Author's Notes- Hi, so sorry for the wait for this one. I need some time to get to grips with the story again (my ideas for it have changed and I may edit the previous chapters to show this, if so I'll put a note either in the summary or in chapter notes) but the eventual ending is written, so I hope that makes up for the wait somewhat.

Special thanks to Iwanita, poisonouswaffle'n-stuffs, Olivaceous, Francesca Zatnik, Kitt SummerIsle and Guest for their reviews, to everyone who favourited and alerted this story and Kibble Beast for betaing :-).

Italics- Flashbacks/thoughts/memories/link speak.

Bold- Comm speak.

Warnings- Transformer swearing, death and violence.

Disclaimer- I do not own Transformers or its characters.

Beta- The lovely Kibble Beast.

All mistakes are my own.

I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter Fourteen- Vertigo

Starscream strolled out of Hook's med-bay gleefully, engines purring in relief and delight. His systems were normal and he could fly solo once more. Even though Megatron wished to speak with him he still intended to go for a quick flight first, perhaps take his sparkling to visit the hatchling's burial site, to release the pressure that had been steadily increasing through his recuperation as the skies were consistently denied him; Skywarp and Thundercracker had work to do after all and couldn't be expected to indulge him whenever he felt a need to fly, which was increased as he couldn't so easily take his processor of it confined in his quarters as he had been. Pit… the sense of entrapment alone was enough to cause cravings significantly more intense and frequent than normal. He shuddered, wings twitching before heading for his labs. He would just quickly check on the state of his humans first, then he would pick up the little one and soar through the air under his own power once more. The thought brought a grin to his faceplates however, as the SIC rounded the corner kliks later, his good mood evaporated in an instant.

His lab door was open.

The Seeker knew he had locked it securely so who had had the audacity to go in there without his permission? It had to be his trine or Megatron. They were the only ones who had the codes necessary to get in without setting off his security systems. As he reached his doorway he froze and cool rage blasted through his systems.

Inside his lab, his lab, were Soundwave's four remaining symbiotes. After the deaths of Frenzy and Ravage, Laserbeak, Buzzsaw, Rumble and Ratbat were the only ones left. And apparently they had taken it upon themselves to absolutely trash Starscream's lab for reasons that were known only to their tiny little processors.

'What the frag do you think you're doing?' Starscream shrieked so loud it was a miracle the Autobots didn't hear him on their base on Earth. 'Get out!'

'Bossbot's orders,' Rumble countered, stood on the SIC's desk holding Sarah up by one leg over the edge and shaking her, smirking at the fleshling's cries of distress. Soundwave's orders had actually been to discreetly search Starscream's lab, and leave it with the impression it had been untouched. The humans, however, had caused somewhat of a ruckus and one thing had let to another. Once several vials had been smashed and datapad screens inadvertently broken, spider web cracks and crackles of electricity flaring up from the dormant metal, all sense of caution had then been thrown out of the proverbial window.

It was then that the four youngsters were reminded how fast the Decepticon Air Commander could move when he had the processor to as, an optic blink later, Soundwave's creation was dangling above Starscream's helm. 'Drop her or I will tear your arm off!' He hissed dangerously. Whining, the small mech released his hold on the human and Starscream caught her with his free servo. Turning around he glared at the three fliers and they relinquished the humans they were holding. The male Laserbeak had had his claws on was broken beyond repair so the Seeker put him out of his misery, sliding his remains into the incinerator afterwards. 'Now,' he began quietly, unnerving the other Decepticons as he placed the humans back in their little homes, 'what is the meaning of this?'

'Bossbot's orders,' Rumble repeated, 'we have to find things to prove-' The small mech shrieked as Laserbeak grabbed his younger sibling and slashed him with his talons causing energon to leak down the younger's chassis.

'Be silent!' The largest flier snarled in the little bot's audio and Rumble whimpered and went quiet. Softening, the now eldest of Soundwave's symbiotes after the loss of Ravage, lowered his brother to the ground and nuzzled him, 'hush.'

The Air Commander watched the display and then sighed, 'just leave all of you. I'll speak with your maker.' As they trooped out Starscream slumped in his seat and looked at his lab. Only at the beginning of the orn it had been perfectly arranged but now it would take him the rest of the day cycle to put it back in order. So much for going for a flight, he thought bitterly and bent down to pick up the reports at his pedes. They, he noted venomously, were scratched beyond recognition and would have to be redone. Setting to work on restoring his lab after briefly examining his humans (luckily he had only lost the one man); he vowed revenge on that slagging telepath who always seemed to ruin everything for him somehow, almost spitefully and only when Megatron was in charge as of course it would be illogical to sabotage Starscream when he was in a position of temporary leadership.

Always and forever, only temporary.

