped out with a digit. He was calm. He was a professional at keeping his Primus damned composure. They were the unreasonable ones.

But…it wasn't growing into a screaming match. Wheeljack wasn't throwing any of his tools. Dorothy, for whatever reason, had actually advocated for hearing him out. That just didn't make sense. It all didn’t feel right. It was wrong. They were…wrong.

“I’m not yelling.” He snapped defiantly, and maybe he had been, but no one ever heard him otherwise.

“But–Megs HAD to go and get you ‘cause you ran off!” Twitch sounded confused and upset, even as she began to detail that same slag yet again. Now that made more sense. “You guys didn’t have to fight about it! Megatron wouldn’t–”

Then, Dorothy interjected again. “I know Megatron is better with his fists than his words on some days, and I know you two have quite the history of this sort of thing. So, it sounds like you weren’t even trying to defy our arrangement, but just got spooked and bolted when Megs showed up. Is that right?”

Did she really…well, even if she did, clearly all it would take was one little thing for her to show where her allegiances lied once again. All the same, he felt a different sort of pain within him at the thought. He wanted so desperately for anyone to listen to him, to understand. He’d thought Hashtag had understood, but now he wasn’t sure where they stood, and couldn’t shake the feeling that it was his fault. Like he ruined one good thing he could have had with her. Now, his helm and spark was a slagging mess, and he couldn’t do it again. He didn’t want to sabotage even the mere chance that…maybe this human might actually be more than he first thought. As unbelievable as it may be.

Starscream couldn’t look away from her. It was absurd. He couldn’t get himself to respond. He didn’t want to admit he feared Megatron. He didn’t want to appear weak. He was already shaking and probably looked stupid.

He tried to straighten his posture and pull his servo from his helm to tightly grip the other on his lap. He fixed his wings to be neutral. Everything was still spinning, but he could handle it. He could answer them, and maybe Twitch could achieve a similar understanding as her guardian.

“...Something like that.” Starscream adjusted his expression to be professional, paired with his calculated presentation. His claws began to dig into the minute lacerations through the patch, and it aided in focusing his processor. “I had assumed he was here to enact some sort of repercussions for my lackluster performance in this whole redemption slag. Surely I’ve crossed off a plethora of deplorable actions over the course of this trial period. Attacking Bumblebee that one time over a stupid game…I’m sure plenty other things as well with whatever parameters you discussed with him when I arrived. Although he certainly doesn’t often require an excuse to toss canonfire in my direction. So, my intent was to avoid that, then my condition instigated things. A warning shot does not equate to an invitation.” His vocalizer was distant, although he could still clearly define it as his own, which was an oddly comforting thought.

“I…guess that makes sense.” Twitch looked uncomfortable as she folded her arms across her chest plate in a similar manner Hashtag often did. “But he wasn't going to do that. You haven't been THAT bad. I expected worse honestly.” Her snark returned with a smirk as she tilted her helm.

Dorothy sighed. “I admit I did as well. THAT was what me and Megatron had been discussing that day. He was actually trying to convince me to give you a chance, Starscream. Calm my nerves. I was…hesitant to let you near my family.” She held onto her conjunx’s servo more tightly, and he returned her cue by leaning closer before watching Starscream carefully again. “But, I agreed because it seemed important to him. And…I remembered what I had told Nightshade. Everyone deserves a second chance. I promise that we aren't keeping score of every little thing you do. As long as no one gets hurt, you are allowed to be, eeh… well. You. We’re all navigating this “redemption slag” the best we can.”

“Yeah! Megatron isn't gonna beat you up for calling Uno stupid, that’d be dumb!” Oh the little drone would be quite surprised to hear the stupid things that had elicited that reaction from her beloved buckethead.

“Ah yes, it would. Wouldn't it?” Starscream acknowledged Twitch’s ridiculous comment before turning his attention back to the human. He had to force his wings to be neutral again when they attempted to tense with that Primus damned electricity behind him. “It’s equally difficult for me to believe that a human would be so willing to offer such patience, and not jump at the chance to put a bot in their place. It seems to be so invigorating for you, after all.” Mandroid glitched across his optics again, and he glared at the spector as he gripped his servo more harshly.

