starscheme: (Default)
Starscream (TFP) ([personal profile] starscheme) wrote in [community profile] capitalh2014-03-28 05:30 pm

[closed]

Who: Knock Out and Starscream
Where: A secluded viewpoint around the San Francisco Bay area
When: Forward dated a tad, not to long after Starscream makes contact with the Signless.
What: Starscream (with Knock Out in tow) successfully manages to do something right. So of course things are going to suddenly get even worse.
Warnings: None right now? Knockout is inappropriately sensual 100% of the time and Starscream is a turd. There's your warning.

It was a flawlessly executed plan, if he did say so himself. 

For the first time since landing on this pitiful rock, something was finally going Starscream's way. Being trapped on an alien planet with barely any resources doesn't leave a guy with much to do other than skim the internet relentlessly for the hours between bouts of scrounging for Energon, but all that time on the 'net had actually paid off this time. 

He'd located an energon harvester. Or at least, what he assumed to be an energon harvester, under lock and key in a museum in San Francisco, guarded by humans who had no notion of the nature of the tool they possessed. It had been a simple matter of taking Knock Out with him on a little side trip up north, and between the two of them human security was no issue. They were in and out with their prize before the humans even knew what had hit them.

So yes, Starscream was ecstatic. Not only was the harvester itself a grand prize to bring back to Megatron (once he got around to getting in touch with him), but he could also harvest and present the limitless bounty of energon hidden within this planet along with it.

Outside the limits of the city, he finally transformed and landed atop a secluded cliff overlooking the San Francisco bay. It was a "scenic viewpoint" for human tourists, but it was late at night and blessedly abandoned right now. He turned in time to see Knock Out drive up, and grinned triumphantly. 

"Oh I love when a plan comes together so perfectly," he laughed, practically trembling with excitement. 
buffthis: (challenge accepted.)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-03-29 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
Knock Out transforms as soon as he reaches Starscream, his mouth quirking up into a self-satisfied grin. Yes, the plan had gone off surprisingly well, all things considered... It's been a while since Knock Out actually worked with anyone -- not since he and Breakdown were last separated -- and honestly, he hadn't been expecting it to go over especially well. He's really only doing this because he doesn't see much of a choice, and he's got almost as much of a vested interest in not inciting Megatron's wrath as Starscream does. Yes, the energon harvester will certainly make a nice offering to their Lord Megatron once they're able to make contact with him.

"Yes, we did do nicely, didn't we?" Knock Out says smugly, practically preening. He examines the newly-retrieved artifact in his hand, turning it over so that it catches the sunlight. "I think Lord Megatron will be inclined to look on us rather more kindly once we return this little beauty to him."
Edited 2014-03-29 11:42 (UTC)
buffthis: (O___O)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-03-30 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
Knock Out does the slightest of double takes, balking immediately as he stares at Starscream. He takes a healthy step back away from Starscream, optics brightening in alarm. A nervous laugh escapes his vocalizer. "Wh -- ha -- you can't be serious," he says quickly, eyeing Starscream as though he'd like to believe he's not. "You don't know what this thing will do to me! It could drain my spark in five seconds! And you want to test it on me -- a fellow Decepticon -- your comrade?"

Okay, maybe comrade is pushing it a bit after the last five years of doing absolutely fuck all for the Decepticon cause, but really -- torture, possibly even death, after he played a crucial role in retrieving this artifact? Frag that.
buffthis: (did not sign up for this)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-03-30 10:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Well, somebody feels stupid.

Still, what was he supposed to think? With a menacing attitude like that... Knock Out has no doubt Starscream wouldn't hesitate to use the energon harvester on him; it's not as if he hasn't displayed comparably treacherous behavior in the past. Honestly...

Knock Out lets out a self-conscious laugh, straightening up, but still holding the energon harvester close to his chassis. "Of -- o-of course, Commander Starscream! How...silly of me." There's still a touch of nervous static in his voice. "Ah -- please, lead the way to this energon deposit nearby."
buffthis: (medical opinion revised.)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-03-31 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Knock Out scowls right back at Starscream, hesitating. If he hands over the energon harvester, he's likely to be at Starscream's mercy if the commander does decide he'd rather test it on the medic. After all, it's not as though he's overly fond of Knock Out of late... And besides that, what if he tries to take all the credit for this joint endeavor? Knock Out takes a half-step away from Starscream, considering his options.

"Why don't you fly down there, and I'll toss it down to you? You know, a real team effort."
buffthis: (O___O)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-03-31 05:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Knock Out tries to jerk aside, but Starscream is too fast to dodge entirely. Instead, his claws scrape along Knock Out's arm, leaving a couple of nasty gouges -- and the force of Starscream hurtling at him, even if Knock Out managed to sidestep partly out of the way, causes Knock Out to lose his balance -- and his grip.

He lets out a startled yell as the energon harvester is knocked clean out of his hands and sails gracefully off the edge of the cliff. Knock Out stares in shock, watching it go, and then he rounds on Starscream.

"Now what did you go and do that for?!"
buffthis: (o face)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-03-31 06:32 pm (UTC)(link)
"The second time this week," Knock Out's muttering to himself in disgust, examining the scratches on his arm. But -- there are slightly more pressing matters at hand. He inches over to the edge of the cliff -- out of arm's reach of Starscream, anyway -- and peers down, afraid of what he might see.

"Oh," Knock Out says in surprise. "Well, that could have been worse... Commander Starscream, why don't you go and retrieve the device?"
douchebagsealion: (Default)

[personal profile] douchebagsealion 2014-03-31 06:42 pm (UTC)(link)
This shit sure looks valuable. Sure would be a shame if someone were to, say, investigatively nudge it with their moist animal nose.

