“I have to admit, you’ve got me stumped,” Starscream said as he looked into the monitor. He was watching the feed from a security camera in a room that Thundercracker had taken for himself. The Seeker was hard at work, all available data on Skylancer displayed on his workstation.
“I don’t see what you’re so worried about,” Megatron replied, most of his attention on the data pad in his hands. “If anything, I thought you’d be eager for the chance to study Skylancer up close.”
“Oh, I am,” replied the Decepticon Air Commander. “Finding out how she can wield such power would be an interesting line of research. But why give the assignment to someone like Thundercracker? He’s a nobody!”
“Really,” Megatron replied, looking up at his second in command. “Did you look at his record by any chance?”
Starscream glared at Megatron “Of course I did,” he muttered. “He’s normally under my command as well. First brought online three and a half million years ago. Recruited by the Decepticon Air Wing not long after his first century. Trained at the Tower in what’s left of Cyber City. First saw action in the pacification of the moon colonies during an Autobot supported rebellion, in a task force commanded by Cyclonus. Since then, he’s served in thousands of battles, but the highest role he’s ever had is as a squad commander, nothing more. He doesn’t have the drive, the ambition needed to rise in the ranks. He’s just a regular soldier, not to be trusted with this kind of responsibility. I mean, you just reprimanded him today for coming here to Earth against your will. He’s a risk to our operations on this planet.”
Megatron put the data pad down and directed all of his attention at Starscream. “Very nice assessment,” he said, “and once again you miss the point completely. Now let me tell you why he’s been assigned such an important mission. Thundercracker is one of those Decepticons that many of us see, but don’t really notice all that much. He just fades into the background, going on with his life. And his life is his work. He is a completely focused soldier, loyal to the Decepticon cause, and loyal to me. In many ways, he’s like Demolisher, except that he’s much smarter. Like I said, we all see it but don’t recognize it.”
“The capture of Skylancer is a very delicate mission, and the last thing I need is for some ambitious fool like Thrust to get his hands on her. I need someone I can trust handling this. Thundercracker will do everything in his power to capture that minicon and present her to me.” He glared at Starscream. “Like you were going to do with those three minicons that infiltrated this base to rescue the Air Defense Team a week ago? The ones you buried under a pile of rubble?”
Starscreams optics widened is shock at surprise as Megatron stepped forward, anger visible on his face. “I command this base Starscream, he growled, “did you really think that I wouldn’t find out about them?”
“They’re dead,” Starscream protested, nearly backed up against the wall. “They were crushed under the rubble, like you said. If they were alive, I would have dug them out and presented them to you.”
Megatron growled and backhanded Starscream, knocking the original Decepticon Seeker to the ground. “You fool!” he roared. “Those three minicons that you supposedly killed were the Autobots! When I wielded the Star Saber against Prime, it was those same minicons that arrived and turned the tide of battle. They dug themselves out and came to fight us. Your failure to report their little intrusion may well have cost us the battle.”
Starscream stood up, optics gleaming. He felt his jaw where Megatron had struck him, then replied. “As I recall, you were unable to control the Star Saber. The Air Defense Team broke free and attacked you. That also cost us the battle, perhaps more then my miscalculation did. You had more then enough power to kill Prime, and you let it slip from your fingers.” Megatron growled, and Starscream braced himself for whatever the Decepticon Supreme Commander had planned for him.
Instead, almost at the flick of a switch, Megatron seemed to calm down, the anger fading away from his face. He stepped away from Starscream slightly and nodded. “You may well be right,” he admitted. “I underestimated the willpower of the Air Defense Team, and we suffered the consequences.” He looked away from Starscream for a moment, his attention elsewhere, then turned back. “It may well be that we both made mistakes there. I’ve learnt from my mistake. Hopefully you have too. You’re dismissed Starscream. I have work to do."
Starscream saluted and turned to leave, when Megatron spoke again. “Everyone makes mistakes Starscream,” he commented, “but most Decepticons are unwilling to admit to them and face the consequences of their actions. That’s another thing I like about Thundercracker. You would do well to learn that skill from him.” The Seeker simply nodded and left, his face an unreadable mask.
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(Posted Thu, 20 Mar 2003 03:35)
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