Emptiness Machine
Author note: Hey everyone I’m so so sorry it’s been so long. This has been the worst three weeks of my life. Currently staying with my dad and having to see what exactly happens going forward. That aside please enjoy chapter 9 of emptiness machine! And thank you for your patience. ❤️
The crushing hug the scout had you in nearly cracked the brand new welds that had been used to repair you. You chuckle as he finally lets go but keeps a servo wrapped around the arm of your mech. The other bot, Ironhide, waved at the two of you from the door.
“C’mon we ain’t got time for tearful hellos. The others are guarding the open spacebridge as we speak.”
He starts out the door and bee goes to pull you along with him. The restraints that Starscream had ordered the drones to place on you were still binding your wrists. You awkwardly stumble along letting him guide you through the smoke. He and Ironhide had done quite a number on the drones through this hallway. you smile a little knowing later you would congratulate them on their victory. After turning down a few more hallways, you join up with the lambo twins and Hound. They urge you forward and through the last set of blast doors. The scene that awaited you was straight out of a science fiction comic book. Optimus himself stood in front of the open space bridge locked in hand to hand combat with Megatron.
Optimus swung his axe missing Megatron’s helm by mere inches. The Decepticon leader taking the opportunity to drive his energy blade up just missing vital energon lines running through his opponent’s neck. The prime countered, his joints straining as he swung the heavy weapon down in a brutal arc. Megatron sidestepped just in time to watch the axe slamming into the ground with a deafening thud, sending up a spray of sparks.
Before the axe could be pulled back, Megatron darted in, his energy blade flashing in the dim light, a precise thrust aimed at his opponent’s chassis. Optimus twisted, deflecting the strike with a swift, brutal swipe of his axe. Megatron’s blade grazed his plating, but he barely flinched.
There were scowls on their faces as they circled each other, each waiting for an opening to strike. Optimus growled deep in his frame, lunging forward again, his weapon whistling through the air. His opponent narrowly avoiding the strike. The energy blade was raised just in time, blocking the blow but the sheer force of it drove him to his knees. With a growl of fury, Megatron pushed back, rolling aside, narrowly avoiding a second strike.
He sprang to his feet, his blade now a blur as he countered with a series of fast, slashing attacks.The two bots locked optics, and in a flash, they were upon each other again, weapons clashing in a deafening frenzy of power and precision, each driven by eons of war and the raw need to destroy one another.
This wasn’t a fight Optimus was trying to win. As you look closer, you see the Autobot leader carefully leading Megatron to the opposite side of the room from the portal. An effective strategy and flawless distraction. Using his own fury against him. You can’t help but smile a bit as Bee tugs on your arm, pulling you towards the portal. Ironhide and the twins had already gone through and Hound was right on their aft. No one wanted to stick around while the two big shots had it out. Letting the scout lead you forward you brace for the dizzying swirl of noise and light before disappearing behind the rest of the team.
As you come out on the other side, you see the familiar sight of the launch bay. Right behind you, a heavy ped step announces the arrival of Optimus. He’s clutching a fresh wound on his shoulder, but other than that he seems fine. Relief and exhaustion grip you and your knees buckle beneath you. Bumblebee luckily still has his digits locked around your wrist and catches you as you lean forward. His worried tone faded to a deafening ringing sound as your optics white out.
When you wake hours later, you expect to be disconnected from your mech. Instead, you are laid out still connected to your machine on one of the medical berths Ratchet uses to treat injured Autobot. Your chassis is open, exposing your real body. Tubes and energon lines are connected at various points around your frame. Blinding white light from above you makes you blink a few times, trying to adjust your optics to the harsh glow. From the cockpit of your mech, a familiar voice mumbles.
“She’s awake. Seraphim can you hear me?” Dr. Antonov’s voice was muffled by the layers of plating and wires he was behind.
You groan in response and he moves to be closer to your helm. You turn and train him with golden optics. “Dr. Antonov. It’s good to see you. Is…everything alright?”
The doctor stayed shut away in his lab most days. After years of working for the government, he had finally retired. He was promptly brought back for the express purpose of finishing his research on Cybertronian biology after first contact. He was a kind man, albeit a bit odd and antisocial. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled up at you. His greying, dark hair a mess as it usually was.
