Domestic Disturbance

Prologue

It was pretty common knowledge, among Decepticons and Autobots alike, that Starscream hated Megatron. Not just a simple dislike for the General or even a clash of personalities between two brilliant minds. This was an out right, bold faced, rebellious loathing that seemed to be just barely contained by the less then subtle seeker jet on even the best of days. An almost passionate animosity that was, oddly enough, not returned.

Megatron did not seem the least bit fazed by his second in command's less the trustworthy nature. If anything, one would think he encouraged it. Sure they fought and bickered amongst themselves of battle strategies. The larger of the two needed only to stub his pede in order for the ambitious little creature to leap forward and attempt to claim leadership. The other Con's had lost count of the times Starscream had even done the unthinkable and fired his weapon upon the tyrant. And more often then not he would even go so far as to insult Megatron. He tested him. Pushed his boundaries constantly. Everything he could do to mentally wear his superior down.

It sometimes ended with a fist to the seeker's face. Perhaps if he had rubbed Megatron just a little too much the wrong way, a boot to the aft to send him sprawling. Mostly the silver mech would merely put Starscream back into his place with a few sharp words and an evil, narrowed optics glare that would make any other bot tremble in fear. But hate was never present. Anger, frustration, and on the odd occasion amusement. Never hate. At least not that anyone could tell.

While the other Decepticons under Megatron's command learned to work around the constant instability of their leaders, it still never failed to cause endless problems. It was Decepticon nature to watch out for one's own chassis and damn whoever got in the way of that. Pack instinct, however, took over within their ranks and self preservation was only possible if all of the members knew their place. Starscream's constant challenging to their Alpha shook the very foundations of their comfortable system and should not be tolerated. They grew mistrustful of Starscream. They alienated him and tried to separate him from the pack. They ignored his direct orders, even on the battle field, to the point where the second in command had to crack a few helms to regain his position. Megatron only stood by and watched, approving. He chastised those who failed to acknowledge Starscream's authority and reassured everyone else that he had made the correct choice in making the seeker his Commander.

Starscream was smart. He was deadly. He was reliable and talented and everything that Megatron needed him to be, and so he was to remain a Commander. .

But he was treacherous. Deceptive. A cancer to their cause as much as he was a benefit.

Their leader made no move to correct the constant snapping and snarling at his heels despite how destructive it was. This confused and angered the others to the point where they simply had to give up and grudgingly accept that things would not change. They feared Starscream enough to follow his lead. But they feared Megatron more if they didn't.

No one knew exactly why Megatron allowed such a brutish challenging of his authority. Neither did they know why Starscream hated him so. It would seem the simplest answer to their woes would be a quick fusion cannon blast to the face. A well aimed null ray to the chest. A black servo wrapped tightly around a brittle neck. A sharp blade to a silver back.

It seemed, however, not to be. And just as the Autobots and Decepticons would fight an endless war, so too would Megatron and Starscream. While they still managed to function well enough together presently, they still had so much more potential. If the two could just get along for one moment, just like they did back when the war was young, they would be unstoppable. A force to be reckoned with. Those who were old enough could remember a time when the two warriors were partners. Comrades. A deadly, nearly unbeatable, force that lay waste to any obstacles in their path.

Those times had passed long ago. Bickering took the place of planning. Anger in the place of respect. What had passed between the two of them would remain a mystery. It would forever hold them back. It would always be a hindrance.

It would always be a weakness that Optimus Prime could exploit. Even though he was sometimes curious, he never questioned it.

It just made his job easier if he didn't.