Starscream woke up. At first he wasn't sure why, he'd only been in recharge for a couple of joors. Then his audios started to register muffled speaking outside his room; Megatron's low familiar rumble and a new voice, a strange voice.

Curious, he rolled off the berth and pressed the door panel. The hallway outside was dimly lit and empty. The voices were coming from behind the door opposite, Megatron's room.

He tiptoed over to press his audio to the door, only for the voices inside to silence. Starscream frowned in annoyance and realised too late that the beep he then heard was the sound of the door release.

He jumped back in time to avoid falling forward when the door whooshed open, but didn't have enough time to run back into his own room. He elected instead to feign innocence, smiling up at the all too familiar scowl plastered on Megatron's face when he stepped forward to loom over him.

"What?" he asked defensively when the gladiator didn't speak.

Megatron's optics narrowed further. He half turned back into the room and addressed someone out of sight, "We will continue this discussion at a more appropriate time," he glanced down at Starscream, "Preferably when there aren't seekers eavesdropping at the door."

"Agreed," came an emotionless monotone. Shortly afterwards an unfamiliar mech appeared in the doorway next to Megatron.

Starscream took an involuntary step back. The mech was no one he had ever seen before. His tall dark blue frame was void of any of the scuffs and scratches that came from fighting in the pits, so he wasn't likely to be a new gladiator. Even more suspiciously his faceplates were completely obscured by a facemask and yellow visor, making any expression impossible to read.

Starscream only needed to take one look at him to know he didn't trust him. He squinted up at him sceptically.

Megatron didn't introduce him and the stranger stepped past both of them and went off down the hallway without much of a glance in his direction. Which Starscream found a little rude, having grown more than used to the attention he received from everyone, gladiator and spectator alike.

Maybe his optics didn't work properly, that was why he wore the visor?

"Who was that?" he snapped at Megatron as soon as the stranger had disappeared out of audio range.

The gladiator rolled his optics in a long suffering way and began to usher him back in the direction of his room, "No one of any concern to you."

"He was in your room," Starscream pointed out, stubbornly avoiding the older mech's attempts at brushing him off, "You never let anyone in your room,"

"I let you in my room," Megatron reminded him.

"So... he's your friend?" Starscream asked, trying to piece together the puzzle.

Megatron nudged him past the threshold of his room, "No," he grumbled, then added, "What's the point of you having your own room if you won't stay in it?"

Starscream wasn't listening, too busy thinking to himself. His optics then lit up with sudden realisation and no small amount of horror, "...Is he your boyfriend!?" he cried, aghast.

Megatron couldn't even dignify that assumption with an answer. He shoved the seeker in the direction of the berth before stomping out and slamming the door panel with ten times the amount of force really necessary.

"He's not even your type!" he could still hear Starscream's muffled voice shouting at him from behind the door.

He rubbed a servo down his face, the cycle hadn't even started yet and already he could tell it was going to be a long one.

Megatron quickly realised that Starscream's unhealthy curiosity over Soundwave would need to addressed.

"Stalking is against the law in most city-states" he told the seeker after the fifth time he'd caught him not so subtly spying on his new associate from behind a corner.

Despite being somewhat surprised that Kaon even had laws, Starscream still raised an unimpressed optical ridge and managed to retort, "Murdering is also against the law but you still do it for a living."

Megatron clenched his jaw and had to work very hard to keep his temper in check, "Well, since you're so intelligent and mature perhaps you should come up with a more ethical way for me to pay for your excessive energon consumption?"

Starscream crossed his arms and scowled, "If you'd just tell me who he is-"

"It's none of your business who he is!" Megatron snapped, "Why don't you do something more productive with your time? Read a data-pad."

Starscream's mood only seemed to deteriorate further at that suggestion, "'Read them all," he muttered.

Megatron would have offered to retrieve some more for him, but with the former arena's collapse so fresh, the lower levels were still crawling with Autobot security enforcers. It wasn't worth the risk, no matter how annoying the seeker was being.

But he couldn't allow Starscream's juvenile attempts at espionage distract Soundwave from his objectives any longer, and there was only one thing that could possibly entertain the youngling more than pestering his new associate.

Which is how he found himself reluctantly leading a very hyperactive seeker into the arena's pit for a 'training session'.

