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Contagion 24

Deviation Actions

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Literature Text

"The Surface"

~

Starscream is deceptively easy. I had him figured out bolt-for-bolt from the moment he’d picked me up. Though I suppose that’s nothing, considering my unique ability to absorb information at will from the world around me. The seemingly big-helmed Seeker was nothing more than the neglected second son of a well-off family looking for approval in his peers: An incompetent idiot only because he truly believed he was so. Years of abuse, both verbal and mental, at Megatron’s hand saw to it that any ounce of real threat was tromped. Starscream might talk big about destroying Megatron and taking over, but he lacks the capacity and internal wiring to do such. However one thing does baffle me - his affections or at least tolerance for this human girl, Alexis. I am still unsure as to why she was drawn to him so strongly, of course I can sense the strange power within her, and perhaps she herself is aware of this gift she possesses, and her fascination with him could be nothing more - but I cannot wrap my conscious around why he puts up with her like he does. In fact even now she rests her head upon his shoulder, and though he pretends to be sleeping, I know he is awake. Perhaps mulling things over in his mind, asking the question I hear him ask of himself day in and day out: In my situation, what would Megatron do? I think perhaps that that question will be answered sooner than Starscream thinks...

Oh, I apologize - Let me back-track.

Yes, I know Megatron still functions. I learned this upon my osmosis-like contact with the Decepticon called Soundwave. He and the medic called ‘Hook’ had used Devastator and some strange power source they picked up on under the ocean to pull the bodies of Megatron and Blackout to the surface. Storing them in a cave, Hook began to work on them while Soundwave wiped clean the central processors of the other Constructicons, and now he and Hook are of the belief that they are the only ones who are aware of Megatron’s slowly reviving form.

I will wait for the precise and perfect moment to inform them otherwise.

In my current state I view the world in a way totally unique to me, however, having not had the opportunity to view the world through standard ‘optics’ - I have nothing to compare it to. As the human transport vehicle called the ‘Dayfish’ hits another bump on the road I am momentarily popped off of Starscream’s chest, and am given a good view of the rest of my current ‘followers’. (In Megatron’s absence I am the ruler, no matter what Starscream may tell himself. And then perhaps even after Megatron’s eventual return... For he is not aware of what I am capable of. No-one is.)

Directly across from Starscream sit Thundercracker and Skywarp; his nearly identical Cybertronian counter-parts. I have seen within both of them great power and potential, but for some reason they have begun to cancel each other out in a way I cannot understand. Skywarp is loyal, almost to a fault, and I believe would be willing to lay his function cycle on the line if asked by proper authority. However Thundercracker is not so single minded. The somewhat chatty blue Seeker is intelligent, and because of this he can think for himself quite marvelously, and is not always so eager to blindly follow orders given to him. Skywarp’s loyalty keeps Thundercracker around, but Thundercracker, in turn, keeps Skywarp from being a mindless soldier. The arrangement does indeed baffle me. They have been bonded for quite a while now; I can tell because their sparks pulse almost the same pattern.

Ah yes, their sparks - present even in their human forms. They appear as nothing more than a strangely high electrical current somewhere near the back of their human hearts -but to any with prior exposure to the inner workings of a Cybertronian, their identification is simple.

