Starscream's Song
Most mechs wondered how Starscream had come to acquire his name. Most ground-bound mechs knew that Seeker traditions required that a mech or femme earn their name, that they prove their worth and their pride before receiving a name instead of simply a number or pet-name that a creator would give their sparkling.
Thundercracker had earned his name from his deep, sonorous voice that sounded like rolling, clashing thunder when he spoke the harsh Kaonite accent he had learned at an early age, his name later given once more when his sonic blasts had been found out. Skywarp's teleportation ability had revealed itself when he was young and he had earned the name quickly, keeping it throughout the years by his talents.
But Starscream was a mystery, even to most Seekers. He had always had a high, screech of a voice that sounded like a particularly noisy Earth bird (What was it humans called them? Bizzers? Buzzards?). He wasn't particularly unattractive by any standards and seemed to be more than aware of the fact if the way he strutted about was any indication.
Why Megatron, leader of the Decepticons, Slagmaker and Champion of the Kaon Gladiator's, was pondering his second's name was a mystery to even himself as he sat on his throne. He was watching the red and white seeker intently, as if by simply staring long enough he would unravel the mystery behind his second's name. When he had asked Skywarp and Thundercracker they had looked at him with amused looks and stated that the name wasn't because of his speaking voice.
What did they mean by specifically saying "speaking voice"? What other voice was there.
"Megatron?" There was a pause as Megatron's optics shifted to those of his second's and he realized he had been staring at the seeker's lips while he had been giving a report.
"Starscream, how did you get your name?" The question was out of his mouth before he could take it back.
The seeker seemed to choke on his own words as he stared at his lord and leader, energon flushing his face and stuttering as he looked away.
"I-it's nothing… No reason…" Megatron frowned, Starscream was lying to him.
"Starscream. I want to know." The seeker was looking at his pedes, the report pressed to his chest like a barrier as he avoided Megatron's gaze. There was a moment of stillness before motion.
Starscream scrambled towards the door and Megatron was on his feet, grabbing the seeker just as the doors to the control room opened. Wrapping his arms around that thin, pale waist and hoisting him back as the door swung open then closed, Megatron kicked the locking mechanism and shoved Starscream into a corner deftly. The seeker stared up at the larger mech pleadingly, shuddering as he shrank beneath that cruel gaze.
"What was that all about?"
"I can't tell you how I got my name." Starscream whispered.
"Why not?"
"Because."
"Starscream."
"I can't tell you." The seeker whispered, his gaze locking with Megatron's. "But I can show you."
"Then show me." Megatron murmured, staring down at the seeker carefully.
Starscream paused, looking away before his gazed turned to the ceiling, his lips parting and –
"My love, my bird, my heart, my all
Can't you hear me
Hear me
Hear me call
My song it calls to you alone
Bringing you swiftly
Swiftly
Swiftly home…"
Megatron was so shocked by the sheer fact that Starscream was singing to him that he didn't pay attention to the words or the sounds his second was saying and making, his body leaning even more heavily upon the smaller mech pressed to the wall. His optics were wide and his mouth gaping as he stared at the other mech.
"Sing me to the stars
Swing me in your arms
My lover's lips kissing you
Like love birds when the part
They die from a broken heart
And we'll die from loving too…"
The voice was still of a relatively high pitch but it sounded different, smoother and less like a screech, slower and more deliberate as he sang the slow, gentle song.
"Love birds can't bear to part
They die from despair and broken heart
They refuse to sing alone
If we were to part I'd also depart
I'd die without you to sing to…"
The seeker's song was so filled with emotion, his voice trembling and warbling like the sweetest nightingale's as he poured his very spark into the song, coolant beginning to gather on his optics.
"My love, my bird, my heart, my all
Can't you hear me
Hear me
Hear me call
My song it calls to you alone
Bringing you swiftly
Swiftly
Swiftly home…"
Starscream's optics were offlined and his lips were trembling as he sang, Megatron fixated on the smaller mech's face, the dark derma fixed in an expression of rapture as he sang his song. His very spark was being poured liberally into the words and tune as he forced himself to finish the song.
"All around I see people
They taunt and they mock me
As I wait and I sing for you
Although you're not near me
I know you can hear me
Each time I cry out this tune…"
The words crescendoed beautifully and Starscream's optics lit up as he stared at the larger mech, seeing yet not really seeing him.
"My love, my bird, my heart, my all
Can't you hear me
Hear me
Hear me call
My song it calls to you alone
Bringing you swiftly
Swiftly
Swiftly home…"
Silence.
Megatron stared at his second as Starscream met his gaze, the seeker trembling as he spoke.
"Starscream is the closest translation that my name can get in the language of ground bound mechs. In Vos seekers communicate by song, not by speaking. My name, in Seeker Cant means "Star Serenader"… I earned the name the first time I ever sang that song."
"Who was the song written for?" Megatron whispered after a moment of contemplation. The seeker stiffened and pushed his commander away with a cold gaze.
"You know the origins of my name now. Am I dismissed?"
Megatron blinked, nodding dumbly as he stared at the smaller mech, wondering what he had said or done to warrant such suddenly cold behavior from his second. As Starscream walked out he paused and looked over at the other mech.
"You know what your name means in Seeker Cant?"
Megatron looked up.
"What?"
"Bright bird." Starscream stated before leaving Megatron to contemplate what had just happened.
Returning to his throne Megatron thoughtfully stared at the floor as echoes of Starscream's voice filtered through his mind, preventing any other thoughts to come to him or for him to focus on anything.
He knew where Starscream had gotten his name… Now he wished he hadn't because now the seeker was all he could think about.
End
AN: Starscream's song is sung to the general tune of "Feed the Birds" from Mary Poppins. The song is property of ME and the characters are property of Hasbro.