We're just humble criminals...

[Fallout]

Starscream had heard... rumors... about this one.

At first glance, the blue bot was unassuming. He didn't look like he belonged in a max security prison that detained the likes of the great Starscream. For spark's sake, the mech was cute, in a sparkling sort of way. But millenia of dealing with Decepticons and absurdly creepy... other things, Starscream knew better.

The stories placed the serial killer as a neutral. Starscream's own optics confirmed this; no faction symbol. The storytellers had also said he was nothing but jagged curves covered in energon. Not so much.

As hard as he stared through the energy bars, though, he couldn't tell much about the only prisoner that shared the hallway with him. He wasn't a criminal profiler. He wasn't built for this slag.

[Slug]

Blue felt the other mech's gaze on him as he sat cross-legged in the light of his cell, his blue optics blank as he stared at the floor, waiting patiently for-- Starscream, was that what the guards called this mech?-- to look away from him. He was nothing special-- at least, that's what he believed. He had only killed a few Elites to get here, and he was sure there were more cybertronians out there who had killed far more than he, and they were in less secure prisons.

Foolish Elite scum.

Shifting slightly, Blue let his legs stretch out before him as he leaned against one his cell's walls, cocking his head as he stared at Starscream out of the corner of his optics, peering through his energy bars in an almost innocent fashion.

Almost.

"...Do I intrigue you, Starscream?" Blue asked, voice soft. "Or is there just something on my faceplates?" No malice. No sarcasm. Complete and utter... honesty. A question, just as curious as Blue was feeling at that moment.

[Fallout]

Do I intrigue you, Starscream?

Starscream automatically recoiled. How did this little creep know...? Oh... the guards had been mocking him lately, that was probably it. He had been on edge lately. Most of the Decepticons had broken out of the lower-level prison a few solar cycles ago. And the entire Decepticon army knew exactly where Megatron, Shockwave, and himself were being kept. A rescue attempt would probably be coming soon.

Starscream gave the bot a sickly sweet smile. "Yes, dear, you're beautiful." He didn't have time for neutrals... unless... he wanted to be a Decepticon. There's a thought.

((I HAD TO DO IT. I'M SORRY SLUG. xDD))

[Slug]

Flinching at 'dear', Blue bowed his head, nose scrunching up slightly in a rather odd, though creepily adorable manner as he racked his CPU. This Starscream was too sweet-- too... nice. Blue knew he wasn't beautiful, nor was he handsome, but he wasn't ugly, either. If he was ugly, he wouldn't have been able to kill so many Elites so easily.

"You are too kind, great Starscream." He responded, voice gentle. "But I have heard many things about you, and kind, I know, you are truly not." The serial killer stated, raising his head and turning it too look Starscream in his red optics.

He was not easily fooled by the Decepticon, though he could not help but wonder what the other mech was up to...

[Fallout]

Starscream narrowed and grinned ferally. So this serial killer had heard stories about him too. This could end up being an interesting conversation.

"No. Kind I am not." Starscream cocked his head curiously. "And I have heard many things about you as well. They say you're a deranged 'bot with a taste for energon. Care to correct me? Or elaborate?"

If he really was a neutral, could his hate for the Elites be strong enough to sway him to the Decepticon cause? Or was there a reason he was neutral? Whatever the case, anybot clever enough to get away with murdering multiple Elite Guard bots would make a lovely addition to the 'Con army.

[Slug]

Blue looked away from Starscream's grin, optics once again staring intently at the floor. That look... unnerved him. It set him on edge. There was too much... the other seemed so shameless. So bold to show his feelings to someone who could easily offline him.

But he heard stories of this one. Starscream, who was second in command of the Decepticons-- you had to be ruthless to gain such a rank. To hold so much power. Blue had a feeling that Starscream knew he could easily offline Blue as easy as Blue could take out Elites.

Which was saying something.

"No. Kind I am not. And I have heard many things about you as well. They say you're a deranged 'bot with a taste for energon. Care to correct me? Or elaborate?"

That got Blue's attention. What should he say? The truth? Some lies? The choices-- the options that racked the neutral's CPU was many, but he only picked one.

