They Lie

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe being sparklings during the war and getting snatched up by Autbots? Not so funny

The only way I can think of it happening is maybe one of the trine taking the two out on a scouting mission where they end up getting shot down and taken into Autobot custody. Of course, which ever seeker was shot down is definitely much more worried about the sparklings in their cockpit than being apprehended by the opposing faction.

For humor purposes I say it was Skywarp.

Now, Skywarp is definitely the type of mech that likes to lash out not just physically but with his EM field as well, but he can’t do that with the sparklings because they’re really sensitive to that sort of stuff. So, the Autobots are thinking something is wrong because Skywarp has never held back is EM field and he’s being more reserved, not lashing out physically but he’s still making snide comments and insulting every Autobot within radius.

It’s probably just when they get to the Autobots base that Sideswipe and Sunstreaker start making noise because they love being convenient. It starts with soft chirps, barely noticeable to anyone but Skywarp and unfortunately he’s cuffed, tending to two sparklings while cuffed in an extremely difficult task. He can only hope they stay quiet.

And then Sideswipe starts shrieking and suddenly all optics are on him. I think Skywarp could only really give a nervous smile and take a step back before somebot like Prowl is up in his face and questioning what that noise is.

Eventually, after way too much verbal bullying, Skywarp is forced to open his cockpit and he has to scramble because both of them are immediately attempting to escape.

Now that Sideswipe and Sunstreaker are out in the open it’s pretty clear of what they are, hell their frames are probably just now gaining color at this point.

Red Alert is around I just know he’s accusing him of stealing the little ones because and I quote, “They look nothing like you.”

“They take after their sire.”

“They aren’t seekers.”

“Their sire was a race alt?” Truth is Starscream never told them.

“Who’s the creator?”

“Starscream.”

Immediate silence and Skywarp realizes that maybe he should have claimed the little scraplets but the problem with that is that these two are very sure of who their creator is and would never play along with that idea. Plus that would just confuse them and the last thing he wants is a lecture from Starscream but at this point it may be too late.

The two sparklings, now settled on the ground and hiding behind Skywarp’s legs, are not having it. Their little optics are glaring at every Autobot in vicinity and Sideswipe is even flaring his very unformed door wings at the nearest one.

The group at the moment probably consists of Prowl, Red Alert, and Jazz but now that sparklings of all things were involved, Ratchet and Optimus were sure to be offered a spot in the ring of fools.

Skywarp is immediately shoved(he’s being dramatic) towards the medbay, sparklings hot on his thrusters. Sunstreaker doesn’t bother with the chase, doing his usual cling onto Skywarp’s leg which makes the seeker more hobble than walk. Yet, the moment they reach the medbay, all civil nature is out the door.

One thing Skywarp hates more than Autobots? Medics. And what’s worse than that? An Autobot Medic.

Immediately the seeker’s wings are hiked up the moment he’s on the medberth, positioned to a point they show off any injury sustained from being shot down but also to the point it puts strain on his hinges. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe probably try to copy him only to whine when they feel how uncomfortable it is because ow.

Now, Ratchet is… somewhat civil, and by somewhat I mean he’s actively yelling and waving a wrench at whoever thought it would be a great idea to shoot down one of the Elite Trine especially while he was carrying sparklings. The answers he gets are not satisfactory and both Prowl and Red Alert are chased out, Jazz leaves before things even got bad.

Now, mind you, it’s only Skywarp, the sparklings, Ratchet, and Optimus fragging Prime in the med bay. Skywarp is trembling like a leaf and Ratchet hasn’t even addressed him yet. The sparklings are just as frightened by Skywarp’s reaction and have probably cuddled up tightly against the seeker’s cockpit, though they refuse to go back in.

Eventually a very long conversation is had and Optimus ends up being forced to call the Decepticons to tell them that their missing sparklings were ready to be retrieved. He doesn’t expect to see Megatron cowering when the call is accepted, he also doesn’t expect the amount of screeching in the background.

“Prime.”

At least Megatron still has the class to pretend he’s not terrified out of his processor.

“TELL PRIME I’LL DEACTIVATE HIM”

“Starscream wishes to tell you-“

“I heard… I have called to inform you that we will be handing the sparklings over, along with Skywarp.”

Starscream probably enjoys it nonetheless though! Having his sparkling close and safe, hidden away in his cockpit like seekerlets should be, even if they aren’t seekers.

Skywarp and Thundercracker feel the same of course, after all they’re his trinemates, Starscream’s sparklings are their sparklings by extension. When Starscream can’t carry them in his cockpit, they carry them. When the twins get to big to both fit, they share the load and take turns. The twins are loved on by each seeker, nuzzled and preened like any seekerlet.