He had chosen the smallest, least harmful weapon he could find -though that wasn't saying much in a place like this- which happened to be an energon sword designed for mini-bot use. He took one look at Starscream, who was bouncing on his thrusters with barely contained excitement, and instantly regretted this idea. Perhaps it would have been wiser to risk arrest and deactivation to get the seeker some new data-pads after all.

Someone was going to lose a limb, he could see it now.

"Stand still!" he barked in his sternest tone, the same tone that always managed to cow the overzealous rookie gladiators and yet had minimal effect on the tiny seeker. Thankfully though, this time Starscream did do as he was told, so eager to swing a weapon he was willing to put aside his rebellious attitude for just a few breems and listen.

Megatron glared at him silently for a few moments before continuing, "What I am about to teach you I am teaching you only so that you will be able to defend yourself in future. Do you understand?"

Starscream nodded eagerly.

"So don't attack anyone," he warned, "In particular me."

Starscream pretended to look confused that he would suggest such a thing, "Why would I do that?"

"You do many stupid things Starscream," he said wearily, un-subspacing the short energon sword he'd picked up earlier, "I've given up trying to make sense of them."

He handed the weapon over to the seeker. Starscream took one look at the short, glowing sword before scowling and throwing it to the floor.

"It's too small!" he shouted, "I want a bigger one! I want a-"

He fell silent when he saw the look on Megatron's face. With a quiet mutter he stooped and picked the weapon back up again, swinging it around haphazardly. Megatron took a step back, wary of losing a pede.

He took out one of his own, far longer, swords and casually deflected one of Starscream's wild swings. The seeker froze at the loud zing of the weapons meeting, staring in surprise, before grinning and bringing the sword around for attack. Megatron intercepted it again and performed a complicated move that had Starscream's weapon flying out of his servo and into the air.

"Hey!" Starscream shouted, but it was more out of surprise than real annoyance. He turned and ran to get it. "Can you teach me that?" he asked, coming to stand before Megatron again.

"Perhaps when you are more practiced," Megatron told him, absently swirling his weapon around in an arc.

Starscream watched with an awed expression before attempting to copy the move, and nearly took one of his own wings off in the process. Megatron quickly moved forward to correct his grip. "Use both servos."

"You only use one," Starscream argued, but did as he was told anyway.

"That's because I know what I'm doing," Megatron said, and brought his sword up, moving deliberately slow so that Starscream would have the chance to block him. And Starscream did so, with surprising speed. Megatron felt a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

They continued for a while, Starscream gradually building up confidence until he was using the space to a better advantage, stepping back and jumping to the side to avoid Megatron's sword, and at one point even trying to attack him from behind. Then everything went downhill when Starscream attempted an elaborate but impractical manoeuvre, lost his grip on the energon sword and dropped it on his own thruster.

He screeched and hopped back on one pede, holding the other aloft as energon trickled from the wound.

Megatron quickly moved forward, kicking the weapons aside and taking hold of Starscream's leg to survey the damage. "It's only a cut," he said with no small amount of relief.

He released the seeker so Starscream himself could have a look at it. "My first battle scar," Starscream whispered to himself, apparently awed.

Megatron looked amused, "You did it to yourself," he reminded him, "and once it's repaired it won't even leave a mark."

Starscream didn't appear pleased with this news.

Despite Starscream's protests and desire to continue sparring anyway, Megatron insisted on dragging him to the med bay. And he since he refused to endure the embarrassment of being carried, he had to hop the entire way there.

"Looks like someone's being playing with weapons," Axel's familiar, creepy voice called from somewhere within the dimly lit med bay as soon as the doors had shut behind them.

Starscream immediately pressed himself against Megatron's leg, glancing around for the medic.

Axel stepped out of the shadows and grinned like a psychopath. He moved to one of the berths and gestured for him to climb on it. Starscream scowled and didn't move. Why did someone like Axel get to survive when Steelstrut hadn't?

"I haven't got all cycle little seeker!" the medic called.

Starscream had no intention of moving, but Megatron had over ideas, nudging him so that he stumbled forward and had no choice but to approach the medic.

He made a noise of disgust. "Why couldn't you have offlined," he muttered darkly in Axel's direction as he came to the berth side.

