Domestic Disturbance

Chapter 5 : Broken

The canyon was perfect.

Of course it had to be for a month and a week of searching for it. It had taken the combined efforts of both Lazerbeak and Buzzsaw to find suitable locations around the globe for this plan to work. And not unlike his nemesis Megatron, too, had be staring blankly at monitors waiting for the live feed from his spies.

The strain of putting off recharge for several days on end, combined with the strenuous task of minipulating a fighting, kicking, well rested seeker to the floor of the control room, had the tyrant in a little less than favorable condition if he were to face Prime head on. It was probably not the wisest decision to indulge in a violent interfacing right before battle. After a month with no action of any kind, both on and off the battlefield, Megatron found that he really couldn't care less. Perhaps if the foolish jet had kept his mouth shut they both would be in top shape today.

Not that Starscream necessarily had to open his mouth to entice the tyrant. The snotty little upturned glances that his commander threw him on a regular basis were enough to set the silver mech's engines rumbling. It just made it easier to want to do it when that pretty set of lips spewed treachery.

Odd that it took genuine hate and resistance from the white and red plated mech to induce such a reaction, when once a very long time ago it only took a shy, affectionate glance.

Though part of him mourned those long lost days and guilt was ever present in his dark spark, Megatron would never hesitate to take what he wanted from Starscream. He simply wanted the intimacy far too badly to concern himself with the seeker's needs. The damage had already been done and there was no reason too stop. Starscream no longer took it personal. The fuss he kicked up was merely to save his Decepticon pride. And to remind himself, and Megatron, that the past had not been forgotten. Nor would it be forgiven. Starscream would one day make his leader pay for his crimes.

Megatron would welcome it when, and if, the jet finally succeeded. It was only fair.

He watched his soldiers, from his position high atop the canyon cliffs, as they one by one carried large cubes filled with precious energon from the dam to the ever growing stack. He had chosen a dam not too far away from their own base so that small runs could be made back and forth if need be. Already they had collected an alarming amount of the glowing pink and purple cubes. Enough that Megatron had ordered a trip be made to store them all safely. Now working on their second load the Cons chugged along at a fair pace. It would still be some time before the Autobots could hope to reach them. None of them were in much of a rush. Lazerbeak kept a sharp optic from above for any sign of movement so there was no real sense of urgency. All the humans who occupied the area had long ago fled. Each of the five decoys had checked in twice now, reporting no hostiles. Things were going according to plan. Now all he needed was the Autobot General to arrive. The very thought of Prime's possible defeat gave his tired limbs strength.

A rush of wind and a roar of an engine announced the arrival of another mech. Megatron was not alarmed as his second in command landed gracefully next to him in a swirl of dust. His crimson optics shifting to glance at his company in a show of acknowledgement.

"Taking a break?" He quirked a brow when he noticed the slight hints of fatigue in the seeker's movements.

"My reserve tanks seem to be lacking at the moment." Starscream responded in feigned wonder. "I have no idea why."

"Yes I seem to be feeling slightly under the weather myself." Megatron grinned despite himself.

A small sound of annoyance was his response, cutting off the sarcastic verbal sparring match.

"I'm sure the Autobots will be here any moment." Starscream fixed Megatron with an angry stare. "You'd best hope that you hadn't exhausted yourself too much."

The larger mech shrugged in a bored gesture, responding with a low jab. "No, you were lacking in your resistance today."

"Fuck you!" The other bot spat.

"Don't give me ideas, Starscream." Megatron grinned at his fuming air commander, crimson narrowing into a filthy innuendo loaded glare, pushing the mech further than he ever had in the past. Normally there would be no after 'face banter of this caliber. It seemed petty to do so. Today was different though.

Blown, and completely rattled from the sudden mental assault, Starscream tore his optics away, fists clenching and unclenching as he tried to calm himself down. He did not want to give the bastard the satisfaction of getting under his skin. Heat rising in his internals and tensors knotting unbearably, he almost didn't notice when the tyrant's black fingers reached out and stroked his hip.

Dermal plating suddenly scorching hot, the dark digits leaving a singed sensation where ever they traced, Starscream bit back a shriek of outrage and turned to lash out at his tormentor. Instinct overriding common sense as he drove his fist straight for the cocky fragger's face. Megatron predicted this response and caught the seekers blue wrist deftly, using the other's uncoordinated momentum to pull him closer, pinning the offending limb between his own chest and jet's back. His other servo looping over the wings and around the stunned mech's neck.

Starscream's panicked. Thrashing madly for a moment before his limb was twisted to the point where damage was a very real possibility. Caught between pure and utter terror, as he could NOT go through this twice in one day, and self preservation, he ceased his frenzied movements, sagging, defeated, but still tense against the tyrant. Free servo digging into the silver metal of the arm around his vulnerable throat.

"I still have plenty of energy left for Prime." Megatron rumbled deeply into his burning audios. "And more then enough to spare for you."

Fighting down his urge to scream, the seeker's chest heaved, intakes sucking up the canyon air in attempt to cool his inflamed circuits. His fingers biting so hard into Megatron's limb that the dermal plating buckled.

"O-once wasn't e-enough for you?" His vocals barely a whisper of static.

"You should know by know how insatiable I can be, Starscream." Megatron grinned and dragged his mouth along the mech's helm, appreciating the shiver it produced. "Even with Prime forced under my pede, and you on your back I'll never be satisfied."

The seeker's response died in his throat. Something about Megatron's choice in words and tone caught his attention. Ignoring the feeling of the other's servo, now drifting down from the locking hold around his neck to the front of his canopy, Starscream pondered for a moment just how come his leader was running so high today. Even enough to risk being spotted by the other's down below at the base of the dam. Was it the thought of victory that had the other mech so excited? Or was it because of the month of blessed celibacy? Or maybe, it was the thought of finally having Prime all to himself?

