The Chosen One

If Prowl’s glares could produce lasers, Starscream’s thigh paint would be peeling by now.

“He made a painfully desperate public declaration of alliance,” Prowl said stiffly. “I was an unwilling and unconsenting victim of the declaration.”

Soundwave kept staring straight ahead, as motionless as a mannequin.

[[It is true. Prowl did not know he was going to do that. It was a foolish notion brought on by extended exposure to an alien organic’s ideas.]]

[[He had believed our species would become stronger, unafraid, and more difficult to divide if even the lowest knew that those in power did not fear creating such connections - or the discovery of them.]]

He bowed his head, then, but made no other movements.

“Ah, acting on advice from organic aliens! Truly the foundation of sound decisions both personal and professional.” He waved a hand mockingly, but the sarcasm is discarded for a harder tone. 

“Personally I couldn’t care less who or what you put your hands on while off duty. Both of you have confusing enough places in the social hierarchy as it is that I really can’t say what the overall opinion will be once the surface of wheel or wings and former factions have been scratched. 

You enjoy startling Starscream, he’ll savor your recent and cataclysmic loss of composure, Prowl. “We’ll put you down in the records as the ‘type’ Prowl, and list all the rest as the variants one can encounter in the wild.” Less of a squeal this time, more of a startled clatter as Starscream leapt to his feet. He hadn’t been completely considering firing Soundwave and Prowl but man they were pushing his flimsy patience. “Behave or I’ll schedule mandatory bi-weekly reports from the both of you. In person.” Neither of you wanted to deal with him more than you strictly had to, right? Please, Soundwave, sit. Or stand, whichever.

verdigrisprowl

“Well—I’m honored to be considered the platonic ideal of a Prowl.”

Then Soundwave made a sound, and Prowl jerked around to stare at him in shock and horror. Soundwave. How could you. How dare you. Prowl had successfully startled Starscream and now they were bantering—actually mutually bantering!—and you come in and one-up him with a quote from an angry Megatron?! Prowl was too shocked for words. The audacity. The betrayal. You are the worst nemesis wingman in the history of cross-battlefield ambiguous emotional tension.

Prowl turned back toward Starscream, gaze lowered, pouting glowering at his thighs. Outdone by his own amica. The humiliation.

(Dimly, he registered that the threat of bi-weekly reports meant Starscream probably wasn’t planning on firing them. That was one probability reduced.)

Soundwave tucked his recording of Starscream startling into a safe series of secured file folders and twisted to look at Prowl, who was openly staring at him.

He emitted a tiny huff and bobbed his helm in acknowledgement once Prowl turned away from him. All right, all right. So he’d pushed his luck with that bit of vengeance. At least their employer was still threatening them with bi-weekly reports. No need to glower at him or Starscream.

…Was that a glower? For a moment, Soundwave could have sworn that Prowl had fixed his gaze on Starscream’s legs - an odd place to look, given how many non-optic areas he had to choose from.

No. Prowl was probably scowling at nothing, even more angry with Soundwave than he’d already been for the rooftop announcement now that Soundwave had tested the limits of Starscream’s patience. Of course Prowl had no interest in anything else. Who would?

He opted to stand, looking attentive with his hands clasped behind his back.

(Both of you aren’t considering that Starscream might call in your unemployed asses to yell at twice a week just for the hell of it.)

No, the elected leader of Cybertron Iacon does not start at the sudden cop in his office, nor does he live up to the second half of his name albeit in a charmingly miniaturized form before he slumps forward, elbow to desk and hand to forehead so he can give Prowl the scathingly unamused look he deserves. “Right. Holoform. You should consider changing your designation to ‘Hermit’ rather than ‘Prowl’, it would suit you far better.” “So? Where’s the other one?” A quick glance at his windows as if he expected Soundwave to come barreling though them in a shower of sass and glass.

verdigrisprowl

And Prowl does not put on his most stoic face to hide the glow of wicked delight blossoming in his chest. Oh. Oh, that was so satisfying. On nights when he can’t sleep he’s going to replay that.

“All the other Prowls already changed their names, as the last Prowl standing I’d be doing them a disservice if I didn’t keep it.” He was going to take the lack of a command to stand as permission to sit, so he did. “Not here yet.” Obviously.

Soundwave appeared less immediately, but still quicker than he ought have unless he’d already been hanging around. Which was a possibility. He did say he was investigating an intelligence report. (That wasn’t why he’d got there so fast, but it made for a convenient excuse.)

He also appeared quietly, and while Starscream was looking out the windows.

Lovebirds, hmm?

▓▒░ Starscream, ░▒▓ he boomed with someone else’s voice. And not just any old someone. Someone big, and powerful, and silvery-grey, and possessed of one hell of an anger problem.

::Ding ding! Why take up more time than needed on this when I can simply interview you both at the same time. One stone, two ‘feral Earth avians’ and all. I take it the two of you don’t object?::

verdigrisprowl

«I know what you meant, I was hoping you would elucidate on the why. It’s absurd. It makes no sense. If you were actually going to evaluate us in relation to this incident you’d do it separately, to make it just that much harder for us to corroborate our stories. What’s the point of bring in both of us together? Don’t say to save time. If your time were so short that you couldn’t even afford to interview us separately you would have delegated.»

