Chapter Text
There was several instances now- where starscream had come into contact with the autobots. Where they said or did something (intentionally or not), that just got starscreams processor spinning. He’s not sure if it’s just the outsider perspective of the decepticons that’s sinking in or just the millions of years of abuse and dissatisfaction he’s gotten from being under megatrons command. No, he did not wish to defect. He was a decepticon true to spark, he’d served this cause since the war began, he’s poured everything into devising plans, sacrificed everything of himself to keep the cause going stronger.
It was Megatron- he did not believe Megatron was a worthy leader. He hasn’t believed that in a very long time either- he thinks he can do better. Bring the decepticons to victory. He thinks- if he were in charge, he could’ve ended this war long ago.
He could do better.
he could do so much better.
He could lower the casualties, he could increase the amount of energon they had in storage, he could-
So when Megatrons plan- which starscream had attempted to advise him against using, went wrong, and starscream was blamed for the failure-
Starscream just.. lost something in him. Not patience, he didn’t have much of that these days. Faith? Respect?
He didn’t say anything at first though. He didn’t say much at all in fact. For four days, he kinda sulked, looking more depressed than he ever had. Even a trip to the medbay didn’t really pull him out of the rut he’d found himself in. Usually talking to knockout- hearing his voice and getting a chance to unload a long exasperated rant, that was all he needed to pull himself up. He found he wasn’t even in the mood to talk. He said barely two words the entire time knockout repaired whatever damage megatron caused the last time he ran into him.
He didn’t have the energy to rant. He barely heard anything knockout said to him.
It was just an exhausting blur.
It wasn’t until he came out of recharge four days after ‘his failure’ that he woke up with an unbridled fury. He struggled to not just walk out and start yelling at everyone who looked his direction. No, he couldn’t take this out on anyone else, this had to be reserved for megatron, megatron only. He had to keep it together a little longer.
He walked out of his hab, arms crossed, staring straight ahead. He refused to look at anyone. Anyone passing by would be smart to not utter a word his direction. The scowl on his face could nearly kill on its own.
For most of the day, he remained as isolated as possible. Going around doing extra work on top of his own duties, making sure everything was in order, making sure that with whatever happened this evening, things would be running smoothly with or without him.
He was probably more productive than the entire rest of the crew that day, likely getting things done a week ahead of schedule. And He was lucky not to run into Megatron even once the entire day. He wasn’t sure what he’d do if he did. Surely megatron would have seen the scowl on his face and make some snide remark about it.
Starscream kept himself in control the whole day- though to a spectator, he might’ve seemed ready to explode.
-
It wasn’t until the evening that he put his ‘plans’ into motion.
Hed been pinged, Megatron wanted him, and likely anyone else important on the ship would be there too. Good, he didn’t mind having an audience for this. It would further establish how serious he was.
He strode down the halls, arms folded behind himself like he always did.
He made a point to arrive a little later than he would normally, not late, still on time, but he wanted to make sure he was the last to arrive. So everyone else would be there. No interruptions. His wings were held stiff and high as he entered the room. He noted that with the usual presence of vehicons, Shockwave, Soundwave, and Knockout were also here, go figure. He did kinda hate that knockout had to witness this. Either starscream was going to make history, or surely end up dying horrendously.
He just stands there for now, only giving an apologetic glance towards knockout before that scowl returned. He glared daggers into the back of megatrons helm as he waited. Megatron would notice starscream and say something surely. It’d be all starscream needed to stoke that fire building within him.
Like clockwork, megatron spoke up, as predictable as ever.
“Ah, starscream. The guest of honor this evening.. I’ll just cut to the chase, your behavior these last few days.. has been rather unpredictable, even by your standards. I would hate to learn you were plotting against me, yet again. So I suggest you explain yourself now before I take the matter into my own hands starscream.”
Starscream held his ground, standing with his helm held high. His scowl remained, but he gained a bit of a prideful look in his optics.
”Of course, master. I will admit, after ‘my’latest failure, I was feeling a bit under the weather. However I believe I’ve more than made up for it. I’ve done weeks worth of work, as Soundwave can likely confirm.”
”Oh starscream, if only that we’re actually the case. You see, your productivity today, while better than normal, is still less than satisfactory, as always. You’re a fool if you think I can’t see you’re using that to hide something.”
“Oh but that’s where you are wrong megatron, I am hiding nothing.”
A slight lie on his part. He was angry. Furious. Dissatisfied with just about everything. But to say he was hiding it, was utterly preposterous. You could see the anger and emotions on his face. He has always spoken his mind when he thinks megatron is wrong about something. He’s never hidden anything. He had a whole speech planned out in his mind. He’d rehearsed it about a hundred times today.
”Then enlighten me starscream. We all know you’re just aching to throw another tantrum. Go on, get it out.”
That was it. The kindling to the flame building in his spark. he’d usually take this as an opportunity to start a screaming match. Today he remains completely composed. The room must’ve heated up about 30°, his engines practically growling.
“Oh if you insist Megatron. I would love to tell you exactly what’s on my mind.”