“You’ve had quite an ordeal haven’t you Sera? Honestly I was surprised we got you back in one piece! Given how Prime had described the Decepticons.” He reached out and patted the side of your helm gently. You look back at your open chassis.
“Doctor, why haven’t I been disconnected?” as you asked this, his smile faded. He looked his age once again as he turned slowly to walk back to where he had been.
“Something is interfering with your ability to disconnect from the Seraphim frame. If we try to sever the connection in this state…your consciousness could be lost.”
Before you could process his words, you hear shouting outside the door. Muffled voices and sounds of a struggle could be heard. Two bots were arguing.
“You better let me in old timer before I let myself in.”
“She’s just waking up, we don’t want to overwhelm her with company. Besides, we don’t know if the doctor has broken the news to her—“
The bot guarding the door was cut off as the other shoved his was into the med-bay. The giant metal door slid open and quick ped steps announced the arrival of a very worried and fussy friend.
•••
“You absolute failure! I cannot believe you allowed Optimus Prime and his lackeys to bridge directly onto the flight deck of my ship!” Megatron sent a devastating kick into the side of the kneeling figure before him. It sent the bot jolting to the side, nearly purging his tanks from the force of the blow. Venting rapidly, Starscream tries to re-align his vocal apparatus to speak.
“Lord Megatron! Please I was interrogating the prisoner! Didn’t you want the valuable information she was carrying?” Another blow to the helm as he bowed low, trying to appease his leader’s anger. Dizzy and disoriented he tried to right himself, only to be grabbed by a wing and flung across the room. There was a sickening crunch as his wing dislocated and hung useless by a few cables. His body hit the opposite wall and he landed in a heap unmoving. The gathered Decepticons seemed to flinch in unison as the Warlord stalked towards the seeker.
“Starscream you imbecile. I told you to take care of it. Didn’t I? I wanted that thing offline! It had no such intel to give you. It was taking you for the fool you are! And now Optimus prime has ground bridge coordinates for the flight deck of the Nemesis!” He reached out a clawed servo and grabbed the seeker around the throat. Lifting him off of his peds. Starscream sputtered but couldn’t get the words out. Energon leaked from the split in the mesh of his lip where Megatron had landed a solid blow earlier. He bared his denta at his leader and scrabbled at the grip around his throat as Megatron squeezed. Starscream’s optics flickered as he was about to lose consciousness. A calm and steady voice interrupted the two.
“Lord Megatron if I may, the abomination did in fact possess coordinates for other energon mines. Isn’t that correct Soundwave?” Shockwave’s even tone despite the mauling of his second in command, made Megatron pause.
He growled and dropped the body of the seeker and he crumpled into a heap on the floor. Turning his attention to a very uncomfortable looking Soundwave, Megatron began to stalk over looking eerily calm. As he approached Soundwave produced a small disk. One he had hoped to keep hidden for his own research. But Shockwave had seen him downloading the information from the prisoner. He handed it over, there was no information on the location of the base of operations for their enemy, however, the location of half a dozen energon mines wasn’t bad intel at all.
While Megatron was discussing the new intel with Shockwave, Starscream winced as he hauled himself up. This wasn’t the first time his leader had taken out a defeat on his frame. He gritted his denta against the pain and limped painfully out. He needed to be away from here. Anywhere but here before panic gripped him once again. He felt his spark start to spin faster as he hobbled to his habisuite to do his own repairs.
He doesn’t understand that it’s harder for humans to come out of recharge in the morning 😴🥱
Based this sketch off of that one panel of skywarp and buster. Super adorable pose and I was like huh. I can use that.
Emptiness Machine
Author notes: (Wowza I didn’t expect such a positive reaction to my nonsense! Here is a blurb to test the waters. See what y’all think! Let me know if you want more. 👀)
TW: (needle mentioned briefly, mention of alcohol to describe a feeling, reader cusses a little bit.)
Blinking the sleep from your eyes, you only half hear the blaring alarm. You stare at the ceiling for moment, trying to get your brain to wake up enough to process the announcement over the loudspeaker.