[[An attempt to shame both of us for what he did on the rooftop. Hoping to enjoy the sight of us squirming.]] Which Soundwave did not intend to do. [[Standard procedure.]]

And appeared in Starscream’s office, immediately.

::Ding ding! Why take up more time than needed on this when I can simply interview you both at the same time. One stone, two ‘feral Earth avians’ and all. I take it the two of you don’t object?::

verdigrisprowl

«I know what you meant, I was hoping you would elucidate on the why. It’s absurd. It makes no sense. If you were actually going to evaluate us in relation to this incident you’d do it separately, to make it just that much harder for us to corroborate our stories. What’s the point of bring in both of us together? Don’t say to save time. If your time were so short that you couldn’t even afford to interview us separately you would have delegated.»

[[An attempt to shame both of us for what he did on the rooftop. Hoping to enjoy the sight of us squirming.]] Which Soundwave did not intend to do. [[Standard procedure.]]

::Ding ding! Why take up more time than needed on this when I can simply interview you both at the same time. One stone, two ‘feral Earth avians’ and all. I take it the two of you don’t object?::

verdigrisprowl

«I know what you meant, I was hoping you would elucidate on the why. It’s absurd. It makes no sense. If you were actually going to evaluate us in relation to this incident you’d do it separately, to make it just that much harder for us to corroborate our stories. What’s the point of bring in both of us together? Don’t say to save time. If your time were so short that you couldn’t even afford to interview us separately you would have delegated.»

[[An attempt to shame both of us for what he did on the rooftop. Hoping to enjoy the sight of us squirming.]] Which Soundwave did not intend to do. [[Standard procedure.]]

«I’m so sorry sir, I didn—I did not authorize this, I-I do not support this—this—this wildly inappropriate display, I—I am—completely opposed to—"

He choked on his own words. Oh god. There it was. The fragile simulacrum of trust he’d managed to build up with Starscream had been shattered. He’d told Starscream to hire Prowl’s own lover, there was no recovering from that, ever. His authority was gone. His position in the government was gone. His ability to monitor Starscream was gone. Everything, everything that Starscream had offered him, Soundwave had just snatched away.

«I’m so sorry sir, I didn—I did not authorize this, I-I do not support this—this—this wildly inappropriate display, I—I am—completely opposed to—"

He choked on his own words. Oh god. There it was. The fragile simulacrum of trust he’d managed to build up with Starscream had been shattered. He’d told Starscream to hire Prowl’s own lover, there was no recovering from that, ever. His authority was gone. His position in the government was gone. His ability to monitor Starscream was gone. Everything, everything that Starscream had offered him, Soundwave had just snatched away.

«I’m so sorry sir, I didn—I did not authorize this, I-I do not support this—this—this wildly inappropriate display, I—I am—completely opposed to—"

«Hm, imagine that. I don’t suppose it had anything to do with the fact that you immediately alienated the vast majority of mechs on the planet with any combat training whatsoever by making their exile the key focus of your campaign platform?»

Hey, if Starscream’s got a better idea for how to reassure the public that Devastator isn’t going to rampage while still letting the Constructicons go free… «Well, I won’t be surrounded by them, will I? I’m not asking to hire them, I’m asking to set them free. They’ll be out doing whatever they care to do, while I’ll be working. I’ll only call them up as needed, if they’re needed. I hope they won’t be, but if they are it will be better to set a precedent of them being seen out and about and proving they can be trusted not to knock down buildings in the process.»

chosentorule

::At any point they could have taken the same step forward that both of us took and divested themselves from past factions for the sake of continued peace- but that topic is neither here nor there.:: It’d worked as a campaign platform, after all, and it’d immediately removed the biggest threats to his shaky grip on power at the time.

::Hmph. The idea of five former convicts and terrorists roaming free is going to do little to make citizens feel safe. If what you want is for your crew to go free then the idea must be introduced slowly to prevent any pockets of discontent. Not that I think any riots would form over this, but any amount of displeasure should be avoided.:: ::The Constructicons will be under a modified curfew. Only two of them will be allowed to roam free at any time, and they must either wear a tracking device- and I’m proposing a normal tracking device, I’m not quite that bloodthirsty- or agree to check in with their positions every two hours. Once they’ve proven they’re not interested in starting petty fights and we can be sure that there won’t be any major hiccups to integrating them into society can we discuss dropping their restrictions.:: ::If they gain employment that would conflict with the rotation schedule, they should alert me and we will make the needed adjustments.::

«… No. It’s not.» It was a nasty topic that could be argued about for hours, and Prowl was not in the mood.

Starscream, unfortunately, had a point. The Constructicons had garnered some public goodwill through the reconstruction project—Prowl had kept track of their media exposure—but for the most part they’d been ignored. Most of the positive media attention had gone to Prowl’s occasional standout activities—saving a multiversal tourist from being kidnapped, “heroically” taking a pipe to the head in the line of duty, et cetera. Maybe the public had forgotten about the Constructicons and would be apathetic to their release, or maybe they only ignored them because they knew they’d been safely locked away. Letting them out cautiously and slowly was the safest bet.