When he started speaking, the words came out a mile a minute. But he spoke clearly, making sure megatron heard every word. Every word laced with venom and fury and disappointment. He spoke in such a way that the calmness in his voice was scarily eerie. It went on for a long six minutes, describing every failure, mistake, and loss that was megatrons fault, he described everything in excruciating detail, before he neared the end of his speech-
“-ou see Megatron, I think you had the right idea in the beginning. You fought inspired a revolution, you got people thinking, you rise up, but the second you let that power feed your ego you lost. You lost the war. You destroyed our planet, our home, and you didn’t hesitate to drag everyone else down with it. This war is just a pathetic power play on your end to become the oppressor you sought to destroy. You lost your way. So either find your way back on track or I’ll destro-“
C r a c k
Starscream had been silenced by a sudden fist to the face. Megatron wouldn’t hear another word of this nonsense. Starscream was wrong! Starscream was just a fragging fool if he thought he could waltz in and get away with this. He didn’t give starscream another chance to speak, and he didn’t care if anyone watched- actually, it was better that everyone watched. Starscream would be a lesson to everyone who ever thought about questioning megatrons rule.
This was no longer just a punishment coming starscreams way. What could’ve just been the routine ‘get beat up until megatron is satisfied’ if starscream had just done his usual acts of defiance, became ‘you’re going to be ruthlessly beaten until your spark flickers out.’
Megatron delivered blow after blow, tore at starscream. He made damn sure his wings were attacked ruthlessly, bending them unnaturally in an attempt to wring out more screams of agony and terror from the small seeker while everyone watched.
-
Starscream can’t say he didn’t expect this. He planned for this- he covered duties he wasn’t even assigned to, did inventory on energon, did security checks, completed a backlog of paperwork, assigned schedules for the next several weeks for the vehicons- dozens of more tasks as well. Lastly, he tidied his habsuite. There wasn’t much in there anyways, but the few things he did have(blankets, cushions, data pads with reading material on them, little trinkets he’s collected over the years, waxes and oils he’d been stashing away for a millennia that made his frame shine spectacularly- knockout has probably tried to get him to share at least a dozen times, of course), he piled into a crate and set it on his desk with a snarky note on top:
[while I hope it is not the case, if anyone reads this, it’s likely because I’ve perished horribly and buckethead has ordered someone to clear my room to make room for- primus knows what. I will my belongings to knockout, if he wishes to have them. If not, I don’t think I have anything of much value here, it can be demolished. I don’t care. It’s probably best if everyone forgets about my existence as quickly as possible. So whatever- good riddance. - Starscream]
Hes really not sure why he bothered with what do humans call it.. a will??? Anyways.. he felt he should at least leave knockout something. They were the only mech on this primus damned ship he could tolerate, and perhaps even enjoyed being around. Everyone else was just a threat to him.. what was going on again?
Right, he’s going to be killed-
Everything that happened next felt like a blur. One moment he was feeling the agony of his poor wing being bent horrifyingly- or the plating on his back being pulled- The next, He found himself throwing himself off the side of the upper deck of the warship in a last effort to escape. He’d somehow gotten up there- how’d he get there?? He probably managed to slip away just enough to get a head start.
It didn’t matter now, he had to fly- he’d push his engines to the limit-
he could just fly away from here as fast as possible-
…
He transformed,
..Frag
wow- that hurts. Something definitely didn’t align right.
Wow- A LOT of something-s didn’t align right.
He’s pretty sure megatron dented and bent every inch of his plating- or just plain ripped it off. Metal was creaking and grinding against itself. bending and lifting in unnatural ways.
…
He was falling.
…
It took him long enough to realize, the pain had distracted him.
His engines were barely sputtering.
No! This was just a set back. He’s a good flier, even without his engines working at max, he could at least make a smooth descent. He can maneuver himself to land safely-
He’d land- he’d land just fine- he could survive this-
…
he’s not going to land smoothly.
Suddenly, urgently- He sent out a distress signal, watching the ground below get closer and closer by the second. If they got here quick enough- if someone was here quick enough he wouldn’t die- he could be saved-
[/approx coordinates/ Medical assistance needed immediately - - - status: oh I don’t know I’m fly-falling towards the ground at high speeds I think I might just be in very critical condition so if any fragger out there cares about my life- show??? Up???? And hurry???]
Even in what he thinks might be the last communication he makes, he’s still feisty as hell, sass and attitude shining bright even in his last ditch effort to survive this failure of a night. He’s incredibly pissed about the situation he’s in. Just hoping knockout- or hell- LITERALLY ANYONE shows up to help.
Unfortunately, Megatron prohibited anyone from going after starscream, making sure everyone nearby watched him spiral towards the ground, leaving burning trails of black smoke behind him as he plummeted, and inevitably hit the ground. The jet must’ve skidded half a mile through trees and dirt before gravity finally stopped him. He transforms back, only to feel something tear. Everything went black after that. His only hope was that he’d wake up in knockouts medbay- but of course, that wasn’t going to happen. The decepticons had abandoned him.