“Decepticon activity coordinates delta seven, bearing nine. Threat level Magenta. Pilot SERAPHIM to the launch bay.”
The words repeated as the red overhead lights flashed. No one could sleep through this, you thought as you rolled out of your cot. Feet hitting the cold floor you let your training take over. Autopilot was the only way to operate on days like this. Despite not being out late or having anything to drink the night before, you felt hungover and woozy. The Energon micro-infusions you and the other pilots received must be to blame. Donning your pilot gear and clicking your mask into place you finally start to feel whole again. Being outside of your mech felt like hell. Exposed like a nerve and vulnerable. Feeling so small, you shake your head trying to figure out how you ever lived without that soul connection to your machinery.
You grab your communicator, linking it to your headset and running out the door. Hallways bustled and noise reverberated through the massive metal building as soldiers and Autobots alike made their way around the base. You dodged around giant peds, apologizing when you almost knock right into Hound. The bot putting up his hands and giving a startled whoa as you bolt towards the hangar doors. This was home. The metallic smell of oil and energon hit you as you ran up the ramp to your mech. She was beautiful. Orange and teal accents over ivory plating. The wing and eye insignia on her shoulder alongside tally marks of all the victories you had won. Her optics offline and her lines hooked up to refuel, she looked lifeless. An empty machine.
You smiled remembering the first time you had met a Cybertronian. They were appalled to learn that the mechs they fought alongside weren’t Cybertronian, but were in fact piloted by humans. The bots now compared you to a spark within your mech, your consciousness becoming that of the metal behemoth you piloted. You yelled a greeting to your launch officer as he walked through the protocols and commands before helping you into the chest of your mech. Settling yourself into the gel seat made just for you, you feel the sting of the needle inserted into the back of your neck. Your eyes roll back and the familiar sensation of falling tugs at your limbs. The micro amounts of energon in your bloodstream prickle as your nerves switch to feeling cold.
Optics coming online and flickering as your consciousness links up with your mech. Your servos twitch, testing your movement slowly via the launch officer’s commands. Rolling your shoulders as the energy lines disconnect and the link is complete. The HUD is always a bit disorienting, vitals and stats crowding your vision as it adjusts. The tiny body your consciousness left is nestled snug in your chest. You reach for your weapon where it was leaned, charging next to the bay. A familiar voice to your right makes you turn.
“Ready there Sera?” Your vocal apparatus crackles to life as you reply.
“Had to get my bearings Bee. Consciousness transfer never gets easier.” Energy thrums through your lines and you feel whole once more. You worked alongside the Bumblebee as a fellow scout. Your mech being a lighter class helped with the stealth aspect of intelligence gathering. Most of the other pilots were male, making you one of the few female pilots to survive the initial testing. You felt proud of your accomplishments since the war for energon began.
“What is our mark.” You ask following the yellow bot out onto the launchpad. A ground bridge was already open and humming ominously. He had an alt mode but you didn’t, your mech not able to transform. Using a ground bridge was the only way to get your mech anywhere far away fast. It wasn’t your favorite way of travel, personally you favored the jump jets your mech was equipped with. Something about soaring through the sky was the most liberating feeling you had ever experienced.
“We’ve got a high level threat. At least three cons attacked one of our mines in Australia. I heard Shockwave had some dangerous experiment. We’ve gotta do some reconnaissance before we go take it back.” He smirked before shoving at your shoulder making you stumble a bit. “Try to keep up this time.” You smile at him as he disappears into the swirling light. Something about this mission seemed off. Everyone seemed a little too stoic for this to be a routine take back. Shrugging off the seed of doubt you lift your ion cannon and mount it to your shoulder. Calibrating your weapons and getting ready for whatever fresh hell awaited you.
Emptiness Machine
Author note: y’all have patiently waited for juicy interactions between Starscream and reader and now next chapter we will have one! :3 I am so excited. Anyway here’s the next chapter.