The Constructicons are huddled very close to the back door of the truck at the moment, having been banished thusly upon crossing the border, wherein Mixmaster sneezed and nearly blew our cover. I can understand the functioning and personalities of the Constructicons - as I have always taken a keen interest in the gestalts. They fit together with each other just as perfectly in mentality as in physicality. Scrapper and Hook fall into the Alpha and Beta positions, though sometimes just what duties fall to whom can be a hazy line. It is often Scrapper who makes the final call however, and Hook will often look to him for advice. They are fairly recently bonded, and I am not even sure if the other Constructicons are aware of this fact. I suppose bonding was a sensible thing for them to do, after all Hook’s lust for perfection coupled with Scrapper’s passion for destruction go inarguably well together. Next would be the two behemoths of the group: Bonecrusher and Longhaul, who are quite large even in their human forms. Longhaul does nothing but complain, an idiosyncrasy I believe stems from an odd complex present within his central processor the likes of which I have not seen before. Unlike other gestalts Longhaul disliked being so closely ‘related’, as it were, to so many others, and strove for attention in his rushed childhood days. Upon realizing just being a ‘good and obedient’ child would not acquire the required amount of attention and affection, he began acting out - that is complaining excessively until he was given negative attention. At least it was attention, I assume. Bonecrusher is a bit more complex, for I am not sure where his strange and magnetic personality comes from. He seems to draw people, specifically those not bonded or otherwise ‘alone’ towards him, and I was privy to a number of strange memories wherein Decepticons he had no prior knowledge of simply approached him on Cybertron and proceeded to spill their function cycle stories as if they had known him since they were born. I am aware that he too is baffled by this apparent ‘gift’, but it has made him unusually soft and caring, especially where friends and family are concerned, which is why, I believe, he changed his name. He was created as Quake, but upon meeting and then subsequently loosing a companion of his - he took on the name Bonecrusher in his honor. Finally there is Mixmaster and Scavenger. I detest Mixmaster so much I have often considered destroying him completely - if he was not part of a gestalt team... I would. He is completely single-minded and thinks of nothing but chemicals and mixing them together. I suppose, in the right situation, he could prove very useful, but we have yet to come across said situation, and so the annoying insect does nothing but irk me. Scavenger is little better, but he is a borderline coward, and stays too far for me to get a good reading on him.

Rumble, huddled in the other corner, has just recently graced us with his voice, speaking his first words since we discovered Soundwave gone all those weeks ago. I dislike him a great amount, he and his fellow casetticons. I do not like that their loyalty towards Soundwave much over-rides their loyalty to whatever leader happens to be ruling. I am well aware that, if the chance arose, they would betray Starscream or even Megatron to the Autobots for the safety of each other and Soundwave himself. I am fully aware that Soundwave still functions, in fact he seems to be doing well from what I can pick up - but I hope to the stars that Rumble does not become aware of this fact until I have gotten from the Decepticons what I need...

I noticed also the twins, Runamuck and Runabout, but as always I heeded them no attention. They were born Autobot brats, and I still did not understand why Starscream had elected them into the faction of Seeker. They were nothing special - simply two young children far too untrained to go on a mission alone. They were clingy and had not yet matured enough to be considered real Decepticons. They were, however, not a threat and in a dire situation could be used as sacrifices, bait or distraction. So I would put up with them.

I was alerted to the sound of Alexis yawning as she, I supposed, sat up and removed herself from Starscream’s shoulder. I heard scuffling and then the sound of knuckles tapping on glass. A few seconds later the sound of the small window from the cabin into the back of the truck alerted me that she was contacting her father.

“I need a bathroom break, dad.” She mumbled sleepily.

“Uh, how urgently?”

“Not too bad I guess, but soon.”

“Alright, I’ll see what I can do.”

“You leak fluid at an alarming rate.” Starscream mused. I heard a smack and he let out a soft growl. The human girl had struck him.

“It’s a normal rate, thank you very much!” She snarled back, her tone clearly indicating that she did not fear his retribution. However, all she received was a soft ‘don’t touch me’, by way of reprimand.

“Whas-goin’on...” Muttered Skywarp as he sat up across the truck. I could barely see him from my current vantage point, but he was of little concern to me at the moment.

Starscream...

What!?


If I had optics I would have powered them down at this vicious reply. I was becoming tired of Starscream’s attempt to sound indignant when I called upon him. We both knew he didn’t stand a chance against me, and I, unlike Megatron, would not stand for these little ‘games’.

You did not reprimand the human for striking you...

I’m too tired. Besides, I barely felt it.

She
struck you in front of your troops. Do you know how bad that makes you look?

Right. I doubt that.

Oh? And why is that oh pestilent one?

