Chapter Text
Just as Cliff braced himself, the cons crashed down upon him like a heavy hailstorm; he was like a living target fully overloaded and attacked by the battle bots. One of them got a lucky shot and took away one of his horns from his helm. Taking advantage of it, another vehicon pushed him down and almost knocked out a couple of his teeth. Not wanting to accept defeat, Cliff spat out his teeth in the con's face and made a roll, then he landed a lucky punch on the bot's face. Without wasting a single minute, he called Arcee to ask for some help, but before he could get any response, he got blasted by something that felt like a cannon ball, hurled him against the quarry's rock wall, sending him into a deep slumber. As a result, the defeated Cliff was dragged back to the nemesis as if he were a sack of potatoes; a reminder to be prompt with what you ask for, as you may just get it.
.…
Cliff managed to rouse himself enough to keep walking with the help of the Vehicons, though he could've sworn one of them gave him a compassionate look. It was strange, considering that usually Cons weren't so nice. He became aware of how dimly lit the room was when he and the vehicons entered the bridge, the only illumination coming from the terminals that the other Cons were operating. "How do you guys manage anything in this darkness? You'd think Batman owned the ship," he joked, gaining a chuckle from one of the Vehicons before receiving a stony glare from the main Decepticon at their head. He heard their heels clicking on the floor until a pair of bright red eyes fixed on him accompanied by a slight scoff.
"Tch, what a shame. If it had been the blue femme, I might have found use for you. But as leverage... I suppose you'll do." He circled them like a predator waiting to make its next move. Cliff arched a mechanical brow, and, deciding he'd have a bit of fun, he jibed the old seeker.
“Aww, that really hurts Starscream," he teased, "I thought we had something special going on back in Kaon.” Starscream scoffed and hissed back.
"Pah, my interest in mechs is more refined than that. Now, tell me – where are they?” He raised a curious eyebrow at Starscream's demeanor as he ordered them around as if he was Megatron.
Amused, Cliff decided to push the lieutenant's buttons. "So, you still taking orders from Bucket head, or have you finally managed to grow a pair of ball bearings?" Starscream's arm shot to his side as rage burst from him like fever.
"Really big talk coming from someone who can barely walk without help!" Starscream brandished his claws, battling the intense desire to impale Cliffjumper's spark.
"And that's just as big talk for someone who doesn't have the guts to get on with his own life! How long are you gonna live under Megatron's thumb? What are you so scared of?” Seeing that he had been cornered, Starscream raised his talons over his head and a loud cry rang out; watching Cliffjumper flinch and grit his teeth with each breath. "She's gonna come after you for that, you know?" Cliff now had four deep scares across his face.
"Pfft," Starscream scoffed, "Do I seem like the sort of mech who cares what some femme feels about me?" Cliffjumper started to recognize certain telltale signs in Starscream's body language and facial expressions and recognized the opportunity in front of him.
"Clearly, considering you were wishing I was someone else. You seriously wanna get Arcee's attention? Let me go, and I'll make something up on my end about these scars.” Starscream acted as if Cliffjumper's wager was irresistible, his face full of confusion and wings ruffling irritably. "C'mon, you obviously have some interest in her, or else you wouldn't have tried to get me to help."
An angry roar resounded throughout the ship as the Seeker bristled in indignation. With a wave of his hand he commanded, "Just take him to the detainment wing!" Feeling relieved, Cliffjumper tried to figure out his next step while being led away by the guards. For now, he was still alive, that was all that mattered for the moment.
…
Starscream sighed as he turned away and faced the monitors and watched as the group convened on Cliff’s last known location. For a moment, his main focus on the whole team, but before too long, his optics fell onto Arcee. Sleek, lethal, and clever, ‘All fine qualities for a femme of my caliber.’ He smirked slyly to himself, and placed a hand on the monitor, but his smirk would be replaced with a glare and a snarled lip. “What do you see in the mouthy idiot that you won’t see in me!?” he pondered aloud, as she picked up Cliff’s busted horn. Ever since she’d gotten away from him three years ago, Arcee was all he ever thought about half the time. It was beginning to drive him crazy and he was eager to find a way to put a stop to it.
