Detained

Chapter 38

A few weeks went by where nothing happened and Bumblebee was starting to get worried. Of course the Autobots didn't forget about him, right?

Starscream had been taken out of the cell next his the night after they had their emotional conversation, but it seemed like the abuse didn't really stop afterwards. A few times throughout the past month during Ryder's production period, since there was a lot of building going on in another warehouse, Starscream had ended up back in the cell next door in the same beaten and damaged condition as the first time. Sometimes he was worse or better but still, Megatron was the cause of it all. The scout would sit up against the bars and comfort the seeker, feeling bad for him and just keeping him company.

But about two weeks ago, there was one beating that didn't end so well. Bumblebee was recovering from another of Ryder's "talks" while Megatron was having at Starscream again. The difference between this spat and the others was that Ryder was staying to watch. The spat ensued as usual with Megatron beating the living scrap out of Starscream and the end, Starscream was mostly a scrap of metal on the floor and bleeding out most of his energon. But this time, Ryder seemed to have something else in mind. "Megatron, as much as I love the bond between you and your SIC, I don't believe it's as genuine as you think."

The Decepticon warlord rolled his optics, reaiming one of his cannons at the second to make the nearly unconscious seeker whimper. "Do you think you're funny, Mr. Ryder?" Megatron growled.

"No, no. Of course not." the human answered back, waving his robotic hand in dismissal. "I was just thinking that there is no better way for Starscream to prove his loyalty than putting him through a little Turing test."

"A Turing test?" the warlord asked back, confused on the term. "I don't know what you proceed on doing, but if you try to mess up my plan with this test, then I won't hesitate to kill you right here and now."

"Not at all. No one wants to see me killed." the scientist pointed out as he walked over to the keylock on Bee's cell. The bars opened and the scout inside instinctively scooted to the back of the cell where he would be the safest. He continuously watched between the Decepticon leader and Ryder, not knowing what was planning, but knowing it probably wasn't a good thing. "Instead, I want you to bring Starscream over here and sit him upright in front of my little pet here."

The seeker was dragged across the floor and harshly sat upright by his master, groaning and whimpering in pain as he dimly stated at Bumblebee. "Wh-t?" he asked, voice box glitching on him.

"Now this will be easy for anyone to understand." the scientist continued with a sadistic smile on his face. "What I want you to do Starscream is to shoot Bee over there, which should be simple. If you shoot him, I will personally have my people repair your frame and systems and you would have shown your loyalty to the Decepticon cause. And if you don't... well that's up to Megatron to decide. It's your choice to make."

Bumblebee looked at Starscream and suddenly feared for his life. The seeker stared back and didn't seem to register anything, but he did raise his less injured arm up and was ready to shoot a bunch of bullets at the scout. Bee sat still and silently prayed to Primus that his wasn't going to be the end of him. Did Starscream forget all the things Bee did to comfort the him? Was he only doing this because he was scared that Megatron would kill him if he didn't? Or was his processor not working and just on autopilot, following instructions that were given? Either way, the scout curled up a little tighter and tried to make himself invisible.

There was a long pause of silence between when Ryder finished giving out his instruction and the sound of Starscream's weapon powering off. The seeker put down his arm and shook his helm. "No." he rasped out, continuing to focus on the scout. "I can't shoot him. We still need information from him."