After all, it's best not to lie to someone who might have the ability to offline you, and Blue didn't feel safe, despite being in a separate cell from the mech across from him. He didn't know anything but rumors about Starscream, and for all he knew... most of the rumors could be true.

"...Elites." He said slowly, almost cautiously. "Elites... I have a taste for their energon." Blue glanced nervously at Starscream, as if searching for approval. "They are wrong. They are guilty. They must be punished..." His optics flickered, as if something had dawned on the young mech.

"...I am their executioner, Blue."

[Fallout]

Ooh. He liked this one. He had an imagination. A purpose. A title. Yesss...

...

Frag. He had spent way too much time around Megatron.

"Blue the executioner, hmm?" Starscream shifted slightly, pondering something. "You seem brutal enough to be a Decepticon. Why aren't you one?"

Belatedly, Starscream realized that Blue was giving him a nervous look. Was he afraid of him? Probably... he was the great Starscream, after all. And a little fear for your superiors was always in order.

[Slug]

"Blue the executioner, hmm?"

Blue felt uneasy of how Starscream said that. How he seemed so... interested. No, not interested. But as if Starscream was looking at a slate under the microscope.

And Blue was on that slate.

"You seem brutal enough to be a Decepticon. Why aren't you one?"

Blue's lip twitched in what could have been a smile, but it was as if Blue was climbing a skyscraper. It was so difficult to smile. Just... difficult. It felt like his CPU was trying to cryptically warn him about something-- if he smiled, something bad would happen, that much he knew. What? What could it be? What could be caused from you smiling?

He had no idea, but he decided to trust his instincts.

"I am not brutal." Blue said softly, cocking his head at Starscream. "Why do I seem brutal?" He seemed so innocent when he said that, as if he had no idea he was still the serial killer that was locked up in a high security prison.

You gotta have skill to have that kind of denial.

"And I see no reason to become a Decepticon when I already have a purpose." Blue stated, an edge of determination sneaking into his tone. "As long there are Elites, I have a purpose. A very, very important purpose. I have no time to be following a Leader who has failed multiple times to destroy one, low Elite." Anger, heated and sharp, had flooded his voice at the last, emphasized word 'Elite'.

"But no matter. When I escape this place, I will offline that Elite myself." Blue's lip curled back, a rather beastly look to cross his face. "With my bare hands, I'll remove him itty piece by bitty piece." He added, almost giddily.

So much for 'not brutal'.

Blue, suddenly realizing where he was, gave a soft ahem. "Excuse me." Was all he said, though more calmly, but the image of Optimus Magnus being ripped to shreds was very, very pleasing.

So he smiled. In a very, very pleased manner.

Yeah, Optimus. You're officially at the top of Blue's black list.

[Fallout]

Starscream sorely hoped he was talking about that other leader. That one that didn't deserve it.

"Megatron has a fool for a nemesis. It was never my objective to kill that fragger. He was merely a distraction from the true goal; what remains of the AllSpark. Megatron let a petty grudge get between him and his destination." Starscream, of course, had never done that.

He glanced up and down the hallways. The guards at the ends were too far away to hear. Even so, he shuffled closer to the melting-hot bars of his cell and lowered his voice conspiratorially.

"Any solar cycle now, Decepticons are going to break us out of here. 'Bots that sympathize with their cause will be spared and transported off Cybertron. Those who don't..." Starscream shrugged. "I understand where you're coming from. But at least pretend to be a Decepticon so you can get out of here. I'd hate to see a processor like yours go to waste. And this little fantasy murder of yours... we could make it happen."

Technically, it wasn't blackmail this time.

[Slug]

"Megatron has a fool for a nemesis. It was never my objective to kill that fragger. He was merely a distraction from the true goal; what remains of the AllSpark. Megatron let a petty grudge get between him and his destination."

"Optimus Magnus can't be that much of a fool if he made it all the way to commander." He said, though there was doubt in his tone. "But then there's Megatron, who also made it to commander..." He glanced slyly from left to right, as if expecting the walls to grow ears.

"Fools can do wonders when they are great in numbers." The serial killer pursed his lips in concentration, as if confused by his own words. He then shrugged, clearly not worried about his choice of words.