Because I don’t think I’ve ever been anything other than ‘bad looking’ in their optics. I don’t think that even strangling the human child would make them see me as half the Decepticon Megatron was.

Your very presence is nothing but an annoyance to me, Starscream.

You want an apology, oh mighty crystal?

Do not tempt me, Seeker. I know power beyond your wildest back-up filing.


This answer seemed to quiet him for the time being, though the problem at hand had not be resolved. I was almost prepared to talk to him again and inform him that I expected him to do just that if she struck him again -but that was the precise second upon which the Dayfish hit another rut in the road. There was nothing outwardly spectacular about this pot-hole induced pop, but the action sent Alexis’s back pack skidding across the truck floor until it landed well within my sight range.

And there it was.

I was so stunned I could barely process my thoughts correctly. I knew what it was I was looking at, but I also knew that there was no way I could be looking at what I was looking at. On the top-most flap of her bag was attached a strange pendant - so large it took up nearly the entire space of the flap. It would have taken both of her tiny human hands to hold it. The pendant was slightly pentagonal in shape, but the edges were soft and almost made it appear oval. It was, over all, a rather pleasing green/blue color, with more of a minty contrast towards the edges, and a deep blue sigil etched into the front.

I knew this sigil well. I had been warned about these - well, perhaps not so much warned as alerted. I was to destroy them. All of them.

Starscream!

For the love of Primus, WHAT NOW!?

Do not take that tone with me, Decepticon. I need you to get that pendant.

What pendant? What are you talking about?

The green pendant on Alexis’s book-bag.

What...

Don’t ask questions, Seeker! Just do it!

I can’t just - take it!


I was stunned perhaps even more by this response than by laying eyes upon the pendant in the first place. To show my displeasure at having my ‘carrier’ respond in such a way, I lashed out with the power coiled around inside me. I licked my tendrils out and around Starscream’s chest and upper arms, pulling the limbs inward and thrusting my ‘fingers’ through his skin to wreak havoc upon his human-esque innards. Most specifically I snapped a few ribs, and flicked teasingly at his spark.

This had the desired affect and I felt rather than heard Starscream hit the truck floor in pain. I resigned myself to wait until later, to insist that Starscream keep an eye on the pendant if he was so determined not to take it, and settled in to listen to the chaos. Alexis let out a shriek, as this was the first time she had been exposed to my ‘presence’ as it were, and her father veered the truck haphazardly to one side, scattering the fleshy bodies of my minions. I heard Starscream hissing and moaning in pain as they attempted to pry themselves apart, snipping and insulting each other all the while. Eventually it appeared they’d straightened themselves out, and I felt the truck come to a stop. Starscream let out a long, slow hiss and stood.

“Starscream,” Alexis said, her voice strange as if she didn’t want to say his name, “what happened? Are you alright?”

“Of course I am!” Starscream bellowed in response.

“B-but that ... thing. It-”

It nothing, Alexis!” I was pleased to hear Starscream hiss, leaning so close to her I could hear her heartbeat. “You’ll keep quiet if you know what’s good for you!”

Her muffled response was cut short at the sound of the door to the truck being thrown open.

“What the hell is going on back here!” Her father’s voice greeted us, none-too-happy sounding.

“Nothing.” Starscream answered quickly, and we were turned to face the open door. The light was rather painful after the dark for so long.

“There’s simply no traction back here, and we had a bit of an accident.”

“Yeah, right - everyone out.” Her father barked, and I heard Starscream click his tongue against the roof of his mouth. I bumped about against Starscream’s chest as he followed the rest of the Decepticon’s out of the back of the truck.

Where are we?

How the scrap should I know!?

What’s he doing?

I don’t like repeating myself, crystal.

If your little stunt was enough to get us stranded, Starscream...

My little stunt?
MY little stunt!? Are you serious! I’m not the one who unleashed unholy powers in front of a human child while I was suppose to be an inanimate object!

Do
not take that tone of voice with me, Starscream.

I don’t know what he’s doing, OK!? It looks as if he’s refueling the truck, or at least preparing too...