‘Where is it? where is it?’ Starscream thought as he dug frantically through a drawer in his habisuite. His wing hung painfully by the few lines that Megatron didn’t rupture in his anger. His frame was wet with energon as he searched for his stash of medical supplies. This was one of Megatron’s worst tempers yet. Usually Megatron let him free with only minor injuries. Something to keep the bots under his command afraid of him. This time he made Starscream an example. Taking his time and making a show of humiliating Starscream in front of his subordinates. He bared his denta in fury and agony as he thought about what he would do if he could fight back. If those imbeciles didn’t respect and fear their leader so much, if they wouldn’t turn on him if he stood up to Megatron. He wanted their respect and their loyalty just as much as he wanted to lead them. Though he wouldn’t lead them with falsehoods and intimidation as the warlord saw fit to.
Throwing the drawer aside that he’d emptied searching for an energon patch, he looks around frantically. There must be something he could use to stabilize his wounds. He’d planned for this, stolen medical supplies so he could take care of this himself. He didn’t need anyone else. Especially those mindless idiots who idolized that brute of a warlord. The first time something like this happened, he was refused help at the makeshift med bay. Hook locked the door on him, shaking his helm and telling him it was Megatron who ordered him to refuse to aid the injured seeker. He started taking supplies for himself then. Finding ways to treat his own injuries.
Finally in the last drawer he found it. A single energon patch and several welding rods. He could use an old polishing cloth as a line clamp if necessary. The wound in his side pulsed with pain as he applied the patch. Gritting his denta in pain, he activated the patch and it pulsed to life. Immediately he felt the numbing relief of the infusion. Medical grade energon was hard to come by these cycles. All mining efforts were redirected to the production of the synthetic energon used in the production of drones. Another one of Megatron’s plans that Starscream sneered at. He knew way too much of his leader’s attention was in the wrong place. Thats why the war had gone on so long. His priorities were backwards. Focusing on the power he gained and not the mechs he had under his command. Starscream knew he’d be a better leader. But Megatron made sure no one would respect him. They’d see him as a coward.
For a moment he just sat there on the edge of his berth. The nerve sensors in his injured wing had been so heavily damaged that they had all but gone numb. Taking a deep vent in he leaned forward and rested his helm on his fist. Balefully he stared down at his peds. Was this what he’d been reduced to? Cowering and taking the blame for something he wasn’t responsible for? It hadn’t always been like this. Before the energon on cybertron ran out, before the discovery of the thirteen worlds, he was respected. Megatron shared his plans and knowledge with him. Trusted him with important duties as his second in command. He gave him honor and encouragement. This was altogether different. A desperate Megatron who had begun to go mad with grief over a world lost.
Energon still leaked from his torn wing, dripping into a small puddle at his peds. It shook him from his spiraling thoughts as it ran sluggishly down the plating of his servo. His vision started to blur and he knew he’d have to at least temporarily patch up his wing before he bled out. Standing on unsteady peds, he limped over to his desk and grabbed the welding iron. The few rods he had would be enough but it would be hard to reach it on his own. His pride had broken most of the relationships he had with other bots on the Nemesis. Even his own trine had distanced themselves from him as he took out his anger at Megatron on everyone around him.
Taking a deep vent in against the inevitable pain and balling his servo into a fist, he sent it into the wall. A shout of frustration escaped his intake to hide the despair that welled up in his optics. Ignoring the aching, self inflicted, loneliness in his spark; he loaded the rods into the welding iron and set his wing as best he could. White hot pain seared through him and he bit back a groan as the iron touched his injured mesh. He clenched his denta and screwed his optics shut as he welded the torn joint back together in a crude line. It was grotesque looking to say the least. At least he wasn’t leaking energon anymore. One of his shoulder joints was strained and he had a few other minor injuries that his nanites would eventually take care of. Setting down the iron he gripped the edge of his desk and tried to control the shaking in his limbs. All this pain and for what?
Suddenly the walls of his habisuite felt confining. He had to get out of there. Go somewhere, anywhere that wasn’t here. Perhaps a flight would do him some good. There was something beautiful and peaceful about this miserable planet. He turned and stalked out through the sliding door and past several drones who watched him with emotionless faceplates. He pushed past a trio of constructicons who wouldn’t look him in the optics. Whispering amongst themselves as he tried his very best to hold his injured wing just as high as the other. Finally making it to the flight deck, he transformed and took off. Going nowhere in particular, just away from the Nemesis.
