S T A R F O R M E R S

WHO: Jane & Starscream
WHERE: Galactic Council
WHEN: Not long after this exchange
WHAT: After Knock Out tells Jane that she can't keep stonewalling Starscream following their explosive argument, she and Starscream make (sort of) amends while on assignment at the GC.
WARNINGS: References to emotional manipulation, etc

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Now and then there's a light in the darkness
Feel around till you find where your heart went
There's a weight in the air but you can't see why, why
They've operated in different orbits since that night where Jane had pinged his communicator to rail furiously at him. That breathing room was probably the only reason this apprenticeship hadn't completely fallen to pieces, but who knows how long that veritable silence may have stretched if Knock Out had not privately contacted Jane. "You've got a lot more to lose than the illusion of civility if the alliance you two have comes apart, and honestly so does Cybertron."

On the surface, it was easy to think of that solely in terms of the kyber and the protoforms, the future Hot Spots. But in reality, it was so much larger than that. It was establishing Cybertron as a viable player in the galactic community that had blacklisted them for millions of years as the fallout from their war rampaged one end of the cosmos to the other. It was making sure that somewhere, somehow, there were safeguards in place to ensure that the First Order couldn't eventually do the same. That it had come to a head over kyber and the protoforms — newsparks now, since they'd separated — was incidental.

Today they were here on separate tasks, but their paths had crossed between meetings. Other than some curt and entirely business-like reports they'd exchanged to each other's inboxes, this was the first time they'll have spoken since that night.

Starscream looked down at her coolly. "Advocate Solo."

WHO: Jane, Starscream, others
WHERE: The Belt, followed by The Steadfast
WHEN: Sometime after this encounter at the Galactic Council
WHAT: What appears to be a routine scouting mission goes sideways as the First Order tries to forcefully determine Jane's real allegiance...
WARNINGS: TBD

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The modifications that Starscream had asked Knock Out to make to his alt mode were holding up to the unique rigors of space flight, and that pleased him. For all his preening and questionable pedigree, the medic's actual skill was solid; Megatron would never have stood for an incompetent CMO, after all.

The changes Starscream had requested helped bridge the gap between an alt specifically designed for space flight verses the sub-atmospheric model he currently had scanned. More importantly, he'd demanded that Knock Out execute the changes with as little outward change to appearance as possible. It wasn't vanity - the Parliament had put restrictions on allowing him upgrades. He was a high risk individual. In reality, it was just another way for them to exert their control over him.

So Starscream had called in his standing favour with Knock Out. True, he might have liked to hoard that leverage a while longer, but needs must. Knock Out's own censure would almost certainly be extended if the Parliament found out he'd done the work on Starscream behind their backs. He might even lose his position with the Iaconian Medical Division, or be demoted and the care of the protoforms assigned to someone else. So some considerable incentive had to be supplied.

Starscream didn't bat an optic at using Knock Out's deceased partner as a bargaining chip. Sentiment was for fools and sparklings. And if Knock Out hadn't spoken more than a few words to him since, well... he'd get over it. Probably.

In the meantime, Starscream had other engagements to hold his attention. Such as accompanying Jane on what was supposed to be a routine scouting mission into the Dubrillion system, targeting an area referred to as The Belt. It would be tight, tricky flying - apparently pilots trained there to hone their skills - but he suspected neither he nor Jane would have a difficult time with their respective expertise. It would still make for an enjoyable outing.