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[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?

I find statements starting with 'It was an accident' most commonly end in something tragic.

Go on.

[Starscream nods because THAT'S PRETTY ACCURATE]

I don't think you were around when those aliens invaded. I think it was last month, half the ship ended up turning to glass because... I don't know, science happened. Really stupid science. This is relevant, it affected people as well. Organics were walking around with glass limbs, I lost a wing to it. I'm pretty sure Tarn's transformation cog was damaged by it. Ratchet's spark chamber was turned to glass. It was a weird mess.

Anyway, so I lost a wing. I went to Ratchet's place to get it replaced, and after he was finished, I bumped into him on my way out. My elbow hit him right in the chest. It was a pretty solid impact, but not really enough to do more but scrape paint maybe? But since his spark chamber was glass and-- I don't know if he knew about it before that, I sure as hell didn't know, but he uh.

Kind of died. He's better now, because that's apparently a thing around here, but he was pretty dead. My creepy double just happened to show up and see it, hence the blackmail.

[Now he shuts up and watches Magnus, just waiting to be snapped in half because he's sure that's what's coming next.]

[What.]

...So, allow me to get this straight.

An innocuous mistake shatters Ratchet's spark chamber, instantly killing him.

Which is witnessed by the second Starscream.

Who is, in turn, blackmailing you, seizing upon a moment of weakness to potentially usurp your power?

[A pause.]

Starscream, I have been an enforcer of the law for longer than I care to remember. I've arrested people for believing, without hesitation, that they were a sparkeater. I've seen bots claim to be Mortilus himself go on killing sprees in his name.

And yet, the very premise of 'Starscream blackmails Startscream' is quite possibly the most fitting use of the term 'poetic justice' I've ever heard.

I'm being quite literal here. As a lawman, I don't think there is anything I could possibly do to punish you. It's like staring into the event horizon of treachery.

One correction; He doesn't care about my power, he literally just did it because he's an evil little scraplet and just wanted to watch me squirm.

But yes, aside from that, you've basically nailed it. It blew my mind, too. It's still blowing my mind.

So, he's doing this for fun.

So...let me ask you this. What's stopping you from confessing openly?

I didn't have any reason to think that any of you would believe me. I'm fully aware of my reputation and of the fact that I'm not exactly well liked by most of the Cybertronians who ended up here, not to mention the fact that you have Megatron on your side. I wasn't about to make myself a target.

Starscream, you expect trust but you offer none in return. If you openly confess, you take away all of the power the other Starscream has over you. He can't blackmail you if you have no secrets.

In fact, it's literally the last thing the other you would expect. What better way to gain the upper hand?

Ratchet himself hasn't made an issue over this, presumably because he understands you had no malicious intent.

And with no intent, you cannot be charged for a crime. That's just the basics of criminal justice: A conviction cannot be handed down unless intent can be proven.

[buddy 90% of Starscream is just a miserable little pile of secrets ~~but enough talk have at you~~, telling him he shouldn't have any secrets is like telling him to tear himself apart and completely rebuild himself from scratch. He rubs at his face like he's having a really hard time deciding what the hell he should do. Because he is.]

Okay, I... okay. You're right.

I'm not saying you have to divulge everything.

But, if it helps, I'm prepared to stand with you in solidarity.

Provided you properly apologize to Ratchet.

I've already talked to Ratchet. That was the first thing I did. When he came back, that is. He didn't seem too upset about it, Hell, he forgave me for it.

[Starscream still seems a little blown away by the whole thing.]

Then what have you got to lose by coming clean and being honest with the rest of us?

Ratchet forgave you.

Even I can recognize the lack of intent. You're so hellbent on not giving an inch, that you're actually playing to the other Starscream's tune. The tune you originally wrote.

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