•••
You sat with your legs dangling off of the medical slab listening to Dr. Antonov as he explained the life support apparatus he was installing in your cockpit. Bee, who had somehow pushed his way into the med bay past Ratchet, looked on with a worried expression. Looking down at the limp form resting in your chassis, you couldn’t blame him. By all appearances your body was dead. All ashen features and lifeless limbs. You looked peaceful, the only thing that gave any sign of life was the occasional twitch of an eye or a digit. These were signs of a strong connection to your machine. Dr. Antonov finishes hooking up a milky looking bag and needle to the inside of your arm and mech. Looking up at you with a furrowed brow, he speaks.
“Seraphim. These, I am adding to keep your body alive. This nutrient IV drip will supplement the energon infusion and keep your body functioning. This is temporary just until I figure out how to disconnect you safely. Remember this is your body. Take care of it and don’t forget who you are in this time you are stuck.”
You nod solemnly, understanding the gravity of the situation and how easy it would be to forget you weren’t Cybertronian. You had already struggled in the past with separation from your mech and now you were permanently fused with it. At least until the good doctor found a way to get you out. The realization that this could very well kill you set in like a heavy fog over your form. Dr. Antonov nods and steps back. Giving you permission to leave if you wanted to. Taking a deep vent in and closing your cockpit around the vulnerable body within, you stand.
“I’m…going on patrol. I’ll be back later ok. You’ve got my location. Comm if you need anything.”
Turning to leave without looking at Bumblebee, even as he started to protest, you make your way through the sliding door of the med bay. The doctor raises his hand as if to silence the yellow scout.
“It’s better if she figures this out on her own.”
Outside the bay, several of the others were out on patrol. You pass Michael, who gives you a sympathetic look but doesn’t speak. Standing next to his mech on one of the many platforms surrounding it. The Autobot base and base of operations for Project Archangel was situated in a remote mountainous location. Far away from the prying eyes of Decepticons and humans alike. It was peaceful and as the bay doors opened to let you out, the cool breeze hit your faceplate and grounded you in reality. The lake a few miles below was quiet and tranquil. A perfect spot to sit and think. A deck officer offered you a ground bridge to wherever you wanted to go. You politely declined, just wanting to walk for a bit and think.
This area of the world was a protected wildlife preserve. One of monumental significance to earth. The trees were dwarfed even Michael’s heavy mech. It always made you feel small in a humbling way. As if your problems were just a tiny ripple in the vast ocean of the universe. It was comforting in a way. The musty smell of damp leaves and fresh scent of evergreen drifted past as you tread along the forest. The gaps between the massive trees were plenty large enough to allow for your Cybertronian-like frame. It wasn’t long until you reached the edge of the lake. A soft breeze fell over its surface, disturbing the perfect mirror that reflected the afternoon sky. Settling yourself among the rocks, you let the sunlight hit your faceplate and silently thank Dr. Antonov for the addition of nerve sensors so you could still experience warmth.
Thinking of warmth made you recall the feeling of warm servos on your frame as the Decepticon communications officer carried you to the holding cell. Why had they been described with such hate by the Autobots? Weren’t they all the same species? They hadn’t killed you. Just mishandled you out of ignorance. At least the ones beneath the ruthless warlord. You shuddered at the memory of being in Megatron’s grasp. His cold and indifferent optics focused on your helpless form.
A sound from above rattles you out of your thoughts. The scream of jet engines. It wasn’t uncommon to hear near the base as two of the Autobots were flight frames. But this didn’t sound like either of them. You focus your optics and catch a glimpse of a startlingly familiar color scheme. Red, white and blue with hints of grey and an orange cockpit. What was the second in command of the Decepticons doing here? Looking closer you saw a worrying trail of black smoke from one of his wings. Maybe he was chased all the way out here by an Autobot patrol? You didn’t see anyone in pursuit when you scanned the horizon. Watching as he landed clumsily to your left and transformed. His face a mask of pain that told you he was in fact injured. Limping forward, he lowered himself heavily to his knees at the waters edge. This was something you had to investigate for yourself.