Dorothy’s faceplate wrinkled in an odd way. Perhaps she was offended. “G.H.O.S.T doesn't represent all of us. They're gone for a reason.”

Wheeljack was beginning to pack up his tools. “Yeah those folks were quite the control freaky type. Always in my business and worryin’ bout my inventions like I was trying to blow us all up or something.”

“And Dr. Meridian was…troubled.” Alex added. “While I may not like you Starscream, I’d never enjoy inflicting that sort of punishment. That's just wrong. Although I am certainly not above grounding a grown bot if I have to!”

“I’m already grounded.”

That made the human falter. “What? No you're–well–were we going to ground him for running away?” He looked to his conjunx for guidance.

Dot blinked in confusion before coming back to her senses. “No. No, it was just a misunderstanding. Honey–” She was apparently actually referring to Starscream with such a ridiculous pet name. Humans were full of surprises– “grounding is like when you lose privileges after doing something wrong. Like when Mo and Thrash broke her window, we took their electronics away. That sorta thing.”

Starscream squinted his optics. “That still sounds quite accurate to my current level of restrictions.”

Twitch began to laugh. What about this was so funny? “OH MY GOD HE IS! Screamer’s grounded!” She began to absolutely lose it over this revelation. Did she have a screw loose?

“Huh…” Dorothy also seemed to be doing quite the equation. Her effort to correct Starscream on his knowledge of their terminology, only seemed to make her question her own. “I guess…wow.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her helm, looking a bit amused herself. “Okay, I guess that's about right. Theeeen the worst you’re gonna get is a timeout in your room or something, I don’t know.” This made Twitch laugh louder. “If anything, we’re just going to talk about it. Alright? There's no hitting each other. We use our words in this family.”

“Hm. Unless you count Megatron under that classification, I’m not convinced.” Starscream crossed his arms. Tapping a digit to an irregular rhythm as soon as he felt himself drifting again.

“I promise Megatron isn’t going to hurt you. He just wants to talk. We were actually discussing before you woke up about deciding on a good time you two could try and figure things out. He really does want to fix things, and regrets what he’s done in the past. You just have to give him a chance.” She seemed…genuine. Even so, it was a foolish wish for him and Megatron to come to any sort of understanding.

Starscream scoffed and rolled his optics. “Megatron feeling any sort of regret for his actions? You’re joking. The slagger is a professional at rationalizing any inane decision he makes. He might want to talk to me, but I certainly do not wish to speak with him.” A malicious grin grew on his faceplate. “Let the mech suffer if he so desperately wishes to bask in my presence. I don’t owe him anything.”

Dorothy looked disappointed. “We won’t push it on you if you aren’t ready. But you two do need to talk at some point. You know you can’t avoid him forever.”

Then, as Wheeljack was beginning to exit the room, he was intercepted by Twitch. “Aw, are you leaving already??”

Wheeljack and Starscream locked optics as a moment of pause permeated the room. “‘Fraid so Twitch. My work here is done and I still got plenty of things to do back at base.” He looked away and disappeared around the corner with his supplies in servo. “You’re welcome to come with if ya want.”

Twitch looked to her guardians for permission. “You guys okay with uh…Can I?” She gestured back towards her mentor with a clear want to follow but laden with uncertainty.

Dorothy nodded. “You have fun dear, we’ll be fine here.”

Twitch hesitated another moment before disappearing as well.

“Heh.” Starscream chuckled as he leaned down with a servo on his knee to get a better look at the two humans he was now left alone with. “Confident little creatures, aren’t you? Do you not realize how easily I could crush you right now?” This only strengthened his assumption that this room wasn’t some innocent little box for him to stay in. Why else would they feel so secure? Or perhaps they simply underestimated him. That would be a fatal mistake.

Dorothy crossed her arms and looked unimpressed. “You won’t do it. You’re smarter than that.”

She was right. Although Starscream still leaned back again in a hint of surprise.

“Now. I’ll let Megatron know that you aren’t ready. We’ll just focus on making things better between us here. You still need to make up for what you did, and we will help you get it right. For now…how are you feeling?”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

Alex was the one to answer. “If you don’t tell us when something’s wrong, or explain your…different thought processes; we can’t help.”