"Ornt."
buffthis: (did not sign up for this)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-03-31 07:29 pm (UTC)(link)
Knock Out makes a noise that sounds suspiciously like a gulp with his vocalizer. Suddenly the scratches don't seem like such a big deal.

"Aha...ha... Surely not all is lost, Commander Starscream," he says quickly, glancing down at the sea lion. It's still there. This could still be salvageable. "After all, how difficult could it be to retrieve the harvester from a simple creature like that -- for the second-in-command of the Decepticons, I'd think it'd be hardly any trouble at all."

A little gratuitous chassis-kissing never hurt anyone, after all. Besides, what's Knock Out going to do about it -- jump down there? Fat chance.
douchebagsealion: (Default)

[personal profile] douchebagsealion 2014-03-31 07:46 pm (UTC)(link)
The sea lion slowly slaps its tail against the rock, uncomfortably close to the golden orb, regarding the two Decepticons with dark, baleful, godless eyes. Your move, bucko.
buffthis: (did not sign up for this)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-04-01 06:46 pm (UTC)(link)
Knock Out balks a little at that glare, but at least that's all he got -- he inches over to the edge of the cliff, crouching down to peer down at Starscream as he climbs. He's worried they'll lose the harvester too -- he'd certainly like for them to succeed -- but he's not about to go risking his finish for it, not when he can't even fly. As far as he's concerned, it's an excellent excuse to make Starscream do the work.

"You could just shoot it when you get close," Knock Out calls down helpfully. "That way it can't run away."
buffthis: (O___O)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-04-02 01:36 am (UTC)(link)
Scrap.

Knock Out watches, optics wide, as their one ticket out of Megatron's surefire wrath disappears beneath the waves with that indescribably soulless creature. A horrific slideshow of what Megatron will do to him -- to them -- if he were ever to find out about this flashes through Knock Out's head, making his spark stutter. He'll have to find a way out of it -- some way -- because Megatron is hardly forgiving to those whole fail him this completely.

Far more immediate, however, is the backlash from Starscream. Knock Out's stunned-stupid gaze shifts to the commander of the Decepticons, dangling by his claws from a nearly sheer rock face. He doesn't look angry -- yet -- just that look of total horror on his face that Knock Out's own expression probably mirrors, but it's only a matter of time. And Knock Out decides he's not all that keen in sticking around to see it. Optics still wide and flashing a little, he backs away from the edge of the cliff, transforming in a hurry and speeding away with a frantic screech of his tires.
buffthis: (O___O)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-04-02 02:54 am (UTC)(link)
Maybe he shouldn't have tried to run.

But Starscream would've taken his fury out on him regardless, and Knock Out simply isn't interested in just letting that happen. Feeling a bit of nervous panic in his spark, he puts metal to the petal and punches it, hard, his tires grinding up sand and rock as he speeds for some kind of cover. He's fast, sure -- one of the fastest Decepticons on land -- but he can only outrun a jet for so long.
buffthis: (not the finish NOT THE FINISH)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-04-02 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Aaugh -- "

Knock Out lets out a startled yell of distress as Starscream crashes down on top of him, claws sinking into his front tires -- he loses control immediately, starting to spin out, and he plows to a messy stop with Starscream's weight pulling him down. He transforms frantically, grappling for a way to defend himself.

"Commander Starscream, please -- "
buffthis: (O___O)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-04-02 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
All right, so transforming hadn't done him much good after all. Knock Out lets out a choked sound of panic, clawing at Starscream's hand. He's good in a fight himself, but Starscream is faster and, in some ways, stronger -- and more than that, Starscream has leverage on his side.

He cringes visibly at those remarks, trying to flinch away from Starscream. "Commander Starscream -- hrrgh -- I promise, I'll -- I'll find something else! Some other discovery to keep Lord Megatron's wrath at bay!"

Right now, Knock Out would promise away half his spark if it'd get him free of Starscream's grasp. He is not liking how this day is going.
buffthis: (pic#7627388)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-04-02 05:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Knock Out makes an undignified noise as he hits the ground more or less face-first, lifting his head with a wince. Ugh. Not his most dignified day ever. At least Starscream seems to be off his angry bent for the time being.

He gingerly picks himself up off the ground, dusting bits of dirt off his finish and reaching up to touch his neck. He swears, if Starscream pinched a cable...

"I -- I'm sure we can find something to appease Lord Megatron," he says, though he has doubts about that himself. "And it's not like he ever need know about this...little mishap."
buffthis: (pic#7627332)

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-04-02 07:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Knock Out bristles slightly at that, but he's not so stupid so as to retort when he's still counting all the fresh scratches Starscream's just left on his chassis. This is going to take hours to buff out.

"Of -- of course, Commander Starscream," Knock Out says hastily, still keeping what he considers to be a safe distance from the other Decepticon. "If you'd just send me the data you have on energon deposits, I can get...right on that."

He isn't terribly keen on doing a bunch of legwork, let alone by himself, but it's not like his energon reserves are at an all-time high, either. That, at least, is something he has a vested interest in.
buffthis: (pic#7627350)

HAHA no worries bb

[personal profile] buffthis 2014-04-04 06:04 pm (UTC)(link)
As if Starscream wouldn't throw him under the bus the first chance he sees, if it'd save his own finish -- right. But reluctant as he is, Knock Out can agree that right now, they have to work together. For the time being. Until they get out of this mess.

"Of course, Commander Starscream," he says, a good deal more smoothly -- and convincingly. His smile still has a nervous edge to it, and he doesn't get any closer to Starscream. "Just leave this to me."