Dooku’s Temple "job" for years seems to have been “teaching lightsaber preschool.” Sifo-Dyas, the guy with the scary doom visions? Oh yeah, they have him working with infants, bringing babies to the Temple as a Seeker. Jocasta Nu is constantly depicted interacting with the younger generation of Jedi, teaching, helping, or mentoring. In TCW, she knows all the Padawans on sight. 

There’s just something really ordinary and charming to me about this. Sure, Dooku is a terrifying 2m of spider limbs in a robe, but he’s still going down on one sinister knee to check out the little crying kid who got a finger crunched by one of those wooden training swords. How many of the TCW-era Jedi were once babies who played with Sifo-Dyas’s hair loopies or cuddled on his chest as he pointed his T-6 back toward the Temple after another successful Seeking mission? (Space is, after all, cold. 🥺) You just know Jocasta is in very reluctant possession of knowledge of every single teen Padawan drama, crush, or breakup. She tries to stay out of it, but she’s broken up fights and pulled particulars into her office for tea and a gentle lecture on the inherent self-destructiveness of gossip. 

Man sometimes thinking about jealousy as a concept- it's greed, it's genuine want, and GODS can you just imagine how territorial Seekers are? I love the idea of Seekers being a bit like territorial birds (or dragons, if I allow myself to be particularly indulgent). Birds and even certain reptiles like to show off for their mates- and if you've ever watched parrots for long enough, you KNOW they have best friends and gossip and beef between each other. They form lasting social bonds out of genuine friendship and necessity.

And it's made me think about Cybertronian cultures and different cultural nuances between frames. Emotions aren't negative inherently- jealousy comes from being territorial, which has a biological precedent (or cybernetic, as it were). The issue with jealousy comes with finding healthy outlets for that emotion. I imagine the reason Seekers would value this emotion would be due to how Trining or Flocking works.

I've seen a lot about how the fandom regards Trines and honestly wow love that, but it's already hard to get one partner let alone two, so I imagine there's a lot of showing off involved. Peacocking. 'I'm very much better than what you're looking at, so look at me. And if you DON'T look at me, then why am I wasting my time?' Pretty insufferable guys at the bar ngl, depending on personality. Like on the light end you get Thundercracker doing a 'check in' because wow maybe you could be having a better time with him- and on the extreme end you literally get Skywarp going 'I will kill this guy for your attention if I have to'. Some iterations of TC I see wholly being as that guy that's actually off-putting because he's genuinely trying every time to get attention from somebody that's Not Feeling It. Maybe being in a Trine with two hardcore Decepticons dulls his emotional maturity, idk war.

But that also comes with the potential of fending off others that may want that flier to themselves, or finding a coupled pair that needs to be convinced of your worth in different ways, speed and flight maneuverability obviously being the major factors in traditional Trine 'courtship'- there's probably more to it than JUST those things, since it's not just animal courtship (or even mating displays, depending on the desired relationship OF the Trine). Jealousy could even arise in the Trine itself until a pecking order from speed contests (or combat) sorts things out- or, again, it could be down to personality. And there's something in the thrill of that, of proving yourself and others finding you worthy- if you're Trined or even just paired, you have found some way to 'prove' yourselves to one another, and there's no extra baggage after the fact outside of whatever each personality brings to the table.

The feeling that perhaps, your partner or Trinemate is feeling jealousy over you- how that could be regarded as reaffirmation of emotional connection, an opportunity to strengthen that bond. 'Even if I did have them it would be to share'/'their wings could never match your style and grace'/'I don't need them when I have you'.

And sometimes, there is another mech trying to steal your partner or Trinemate. Sometimes, that's what you do to get a new Trinemate- rejection can occur but loyalties depend on the actual bond, and if the bond isn't strong, one Seeker might just allow themselves to be swayed more easily- 'nothing personal, but they do fly better with me than we ever have' kind of energy. And hey if somebody steals your partner or Trinemate, they probably weren't a good Trinemate for you anyways, so frag them time to move on and find somebody that can either catch you or is fun to pin.

But especially, imagine being a Seeker cut off from that culture of finding this all acceptable. That these emotions are ugly, mean, negative, even, instead of the natural territoriality that comes with being connected to your core self. It's not a crime to want, or want something that others have- perhaps even, this is why so many Seekers joined the Decepticons, because at least Decepticons understand that kind of want and need, healthily sourced or not.

