Chapter Text
Megatron’s irritation had been so heightened recently, from the usual source; Optimus Prime and his merry band of Autobots. The Autobots had gotten needy, raiding the Decepticon Energon storage units. An unfortunate, now very evident oversight in their security management.
Starscream was determined to please his father, and he wouldn’t stop until he at least intercepted the Autobot’s operations.
He had to prove himself, especially now that his father was going to see him as easily overwhelmed.
——-
Starscream had lied to the Vehicon controlling the air park, using his status as the Decepticon prince to get through his other Father’s restrictions. Soundwave was clever, but he had taught Starscream, so he knew at least some of his tricks.
The little scout Bumblebee was the only bot his scanner could pick up. He didn’t even need backup! A perfect opportunity to please his father using only his own skill!
Bumblebee seemed unaware that he was discovered, as he continued to pack up Energon for his faction. He knew it would be so easy to snuff out the yellow car, when he had no where to run and no backup.
Starscream paused in his scheming for a click, realizing how similar the bot’s situation could be to his.
He stumbled back, disgusted that there could even be a part of him, sympathizing with his enemiy, no less his father’s sworn rival’s sparkling! Bumblebee’s audials perked up, realizing that he had been seen and immediately commed his base.
“Scrap, you puny Autobot!” He held up his arm missiles, aiming for the Autobot’s helm.
“Catch me first, Starscream!” He shouted back as he began to transform into his alt mode and moved too quickly for the fired shots.
He rolled his optics irritated, and prepped himself to take chase after the young bot.
His spark stopped at the sound of a ground bridge and the shadow of a taller, impossible to not recognize mech.
Optimus Prime, the bastard, who decided to come on the one occasion he had no backup and no mech knew his location.
And he attacked his son.
If he wasn’t offlined by the glitches, his fathers would ensure that he would have rather been killed in battle then go mad from lecturing.
The towering Prime spoke with mild irritation, looking down at Starscream and then to his son, “Starscream, you know how this will go.”
Starscream refused to let the Prime see him hesitate, and tried to regain his bearings by speaking as his father would, “Spare me the talk, Prime! Hand over the Energon, and I might spare you!”
The scout had driven up to his father and retransformed, and he cocked his helm in a knowing manner.
“Starscream, you really think you can intimidate us two on one?” The chatty bot boasted.
“It’s truly more one and a half on one, but suit yourself!” He raised his blasters, and fired a series of shots at the pair.
They both narrowly dodged the attack, but before Starscream could preen on his minor victory, he felt a pair of servos and coils on his plating, pulling him back.
He went through the ground bridge to see both his fathers looming over him, obviously upset. The Vehicon that he had used to get through was also there, currently held at point blank of Megatron’s cannon.
Megatron immediately went into lectures, not even giving him a chance to get his bearings, “Starscream, what the frag could you have possibly been thinking, if you even thought at all!”
“I-Father, please-“ Starscream in a panicked manner, desperately trying to pull together a halfway decent excuse before being cut off by his father again.
“You could have been captured! Offlined! Tortured for information! Infinite horrible fates, and you didn’t even comment in passing to any mech! Not to mention, this is the second time in recent memory that you took an unnecessary risk! Even after I explicitly commanded against it!”
Starscream still had Soundwave’s coils around his arm and leg plating, holding him in place close to the cassette player.
“I-uh-I was-“
The intelligence officer loomed down at the seeker, tightening the coils, “Starscream: No Excuse.”
He felt the deep embarrassment over not only failing, but the fact he had so spectacularly been shamed by his family.
“Starscream, we only are angry because we care. But you are grounded again. You didn’t learn your lesson, that as a seeker you need to work in groups. As my air commander, listen to your fellow officers. And as my son, you must obey my orders.”
He hung his helm low and was pulled along by his father’s coils, ready to be taken to the medical office for examination despite his injuries being nonexistent.
At least they cared.
Starscream’s processor wandered as he was taken along, wondering if the scout was dealing with the same problem. Being so competent, but not enough to not be smothered. To be more than just a good soldier, but to be the star of the show. To please his family and his faction.
He would make them proud, and even if he could project unto the Autobot, he wouldn’t show any mercy if it won any favor for himself from his fathers.