Then a thought struck him. Only he, Megatron and his trine could get into his lab. He hadn't told anyone but his trine his passwords and he would bet his last cube of energon they hadn't said anything so it had to have been his Commander who had given Soundwave the codes. The SIC knew his leader wouldn't have given the TIC his own mass overrides so the Warlord had given the telepath Starscream's personal pass codes. Starscream knew Megatron had them, he wasn't a complete fool whatever the older mech believed, but it had never occurred to him that the Decepticon Lord would risk his SIC's safety by telling others that sort of data. Moreover it had never seemed worth risking any backlash from his Commander by changing them. If he could be punished for dropping a datapad, as he once had happen to him, then his psychotic Commander would most certainly punish his second for doing something as audacious as changing his own personal codes…

To be fair to the older mech, he forced himself to think after a moment, that punishment had happened on a particularly bad orn for the army, the orn they had lost the All-Spark to space. He had to make an effort, he knew, but that didn't stop him from being angry with his leader in his own processor for a while. Unconsciously, he did acknowledge that the thinking he had towards Megatron was a significant part of their problem, and he was silently frustrated with himself that it was a part of his nature that he could not change without time. He could be that patient if he wanted to, but he doubted his Lord could.

Sighing through his vents and wings flicking in upset, he made to stride from the room before an idea struck him. Going to his door panel, uncaring now if he got in trouble (his Lord had started this game after all, he gave a small grin) and being sure to block the view of Megatron's security camera, he entered new codes. Perceptor's old codes from back at the Academy.

Let's see the old rust bucket figure that one out.

Megatron watched his second cleaning his lab through his security cameras expressionlessly before raising an optic ridge as his flier straightened and an appearance of resigned frustration crossed his subordinate's faceplates. Engines rumbling, he waited for Starscream's reaction and was interested to see the Seeker make to leave his labs, simply abandoning his clean-up. His curiosity only increased as Starscream paused and did something to his door panel, went out into the corridor and calmly closed up his laboratory. Baffled, the Commander watched his Air Commander's newly-pristine frame, the Seeker's helm held high and seemingly carefree, saunter to his own quarters and again tinker with his door panel.

Finally his inquisitiveness overrode his determination to simply observe his second for a part of the day cycle and the Warlord left his quarters to speak with him. Megatron wandered down the corridors until he reached his second's door.

He was to be disappointed however for Starscream had not lingered long. The Seeker strode down the hallways chuckling quietly to himself. His behaviour was sparkling-like the flier could admit but he would like to see anyone challenge him on it. As he walked around aimlessly, but giving himself the air of having a purpose, Starscream became aware that there was something obnoxiously loud going on somewhere nearby. The SIC snarled in disgust as he froze in a doorway and watched the rest of Megatron's oh so noble army.

Completely and utterly off their faceplates on high-grade. When their rations were so low as to be non-existent.

This was the failing of the Decepticons, right there for all to see. Despite the hoard that the Seeker's trine had brought in not decacycles ago rationing had never been relaxed. This, in itself, was not a problem. Actually, it was a rare good decision on their beloved Commander's part, one with foresight. However his comrades, so used to the abundance of energon that they used to have on Cybertron even after all these solar cycles, converted most of their shares into high-grade. They seemed unable to let the past go, drinking themselves into a stupor to avoid thinking about the present only to pay the price for their small comfort later. Like humans could not live off alcohol (and still remain functional) neither could Cybertronians live on the strong stuff alone. It did nothing to maintain systems, actually too much could be severely damaging, and it did not replenish a mech's energy levels for long. They were given a short, sharp burst of energy, which could result in injury to your processor if one drank to excess. It lasted possibly an orn and then faded. The energy low-grade produced, although it tasted foul, lasted much longer and did work to preserve your systems. Essentially it was similar to comparing the nutritional value of whisky to water or milk.

The other mechs were oblivious to his presence. Wouldn't the Autobots be impressed if they attacked now? By tomorrow the army would be starving, exhausted and desperate once more. Until the next time they were given supplies in three orns time, then the whole cycle would begin again. The only mechs who did not follow this pattern were the Seekers, (including Starscream himself, as he diligently monitored the amount of high-grade they drank, and the sparkling was much too young for it), Megatron, Soundwave and the telepath's cassettes. Starscream's and Megatron's high-grade were preserved from their Cybertron days and Starscream only added more when his stash was running low. Other than that he forced himself to down low-grade with an occasional sip of medium-grade to purge the taste from his glossa and throat components.

The Autobots… It was actually quite a troublesome thought. If they were attacked now, what would they do when only three Commanders, the fliers and the younglings were operating with any sense of control and decorum? What would they do jump at Prime then trip over their shadows? While amusing in thought, any offensive on the part of those moral idiots now would be devastating. It was something he would have to tactfully, possibly through Soundwave by presenting the logicality of the problem to their TIC, suggest to Megatron. Surely if Starscream could keep his Seekers in line then there must be a way to control the other half of their forces as well?

Making to turn his back on the shameful display behind him (at least he and Megatron kept it in the privacy of their quarters and did not degrade themselves in such a way) the Air Commander walked straight into the grip of his leader. Looking up, Starscream could see that Megatron was, genuinely, smiling at him.