"It'll take more than a couple of Autobots to catch me." Axel informed him pleasantly, "I'm wanted in over six city states."

Starscream eyed him warily, "...Why?"

Axel turned to face him, holding a particularly menacing piece of equipment aloft, "Medical malpractice."

Before Starscream could run away two servos slipped under his arms, lifting him off the floor and onto the berth. He glared at Megatron.

Thankfully, under Megatron's watchful gaze the medic couldn't do any creepier than correctly repair the energon lines that had been severed and weld the metal back together again.

"Can you show me that disarming move now?" Starscream was asking as Axel put the final touches to his armour plating. Like Megatron had said, no mark was left behind.

"No," growled Megatron. He shoved Axel away when he saw the medic's servos lingering longer than necessary on the seeker leg and lifted Starscream off the berth. "It is getting late, and I need to prepare for this evening."

Starscream huffed, having forgotten about Megatron's murderous pit fights. "Can I come?" he asked as they exited the med bay, like he did every time Megatron had to leave.

He was graced with an unimpressed look, "Of course not."

Starscream sulked all the way back to their quarters, and his mood didn't improve when Megatron informed him he had remain in his room until morning, when he'd be back.

"But whyyyy?!" he cried melodramatically, stamping his thruster. It was still tender from the recent repairs and he instantly regretted it.

Megatron noticed, "I hope that hurt," he muttered, "And you know why. This arena is still unfamiliar and Clench has hired a lot of new gladiators."

"So?" Starscream snapped.

"So," Megatron growled, looming over him as menacingly as he could, "What if you got lost and ran into a couple of them?"

Starscream smirked arrogantly, "They're not allowed to do anything to me, Clench said."

"Not everyone obeys Clench," Megatron pointed out. And Starscream could see that he had a point there.

"Fine," he muttered stiffly, "I'll stay in my room."

Megatron stared down at him for a moment, "...I'll know if you haven't."

Starscream snorted, "Yeah, yeah," he wandered into his room, "I get it."

Megatron watched him for a moment, clearly not trusting him -and rightly so- before nodding and stepping away. "I will see you tomorrow."

Starscream smiled back, "Don't get stabbed!" he called cheerfully as Megatron began to walk down the long corridor.

Megatron paused, glanced at him over his shoulder, and sighed heavily before continuing.

Starscream was true to his word for about half a joor. He'd tried to entertain himself with data-pads, but his mind had quickly wandered to the current mystery he had tasked himself with solving.

Who was that Soundwave mech?

And now that Megatron was out of the arena this would be the perfect opportunity to try and speak to him. He was a little weird, but if he was this close to Megatron he couldn't be anyone dangerous. Could he?

Starscream jumped out into the corridor and looked both ways. He didn't know where Soundwave's quarters were except that they were on the north side, somewhere near the arena's security rooms.

He wasn't anywhere near there however, when a mech stepped around the corner. Starscream jumped and was about to hide, but the mech had already seen him.

"Star!" Clench shouted, striding towards him, "Just the mech I wanted to see."

Clench's use of the word 'mech' made Starscream smile. At least someone around here was starting to see him as the adult he was.

"How'd ya like to make yourself useful?" Clench asked him cheerfully, he bent down in front of Starscream so that he was level with him, "I've got an important job you'd be perfect for."

Starscream's optics brightened, "Really?" he squeaked, unable to contain his excitement.

"Sure," Clench grinned, reaching out and placing a servo on Starscream's shoulder, "What do you say?"

Starscream nodded his helm eagerly, "What is it?" he asked excitedly as Clench stood up and began to guide him up the corridor, "Do you want me to spy on someone? Or fight? Or-"

Clench held up a servo, "Slow down there," he laughed, "It's nothing like that."

Starscream's face fell, "Oh, what is it then?"

Clench hesitated, "It's... like a party," he told him.

Starscream frowned, "A party? What am I supposed to do there?"

Clench was about to answer as they turned a corner, but a mech was blocking their path; a dark blue mech.

Soundwave.

He didn't bother with any of the pleasantries Clench was so found of.

"Starscream is not to leave the arena." he stated, visor fixed on Clench. Starscream glanced up at him, surprised that the aloof mech knew his name. Had Megatron told Soundwave about him?