Especially when you're alone. Facing trying times. There's a reason why Trines work- three fliers stabilizing each other not only in flight but emotionally, either fluffing each other up or grounding themselves in reality (or at the very least, reasonable expectations). Even unhealthy or impractical Trinemates seem better off- because at least there's still that connection, that socialising aspect. You may be in the Pits with assholes, but at least they're your assholes, and every attempt at them being taken from you (or you being taken from them) gets met with defense and reaffirmation of desire/affection/want/need. A recurring thing in the fandom I've seen is the idea that the Elite Trine of Starscream/Thundercracker/Skywarp is a Trine made out of necessity- how much bad blood flows between restructured Trines in the Decepticon fliers? War makes brutes of any of us. How many Seekers still go out of their way to Trine properly? Are there issues with generational gaps- pre-war bots trying to get war-born bots to understand the difference between warring and peaceful times, socialising activities gone long neglected- it feels like an echo of Seeker culture, to take and take and own and to have, but do they taste how bastardised it has become?

You see other groups and connections, perhaps vehicons dealing with this emotional distance much better than a Seeker, social bonds and needs far different than your own.

It comes with being in a trine, with being in a flock. It comes with being a Winglord especially, so I imagine in TFP Starscream is so jittery, he needs something to fuss over. He doesn’t have his trine anymore and his remaining seekers are all scattered around the universe.

The need to preen and fuss and groom grabs onto him and refuses to let go. Often times he’d find himself looking over Knock Out or Soundwave, on rarer occasions Megatron or Breakdown, searching for gunk. He eyes their joints for anything stuck between them and sometimes he’ll reach out to itch something off only to pull his servo away when he catches himself.

I imagine Soundwave is the first to fully understand, he understands the need to fawn and fuss and care for others, Lazerbeak was prime proof that he understands. So he hands her to Starscream, making some lie that she was hurt on her last scout and needs a watchful optic while he’s busy. He almost doesn’t expect Starscream to jump at the offer.

And that’s how it starts, because when Lazerbeak returns to Soundwave at the end of the cycle she’s about eight times cleaner and seems rather happy about her visit. Primus she’s even covered in fresh polish and Soundwave hasn’t seen the cassette so excited. She shows Soundwave everything, the overzealous grooming, the careful polishing in which Starscream had to very gently hold her steady, and they even played.

It nearly blows Soundwave away, he hadn’t expected such gentleness from the seeker, he hadn’t expected the seeker to take it so seriously either. Well, he had his suspicions, but this is much more than what he thought.

And it just starts with grooming, before Soundwave knows it, Starscream is catching scraplets for the cassette. When the seeker first brings one he almost thinks it to be alive, its frame slightly twitching after he dropped it on Soundwave’s desk. Though, the energon leaking from its frame and the crashed in helm make him realize otherwise. Lazerbeak isn’t sure what to make of it as well and it’s a standstill until she, before Soundwave can stop her, sips up some of the leaking energon.

She loves it.

And it doesn’t take long before Starscream is almost always focused on her, foreground and background. Soundwave often finds Starscream staring at Lazerbeak while she rests against his chassis during their conversations. He senses Starscream’s worry in his EM field every time Lazerbeak is on recon. And Lazerbeak soaks up the attention like nothing else, happy chirps going back and forth between seeker and cassette.

Think of a cat. Because we all know this bastard is a bit of a cat. Cats have limited object permanence- their brains fairly quickly forget things because their brains actively delete information that isn't important. This may sound like a deficit, but it's actually a way to encourage hunters (and foragers) to return to places they've already investigated for food. Just because a spot had no prey when they last checked, doesn't mean that it'll always be the same every time. If you have ADHD or are somewhere on the spectrum, it's more or less like when you put your phone down and immediately forget it because something more important came up to distract you- or, if you wanna do further reading, a lot like the threshold effect.

I think Seekers are like cats. I think some of them have better immediate memory than others, but I also feel that a multi-millenia war probably does something to somebody's memory and long-term planning skills. More immediate memory and action are helpful in battle than long-term planning, at least when it comes to skirmishes. Starscream regularly recognizes and points out that the war is going on too long, which will get readily overshadowed by his own ambition, which exacerbates his inability to plan because yeah impatience and bad memory/whatever PTSD he's suffering has probably given him a Cybertronian format of 'fucked up brain'.

His majesty's castle is stuck doing a barrel roll. Rescue operations are on the way.

Unfortunately, the sky island rescue department has had their budget cut by half by his majesty's treasurer to invest in automation and are now limited in both staff and equipment.

i was in office yesterday with the finance team and they were playing the 'would you rather' game (you can see a bit of a previous round below the giraffe) so i decided it was an appropriate time to discuss the giraffe.