You're just a coward trying to run away from his problems, like a scared rabbit! His frame jolted at the thought, and he glanced back at Soundwave, clearing his throat and starting, "I'm alright, no need to call Nickel. What are you here for anyway?" Soundwave gestured towards the monitors, indicating that the Autobots have already begun to move from that location.
"Who does that puny bot think he is, to talk to me like we're equals? I'm of a much higher rank, with a greater pedigree and social standing. He is nothing." Soundwave kept silent, not offering any response; he did, however, present his arm for Laserbeak to perch upon and he proceeded to stroke the mini-con's head gently. He tried to ignore Starscream’s ramblings, as he turned his thoughts inward and began to space out a bit.
Soundwave tilted his head to get a better look at the monitors and caught a glance of Arcee in her alt. mod. Soundwave gave her a shrug. Please, I could do better than her! For crying out loud, I have done better! Until you got him killed! Primus I hope one of these days I can make you pay for what happened to Shockwave!
The noise of a fist pounding on the rail caught his attention, Soundwave glanced over at Starscream. "Have you even heard a word I've said?!"
Soundwave put up a silly, smiling face on his monitor, leaving Starscream huffing and grumbling. "Why do I bother saying anything, when you don't even have the attention span to listen?" His head gave a little tilt and he pointed out the monitor, where Arcee was on her quest to get her friend back. Then he gestured to Starscream with a shake of his head, before leaving the bridge with Laserbeak. "What does he know? He couldn't even get a femme interested if he tried! Heck, the only one he can attract is that damn minicon. Pathetic, really."
…
Starscream ambled along the inside of the vessel, still deep in contemplation. "She'd be the ideal fit for me! We're both Vosians, smart and savvy. I'm possibly a bit too good for her, but I'm sure she'd eventually realize her luck!” Suddenly, a strange and unfamiliar melody penetrated his thoughts, snapping him out of his daze and prompting him to investigate. Piqued, the seeker progressed and became aware of the detainment chamber. Starscream almost expected one of the inmates to break free and hurt him given his current situation; and no sooner had the thought come to mind did the sound of a thunderous bang against a cell door cause Starscream to jump from his protoform. He snickered when he identified the figure in the cell, understanding exactly why he'd been so scared. "Pity, is that the most you can do, Ironhide? I seem to recall you putting up a stronger fight.” Starscream said tauntingly as he smirked at the old war veteran. Ironhide seethed with fury as he shouted back. Starscream snickered, rolling his optics at Ironhide's challenge.
"Bet you wouldn't be so cocky if you were on my side of the door," Ironhide yelled, ramming his body against the door in the commander's direction, the coldness in his eyes clearly letting Starscream know there would be consequences if he ever got out. Starscream seemed unaffected, amusement radiating from his frame as he continued to walk away, his propensity for getting on Ironhide's bad side never ceasing to make him chuckle.
As he walked the gears in his grimy little head began to spin. Wasn't there something about Ironhide being a relative of Arcee's in her file? No, no chance--Cliffjumper's probably more help.
The Decepticon soon arrived at his destination, finding Cliffjumper clutching the wall in his cell, his singing still managing to be heard despite the pain it caused.
Cliffjumper looked up in confusion when Starscream stepped into the room. "What was that racket?" Starscream shouted over the rhythmic thuds echoing from Ironhide's corner. Cliff leaned back against the wall and gestured for Starscream to start talking, "I heard a song on the Hawaiian Islands that helps me feel a bit better, but I don't think it's why you're here." He chuckled lightly.
“Listen, what can you tell me about Arcee?"
"That if you're trying to ask her out, forget it. Love isn’t really her thing, but it is mine," Cliff gave Star a playful wink, his chuckle echoing across the room. Starscream let out an uneasy groan, and looked elsewhere as Cliffjumper laughed.
“Hump, while I have some interest in mechs, my taste in them is a bit more, refined.”