Clench kept his expression pleasant, but the firm grip on Starscream's shoulder told him that he was annoyed. "Its fine," he tried to wave Soundwave off, "He's with me."

Soundwave did not move.

"Megatron's orders; Starscream is not to leave arena." he repeated, and this time there seemed to be a hint of menace in his monotone.

Starscream looked between the two mechs warily. They stared at each other, the carefree expression Clench normally wore had melted off of his faceplates now, and Soundwave's visor and mask held no expression.

Finally he spoke again, "Release Starscream." Soundwave took a step forward, "Immediately."

There was a spark stopping pause where Starscream thought they were going to resort to violence –and though that would have been amazing to watch Megatron would probably blame him for it later- and he began to try and pull away from Clench. Luckily, the arena boss decided to relent, and finally released him. "Maybe next time Star," he said, flashing the seeker faux smile before stepping backwards. He kept his gaze on Soundwave as he retreated back up the corridor.

Soundwave didn't say anything, and he too stared after Clench his visor fixed on the mech distrustfully.

Starscream was beginning to wonder if he should just go back to his room and hope no one told Megatron about this in the morning when Soundwave spoke, "Starscream; follow."

And he began to stalk up the corridor.

Starscream starred after him before realising he was supposed to follow. He had to run to catch up with Soundwave's longer strides. Quickly he started firing off his questions.

"Did Megatron order you to watch me?" he asked curiously between pants, thinking it would be just like the gladiator to assign some poor unfortunate mech to stalk him around the arena now that he didn't have Steelstrut to bully into doing it.

Soundwave did not answer.

"Why couldn't I go with Clench?" he tried again.

This time Soundwave did answer, "Starscream; too trusting of Clench."

Starscream frowned, "But he likes me."

Soundwave's visor turned towards him, and Starscream could tell he was being judged. "Do not trust Clench." he told him eventually.

Starscream decided not to argue any further. Soundwave didn't seem like the sort of mech anyone could argue with.

Before long they arrived in the North side of the arena, where Starscream had been heading anyway. Soundwave entered a code into the door panel. Starscream stood on the tips of his thrusters to try and see what it was, but Soundwave's digits moved to fast for him to make it out. The door whooshed open and Soundwave stepped back, obviously wanting him to step through first.

He did. There was nothing spectacular about Soundwave's quarters. It looked very similar to his and Megatron's, except there was a lot of very complicated, and probably expensive looking equipment on several tables in the corner of the room.

He took a step towards them when a loud hiss caused him to pause.

He turned and there, lying on the berth in the room, was a sleek, black cat. It hissed at him again, baring long sharp dentas.

"What's that doing in here!?" Starscream shouted, pointing at it wildly as it began to creep forward off the berth.

"Designation; Ravage." Soundwave introduced him. Ravage just hissed again in response, still prowling towards Starscream.

Starscream quickly moved to stand behind Soundwave in case it pounced on him. It wasn't that much bigger than him, but it had sharp claws as well as dentas and Starscream's didn't want the stupid thing to mess up his paint.

"Ravage; desist." Soundwave finally ordered. The cat, Ravage, growled low and stalked into a different corner of the room, dark red optics narrowed at Starscream.

Starscream pulled a face at it.

"Starscream; remain here until Megatron's return." Soundwave told him, moving past him to quickly type something into one of the monitors piled up in the corner.

"He told me to stay in my room," Starscream pointed out, wandering around Soundwave's quarters curiously -though making sure to avoid Ravage, of course.

"Starscream; disobedient. Untrustworthy." Soundwave stated, not even bothering to turn around.

Starscream was offended. What had Megatron been telling this mech? "No I'm not!"

"Starscream; known liar.' Soundwave added, tilting his helm around to glance at him, as if daring him to deny that too.

Starscream decided to let it go, for now. He crossed his arms over his cockpit, "You can't keep me in here all night. It's boring."

Soundwave lifted a servo and pointed towards a shelf against a wall. It was covered in data-pads. Forgetting that he was trying to be argumentative, Starscream approached it, glancing at the titles with interest. There were little on science or anything that Starscream had much interest in, but there were a few political data-pads. It was better than nothing.

