time to jet!

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"This is—” His claws twitch as he gestures in a flailing motion, optics swimming in his helm as he tries to find the words through his ire to no avail. “Oh, for spark’s sake,” the seeker spits, throwing his wings outward in an exasperated gesture, dragging a servo down his faceplates.

He shakes his crest dismissively. “I don’t know who your superior is, or what possessed them to think that this,” he motions to the stained tail of the organic hybrid bot, “would be a proper way to train drones.”

Starscream briefly reflects in how the vehicons always stand at attention in front of a commanding officer; of course, they are programmed to do so. Constructed solely for the purpose of serving the Decepticons leaves little room for deviation or self-growth. He supposes they may potentially develop their personality modules by simply existing, but, since they have all but identical coding and processing units, seldom do their intelligence levels go above and beyond.

Perhaps there’s a cap, he ponders cruelly.

Another drawback to being programmed to perform, however, is the lack of emotional reaction. The drones all seem rather dull, not as fun to torture and torment. Starscream revels in being able to get under a bot’s plating, making their sensors crawl with insults or baiting them into an outrage or breakdown. The vehicons rarely show anything beyond obedience which usually ends up oddly be irritating for him.

He cycles his fans with a roll of red optics, chassis heaving with the entire motion. “I’ll be having a word or two with them.” He concedes, his vocaliser dipping dangerously whilst shooting a threatening look at the silver and black drone before straightening himself and folding his servos behind his backstruts. “For now, you will stand there like a good little eradicon while I attend to more important matters. Who knows, maybe you’ll actually learn something.”

Satisfied with himself, the jet turns his faceplates back to Steeljaw. “I apologize for the drone. While sometimes useful, their main talent seems to be getting in the way.” He says with acidic distaste. “Now then,” he flicks his wings dismissively before continuing, “I believe you have something to tell me that would be of value to our mighty leader, correct?”

@steeljaw , @sv19

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Sev found that the seeker’s wrath was short lived this day, and that small things seemed to be ‘forgivable’. Starscream probably wasn’t sentencing him to month-long scrubbing duties because he either expected his superiors to, or it was the fact that Sev was a mindless drone. Sev’s own processor hummed to itself in thoughtful amusement at the Second in command’s dismissing action. It reminded him of his first day waking up in an assembly line, looking over himself in small confusion along with a handful of his other specialized brothers. Some of them stood stone still, others had to learn how walk. His type of vehicon model were specialized within themselves—they were designed to think differently than the average eradicon. Of course some of them had poorly made limbs or terrible armor because at the time of their creation not too many resources had been donated to the project. Still. The vehicon unit had pushed through. Although, there were only several hundred of his kind left in the whole universe. So far, Sev was the only black-ops based vehicon he knew.

Although even then, the instant he’d woken up, he’d felt odd. As if something in his head had been altered. I think, therefore I exist Sev remembered the words that first appeared in his mind. Ever since his creation, the words rung in his helm, as if reminding him he was an oddball. Out of the hundreds, he’d found that only six other mechs had acted especially different from the rest of their specialized brothers. He didn’t know if any of those six were still online though.

Still. Starscream’s words made Sev feel as if his existence was a tad more exclusive than others. He was alive, and he felt alive at times, despite his cold demeanor, and his layers of protocol. Starscream’s slanderous tone towards the superior that Sev think of his Drill Sergeant, Sergeant Coal. The vehicon was something else as well, Sev actually wasn’t sure if Coal really was a vehicon. He might as well have been a creature wearing battered vehicon armor. Coal had been called Coal for the reason that he was as black as...well…Coal. The Sergeant definitely had a screw or two loose. The mech played with words, made terrible jokes, and said things like
‘WIPE THAT BLUE KETCHUP OFF YER FACE AND KEEP FIGHTING!’ Sev had yet to know what this ‘ketchup’ was, but it was clear the sergeant had been referring to energon. The thought of Starscream interviewing Coal almost made Sev chuckle. What an exchange that would be.

Sev remained straightened, voicelessly obeying the mech. Better to not give him any words to pick at, and the sooner Sev was ignored he supposed it would be for the better. A few scenarios were ran through Sev’s helm where he slipped off, and left the two be so he could listen in on their conversation. Unfortunately, that was disobeying a direct order, and these mechs weren’t the type to trifle with at all. They’d know he’d be around if he disappeared. It didn’t make any different that he stood like a statue to listen. So Sev stayed where he was. No use in struggling, or finding any loop holes in his programming. Not that he found too many, or any ways to override it. It could be so limiting sometimes.

Sev thought back to the totems he’d been collecting for a brief moment. He had four. But for one hopeless moment, he realized four would be all he’d keep, since he was commanded to ‘stay’. He tried reassuring himself that four was enough. Still. His paranoia made him feel like somehow he’d lose this little competition anyways.

‘I believe you have something to tell me that would be of value to our mighty leader, correct?’

It wasn’t as if he was being allowed to listen in on a conspiracy against Lord Megatron, but like Starscream had said, he’d stay and listen for a while. He’d get some perspective on these personalities either way.

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The only thing that Steeljaw could do was watch as Starscream belittled the Vehicon who had dared to interrupt in the middle of their conversation.  It wouldn't have been a lie to say that he was enjoying every last moment of it, especially when the Vehicon had deserved it in his own opinion.  Or maybe it was the part of him that liked seeing others suffer.

Who was to say really?

Regardless, the Vehicon was going to stand by as commanded by the seeker as said seeker returned his attention to the wolf mech.  Steeljaw kept his arms crossed as Starscream spoke to him, apologizing for the interruption before asking what it was that he had been talking about earlier.  His optics shifted momentarily to the Vehicon, making sure he followed his orders before returning his attention to Starscream.

"Oh, I understand.  Sometimes underlings just don't know their place and need to be reminded on a regular basis.  However.. as I was saying earlier, I do have something that could benefit Lord Megatron, but perhaps.. a favor in exchange?"  He uncrossed his arms, placing one hand his hip as he held an open hand out while he continued.  "You see.. while the Autobots have proven troublesome in my area.. I have learned the location of their base.  My numbers are far too few and far between in order to take them on with guaranteed victory.  That's why I've been searching for our Decepticon brothers and sisters, to free them in order to aid Lord Megatron."

Once more he smiled, looking to the seeker.  "So here is my offer.  Allow me and my friends access to your base, and the location of the Autobot base is all yours for the taking."