Drum Roll, Please

Chapter 18: Unlikely Hero

A Guide to Escaping the Nemesis by Starscream and Summer

Step One: Soundwave

"It's vital that we take Soundwave out first," Starscream explained as he carried her to the bridge. "If he catches wind of you being magical, he'll weaponize you and then everyone is fragged."

Summer nodded. "Then?"

Step Two: Backup

"Then we'll have access to the ship's systems. We can lower the shields and send out a distress signal for the Autobots to find. They'll assume it's their leader and come running," Starscream said. "Which brings us to the next step."

Step Three: Optimus Prime

"We have to free Optimus," Starscream stated.

Summer swallowed. "He'll kill us."

"He's not going to kill us," Starscream scoffed and rolled his optics. "The Prime is soft. He'll see that we're freeing him and then jump into a speech about how we should join the Autobots."

"Okay," Summer corrected herself. "He'll kill me. Every time I walk into the bridge, he gets angry."

Starscream shrugged.

Step Four: Run

"Megatron will be pissed, so we don't have a lot of time to debate," Starscream shivered. "He'll try to kill me as long as Optimus isn't directly attacking him. He did it one of the last times I betrayed him."

"One of?"

"There is a lot of mutiny on this ship."

Step Five: Join Autobots

"So, then we join the Autobots and pledge to help them win the war," Summer finished.

"Basically," Starscream cringed. "If they'll take me."

"Or me," Summer grimaced.

The seeker stopped, his optics on the doors to the bridge, which were closed, but waiting, at the end of the hall.

"This is a bad plan," he announced.

Summer nodded. "Better than killing each other."

"Alright, let's do it," Starscream decided.

He strode toward the doors, his gait seamless and confident. It's a wonder he could walk so well in stilettos. Summer laid back against the cords running up his neck and held on tight. She didn't know how Starscream was planning on killing Soundwave, but she didn't want to become a pancake in the process.

The doors slid open. The bridge was quiet, aside from the typing of a few vehicons and Soundwave, who turned around. The communications officer froze and his fists curled at his sides.

"Surprised to see me alive?" Starscream asked.

"Not entirely," Megatron hummed. "The human was weak from the beginning and I needed you to tie up the loose end."

Summer couldn't decide whether to be complemented, offended, or freak out because Megatron being in the bridge would ruin their plan. Wait, no, don't freak out. If she freaked out, then Starscream would freak out, and then they would really have a disaster.

Step Six: Improvise

Starscream held his arms out, pointing one at Soundwave and the other at Megatron. Before either of them had time to comprehend, two missiles were shot into a confined space. Megatron jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding it, and Soundwave did the same.