“Plus, it’s to show that we care how you’re doing.” Dororthy added, “Y’know, encourage a bit of that “think about other people’s feelings” biz that Bee was trying to tell you about.”

“That’s an odd thing to fret over in words.” Starscream flicked his servo dismissively. “I already said I’m fine. What else do you want?”

“More than just an “I’m fine”, maybe?” Dorothy gave him a bit of sass with a grin like they were having some sort of banter.

“An extensive list of my condition would be excessive. I’m sure such a thing would only bore you.”

“Try me.”

Starscream attempted to analyze any hint of deception in her stance. Anything that would allude to an ulterior motive. Surely this gesture couldn’t be as plain as she made it out to be. Besides, he still couldn’t understand why she cared. A flat assurance that one’s state of functioning was stable, was satisfactory enough. Why would it matter the specifics? He was operational, that’s what mattered. Sure, things weren’t exactly optimal, but expressing such things only served as a show of weakness. He wasn’t going to give her any details that she could use against him. Yet clearly she wasn’t about to back down. So what could he say to get her off his back about this “feelings” slag?

“...I…admit I am a byte shaken by recent events. My current situation isn’t exactly one I had anticipated. Certainly FAR from anything I would like. Your bunch of brats are constantly either avoiding me, or throwing any amount of scrap in my faceplate they find amusing. Or would you rather me say how absolutely delighted I am for this gracious opportunity?” He quirked an optical ridge and crossed his legs with a servo to his cockpit. “Your unyielding hospitality knows no bounds! My fleshy little friends. I’m sure that my accursed spark will be righted in no time with such noble creatures at my disposal.”

Dorothy shook her head, a note of fondness growing in her expression. “Yeah, sure, alright Screamer. We’ll work on that.” She and her conjunx began to leave as well. That was far from the expected response.

He wasn’t quite sure what he HAD expected. Annoyance? Defensiveness? A proclamation of his response being horrid, and dissatisfactory? Perhaps he had expected for their conversation to escalate in some way that would require him to up his suck up meter. Or throw a bit of extra shade their way. Not such an artless statement alluding to some assurance of improvement! Bland is what it was. Bumblebee was far better at this.

Then she continued from the doorway, “Why don’t you get some rest? You’re welcome to join us outside when you’re ready. But don’t push yourself. Bee has a small stash of energon in Nightshade’s lab. If you want any, just don’t go and hoard it all or something.”

“Yes, yes. Stealing bad, and whatever else it is you are insinuating.”

She rolled her optics at him with a grin before the two humans vanished from view just like the others. He’d attempted to keep them in sight as long as he could. Part of him didn’t want to be left alone with his thoughts. Sitting here, alone, in this blasted room didn’t sound particularly relaxing. He’d much rather DO something. Perhaps he would take them up on the offer to get some fresh air.

Embarrassingly, as soon as he tried yet again at the effort of standing on his own, his stabilizers immediately flared warnings in his processor that sent him crashing down. He couldn’t possibly be this disoriented still. That was pathetic.

Starscream maneuvered towards the wall, and used it to guide his direction as he stood. Then traced it towards the exit. At the very least, he could scope out that energon to store some of it away in his berth’s compartments. Not enough to be overtly obvious, but enough to ensure that if they decided to withhold fuel as a means of indirect punishment in the future, he’d be prepared.

He needed something to focus on outside of all the useless slag riddling his processor. Anything else. He didn’t care what it was. After he acquired his stash of fuel, perhaps he could find some sort of object he could lean on for the surface. It needed to be inconspicuous of course. It wasn’t like he needed assistance walking…maybe he’d just rely on structures for stability instead.

There was no Megatron. No Unicron.

Things actually seemed to be improving. Somehow, he seemed to be winning the favor of that odd human femme. This might not be going as badly as he thought. Maybe he could work with them. A strange thought indeed, but not a new one.

He just needed to not think about everything that could go wrong.

#tfe #tfe fanfic #transformers #starscream #tfe starscream #dr meridian #mandroid #tf unicron #tfe wheeljack #twitch malto #alex malto #dorothy malto #dissociation #bit of cosmic horror #describing the feeling of disconnect from things is so tricky #really pulling on my own space out experiences here lol

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