(Untitled)

[due_caution]

Red Alert had briefly considered tagging along with Kitten Prime and Company, if only to make sure Rodimus stayed safe and out of trouble, but thought better of it after contemplation. Right now, at a glance, who would even know that the small orange Terran cat is the Autobot Prime, unless someone draws undue attention to him

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[attair_al_fada]

Hmm, now what? Starscream muses as he threads Slingshot's hydraulic lines into place. Red's going to be watching his systems like, well, a paranoid security chief, and my secure reconnaissance just turned out to be not-so-secure. 65% chance she's told Red, but if she hasn't, he's going to be even more suspicious of me.

As he carefully screws a connector into place, Starscream continues to consider the matter. Getting tossed in the brig out of general paranoia would not do. Red or Frostbite, then? Red picked up on my advice about Spike--smart move to check Drath's remains--but Frostbite knows. She's up to something, as well. Slag, we underestimated her for years!

Starscream secures another hydraulic line. Duskwing will protect the younger brat of his own accord--and possibly the girl as well, whether I want him to or not. Not my problem, in any case. If Drath starts playing games with Transformer sparks again, though...Starscream carefully tightens the last connector; Slingshot's hydraulics are complete. He turns his head toward

[midnightspook]

Blackstar is a little surprised when Starscream brings him up to date, rapid-fire. Though he still has too many ties keeping him here and away from the Allspark, its siren's song calls to him now and then, making his spark ache. He tries to avoid anything that reminds him of it, to avoid awakening that deep hunger/want/need, and senses that Starscream does likewise.

He doesn't insult his commander by offering anything like sympathy for the sharp stab of... pain doesn't quite cover it... There is no word for the sensation of loss and disconnection and denial of peace. It has no name, but he knows it as well as Starscream, and simply nods in acknowledgement of the sacrifice his commander has made for the information Blackstar needs.

And now that he knows what Starscream knows, the sick feeling of dread rises in him again. That Machine... What Drath had done, has done, can do again... it's wrong in a way that Blackstar cannot put words to

[attair_al_fada]

Starscream looks at Red Alert. "I'll let you know if I find anything out, or start any wars."

Should I introduce you, Blackstar? Or do you prefer to remain behind the scenes?

He glances at Frostbite, awaiting the inevitable speculative looks, and possible questions.

[midnightspook]

Blackstar ponders that for a long moment.

I'd prefer to remain behind the scenes... Primarily because he hasn't settled things with Strata yet, hasn't even given her a hint that there were things to be settled between them. He's procrastinating, and he knows it.

I'm just not sure how well that would work. They know things I'm going to need to know, and I may need to tell them things. You're a little too busy to have to play messenger for me, boss.

He sighs and shakes his head. Better introduce me. I'll sort it out later. What happens... happens.

[attair_al_fada]

Starscream glances at Red Alert again. "No, he doesn't have any information... yet. Duskwing is keeping an eye on Daniel, but do remember that Duskwing is not the cleverest of warriors. He can be distracted and deceived, so don't let your guards get sloppy. He is, however, tenacious, so don't give up if things go badly."

He says the words with an air of finality; Starscream has said all he needs to Red Alert right now.

Not so with Frostbite.

Blackstar, wait until Red Alert leaves. I mean to introduce you to Frostbite alone. The fewer who know your name around here, the fewer chances it gets spilled in the wrong audials. Frostbite is an intell type; she doesn't spill things casually.

[due_caution]

Red Alert nods sharply.

"There has been too much sloppiness already," he replies evenly. "I mean to see an end to that. Duskwing's help will be... appreciated, however."

With a sigh of one girding himself for battle, Red Alert rises. Rodimus first. He can brief his commander before Carly gets a chance to murder him messily.

"I'll check back in after speaking with Carly," he remarks to Frostbite as he heads out the door.

[midnightspook]

Once Red Alert has left and Frostbite has resumed her seat, a black and grey form fades into view, obviously a Seeker, but sporting a Cybertronian alt, rather than an Earth upgrade. Blackstar stands to one side and slightly behind Starscream in a flanking position, his arms crossed over his chest, and a wary, calculating look on his features.

"This Drath guy has a long overdue appointment with someplace very warm and very unpleasant," Blackstar observes evenly. "I mean to help make sure he keeps it."

[attair_al_fada]

Starscream leans back and smirks.

"Frostbite, meet Blackstar. He's been... out of circulation for a while, and hasn't been real happy about some of the changes that happened while he was away. He's helping me with our little necromancy problem, among other things."

Starscream shifts slightly, and locks optics with Frostbite. "There are those among the living who know his name, so we'd all be much happier if it weren't mentioned to anyone else."

[attair_al_fada]

Starscream glances at both of them, then fixes on Frostbite.

"Any suggestions on where to start? I or Ratchet can give you a list of the more unusual materials needed to make the Machine... beyond that," Starscream shrugs, "I fear you have a far better grasp on current human affairs and better contacts than I ever did. My Cobra contacts are rather obsolete, unless Mr. Snake is in the habit of reviving old lairs when unfriendly attention has long since passed elsewhere. Although I had some indirect contacts through Cobra that might be of interest. I doubt they are directly useful."

"So, any clue where to start looking?"

[attair_al_fada]

Starscream considers this for a moment.

"You've got trusted Bots you're going to use for part of this? Much as I hate to admit it, some of your Autobots are less conspicuous for this sort of sneaking about than a brightly colored fighter jet. Although--" Starscream gives her a mischievous smile, "I can distract official attention very well. Nobody will think I'm up to anything benign and innocent, no matter what I'm actually doing."

"So..." he leans back again. "your guys check out the nice, well-behaved places like Tulum and Moscow, I toss a few cluster bombs on Castle Destro in passing, and cause trouble in Chechnya to see what shakes loose. Blackstar can check inconspicuously and close-up to see what crawls out from under the rocks in Scotland and Chechnya."

"Is it a plan?"

[attair_al_fada]

Starscream frowns slightly. "The copy pulled out. They know we're on to them--they won't be relaxed. If they appear to be relaxed, it's to sucker us into a trap. At least neither I nor Blackstar can fall into the kind of trap that got Rodimus and Galvatron."

He gets up and starts to pace around the room. "People let a lot of things slip--like their guard--when they are milling around in panic and confusion." The former Decepticon Air Commander glances sharply at Frostbite. "We've used the technique on you and the humans enough. It worked. Blow a few buildings up, disable the emergency responders, inflict some key infrastructure damage--then achieve our objective in the panic. Still, I supposed you'll get all squeamish on me about casualties and property destruction." He shrugs.

"Cobra Commander is too smart for me to get away with infiltrating them again. I don't think he'd trust me enough even if I betrayed Autobot City to establish my bona fides. He's annoyingly familiar with my modus operandi. That, and we're not even sure that