"Any solar cycle now, Decepticons are going to break us out of here. 'Bots that sympathize with their cause will be spared and transported off Cybertron. Those who don't..."

Blue's optics brightened at the chance of leaving his cell-- to follow his purpose. But there was that warning, obvious in Starscream's tone.

"I understand where you're coming from. But at least pretend to be a Decepticon so you can get out of here. I'd hate to see a processor like yours go to waste. And this little fantasy murder of yours... we could make it happen."

Ding ding ding, we have ourselves a winner!

"Of course, Starscream." Blue whispered soothingly, another smile gracing his features, his pearly white teeth flashing. "It would be a pleasure to work... with you." He responded, tone low.

"But only if I get to lay out some rules." He added, raising his gaze to stare at Starscream, almost contently. "Nothing drastic, of course."

[Fallout]

"Fools can do wonders when they are great in numbers."

That sounds like something Scatterbolt would say about the Decepticons. He wondered if they would get along... Oh, by the Unmaker. They didn't need another Scatterbolt.

"Of course, Starscream. It would be a pleasure to work... with you. But only if I get to lay out some rules. Nothing drastic, of course."

Starscream narrowed his eyes. What was he going to do? He had noted Blue's cleverness- what exactly was he getting himself into? Oh, well... if he didn't like the rules, Blue could always be dealt with later.

"Alright, fine."

[Slug]

Alright, fine

Blue didn't miss a beat. "I don't care if you command me, or whatever your fancy is. I don't like owing debts to others, so for a period of time..." He tilted his head for what seemed like the millionth time that day, "Well, I'm sure you can already guess. Just get me out of here, and allow me to continue my purpose. I will..." Blue frowned. How should he word this? "I will... follow you as long as you allow me to follow my purpose. It won't be hard to multitask the two."

"I believe that's a fair enough deal for both of us."

And it was. As far as Blue could tell, being locked up ceased all his very, very important purpose-- he couldn't carry it out. But if Starscream helped him escape... Well, Starscream was a mech after his own spark. Really. Immediately, the Decepticon had offered him help with his purpose. That was more than enough to win over Blue and part of his loyalty.

Part of it.

[Fallout]

"I will... follow you as long as you allow me to follow my purpose. It won't be hard to multitask the two."

Starscream expected him to continue. When he didn't, he found himself slightly taken aback. That was it? He didn't want anything else? Starscream was so used to dealing with extortionists that Blue's expectations were refreshing.

"Yes, fair enough." He allowed himself a small, curious smile, the beginnings of genuine respect dawning on him. He actually sort of liked this blue 'bot.

"So... what's this grudge you hold against Elites all about anyways?"

[Slug]

"Yes, fair enough."

When Starscream smiled, Blue held back a grin. Delightful! The deal was a success. He wouldn't have to worry about never fulfilling his purpose.

Excellent.

"So... what's this grudge you hold against Elites all about anyways?"

...Happy moment: gone.

A scowl crossed Blue's faceplates, a rather odd look on the young mech. He seemed more fit for smiling-- for looking happy. The negativity on his features just seemed... wrong.

"We have made a contract, so it seems. But what will not happen is the talking of my secrets." Blue answered bluntly, though his tone was apologetic. "But I will tell you that when the day comes, there will be no more Elites. One by one, little by little, the Elites will be executed, whether or not I am locked up, it does not matter. He said, gazing at up at the ceiling in a calm, though strangely dreamy look. The blue cybertronian seemed innocent as he did this-- almost oblivious to the horrors of the world.

That innocence disappeared as the next words escaped the serial killer.

"In the end, there will be none left standing."

[Fallout]

"We have made a contract, so it seems. But what will not happen is the talking of my secrets."

Starscream nodded; again, that was fair enough. They may have a contract, yes... but they didn't have to trust each other much. It reminded him of himself and Megatron, but WAAAAY toned down.

In the end, there will be none left standing.

"Your ambition is admirable." Starscream grinned at that, then something struck him. He frowned again. "Frag, we really do have a lot in common."

As this sank in (Starscream wasn't exactly fond of 'bots like him, not after the incident with the clones...), Starscream wondered what exactly he could ask this genocidal blue bot to do for him.