🎀Masterlist🎀
(This blog is for fun only)
Blog rating: 16+ (I include TW if needed)
Hey there it’s rocketeer!
Below is my master list. My blog is Transformers and Star Wars only so enjoy! I am an artist (BFA in 2D studio art) and an aspiring writer. I just post nonsense and stuff I love. Feel free to ask me anything or request!
Rendezvous
Rendezvous part 2
Rendezvous part 3
Rendezvous part 4
Rendezvous part 5
Rendezvous part 6
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
it may take me a month to put out a chapter but at least im not using ai to write it.
it may take me a month to put out a chapter but at least im not using ai to write it.
it may take me a month to put out a chapter but at least im not using ai to write it.
it may take me a month to put out a chapter but at least im not using ai to write it.
it may take me a month to put out a chapter but at least im not using ai to write it.
IT MAY TAKE ME A MONTH TO PUT OUT A CHAPTER BUT AT LEAST IM NOT USING AI TO WRITE IT
Fan comic for @revelboo. Her work Coin Operated Boy is one of my faves 💕 anyway here’s Steve and reader.
I came across your mecha au and I’m honestly so captured!! Like this fits, I could actually image something like this happening in the transformers universe. Thank you for making this and I hope to see what else you create, (I say as I’m going over to read your other works) :33
*eats your ask like a delicious meal*
YALL DONT KNOW HOW MUCH YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT MEANS TO ME RN THANK YOU SO MUCH
Chapter 7 should be out by the end of tonight 🥰 I have been getting a lot of asks about if the title Emptiness Machine came from the song by Linkin Park and yes…absolutely it did 😂😅 I don’t have plans to continue Rendezvous at the moment but I might in the future!
Emptiness Machine
Author notes: thanks again for being patient with me. Still going through it but here is the chapter I was most excited for 🙊 (also I don’t know how actual welding works just go with it.) enjoy!
The setting sun cast long eerie shadows before Starscream moved visibly again. You had settled yourself about ten yards away from his kneeling form. He just sat there motionless. Every once in a while you’d see a wing twitch, hear a muffled murmur from him. Other than these small signs of life, he was utterly still, seemingly made of stone. You hadn’t announced yourself and it was easy enough to sneak up close to him when he first landed. You’d had ample time to study his frame. From the looks of it, he’d suffered a great deal. Could have been from the battle, but after he ran off into the smoke you hadn’t seen him again. You wondered who, besides Optimus, had the strength to deal such wounds.
A wound in his side was covered by a familiar energon patch. It’s light pulsing indicated it was still working on drawing the nanites closer to the injury. This meant the patch had been applied not too long ago. His wing hung at an odd angle at his back. Your optics focused on the crude welding job and you winced. It looked as if someone had done it with a non dominant hand. Were the Decepticon medics that terrible at welding jobs? You look down at your own chest plate and the welds, still fresh, that adorned it. No they were neat and clean. This looked as if he’d done it himself. Though that would be foolish wouldn’t it? Isn’t that dangerous?
The more you looked at him, the more you wondered what the hell happened to him. There was scraped paint along several dents that looked like it could have come from the hallways of the Nemesis. You leaned forward a bit trying to see better.
A quick slip of your servo on the damp trunk of a tree suddenly unbalanced you. The sudden movement made a sickening crunch that echoed off the clear water. The next few clicks reminded you exactly why Starscream was second in command of the entire Decepticon army. As soon as the sound reached his audials, he’d spun around and taken several steps in your direction. His posture was that of a mech who was immediately ready to take on a serious threat. Frame stiff and weapons powering up as he raised them. The dual null ray blasters mounted on his forearms were trained in the direction of the sound. His optics narrowed as he scanned the thick vegetation that hid your crouching form.
“Show yourself!” He spat, stalking forward a few paces.
You don’t make a move but instead call out to him from your prone position. “You look worse for ware. The Autobots give you a run for your money?”