Yes, Prowl thought Starscream might jump on the opportunity to bask in those three little words he so longed to hear. He couldn’t try to revoke the job offer now—if he did, it would require admitting maybe he wasn’t right—and consequently it put Prowl in a slightly better bargaining position.

It still stung like hell to say.

And so Prowl isn’t going to turn down the opportunity to take the opening Starscream just presented. «Yes, it probably is your fault, because if you’d been paying attention to anything over the past few years you’d know that having a paramilitary force strutting around the streets roughing up the citizens is the last thing that’s going to maintain a fragile peace. That changes now.» So, with the traditional snapping at Starscream out of the way—

«Yes. When I take this job, the Constructicons go free. Put whatever restrictions on them you find necessary—curfews, parole officers, whatever—but their imprisonment is over. They get to walk the streets and track down whatever employment they want. If you need some way to reassure the public that Devastator can’t rampage again, I’ll stay locked up, as we previously discussed. There’s nothing I’ll need to do as an enforcer that can’t be done through holomatter.»

chosentorule

Assuming that Starscream wanted to revoke the job offer in the first place. The insult of Prowl’s initial rejection still stung but his reasons for making the offer in the first place were still sound, and having Prowl have to crawl back and admit his mistake did a lot to soothe said insult.  

A shrug, though Prowl wouldn’t see it. ::It was the easiest system to implement given the political climate at the time, and as an imperfect system it continued to function almost acceptably.:: Look Starscream trusts thugs more than smart thugs to not attempt to topple his tower. Oh, them. Starscream’s nose will wrinkle with disgust.::Your construction crew getting tired of working under you, Prowl? I can’t imagine you feel sympathetic enough for their plight to want them roaming free. Though I suppose having five mechs that would report to you first out on the streets would be an enormous benefit to your role as hive mind, wouldn’t it?:: He couldn’t really think of any other reason to petition for the Constructicon’s freedom.

«Easiest,» Prowl says, with all the disdain and derision he can muster.

Yes, Prowl thought Starscream might jump on the opportunity to bask in those three little words he so longed to hear. He couldn’t try to revoke the job offer now—if he did, it would require admitting maybe he wasn’t right—and consequently it put Prowl in a slightly better bargaining position.

It still stung like hell to say.

And so Prowl isn’t going to turn down the opportunity to take the opening Starscream just presented. «Yes, it probably is your fault, because if you’d been paying attention to anything over the past few years you’d know that having a paramilitary force strutting around the streets roughing up the citizens is the last thing that’s going to maintain a fragile peace. That changes now.» So, with the traditional snapping at Starscream out of the way—

«Yes. When I take this job, the Constructicons go free. Put whatever restrictions on them you find necessary—curfews, parole officers, whatever—but their imprisonment is over. They get to walk the streets and track down whatever employment they want. If you need some way to reassure the public that Devastator can’t rampage again, I’ll stay locked up, as we previously discussed. There’s nothing I’ll need to do as an enforcer that can’t be done through holomatter.»

chosentorule

Assuming that Starscream wanted to revoke the job offer in the first place. The insult of Prowl’s initial rejection still stung but his reasons for making the offer in the first place were still sound, and having Prowl have to crawl back and admit his mistake did a lot to soothe said insult.  

A shrug, though Prowl wouldn’t see it. ::It was the easiest system to implement given the political climate at the time, and as an imperfect system it continued to function almost acceptably.:: Look Starscream trusts thugs more than smart thugs to not attempt to topple his tower. Oh, them. Starscream’s nose will wrinkle with disgust.::Your construction crew getting tired of working under you, Prowl? I can’t imagine you feel sympathetic enough for their plight to want them roaming free. Though I suppose having five mechs that would report to you first out on the streets would be an enormous benefit to your role as hive mind, wouldn’t it?:: He couldn’t really think of any other reason to petition for the Constructicon’s freedom.

«Easiest,» Prowl says, with all the disdain and derision he can muster.

He’s not even going to ask if the offer is still open.

Here, a reminder. Prowl plays Starscream’s own words back at him:

Your reputation, yes even several million years ago, is useful to me. Prowl, an Enforcer from before the war and a notable Autobot, visibly leading the police force will be invaluable. I have plenty of faces in the shadows. What I need is a face in the spotlight, one recognizable as a threat and a public servant.

::How utterly remarkable of you to have hit upon the core of our Enforcer issue! Alas, the blame is probably mine, as I had erred on the side of physical presence over diplomatic skill to help establish this fragile peace.:: Was that too much? He should probably tone it down or Prowl would refuse again based on spite alone.

It still stung like hell to say.

And so Prowl isn’t going to turn down the opportunity to take the opening Starscream just presented. «Yes, it probably is your fault, because if you’d been paying attention to anything over the past few years you’d know that having a paramilitary force strutting around the streets roughing up the citizens is the last thing that’s going to maintain a fragile peace. That changes now.» So, with the traditional snapping at Starscream out of the way—