He could admit it unnerved him as whenever Megatron smiled at him unprovoked it always seemed to bode ill for him, however, he decided to give his leader the benefit of the doubt and he didn't wish to cause another argument so quickly. The confrontation over the codes could wait for a little while, especially as he'd already had some petty revenge over it.

Megatron wrapped an arm around Starscream's shoulders and guided him away from the noise and the mess, back up to the Seeker's own personal quarters. 'Come for a stroll with me my dear second, we have business to discuss.'

Starscream shivered slightly without being quite certain why. Hadn't he… hadn't he heard that phrase before? 'My Lord?'

'How's that hatchling of yours progressing?' The tyrant asked unexpectedly.

'He's fine, thank you Master,' the Seeker almost stumbled as Megatron abruptly picked up his pace, his talons reached out to clutch at the wall. 'I've thought of a designation for him.'

'You're sure he'll live then?' The Warlord asked, metallic palm firmly in the small of his second's back.

'Reasonably so, yes My Lord. I have had an idea as to how to save him.' Starscream felt the first inklings of panic flutter in his tanks. Megatron normally only ever took him somewhere private like this if the punishment was severe enough to warrant it and the old anxious habit was a hard one to break. 'Master… is there something wrong?' He asked, testing the waters to reassure himself that all was well.

'Indulge me awhile Starscream.' The tyrant cajoled, his touch becoming slightly gentler, as if realising he was placing too much weight on the flier's back.

The Seeker nodded firmly as they entered his rooms and the door slid shut behind them, trapping him in with the stronger mech. Everything was fine, he was overreacting. Even if Soundwave had gotten the codes from Megatron as Starscream suspected, it could have happened vorns ago, long before their truce, and the TIC had taken it upon himself to check on the behaviour of his immediate superior. Soundwave's surveillance had been a constant in Starscream's function since his promotion to second-in-command, nothing out of the ordinary, not at all.

Suddenly, before Megatron could address his second, the hatchling scampered up to the side of his berth, chittering excitedly. The little one spun himself around and fell backwards with a giggle, looking up at the two larger mech with sparkling, crimson orbs.

A rare thing, he was, Starscream realised. A Decepticon completely untainted by war, an… innocent.

The SIC smiled and twittered encouragingly, extending a servo to stroke the little one's helm. 'Hello Vertigo.' The designation had come from some rather amusing flight training. He laid his appendage on the berth, metallic palm up, and the hatchling jumped into it, cheeping cheerfully at hearing his designation again. It was new and therefore interesting to the tiny mech, as was everything in Starscream's lab which was why the Seeker left the little one secure in the SIC's berthroom. He didn't like leaving Vertigo alone so young, but there was nothing in Starscream quarters that could hurt the youngster, the Air Commander had made sure of it, and sometimes sensible supervisors couldn't be arranged. Skywarp and Thundercracker were on shift and Starscream knew he'd be put under in the medbay for a thorough systems check and final, finicky repairs. It was far safer to leave the little one resting peacefully in his quarters than to take him around the Nemesis where a young one such as him would be seen as a target for the less-controlled of their mechs.

'Starry,' Vertigo giggled, nuzzling the larger Seeker's metallic palm, wings flapping at the sight of his guardian.

Starscream laughed, anything was better than Screamer and his name was a bit of a glossa twister for little ones, and caressed Vertigo fondly through their fledgling bond. Even when that link was broken, the little one would always be part of his trine, always protected in such a manner. Vertigo was family now, Starscream could admit, particularly with the loss of the remaining hatchlings, having slipped permanently offline in their pods while the Air Commander had been recovering.

Skywarp and Thundercracker had tried but, in the end, the prolonged damage to their tiny, developing systems through starvation had proven too much. The influx of energon had granted them more time, but it just had not been enough, and indeed perhaps only protracted suffering rather than actual life.

Maybe, as much as it pained Starscream to admit it, it had all been for the best.

A strong servo came down on his shoulder armour and his wings rose as he turned to his leader.

'I wish to hold him.'

Starscream stared for a moment and then carefully placed Vertigo into his leader's servos. Megatron's ruby gaze traced his growing soldier then glanced up at the clear fondness on the elder Seeker's faceplates.

Jealousy flared and he shoved the little hatchling back into his second's tender hold, the surprised squeak from Vertigo muffled as Starscream cradled him to his chassis and stroked his wings.

Megatron headed for the door, 'report to my quarters in a cycle,' he ordered without turning around and the door slid shut behind him.

Starscream stared down at a bewildered Vertigo with an identical feeling rolling in his tanks. Sitting on his berth, he began to practice the smaller Seeker's flying with him, to distract them both and to reassure the little one.

As Vertigo, with a sparkling's ability, forget his brief upset in mere kliks, Starscream could only watch the little one's joy quickly return as tiny wings beat the air and thrusters glowed, in envy, wishing he too could so easily put aside the niggling sense of foreboding building in his spark.

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