Favoritism

• noun the unfair favouring of one person or group at the expense of another.

On the Nemesis, in space, with stars and comets, planets, meteors, and a grouchy as ever Megatron. This was a fun idea, Starscream dwelled upon as he shifted in Megatron's throne, legs crossing at joints and stretching over the rather uncomfortable chair as an organic in its nest. He couldn't possibly think of one thing better that the aerial terror Starscream could be doing that simply was more vital to the Decepticon cause then hovering about in space, aimless, in SPACE! It could not have been worse, really, not one bit. First off the crew was two of Megatron's most irritating, and one little lost spider that didn't seem to have anything better to do with her time. Secondly there was no POINT to their floating around in space. No heading, no direction, merely chasing after the dwindling streams of energy that haunted the galaxy from the All Spark. Whoop! They were chasing after ghosts! How terrifying a crew they were. Far too many times had Starscream tried to explain to his exaltedleader that his imaginary treasure was gone, non-existent, and comparable in status as Blitzwing's stability. He recalled once he approached Megatron after the megalomaniac went on his infamous speeches, about the tyranny and oppression of the Autobots and their misdirection and lies blahblahblah, he tried one last time to explain to the mech exactly what they were chasing after.

"Sir, what is this?" His claws were cupped in front of him. Megatron seemed un-amused but looked anyways.

"The filthy claws of an irritating soldier,"

"No, what's IN the impeccably clean claws of your most adored soldier?"Megatron stared at him. "Just answer the question!"

"Nothing," His leader responded. "There is nothing in your extended claws." Starscream nodded, proud of the glitch head.

"That's exactly my point about your All Spa…"He never managed to finish his explaining, Megatron already decided to grab him by a wing and hurl him into a wall rather tactlessly. The mech always had to react in his hot tempered manner, just had to show off, didn't he? "Slag it all," Starscream huffed, flexing his claws and glanced out to stare at space, ah space, big…dark….boring!

"What do you think you are doing Starscream?!" Lugnut took that moment to just now realize the aerial commander had been perched in Megatron's throne for quite a bit. Starscream rolled his bright crimson optics at the other mech, ever so willing to ignore him. Starscream lasted in that resolution for barely a nanoclick.

"Why Lugnut I'm merely getting used to my future throne, you'd best get used to seeing me here, hah."

"Traitor! The GREAT Lord Megatron would NEVER grant you the honor as his successor!"

"You forget," sparks flew from his gray claws as they scarped against one another while their master held a rather bored expression. "I am second in command of the Decepticon army, I am that tin heads successor…" When Lugnut attacked, it was almost sad. Sure, to anything else it might have been a horrifyingly, spark stopping, terror feeding moment, but to someone as fast as Starscream, it was pathetic. He reached behind him and easily flipped off the throne just seconds before Lugnut's massive club of an arm swung down over his head, intending on crushing him. "Coward! You flee!" The bulbous suck up cried, bridge shaking in the wake of his landing, Blitzwing, black in the face, cackling like a mad organic canine as he fell right on his aft at the repercussion of the massive transformers heavy landing. Amused by the dark glare in Lugnut's optic, Starscream did not notice the manner in which Black Arachnia's face contorted and she was suddenly at attention.

"You insignificant cretin! You think any of you are a match for me! The greatest, most supreme Decepticon in…" The tips of black digits slid down the edge of his wing towards his back, Starscream barely caught him self from crying out in surprise. Wings were sensitive on a seeker, especially one with an already high sensitivity level as it stood.

"I certainly hope you don't mean ALL Decepticons, Starscream…" Starscream had never turned faster in his life, claws gripping one another as he smiled and laughed, ignoring the blue faced Blitzwing rolling his good optic at him.

"Of course not Lord Megatron, all others pale in comparison to your mighty strength. I am not worthy to even bask in the shadow you create."

"Hm, ensure you keep that at the forefront of your processor, I do not tolerate conspirators well." The intimidating Decepticon pushed past the seeker, walking to his rightful place at his throne. Mixed feelings flooded the seeker's core: anger, disgust, fear, hatred, terror, and above all…such respect that it made Starscream's energon boil in self inflicted rage. Lugnut had yet to return to his post while the other two tried to seem far more concerned WITH their posts then the dramatic on goings of their piers and leader. Megatron looked ahead of him, and then to his right, blood red optics then glanced at the seeker who seemed lost in thought momentarily, Megatron waited a few more moments, staring at the seeker who did not move. It finally sunk in that he was being watched when Megatron made a noise, like a clearing of his vocal processor, only more threatening. Starscream turned towards his leader and knew he was being summoned thus moved fluently on his turbines to cross the space between them and returned "faithfully" to Megatron's right hand side. "Lugnut, what is our current status?" Starscream felt the sting, why hadn't Megatron asked HIM?

"Sir, we are currently on mark towards the location of the last traces of the All Spark…"

"Which doesn't exist…" Starscream conveniently coughed.

"Be silent when I am presenting to Lord Megatron! Unlike you I am proud to be apart of our Leader's quest for ultimate power and glory!" Silence reigned for a moment, the crew members all taking a breath as their leader remained still in his throne, within strangling distance of them both were one to irritate him a hint more then the other. Starscream was putting his money on being struck very soon. It wasn't as though he planned his day around getting his aft handed to him by their leader, it just happened that way. (Also the egotistical seeker mentally pointed out to his self that he tended to leave pretty decent scratches in return so it wasn't all bad) Megatron smirked at Lugnut's declaration of adoration, and Starscream wanted to eject up his last meal. Of course Megatron would be pleased to have the bolts for brains praise him and bitch out the seeker. It made Starscream want to overthrow him and just get it over with!