Feeling nostalgic, he picked up one titled, "The Development of the Vosian Constitutional Monarchy" and began to flick through it, stopping every now and then when he came across an old picture of the palace or a former sovereign. Part of him missed Vos. He missed things like being able to see the sky wherever he went, and the elegance of the centre city, and just being near other seekers.

He'd never really enjoyed his life there, but Vos was still home.

He must have been more engrossed in the data-pad than he'd realised because before he knew it Soundwave was crossing the room to open the door. Starscream dropped the data-pad at the sight of a dirty, dented and glowering Megatron in the doorway.

"You look like you've been sat on," Starscream said out loud him before thinking it might not have been a good idea to insult Megatron when he was likely already in trouble with him.

Megatron's dark optics turned to him and the look he sent him had Starscream lifting the data-pad again just so that he could hide behind it. Yes, he was definitely in trouble.

Megatron turned to Soundwave, "Where did you find him?"

"Clench." was all Soundwave said.

Megatron's expression darkened. He turned slowly to Starscream, who was still attempting to be inconspicuous behind the data-pad. "Why am I not surprised to find my trust in you was once again misplaced?" he growled.

Starscream lowered the data-pad to scowl back at him, "I don't see why I had to stay in that stupid room anyway! It's not like anything bad was going to happen!"

"You have Soundwave to thank that it didn't," Megatron snapped.

"It was only Clench!"

"Stay away from Clench," Megatron told him sternly, pointing at him, "He does not have your best interests at spark."

Starscream jumped to his thrusters and stood up straight, trying to make himself look taller. Out of the corner of his optic he could see Ravage watching the exchange with what looked like amusement. "At least he doesn't treat me like a sparkling! He said he had a job for me."

Megatron was silent for a moment. He glanced at Soundwave; neither of them said anything but the visored mech nodded his helm slightly. Megatron curled a servo into a fist and turned back to Starscream, "If Clench ever approaches you again you tell me immediately."

Starscream scowled, "Why?!"

Megatron would see that the seeker was clearly a lost cause if he didn't understand why. It looked like Soundwave was going to have to take on another new duty whenever he had to leave the arena. Starscream sparkling-sitting duty.

He gestured for the seeker to move and nodded his thanks to Soundwave; they'd have to have a discussion about Clench later.

Before following him Starscream went back to pick up the data-pad he had been reading. "Can I borrow this?" he asked Soundwave.

Soundwave's visor brightened, but he nodded silently. Starscream didn't bother to say thank you as he ran out of the room ahead of Megatron.

"You are fortunate Soundwave is so tolerant of sparklings." Megatron told him as they walked back to their side of the arena, "There aren't many mechs with the patience to deal with the likes of you for an attire evening."

Starscream tried to ignore him, but still visibly flinched at the 'sparkling' comment. "What's he here for?" he asked for what had to be the hundredth time.

Megatron sighed, but he supposed he should be thankful Starscream wasn't convinced he was in some kind of relationship with blue mech anymore. "He is here for the same reason everyone is," he lied.

Starscream narrowed his optics at him, obviously not believing him. "He has a lot of stuff in his quarters, what's that for?"

"How should I know?" Megatron lied again, and quickened his pace. The sooner they got back to their quarters the less time Starscream had to ask questions.

"And why does he have that cat thing? Is it a pet?"

Megatron rolled his optics, "About as much as a pet as you are," he muttered under his breath.

Luckily Starscream didn't hear. He was too busy thinking, "Can I have a pet?"

"Dear Primus no."

By this point they'd arrived back at their quarters and Megatron was able drown out Starscream's high pitched protests by shutting the door in his face. That was one upside to no longer sharing space with Starscream he supposed.

It was nearly cybertronian month before Soundwave finally came to him with anything that was remotely like good news. Progress was slow. Very slow. Energon was going up, and showing no signs of stopping. The rioting that Kaon was famous for was starting to spread to city states like Tarn, and more famously, Vos.

The Autobot security forces had brought more enforcers into Kaon itself -as it was often blamed as the root cause of the rioting- and their new tactics for dealing with what Iacon was calling 'senseless acts terrorism' was working. Underground networks were vanishing one by one.

But none of them had a mech like Soundwave.