Do
not let him leave us.

And how exactly am I supposed to do that?

Kidnap the girl.

Ha! And I thought
I was unstable!

I
need that pendant on her backpack! You cannot let her get away with it!

What’s so important about a slaggin’ pendant anyway!?

That’s none of your concern.

I beg to differ! If you expect me to put my insanely fragile, fleshy body in harm’s way for something, I have the right to know why!

You don’t have the right to know anything unless I decree it so!


Rewarded with silence once again I tried to calm myself and think of a plan, should Alexis’s father make the mistake of trying to ditch us. Not only was he sorely outnumbered, but I alone could have beaten him into submission if given the proximity. Starscream’s attitude was beginning to unnerve me, even though I sensed within him his cowardice. I knew he would not try anything.

He would forever baffle me, Starscream. I was quite certain that he was unaware of the power that slept within him, and ignorant also of the affect said power had on Megatron - but why someone who was once as intelligent as he would put up with such abuse was beyond me. He was vocal about his insecurities, though all he did was attempt to hide them. He barked constantly about his superiority, about how much better he was, stronger, faster, etc. He didn’t believe a slagging word of it. I didn’t understand his motives. What could possibly be keeping him going? He had nothing! I sensed within him a small trickle of hope that he and Megatron would be like they had once been, but even that small amount of hope was quarreled with the truth as he knew it.

He was far better than Thundercracker and Skywarp - so transparent I was sure I could see straight through them. Skywarp had been beaten into a perfect soldier; obedient and strong. He would never disobey orders, and would always be loyal. Thundercracker thought too much, in spite of his obvious strength superiority over his fellow Seekers, but he was not as trustworthy. It would be a gamble to risk anything on his shoulder vents.

I think, however, I preferred Runamuck and Runabout to the lot of them. The twins were young and highly impressionable. At their age and in the current situation they could be easily molded into anything we wanted to mold them into. They were also stronger and sturdier of build than the older Seekers, and could be much more useful if a fight broke out. I had told myself to keep an eye on them ever since scanning them for the first time. Their secret was safe with me, for the time being, but when it came to the surface I would be ready and waiting. They would be excellent minions.

It was certainly becoming apparent that the Golden Age of the Decepticons was falling apart in front of me. I had seen that for years they had ruled Cybertron, viewing the Autobots as merely a nuisance, striving to get their hands on the AllSpark as if that would put a stop to everything. Hmm, such fools. I wonder if Megatron would be able to sense them? Not the Minicons, as I knew he had little to no knowledge about the mythological beings, but ... them. I don’t think they had a name, at least, I had not been able to pick up on one. It didn’t matter either way, I supposed. Megatron would soon be repaired and would rise to power once more.

Hopefully with it would come Decepticon glory.

“Starscream!”

I was jostled from my thoughts as the voice of Rumble, an unfamiliar voice, called out. Starscream sighed heavily and I felt him walk forward.

“What, Rumble?”

“L-look!” I heard the crumpling of paper, and Starscream grunted. “Read the he-headline!”

“ ‘Mysterious Canadian terrorizes hospital...’ “ Starscream read, shrugging and jingling my chain. “I don’t understand.”

“Look at the piccha!”

That’s when I felt Starscream stiffen, and Rumble let out a laugh.

W-we might have a problem.

What? What does the article say?


Starscream paused, and somewhere within the length of his pause, amidst the cheering of Rumble and a strange sound I attributed to Ravage, I figured it out.

It’s Soundwave, EOS. He broke out...
Chapter Twenty-Four of Contagion - narrated by Decepticon EOS.

Here you go guys - this is probably the last Contagion chapter I will be able to do for October. I hope I left you with plenty to think about, and tons of cliff-hangers. I think my last count was four BIG ones.

AND! There's something more for all of you who read my comments.

EOS - Is a canon character.

Predictions?

OFFICIAL ART! [link]

[link] - Next Chapter
© 2007 - 2024 From-Hakaryou
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