Transformers Prime: A New Beginning

Chapter 77: A Seeker's Reunion

Normal: Perspective:

Jetfire was pleased to be alive again, and was happy to be with a few of his fellow Wreckers again, as well as meeting Miko, who asked several questions about him and his time as a Wrecker, which surprised him at how much energy the teenage girl had.

Ultra Magnus was pleased to have another Wrecker that wasn't a loose cannon among the unit again, but still acted as a professional like he usually did.

As they were talking, Starscream nervously walked up to him, and Jetfire turned his attention to him.

"Hello, Skyfire." The smaller seeker said. "I was just wondering if you wanted to go for a flight with me to catch up on everything that happen since the war began."

Jetfire considered for a moment, then nodded, for he had wanted to talk with Starscream alone anyway.

Excusing himself from their conversation, Jetfire headed outside with Starscream, and the two transformed, taking off into the mid-morning skies above the land they now walked upon.

Agent Fowler and the military had provided the larger seeker with an experimental jet that looked similar to what his old vehicle mode had been, but was built to Earth-based standards like Optimus's new vehicle mode, to which the seeker graciously accepted the new vehicle choice and scanned it, though his outer appearance remained unchanged.

They flew for hours in silence, as Starscream rattled his processor in trying to think of what to say to Jetfire, as this was their first time being together since the war first started.

He remembered all those years ago when they had worked with the other seekers in Starscream's squadron, guarding the Dark Energon and the Synth-En Data Cylinder that had been stored there until the war began, and when Megatron took the station over, with everything changing after that.

Did Jetfire still think of him as a traitor? Or has he realized he had only wanted the best for those he had been leading at the time?

At last, the smaller jet spoke, breaking the silence.

"Skyfire?" He paused. Even though they were in their vehicle modes, he could tell that the larger jet was looking at him. He then spoke again. "Do you still see me as a traitor to you?"

Jetfire said nothing, thinking.

In the few hours he'd been alive once more, he had seen how Starscream had acted as the same seeker he used to be before the war started. He had, of course, heard about Starscream's acts of deception and underhanded ways of furthering the Decepticon cause, but he hadn't heard of what had gone on when the war had moved to Earth, for he had been taken out by Megatron himself in Cybertron's final years alive.

But he was willing to forgive him for it, as he could see how his partner had changed for the better.

"No, I don't." He said at last. "I can see how you've changed and joined the side that cared for us and our planet. I may not know about what had gone on here during my time with the AllSpark, but I'm glad to see that you were able to make the right decision in the end."

He then fell silent, and they flew on for a while in silence once again, as Starscream became lost in his thoughts, feeling as though a weight he had thought to be infinite was finally lifted from him at long last.

He remembered how he had only joined the Decepticons just to protect his squadron from joining the AllSpark, but had come to regret his choice after joining the Autobots. He then remembered his former goal of wanting to claim the Matrix of Leadership for himself, and how he had wanted to be the one to bring back Cybertron's Golden Age, which he discarded in favor of becoming the leader of the Decepticons, which had faded out after seeing how Optimus cared for his team, both as such, and as individuals, and had thus given up on his goal, and had mellowed out, becoming like how he once had been when he had been Air Commander, but some of the traits he had gained from his time during the war had remained with him, such as how deceptive he could be, and how he could still sometimes be a coward, but he'd been growing braver as time went on.

He also still had his tendency to put others down, especially Knockout, who often threw a sarcastic response back at him.

"I really only joined the Decepticons to protect my squadron, and you, you know." Starscream said, breaking the silence. "I never really thought about what would've happened if I had, though, and I'm sorry. I've should've been stronger and stood up to Megatron at the time."

"I understand that now, even if it wasn't the best choice, and I'm sorry for calling you a traitor. I should've realized that you were only trying to do what had been best for your squadron. You were our Commander at the time, after all." Jetfire said, giving a small smile at the last part, even though Starscream couldn't see it.

The smaller seeker smiled back, and they then fell silent again for a few minutes before Starscream spoke again.

"Do you want me to call you Jetfire?" He asked, surprising the larger seeker.

Getting over his surprise, Jetfire thought for a moment, then he smiled.

"No." He said at last. "If you still want to call me Skyfire, then go ahead. I'm not against it."

Starscream smiled, and asked another question.

"Are you and I still partners?"

Jetfire smiled at this.

"Of course. As fellow seekers and an Amica Endura."

Starscream smiled genuinely for the first time since he joined the Autobots.

They fell silent as the two jets soared through the blue skies of Earth.

As they did, Starscream couldn't help but keep smiling.

It was good to have him by his side again.

-----

They soon arrived back at the hangar, as transformed. Starscream watched as Jetfire went to talk with the Wreckers and Miko again, and smiled to himself.

He had missed his partner, but thanks to Michael, he had been able to give him a new chance at life.

He definitely wasn't as bad as he had thought he'd been, and he proved it.

He might not be the Winglord of Vos anymore.

He might not be Air Commander anymore.

He might not be the Prime he'd once been hoping to be.

He might not be the leader of the Decepticons, or their Second-in-Command anymore.

But he was an Autobot now, and that was all he wanted.

He finally felt as if he'd been able to redeem himself at last.

Bumblebee had been right when he said that they had all lost something in this war, but there was also the chance to regain what had been lost.

And with his partner by his side once more, that couldn't have been any more true.

~~~

A/N: Another 'in-between' chapter is now done. Not much to say here, though I did get writer's block for this one, and this one is shorter than the previous ones, but I think it sums things up pretty well. I think Starscream's redemption arc is now over at last. What do you guys think of this chapter? Let me know in the comments!

Next Chapter: Arcee and her partners take a drive together, as Tailgate is brought up to speed on what had happened since his death, with he and Arcee rekindling their relationship.