Starscream often felt that Megatron's respect for his enemy ran a little more deeply then it should. Prime was constantly on the tyrant's mind. In fact, Starscream even noticed that the rate and urgency of the silver mech's need for interfacing was certainly different after contact with the Autobots. More often then not, Megatron would race to the front lines to merely knock Optimus around before inevitable defeat, only to crawl back to base, dragging Starscream into his chambers the second repairs had been complete.

It only made sense that Megatron was reflecting some of his frustration on the red and white jet. Today seemed to be no different, if only a little premature.

Starscream, dragged out of his thoughts when a servo cupped under his pelvic plating, hissed a low and submissive sound. Angry at Megatron for the previous humiliation, and furious at this public molestation, he couldn't stop himself from uttering something completely stupid.

"So what would Prime say if he knew?"

Megatron tensed at the sound of his rival's name. Lazy petting ceased as he tilted his helm in disturbed confusion.

"What did you say?" He growled dangerously, daring the other to continue to speak. So focused on what the smaller mech would say, rather then listen to the buzz in his audio of a warning he should have been expecting.

"If he could read your mind at this moment, what would he find?" Starscream spoke more boldly, fully prepared for whatever wrath he would receive. "Do you think he'd like what he saw? Do you think he'd run away scared? Or to you?"

"Starscream..." The tyrant's vocals were horrible. His entire being radiated fury as his large servos crushed down on his commander's armor. "If you value your head..."

The seeker winced, but chuckled despite the pain he was feeling.

"I hope you win today, Megatron. I hope your scheme works and you manage to defeat Prime. I also hope you are able to keep him alive long enough to fuck him at least a couple of times and spare me the trouble."

Oh it was so worth it. Just to feel the utter horror of the large mech behind him. Starscream soaked in his small victory, relishing in Megatron's utter defeat. He could almost taste the other's distress.

He off lined with that blissful knowledge of success. Proud grin slipping from his features as his wings were suddenly twisted clean from his back with a shriek of metal. Or was that his own scream of pain? Body immediately locking up from the sudden shock and pain, he fell to his knees, scream fading to a hiss of static as his lesser systems and functions shut down. A large boot drove into his back, snapping his support column in two, everything going numb as his sensory network died. The sudden impression of vertigo as he was kicked from the high rock wall. The sound of the rushing wind lulling him into stasis before he hit the sharp rocks bellow with a crack, sprawled out like a broken, discarded toy.

Optimus Prime didn't know what exactly had happened and didn't have much time to dwell on it. They arrived just in time to hear the audio splitting cry of a tortured mech. Glancing up from the small dirt road path that lead to the dam's base, the Autobot leader looked up to see Megatron kick the jet from the rock wall, tossing the remains of his wings after him. The briefest of eye contact made between the two Generals before all Hell broke loose. Both Autobot and Decepticon, thrown off by the suddenly sickening sound of a broken mech striking the rocks and no one knowing quite what to do, open fired upon each other in utter disorganization. Neither Optimus nor Megatron could possibly fix this mess. All were in a panic.

The silver mech swore under his breath. He had been so preoccupied with Starscream that he failed to hear Lazerbeak's blaring distress call. He had lost the element of surprise, and with the far more experienced Decepticons scattered across the planet, it seemed that the Autobots had quality over his quantity.

With no choice and seeing as how this day was already a success enough, Megatron opened his channels and ordered a global wide retreat. Lamenting the failure of the second half of his plan, he at least had the satisfaction of knowing the cause of it was now strewn in pieces at the base of the cliff.

Knowing that the little slagger's spark was almost certainly extinguished gave him some relief now. He wouldn't know how much he would regret it later.

In the panic and confusion, every Decepticon present clung to the one and only order given from their leader. The one to run away. They all heeded the command with full enthusiasm. So much that no one bothered to collect their fallen commander. Within seconds, the entire canyon was Decepticon free. Except for one that was left behind.

"That was surprisingly easy." Prowl tucked his weapon away once dust cleared. "It seems Megatron was a bit distracted."

"At least it worked to our favor." Prime sighed and relaxed for the first time in a month. "I've never seen him react that way to Starscream before."

"Who cares?" The black and white mech shrugged. "That's one Decepticon that we don't have to worry about anymore."

"Perhaps." Optimus wasn't prepared to take the chance. "If he managed to survive the fall then Megatron will no doubt be back to collect him. We should at least check to see if his spark extinguished."

"Collect him?" Prowl scoffed. "That was obviously an attempt to kill him! I doubt he would bother!"

"It's a risk we just can't take."

Descending the last of the canyon trail, Optimus and Prowl made their way towards the base of the cliff edge where Starscream had fallen. The other Autobots surveying the area and collecting the left behind energon cubes that were scattered in the confusion. Rifle in hand, Prime cautiously approached the twisted mech, grimacing at the carnage strewn among the rocks. Megatron had surely done a number on him. What had prompted such a violent reaction? He pushed the curiosity of that nature to the back of his mind. If the Decepticon had survived the assault, he would ask him himself once he was back online.

When he was close enough to examine the mech comfortably Optimus knelt down and reached out to touch the cracked cockpit that adorned the seekers chest, feeling for any sign of a spark pulse. The strategist watching over his shoulder for any sign of movement.

"Prowl." The Autobot General stood after a moment and turned to his friend, frowning. "Send a call out to Ratchet to prepare the med bay. Starscream's alive and we're taking him with us."