"Sympathisers?" Megatron clarified thoughtfully, "Where did you find them?"

"Tarn." Soundwave responded, extending a data-pad for Megatron to read. "Motives; genuine."

Megatron smirked, once again appreciating how helpful Soundwave's ability to weed out spies and undercover agents was. "And Clench is none the wiser?"

"Affirmative."

"Good," said Megatron, subspacing the data-pad for later. "How long do you estimate it will take before we can have them here?"

"Orns." Soundwave informed him, and it wasn't the answer Megatron had wanted to hear. "Patience; paramount." he added, sensing Megatron's ire.

"As long as the Autobot security forces are unaware of our goals it doesn't matter how long it takes." Megatron said eventually.

Soundwave nodded.

"And what about Vos? Iacon has not been so sympathetic with them lately."

"Rioting; continues. Chance of revolution; high."

Megatron nodded. "And is they do it will only bring more mechs to our side." He paused, "speaking of seekers, where is Starscream?"

Soundwave's visor brightened, "Starscream; with Ravage."

On the other side of the arena Starscream stared at Ravage. Ravage stared back.

"Frag off!" Starscream finally shouted, losing patience.

Ravage tilted his helm to the side, surveying him with interest.

"I'm not doing anything!" Starscream protested angrily, hiding the welder he'd just stolen from Axel's med bay behind his back.

Ravage began to prowl forward, circling the seeker. Starscream turned at the same time, blocking the welder from sight. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

As usual Ravage didn't reply, but the answer was obvious. No, no he didn't have anything better to do, because Soundwave had told him to follow Starscream, and Ravage didn't disobey Soundwave.

His undying loyalty was starting to disgust Starscream. How could anyone be so submissive?

Suddenly Ravage leapt forward. In an effort to avoid him Starscream jumped out of the way, losing his grip on the welder and it clanged to the floor. Ravage stared at it pointedly.

"That's not mine." Starscream lied quickly.

Ravage ignored him and pounced for it.

"No!" Starscream shouted, chasing after him as Ravage raced off with the welder clamped between his jaws. "Wait! I wasn't doing anything! I found it! I was returning it!"

The excuses were still flying out of his mouth when Ravage finally reached the door to Soundwave's quarters. He jumped to hit the door panel with a paw. Starscream wasn't quick enough to catch him before he ran through the opening door, and then it was too late.

"IT WASN'T ME!" he still shouted upon entering the room, out of breath from the chase. He thrust a digit at Ravage, who was laying the welder at Soundwave's pedes and looking very pleased with himself.

Soundwave looked at him curiously. Megatron glared at him menacingly. This wasn't the first time this stellar cycle Starscream had been caught by Ravage doing something he shouldn't have been. And Megatron's patience with his shenanigans was starting to wear thin.

Starscream squirmed.

Soundwave glanced at Ravage, then at Starscream before announcing, "Starscream; attempting assault on Axel with stolen welder."

Starscream's mouth dropped open, "How did you-?"

His surprise at Soundwave somehow figuring out exactly what he had been up to was cut short by Megatron bellowing right next to his audial, "WHY CAN'T YOU BEHAVE YOURSELF FOR FIVE BREEMS?!"

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!" Starscream screamed back at the top of his intakes, "I can't do anything because that fragger!" he pointed at Ravage, "Follows me EVERYWHERE!"

Whilst they were shouting Soundwave received a comm. He turned away from the escalating screaming match to approach one of his monitors, flicking it on.

His actions distracted Megatron from telling Starscream what an idiot he was long enough for him to realise something was happening. He moved to stand next to Soundwave in front of the screen, completely forgetting about the seeker.

"What's happening?" Starscream asked, after he'd realised he'd been shouting his defence at no one for a good few breems.

When no one replied he went to see for himself, squeezing between the two larger mechs to get a glimpse of what appeared to be a news report on the monitor screen. It was showing seekers, a lot of them, angry seekers. Along the bottom of the screen it read, 'Vos overthrows Monarchy'.

Starscream then recognised where this was being filmed. It was the royal palace. Parts of it looked like it was on fire.

"What's happening?" he asked again.

This time Megatron did answer him, not taking his optics off the screen, "They're killed the Sovereign."