Shouting at a Wall

[Starscream (Movie)]

Day 25 evening, following 'I Scream, You Scream . . .' Semi-private

Starscream Lord Starscream, Air Commander stalks down the corridors on Ship, heading toward Barricade's stateroom. If the Saleen isn't in, he'll just have to go looking for him. That would be unfortunate, though it's unlikely to occur. After all, the Head of Intelligence will surely be as happy to see his old comrade-in-arms as Starscream is happy to see him!

According to the map, he's found the right door. The jetformer raps three times with one spiky knuckle. "Come on out, Barricade," he calls.

[Barricade]

"Well, well, Air Commander," Barricade drawls as he codes the door open. "Look what Ravage dragged in."

His day had been going so well, too. He doesn't bother rising from his sprawl on his berth, merely glances up from the datapad he's studying, quirking one malleable optic ridge up at the jet standing in his doorway.

One more mech big enough and snotty enough to think he can boss Barricade around. Lovely. Then again, Starscream is at least big enough, and ranking enough, to maybe stand a chance at cowing Bonecrusher a bit more. Not that Shockwave isn't doing a good job of that anyway, but Barricade isn't one to look askance at another length of chain to toss on that rabid dog.

Frenzy suddenly flips down from the ceiling, hanging upside down in the door frame, chittering obscenities at Starscream in his rapid-fire, broken English, just to annoy the big jet. With a cackle, he flips himself back up out of sight and skitters across the ceiling to drop down and perch on Barricade's shoulder like a demented little parrot.

[Starscream (Movie)]

"Barricade," Starscream responds, nodding in greeting. "You missed a chance to mouth off at me over the radio earlier. That's not like you. Made me think-" Ugh, Frenzy. The jetformer takes a backhanded swat at the little infiltrator just as he flips away. There's not a snowball's chance in Hell he'll actually hit him, he's just expressing his displeasure at being chattered at. Starscream has done this dance with Barricade and his little minion so many times he knows the steps by heart.

"Made me think you weren't here. But here you are. And you still have your little parasite problem." Starscream grabs the doorframe as he enters the room, then perches on the bed opposite Barricade.

"I want a briefing on the Event Horizon, Shockwave, and Scourge, in that order."

[Barricade]

Barricade doesn't even bother bristling at Starscream when he swats at Frenzy. After all this time, if Frenzy actually gets smacked, it's because he wants to be. "And I see you still have your little personality problem. Pity," the Saleen remarks in a bored tone without even bothering to look up from his datapad.

"Say pretty please."

[Starscream (Movie)]

Starscream rolls his eyes. "Pretty please with energon sprinkles on top, Barricade," he says, scraping a claw down the wall. There are some Decepticons who might rise to Barricade's taunts. Starscream isn't one of them.

[Barricade]

Damn. He was really hoping to ruffle Commander Birdbrain's feathers there. Ah well. Plenty of time for that later, he supposes.

"Event Horizon - Autobot transport ship," he replies, and then spouts off a long description of the speeds, mass, thrust ratios, physical displacement, and dimensions of the massive ship that the Decepticons have recorded thus far, and that Barricade's player is simply too lazy to make up. "It was built in sections which were launched individually and linked in orbit. Frenzy noted some of the morons carting organic matter inside before launch, but we haven't yet been able to determine why. The probability that they possess chunks of this verse's Cybertron for an arrival point of their own, like the one you showed up in, is high, since 'Bots that weren't ever spotted on Gillanan have appeared on Pz-Zazz."

"Shockwave, current commander of the Decepticons," he continues. Despite his earlier pricking, he's all business now. "Initially, the commander was one of your alternates, the Starscream from the blocky mech's universe. Imagine all of your ego, multiplied by an order of magnitude, and splash it with bright colors, and you've got a good idea." Okay, mostly business. Frenzy titters, and makes snarky, rude little gestures of copulating squishies at Starscream that Barricade pretty much ignores.

"More interested in the power than planning, so Shockwave ousted him. Shockwave's logical to a fault, plans everything in advance, and has a plan for every contingency. You're likely to be under watch just because of the name association with your alternate. Never loses his cool, always in control. He seems to have some sort of hold over the Autobot scientist, Perceptor, but we haven't gotten a firm picture of that, yet."

"Scourge - Evil Optimus Twin wannabe. He's younger than he seems, but masks it with pure power. He's got a temper, but does his own share of calculating. Just not as experienced as Shockwave, and seems a little... naive sometimes. Still wouldn't lubricate on his toes, though," he finishes with a shrug.

[Starscream (Movie)]

Starscream has had to put up with Barricade's attitude since before they were Decepticons. If he let it get to him he'd never get anything done.

They actually have a sizable bit of data on the Event Horizon. Good. That means bots have been doing their jobs. "What about the station where it's docked? Weak points?"

One can only imagine what rude gestures Frenzy can make with four arms. Starscream nods as Barricade describes their commander. It all sounds like good news to him. If he has to be subservient, it's better to be subservient to someone rational and competent. "Shockwave would be a fool not to be watching me." He keeps his opinion of Scourge to himself.

[Barricade]

"Working on gathering that data," Barricade replies. "Cut corners wherever possible, pocketed the difference, under the table construction deals... You know the type." He shrugs. There's a lot of potential openings for someone - or several someones - to gain access, but the Autobots aren't dumb. They know the weaknesses of where they're docked just as well, if not better, than Barricade does. They'll be watching for his kind of trickery.

