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[FINE he stops doing that, and just throws the door open instead because NOW he has something to BITCH about.]

You people don't listen to me anyway, Ultra Magnus! It doesn't make a difference if I step down or not! As far as your crew is concerned, you have your chain of command.

[And the award for Still Avoiding The Topic is awarded to Shitscram]

I've been here for a few weeks, Starscream.

We may not always have seen optic to optic, but you haven't overstepped your boundaries in terms of power.

In fact, I daresay you might have actually been trying to lead with some even-handedness.

[Well look at that, Starscream actually seems to calm down. Finally, someone who isn't just accusing him of being a power hungry little gremlin.]

Of course I have been, but that doesn't stop people from just assuming that I'm trying to make a grab for power here.

Starscream.

At the trial of the most notorious warlord in our galaxy's history, you got on the stand in front of the population of an entire planet and made it all about you.

I don't think there's a better metaphor for narcissism.

...I don't think there's even a more appropriate definition for narcissism.

You wore a crown for pity's sake.

...Maybe the crown was a little over the top.

The crown was a little over the top, yes.

I'll take that into consideration. Anyway, you can go now.

Nice try.

I am stationed on a ship with Rodimus, after all. I'm rather proficient in breaking away from tangents.

[Unless grammar is concerned.]

Starscream, what is going on? The only times I've ever seen you so withdrawn is when you don't have all of the cards.

[Well that hadn't worked. Starscream huffs and crosses his arms, stepping back into the room FINALLY so Magnus can enter.]

I'm stuck on a ship with Megatron, a load of Autobots who hate me, Tarn of all people, and an alternate dimension clone who seems to have made it his life's work to make me miserable every chance that he gets. Truthfully, Ultra Magnus, I'm not holding any cards right now.

[And Magnus takes the silent invitation and marches in.]

And that grinds your gears, I assume?

[Welcome to Starscream's room ultra magnus it is surprisingly tidy]

That, on top of the fact that I have no way of knowing what's going on back on Cybertron right now. Feels like my hands are tied and my wings have been clipped, and there isn't a damn thing I can do about it.

Edited 2016-08-28 01:10 (UTC)

Congratulations, Starscream.

For all of your scheming and plotting, you finally know what it's like to be on the other side.

[Does he sound smug? He's kind of smug.]

[Starscream does not appreciate this smugness at all, and the shitty glare he gives Magnus says as much.]

I don't much appreciate your tone.

For someone who likes to hold all the cards, you're surprisingly narrow-minded when you don't have the upper hand.

Or have you forgotten that you're currently speaking with someone who actively knows what it's like to have no cards, and yet somehow managed to make the best of a situation?

That's what we all are, Starscream. Survivors. You happen to be surrounded by a group of Cybertronians that have managed to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.

You say that as if it isn't just part of being Cybertronian in this day and age. Every single person who survived our war has overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.

I'm not out of the game yet, Ultra Magnus. All of this is nothing more than a setback, and I've overcome all of my setbacks thus far.

That sounds more like Starscream.

Clearly, you just need to find a way to circumvent the one person who has all of the cards.

[God he just rubs at his face and groans because he KNOWS WHAT THAT MEANS but he doesn't LIKE IT]

And I suppose killing him is out of the question.

So, there is a 'him.'

I suspected as much.

Tch.

[Man Starscream is SLIPPING lately. He used to be way more careful with his words.]

I told you, it's none of your concern!

I'm making it my concern.

Blackmailing a political official is very, very illegal.

On Cybertron, sure, but there isn't really anything that can be done about it here. The Captains and crew of this ship have their own agenda.

And I don't see how our laws necessarily interfere with the way they run things on this ship.

The fact remains, Starscream, that there is likely a way things can end amicably.

But the cloak and dagger routine needs to end. If you want people to respect you, then you need to operate under a full disclosure mindset.

[He feels like he's heard all of this before. It's probably because he has once or twice just since being here. It's not like people haven't told him to just BE HONEST FOR FUCK'S SAKE before he got here, but having a chance to actually just focus on himself without also being weighed down with the burdens of leadership and scheming up a million different contingency plans at the same time... it doesn't necessarily make things easier because everything is somehow overly complicated as far as Starscream is concerned, but yeah, it kind of makes things easier. This all makes perfect sense, he just has to convince himself that it does.]

One reason. Give me one reason why I should trust you not to use this against me too.

[this counts as progress]

Because I'm Ultra Magnus.

[He says this as dryly as possible. Seriously, Starscream. He defended Megatron against Prowl.]

[Starscream seems to consider this for a long moment, before finally shrugging and finding a place to sit.]

I can't argue with that.

I'm going to preface this by saying it was an accident. That part is very important and I want that fact drilled into your head. Got it?

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