Recognition flashed in his optics and his blasters lowered just a fraction. He hadn’t quite pinned down exactly where you were yet. In the waning light you could make out the faint glow of his biolights. Yours would soon make you visible amongst the foliage. It was better to stand up now and reveal yourself before he had a chance to find you. You moved, rustling the fallen leaves beneath you. There was a risk associated with trusting him not to blow your helm off. With the care he and the communications officer had shown you, there was a sense that he would hear you out.
“Listen. I’m going to stand up now. You know I don’t possess weapons on my frame. I’m unarmed.” You say clear enough to be heard.
Rolling from your back onto your belly, you slowly get to your peds. Palms out to show you don’t have anything with which to fight back. His optics found and trained you with a cold stare.
“Is it a habit of yours to patrol unarmed? Those damn fools can’t even train a proper army.” He grumbled almost quiet enough that you didn’t hear.
He vented in exasperation, though he didn’t lower his weapons as you stepped out from behind the foliage that had previously hidden you. You shook a ped to get rid of the loose leaves that covered it. The damp smell of moss and loam covered your frame and you were suddenly glad for the fact that your mech was an earthier color. Disguising the smears of earth from your clumsiness earlier. Your optics fell on his damaged wing once more. It trembled slightly as he tried to hold it at the same height as his uninjured one.
“Did one of us do that to you?” You asked, gesturing with your chin towards his injured wing.
“As if an Autobot could inflict such injures on me.” He scoffed and flicked his uninjured wing in annoyance.
Though he quickly realized his error in ruling out the Autobots as the source of his injures. That left only one mech who could have inflicted those injuries. You slowly reach up to flick your visor out of the way, exposing your golden optics. The battle mask you usually wore retracted, allowing him to see the serious expression on your faceplate. His optics widened ever so slightly. He didn’t know what to expect when he saw what was under that mask but it wasn’t something that was as close to a real Cybertronian femme as he had seen in eons.
Cybertronian femmes were rare during the war, most of them fled off world and met horrible fates or disappeared without a trace. The rest joined the Autobot cause, with a few frighteningly unstable exceptions. His gaze lingered on the frown that was set in the malleable metal mesh of your faceplate. How the humans were able to come up with technology like this was beyond him. Though it sent an uncomfortable shiver up his spinal strut. It was unnerving. He started when you finally spoke again.
“Then it must have been Megatron. I’m not deaf. I heard him threaten you.” Speaking so boldly was also a risk but you had to know. Something about the way he held himself. The way he had tried to get you away from that awful scientist back on the Nemesis. You felt like you owed him your life. An uncomfortable feeling when it came from the enemy.
His lip twitched and he refused to answer. Instead choosing to deflect the question with one of his own. “What the scrap are you doing out here in the woods alone. You were in bad shape when I last saw you.” His voice was harsh and there was a staticky edge to it. Perhaps a nervous tell.
“I could ask the same of you. I thought Decepticons didn’t venture to the surface. Something about it being ‘contaminated by the native life’ or something.” You almost smiled at the affronted look he gave you.
As if he, the second in command of the Decepticon army would be scared of a few squishy humans. Slowly, you reach into a compartment on your side that contained a field medical kit. Inside you knew you had at least a couple of welding rods and a field welding torch.
“If you want, I could help you with the welding on your wing. You are still leaking energon. It couldn’t have felt good to fly like that.”
Extending your servo with the tools, you try to look as sympathetic as possible. “You helped me. I’m still functioning because of you and I owe you for that.” You splay your free servo over the chest of your mech. Over the tiny body hidden inside.
He looked at you with a mix of disgust and offense at the mere thought of your human made servos on his wing. He sputtered trying to get the words out for a moment. His vocalizer betraying him. You held up a hand and that silenced him surprisingly. “Please let me do this. We’d be even. They have no idea you tried to help me.”
Starscream’s curiosity was the only thing that made him slowly close his intake and nod. His denta set as he slowly lowered his weapons. He knew he wouldn’t be able to make the flight back to the nemesis without help. This was the first time in quite awhile anyone had asked to help him outright. It had been even longer since he allowed anyone to help him without lashing out. You smile and gesture for him to follow you to a fallen tree not too far along the edge of the water. There was just enough daylight left that you could probably get most of the welding done before the sun set.
