The Heartwarming Family Reunion

[loyaltyandhonor]

Who: Dreadwing (TFP), Starscream (TFP), Megatron (TFP)
Where: The Crater? The Crater
When: Shortly after arrival
What: Dreadwing, with Starscream in tow, track down Megatron to try and sort out their temporal issues (and decide who's right, like the bickering children they are).
Warnings: So many Decepticon babies

Having finally convinced Starscream that he was temporarily safe and that he could leave the hovel he had been cowering, the two had set off in search of Megatron. It didn't take as long as he had expected, if it did feel like it took ages. Going anywhere with Starscream was a chore, even when he didn't deserve a swift and just death.

They'd flown over more then a few bots who looked similar to Megatron, which Starscream had insisted were imposters. Luckily their Megatron was unmistakable. None of the others were nearly spiky enough. Dreadwing descended quickly, landing behind Megatron and immediately falling into a humble bow. He may have his doubts about their leader's integrity but he wasn't about to show it now. Not until this matter was dealt with.

"Lord Megatron. I am glad we were able to find you swiftly, and unharmed." He meant half of it, anyway.

Comments

[deceptionshark]

"Ah, Starcream. How nice of you to join us." He says pleasantly, finally turning around to face them. Starscream is in his good graces this week, so he acts accordingly. But now he's faced with a problem: Who should he name his Second? Not that it seems to matter all that much without an army.

"Let us just say that we have not seen each other for some time now. But you have returned, and I could not be more glad. You are, after all, my loyal and devoted Second-in-command." Megatron's gaze flickers over Starscream for a moment before settling his full attention on Dreadwing.

"Report."

[starscheme]

He's definitely getting a sinking feeling in his gut, the longer his master speaks. It's so strange, how for months into the aftermath of the war, he bitterly wished that Megatron would go back to his rightful place as leader of the Decepticons and give up his foolish pretenses of peace, but now that it has actually become a reality (at least in the sense), it is unsettling to the core. Megatron hasn't even said or done anything yet, but the general confusion of having the clock turned back is disorienting to the seeker. He tries not to look too reproachful when he is addressed... And then he looks shocked.

WOW, Megatron!

It's noteworthy that Starscream doesn't look anywhere near as outwardly butt-mad as he might have, were he from around the same point in time that these two seem to be. If anything he appears to be annoyed, exhausted and mostly unimpressed. It's always been obvious whenever Megatron has plotted to get under his plating and try to rile him up even before and he has no reason to believe that anything is different this time around, but with the power of hindsight Starscream is far more inclined to be disdainful and unimpressed by this play than anything else.

...No OK who is he kidding he's still feeling pretty significantly betrayed, under all that. Old habits die hard.

"Lord Megatron, if I might interrupt," he says, and continues without waiting for further permission, so anxious is he, "Dreadwing and I had a few conflicts of information that we had hoped you might clear up."

[loyaltyandhonor]

Dreadwing would have been shocked if Starscream had managed to keep silent for more than a minute. He was going to bring this up eminently, but if Starscream was so keen, so be it. Once this nonsense was cleared up they could get back to more important matters at hand.

"Yes. Starscream seems to believe that when he was brought to this planet, it was from a point in time far beyond our own. You had just ordered a cortical psychic patch following his return to the ship, and yet he claims that to have taken part years ago."

He was pretty sure at this point, having seen Megatron, that Starscream was either confused or lying. Megatron's comment about not seeing him in a while though did not fit with events either. This whole affair may wind up proving more complex than he initially thought.

[deceptionshark]

What was this? Starscream showing some restraint? Now this is new. New and interesting. Perhaps Megatron will fully explore this development later. Right now, however, his attention was on on Dreadwing. All of this felt like a game. A glorious game where winner lives and the loser gets what little they have crushed into the dust.

"Oh? How peculiar. Starscream rejoined the cause a very short time ago." He glanced at Starscream again, a magnificent eyebrow slowly raising to the heavens. "Tell me of this supposed future you live in, Starscream."

[starscheme]

So he had rejoined at least, from Megatron's perspective. A 'very short time ago' could mean anything though, honestly. Hours? Days? Weeks? Who the hell knows.

He does his best to slip back into that old, hard-wired behavior of being polite and reverent towards Megatron that was the norm during the lengthy span of the war, but even still it feels strange. He hasn't had to tread this lightly in a while. He straightens up, trying to put on a more confident face before answering. His wings still fidget though, like gigantic neon signs that telegraph his true feelings involuntarily. "If you would permit me to ask a question first, Master... What precisely do you remember experiencing the last, before arriving upon this unfamiliar Cybertron...?"

[loyaltyandhonor]

Dreadwing's scowl deepened as Megatron confirmed Starscream's re-admittance to the Decepticons. Even through everything he had hoped Megatron had not been sincere, but he spoke as if the outcome was final. And if it was, Dreadwing had no intention of remaining allied with this traitor.

He didn't say anything though, he was equally interested in Megatron's answer. At this point it was fairly clear when Megatron was toying with his subordinates, and Dreadwing had no intention dropping his guard until he was certain of Megatron's intentions.

[deceptionshark]

Megatron's eyes narrow dangerously. He doesn't appreciate having his question deflected by another question. Especially not by Starscream. Starscream may be in his good graces now, but that is always subject to change. This entire situation is vaguely irritating. His subordinates have no right to question their leader like this even if one of them should be dead by his hand.

"I was asking you. Starscream." There's a deadly note in his voice that suggests that Starscream is gently toeing the line of his patience. Dreadwing gets a half-glance, but nothing more.

[starscheme]

The Seeker seems to wilt. Apparently he has forgotten more of his manners than he previously realized. The Megatron that he is used to dealing with is far more world-weary and humbled by his experience with Unicron’s possession that Starscream has been able to get away with much, much more, in terms of how loose he is with his words.

He winces, makes a coughing noise in his voice box, and dips his head submissively. “My apologies, master,” he stammers out. There’s a long pause while he tries to find the right words. For all the schemes and counter-measures in his play book for worming his way through a conversation, he hasn’t the slightest idea how to handle this situation. Clearly all three of them are working from different timelines, and there is really no telling how far Megatron is willing to believe him, or how he will tolerate the news of everything that happened that day on the Nemesis with the omega lock, and beyond.

“Well, for one thing, Shockwave has returned to our fold...” Gotta go slow. See what Megatron does and doesn’t remember.