Any idiot can bust in, guns blazing, and scare them into lockdown. But a good infiltration can't be rushed, even if it looks like a cakewalk. Especially of it looks like a cakewalk.

"Shockwave watches everyone. He usually leaves the dirty work to someone else, but don't assume that means that he can't, or isn't willing to do it himself. He is. He just plays it close to his chest." And what an ample chest it is, too!

But Barricade likes following Shockwave a lot better than following the weirdo, blocky rainbow Starscream. More predictable, more rational, more sane.

More sane, even, than their own Megatron, he finds himself thinking sometimes. He's not letting that little secret out, though, even to Frenzy. He barely acknowledges it to himself.

"He did manage to tame 'Crusher, too," he adds with a smirk. "Left him functional, and everything."

[Starscream (Movie)]

"I know the type all too well. No pride in their craft. Should be an advantage for us," Starscream says. Even if the Autobots are on their guard, it doesn't mean they can't exploit the weaknesses of the station. He knows all about how a good infiltration can't be rushed. That was always Megatron's failing. Overconfident fool refused to even scan an alternate mode.

Starscream would be the first to agree that Shockwave is saner than his Megatron. Out loud, even.

"Controlling Bonecrusher isn't all that difficult. You just have to scarier than he is."

[Barricade]

Starscream has always been a lot more... daring (suicidal) that Barricade has been, too.

"Exactly." he replies to Starscream's remarks regarding Bonecrusher. "And you don't even fit that bill half the time."

Frenzy chitters and scampers down Barricade's shoulder, dropping to the berth before flipping himself underneath into the shadowed recess he has claimed as his own. There's a few sounds of clinking and clanging, the quiet tinkles of what sounds like shards of glass sliding against themselves, and then silence. Barricade pays it all no mind as he watches Starscream from his comfortable sprawl on his berth.

[Starscream (Movie)]

It's called 'bravery' or sometimes 'valor under fire' or 'heroism.' It's what people with proper back support structures have. Barricade should look into it sometime.

Starscream's facial plates shift into an expression of displeasure. There's only so much of the infiltrator's attitude he's willing to take. "You seem to forget just who was in command while we were searching the galaxy for the Allspark. I had Bonecrusher completely under control. In fact, everything was going perfectly until someone went and revived our glorious leader."

[Barricade]

As far as Barricade is concerned? It's called Just Plain Stupid. Of course, he bates Ravage and Wreckage for fun, so he hardly has any room to talk.

Barricade also apparently has decided to bate Starscream, because the Air Commander's displeasure doesn't seem to phase him. Not as it once might have. Of course, last Barricade heard, Scourge was still nominally second in command, which puts Barricade as Head Of Intel juuuust a wee bit higher on the rank scale here than it did back home.

And, he bates Ravage and Wreckage for fun. What's Starscream going to do to him? Screech him to death?

"Completely under control. Sure. You don't control rage like that. You just point it downhill away from you, and, if you're nice, hope your own troops don't happen to be heading that way, too."

Oh, and now Starscream is disparaging Frenzy's work. really Starscream? You really want to do that when the little glitch is... out of sight? It's going to be a shame when your own stateroom starts failing to recognize your entry code, you know. For now, there's just a low hisssss from the ceiling. Directly above Starscream's head.

[Starscream (Movie)]

Starscream may not outrank Barricade here, but he can still put him in the medbay. And he doesn't screech! He just . . . growls a bit more high-pitched than the average Movie-con.

"Controlling Bonecrusher is just a matter of occasionally reminding him that you can cause him pain. Megatron was good at that, at least."

The jetformer looks up at the ceiling where the hiss originated. He's not really disparaging Frenzy's work, as such. Frenzy did excellent work! He hacked the U.S. Defense Network, found the Allspark, and remained undetected. If he just hadn't revived Megatron, everything would have been hunky-dory. Megatron messed everything up.

Starscream gets up off the berth he's sitting on. "Well done getting the intel. I expect no less from you. It's appropriate that you've been given a leadership position. If you'd work on that recreant attitude of yours, you might make someone a fine second-in-command some day," he says over his shoulder as he heads out the door.

[Barricade]

Yes, well... how were any of them to know, really, how mad the long years of captivity had driven their glorious Lord? Megatron had been sane, once, and Starscream little more than his occasionally treacherous second-in-command. That's the way of Decepticons; everyone under you is gunning for your spot. It keeps them strong. Keeps them fit. Keeps them always calculating, hundreds of steps ahead. Not weak like the Autobots, who use trust like lubricant.

An odd thing to imagine that Starscream might be the sane, rational part of their leadership now. Back home, that is. Here, in this reality, is a wholly different matter.

Barricade snorts out a thin bark of laughter. Starscream? Lecturing him on his attitude? "Rust calling the tarnish oxidized there much, Screamer?" Oh, he'll pay for his insolence and prodding later; he knows that as much as he knows that Frenzy will sit by and watch, giggling as Barricade is smacked down. It just isn't his nature to let such an obvious opening go unexploited. He merely clasps his talons behind his head and smirks at the retreating Air Commander.

Sometimes, the petty squabbles are what really make the day worth waking up for.