“No tricks human. Even with that machine you are soft. I won’t hesitate to offline a femme.” He growled as he begrudgingly settled himself down on the tree.
You notice him watching your every move, frame tense as if he expected you to take that torch and use it for more sinister purposes. You vent softly and move around behind him to look at his wing. This close to him, you feel a staticky tingle that runs through seemingly every energon line of your frame. You shudder. You could feel his agitation, fear, and apprehension. But there was a hint of something else there. A feeling you couldn’t quite place. Something akin to curiosity. You shake your helm and try to focus on assessing the damage.
There were a few gaps in his weld lines that still leaked a bit of energon. You knew the mesh beneath contains many pain receptors. It was shredded at the joint and the tender mesh exposed. You cringed as you ran your optics over the crumpled mess. Of course he’d tried to fix it himself if Megatron was the one who did this to him. He’d probably done it to humiliate him. Reaching out a careful servo you go to brush a digit along one of the weld lines. As soon as your digit makes contact he flinches. His other wing twitching and you feel a wave of embarrassment and rage through his EM field.
“I don’t have all night Autobot are you going to get on with it or not!” He snapped trying to hide the fact that he’d had such a dramatic reaction to the contact.
You bite back a stinging retort and reach into the container at your side for a welding rod. You realize with a feeling of dread that you don’t have any nerve dampeners on you. Nothing like an EM pulse emitter that could nullify the pain being caused by the fresh welds. You chew your lip for a moment and speak. “I don’t have anything to help with the pain. Will you be alright?”
He doesn’t respond. Only nodding, giving you to go ahead to continue. You take a deep vent in. If he had done this earlier on his own, he must not have had anything to numb the pain then either. Bracing yourself with one ped on the ground and the other against the fallen tree, you place one servo between his wings and use the other to unset the welds he’d placed. Flicking down your visor against the blinding torch, you set to work. Once you began, he made no sound to indicate he was in pain.
Only the groan of strained metal could be heard as he clenched his fists against the white hot flame of the torch. You worked quickly, wanting this to be over just as much as he probably did. After unsetting the welds, you worked quickly to right them once again. This time taking care to align the joint properly and seal any severed lines. His uninjured wing trembled a couple times but otherwise he remained still.
Once you had finished you stood upright and flicked your visor back up to look at your work. It wasn’t as good as a medic could have done but you were the best in your class at field medicine. These welds would hold and his wing was on straight this time. You cross your arms over your chassis, proud of your work. “All finished. And the sun hasn’t even set yet.”
Pastel pinks and oranges had begun to fill the watercolor sky. Still he didn’t move. You cocked your head to the side suddenly concerned. Reaching out a servo you rest it in the middle of his back between his wings and feel him lean ever so slightly into that touch before he catches himself. Flinching abruptly away he stands and whirls on you. “You’ve already touched me enough insect. I’m fine.”
His EM field flared with that unidentifiable emotion once again. You stepped back palms up to show you didn’t mean to overstep. “Sorry didn’t mean to.” You mumble not knowing what exactly you were apologizing for. You had comforted Bee in a similar way once when he was seriously injured after a fight. The little scout seemed grateful for the gesture and you thought he might need something like that as well. Clearly not. You huffed out an annoyed vent. So much for him being grateful. At least you had made it through the entire process without him using those twin null rays to blast you back to the state you were born in.
He wouldn’t look you in the optics. His pride probably so thoroughly squashed for the day that he couldn’t possibly take another embarrassment.
“There. We are even.” Were the only words he spoke as he whirled around and stalked off. Transforming and taking off over the lake a few paces down. He wasn’t trailing that awful black smoke anymore and his wing seemed to be holding. You hadn’t realized just how stiff you’d been holding your posture as you finally relax. His alt mode disappeared on the horizon, not knowing just how close he had come to discovering the Autobot base.
Playing around with colors. I see a giant robot and I immediately want to gib him a lil kiss. I would definitely end up crushed irl. 🫠
Christmas is coming! Have a logical Christmas
Artist and amateur writer Star Wars and Transformers fanLevel 25 🎀She/Her
69 posts