“Sure it is, and your taste in femmes is dangerous. I can appreciate that though, mine’s the same way, like Nickel, damn she’s cute.”
Starscream quirked a brow as Ironhide ceased his rhythmic beating on the cell door.
“Mate!” He called, “I think you got your wires a little buggered after that fight!”
Starscream grumbled, much as he hated to think it, but he couldn’t help but agree.“Oh you’re brave I’ll give you that. But now back to the point at hand, why? Look at me, I’m tall, attractive, I belong to the most prestigious-“
"Listen buddy, if you want her attention then try not to act so arrogantly. That's not gonna get you anywhere. Maybe try ditching Megatron, that'd impress her more. Or, you know, grow a spine." He finished with an amused smirk, secretly pleased when Starscream scowled and crossed his arms.
“And damage my standing? I think not, after all, if I lose my rank then what would I have left to impress her?”
“You really want her attention but you don’t even know the first thing about her.”
“I do too!”
“Oi drongo! If that’s the case, then what’s her favorite color? I’ve known that about her since she was a hundred and six!” The thick Australian accent gleefully cut into the conversation, eager to find any means of cutting the haughty seeker down a peg or two; while Cliffjumper sat back and watched as Starscream squirmed for an answer before sheepishly answering:
“Pink?” He said between nervous chuckles, as Ironhide burst into his own maniacal laughter and gave the actual answer.
“It’s orange!”
Scream's frame shuddered in shock as Ironhide roared with laughter about Starscream's chastisement. "How can you even think of being genuine with the gal if you don't even recognize such a basic thing?"
Cliff kept his chill, his facial expression unaltered, as Starscream hammered his fist into the prison wall and commanded Ironhide to cease, yet this only spurred on the laughs, and he could only rumble in fury as he crouched against the wall.
"Sure, he's being an aft about it, but he's right. You don't really have feelings for her; interested, maybe, infatuated, alright. But the fact is your cowardice and vanity are getting in your way: you won't leave the D-Cons because you suppose having no rank will make you a joke or result in a refusal, just goes to show how much you really understand. So, why should I help you out?"
Damn! Cliff had a good point, in spite of Starscream's disinclination to accept it, all he knew was that she had a particular attachment to Cliffjumper and that she was part of team Prime. But any real knowledge he had of her came to a stop right there.
With the sensation of defeat setting in, he gave Cliffjumper a glance and grumbled, "What's your price?" To which Cliffjumper only gave a smirking smile, positioning himself with his arms and legs crossed as if he was the head of the Decepticons instead of Megatron. Then again, had he been the leader of the cons, perhaps this war would've been over a long time ago.
Ironhide, having heard Starscream’s remark, shot back: “Cliffjumper don’t do it, or else!”
“Or else what?!” The burly little bot retorted, not even bothered by the false threat from his friend.
“Or else I’ll use ya for cannon fodder mate! You’re not hurting my lil SIL like that!”
“Your SIL and my best friend, I think we can both agree that she can do better.”
“She had better remember! But these damn buggers killed’em!”
The frustration had hit a boiling point as Starscream beat the slag out of the wall in front of him, “If you two won’t help me then I’ll gladly use you two for target practice with my seekers!”
“Oi that’s not a threat, that’s a good time mate!” Cliffjumper snorted at the old vet’s remarks, the whole time he’d been struggling to hold back on his laughter as Ironhide roasted Starscream to a crisp! Scream, on the other hand, had dug his talons into the wall and dragged them down it as he stood, listening to his mech-hood be insulted so casually.
“Fine! If you two won’t help me, then I’ll figure it out myself!” With that, Starscream stormed off, leaving Cliff and Iron to prattle among themselves. Cliff leaned back, musing on the offer. What’s your price?
“I think we could use this to our advantage.” He mumbled, but before he could get to his feet and yell out to Starscream, a loud, thunderous voice boomed over the speakers and called for Starscream to return to the bridge. “Oh well, he’ll be back.” With that, Cliffjumper leaned back into the wall and began to doze off, his protoform had been screaming at him for rest and he was eager to take a stasis nap.