"You'd be wise to take after Lugnut's example my dear Starscream," The chrome plated dictator nodded, blood eyes turning on his second in command. "He is all I could ask for in a soldier, immense strength, a raw and twisted mind dedicated to our cause, and let's not forget his unfaltering allegiance to me…" While Lugnut beamed as best he could with his beak, Starscream plotted. He wasn't just about to be belittled in favor for LUGNUT of all mechs! He did not spend nearly four million stellar cycles following after the thick headed glitch shafted tin head Megatron JUST to be acknowledged as less then Lugnut! There were plenty of reasons why he was superior to that fawning bot, the first reason obviously a simple…oh…now there was an idea.

"Forgive me, my lord," Starscream smiled and somewhere in the universe a species died. "But I must disagree with you." Last time someone disagreed with Megatron it was Starscream his self that was ordered to rip the fool's arm from joint and beat him to death with it. Megatron did not enjoy being outright challenged.

"Watch your words carefully Starscream," Their ever so powerfulleader warned and the seeker nodded as he moved closer to the throne, brash enough to rest an arm on Megatron's shoulder while his other claw pointed to Lugnut.

"You see greatleader, he's lacking in something that only I, Starscream, can supply you." He grinned; Megatron was caught between curiosity and annoyance. His interest in Starscream's words caused him to turn his head slightly, nearly scraping the edge of his helmet on the seeker's cheek; while his annoyance caused the Decepticon lord to tighten his fist, awaiting his second in command to prove irritating.

"Oh really, and what is this mysterious quality that only you can offer me?" Megatron seemed amused. It made Starscream nervous. Megatron always seemed amused before trying to break his wing off.

"Rubbish!" Lugnut griped! "There is no trait or talent of yours that I could not duplicate that would satisfy lord Megatron more so then…" When Starscream kissed Megatron, Lugnut went through a rather wide variety of emotions. Shock, horror, anger, panic, rage, worry, TERROR, and just overall alarm and found his self rather attracted to the idea of whimpering. Watching Starscream's claws bury into the side of Megatron's helmet, forcing his head to turn and bite him with gray alloy lips and fangs…Lugnut did whimper just as Blitzwing pointed and hollered "Zat is SO cute! KISS THE BOT WOAH-WOAH! SHALALALALALA…"He had hope, a fleeting moment when Megatron seemed to break from his shock and reach towards the seekers wings, Lugnut was begging to see the appendage torn from the arrogant bot's body and…Megatron instead yanked Starscream closer.

"Oh Primus," Black Arachnia groaned, covering her eyes with her own thin claws, not wanting to witness the disturbing display of power play between the two egotistical Decepticons. Megatron tugged Starscream into his lap, massive hand hard, bruising so, on the seeker's throat, keeping him close. They kissed like they fought: angry, fangs gnashing, one trying to gain control over the other. Megatron nearly crushed the seeker's throat to ensure his victory, gaining dominance over his second in command, as it should be. It was by miracle alone that Starscream managed to break the kiss, taking a moment to stare up at the leader in whose lap he now was stretched across. He shook his head, recollected his thoughts, and grinned at Lugnut. "There is plenty of ways you cannot satisfy LordMegatron," He smirked, claws flexing over the insignia, their insignia, on the leader's chest. "So take that beak face!" He had to add in a moment of immaturity.

"He has a point," Calm Blitzwing mentioned as he examined the femmebot who seemed to have tried to escape the room via burying herself into the console. "You cannot do zhat." He added a slight tap to his own mouth to prove his point, Lugnut had a beak, not a mouth.

"I…I….ARG!" Starscream was ever so pleased and grinning as he watched Lugnut storm off like a sparkling, his massive body held in the posture of a spoiled bot who'd been denied his favorite thing. Oh it was an amazing feeling to win, at least against lesser mechs such as him. Plus he got to make out with Megatron, all he had to do now was escape before his leader slagged him for his actions and…he tried to get up…Megatron's grip on his wing and hip joint kept him rather still and unable to.

"Blitzwing, Black Arachnia, why don't you two go check on Lugnut," The spider bot had never run so fast while Blitzwing was not too far behind.

"I think I'll go check on the brig,'

"We have no prisoners currently Starscream," The tone of Megatron's voice was terrifying, it was almost…"happy". Happy if you wanted to compare it to the happiness of a predator with its next meal caught in its claws.

"I know, but I might just go ahead and hide down there for a few orbital cycles…"

"That is one option," The great Decepticon leader, with a vice grip that Starscream had never prepared for, grinned. "But instead I believe you will be reminding me again what it is that gives you superiority over the others, as you demonstrated…"

"Do I have to?" Starscream smiled up, pathetically with a weak and nervous laugh. It was only when he was trapped that he realized how much bigger Megatron was then him only when he knew he had lost did he suddenly feel fear towards his commander. How, well, fitting it was that he was that he was "MEGA" Tron. Starscream very much regretted his impulsive actions.

"No one said being the favorite was an easy job…"

TCT: It doesn't matter if you have never been to earth before, everyone knows Disney songs.