Transformers: The Return

Chapter Twenty

His head hurt. His body hurt. His mind hurt. Everything about them hurt. They just layed there for a moment then ruby red light from optics filled a small area of the ceiling.

They sat up slowly, his ear panels flickering back now and then.

He then let his wings out, letting them build up. He looked at them, strange markings were on them in light blue. Symbols were unreadable.

They sighed, getting up but ultimately his legs gave out and he fell. He groaned in frustration, of course they would have the worst luck.

He tried again to get up, now keeping close to the wall for support. He looked down, a light blue was on his legs.

His wings retracted as he started to look around then his optics landed on a strange cube-like thing. The thing had a smooth cut edge on the bottom of it and the top of it was jagged and rough to the touch.

What was that thing? He continued to look at it until voices interrupted their thoughts. They stubble towards the thing, gaining his balance finally. 

Just as they reached out to grab the thing someone spoke behind him.

"Starscream?" The voice asked.

Starscream quickly turned to the voice, their wings out now hiding the thing behind him. "Uhhh- yep! It's me!" They said, smiling awkwardly. "Soooo, how do you know me?"

The stranger chuckled, dark green and orange panels were all over him with his optics shining with a dark orange. "Hard to recognize me huh?" He said as Starscream got more nervous. "Well then, it's Payload."

Starscream snapped up at the name. "Oh! I r-remember you now!" They said, "I'm very sorry that you got swept away by water at that dam. But you're back!"

"Eh. It's fine. Besides, I survived it with some help." Payload said stepping closer to the other. Something was wrong about Payload, Starscream could sense it.

Starscream just chuckled in more nervousness. "Oh! Who helped you?" He asked, his ear panels flattening more.

"Acid. She has helped me heal more, but also helped me gain new abilities." Payload said with pride and a smile. "You also may know her as well."

"I do?" Confusion in Starscream's voice.

"Yes! Her other name was, as she said, Predatqueen. It was a while ago since she used that name."

Starscream froze from that name, their spark sinking more and more. He thought that the wrenched science experience that Shockwave had was dead. That thing was more violent than Megatron when angrier.

They could still hear their screams of anger on that day. The day that monster killed Skywarp. Killed his mate.

He snapped back to reality but jumped as Payload was closer to him, his optics looking into his soul. He squeaked in surprise and fear. "You're a little too close there!" He said quickly.

Payload chuckled. "Yeah, you remember her. She told me what happened on that day. All about how you were screaming at Shockwave that he killed your mate." Starscream froze. "You know, I saw all that happened on the day that Cybertron came here. The space portal. Sentinel Prime. Everything."

Starscream gulped, trying to back away from Payload. "I even saw you die. Being ripped in half by Megatron himself, I guess he had enough of your games." Payload said, stepping even closer.

"Payload. All that is private information on my part." Starscream hissed. "So stop saying all this and stop getting closer to me."

Payload still had that stupid smile that now gave Starscream the creeps. Stepping into the thing he was hiding it was now against his back in between his wings.

They continued to look on as Payload didn't stop. "I was right about you being weak and defenseless against him. You were dead, now you're alive. So that means that the rumors are true. Give me the Half-Spark now and you won't be killed instantly."

That is what the thing is called!? Starscream then looked behind him seeing that thing was starting to glow now.

"No." They said, "I'm not giving you it."

"Too bad, so sad." Payload said his right clawed hand quickly reached for Starscream but it missed as Starscream scratched him across his face with their other hand, which also had claws on it.

Starscream quickly turned to the Half-Spark and grabbed it. Running to the entrance of the chamber, they kept going until they got out of the rubble of the building, scaring humans. Extending his wings he took off leaving behind dust from where he was standing.

As they were getting higher and higher something burned through his left wing, melting a hole into it. He started spinning out of control, falling to the ground. They screamed out, the thing in his arms was getting out of his grip but crist crossing his arms around it kept it in place.

Crashing down into a mostly wooded area, he groaned in pain, using their arms as support. The Half-Spark was underneath them, glowing more. "Frag." He whispered, their arms shaking from the weight.

They looked around, picking up the Half-Spark, they got up and ran. The pain in his wing was unbearable but he pushed through it. 

He didn't care if he was seen or not but this thing needs to get to safety somewhere. They didn't know where but he would find a location.

One of his ears flicked up as there was revving of engines behind him. "Scrap." He whispered, still running since flying was no longer an option.

He looked back then stopped a few feet from a cliff, it dropped to the ocean. He turned back but stopped again. They were surrounded and trapped. Five things surrounded him, looking like little versions of Acid, there were humans too, pointing their guns at them.

Payload came forward, with two more things tailing him. "Alright, little bird. Nowhere to fly now." He breathed, spider-like legs from behind him. "You left us with no choice. So if you don't mind, give us that Half-Spark."

Starscream quickly looked around, looking for a way out but feeling like the only way, he looked down the cliff then back at Payload. "As an old adversary said, I'm never giving you this Half-Spark." Starscream hissed, then turned to run.

"After him!" Payload yelled as the other's behind him started to shoot.

Starscream felt bullets hit him from behind. He then jumped off the cliff gaining as much flight he could before falling down.

They fell into the water below, a force hitting his back and wings. Hearing a 'NO!' from Payload, Starscream let themselves sink into the water. If they were able to fly then they would have gotten away.

He was grateful to Primus that they got away but as time ticked by, he sank more and more. The Half-Spark was still glowing, the light giving them comfort.

They looked around, the glowing giving off more light until it went out. Darkness surrounded them, the only light there was from his optics and the light blue markings.

Something then grabbed his shoulder and shot up out of the water, in a flash then onto a rocky beach, coldness was on him in seconds.

Starscream retracted his wings and rubbed his arms, trying to warm up. The Half-Spark sitting near them. They then looked at the one who pulled them out of the water.

"You fragging bitch!" Starscream yelled excitedly.

"Good to see you too, Screamer." Slipstream said, her smile wide.