Inverted Insignia Chapter 26 Nimbus

Inverted Insignia
Nimbus
Ten days later

The trine sat watching the crowd of people file into the from the top of a building. They could see into the pit as another pair fought each other to the death. The crowd's voices rose into a exuberant cheer as one of the combatants met a gristly end. Starscream clenched his teeth and shook his head.

“I suppose I count Backdraft and Warsaw off my list of possible opponents,” Starscream muttered looking at the roaster. He sat back and rested his head against the wall. “Primus, help me,” the youth muttered to himself.

They watched as the victor, Warsaw, walked off the field amid cheers and the defeated warrior was carried off on a board between four large arena mech. “Oh how I hate Fridays” he murmured.

“Are you gonna be okay there, Starscream?” Thundercracker asked. The younger Seeker's face went pale and he looked very ill.

“Dumb question, Thunder...” he snapped, “Of course I am not going to be okay. I'm gonna end up dead in less than an hour for the sadistic entertainment of thousands.” he rubbed his face. And wrapped his arms around his knees which were pulled up to his chin. “I have been attempting to enjoy the evening that I have,” he sighed looking up into the sky. Sunset had just passed and the sky was dark, punctuated by brilliant stars and a very distant nebula. One of the moons was rising over the horizon. “I have to say though, if it is my night to go, it is at least a nice night, great sky, pleasant temperature, even the air smells fresh.”

Skywarp smiled brightly, “I took a bath before we left,” he informed.

Starscream gave Skywarp a pointed stare. “That explains everything.” He sighed stretching his wings out and giving them a light shuffle. “What I would give right now to take to the wing, soar above the city and feel the wind on my wings, and just feel freedom.”

The arena erupted in a thunderous cheer. The next pair walked onto the field. “After this fight, there is a thirty minute break, so everyone can go off and get themselves some snacks to watch the next set of sorry saps go to face their doom. I don't understand why we have to do this... can we not train and just, live or die on the field for our faction, why must we be forced to take it out on each other here...”

“Darkstar said it was to ensure the strongest go out...” Thundercracker began.

“Great idea, but if only the strongest survive our numbers could be significantly less. If the other side has a lot of not so strong, then we could get over run because they have the numbers. And we don't. I have been saying it all along, this is the worst way to form an army. Wasteful. Some of the guys I have had to fight, I would have been very happy with fighting along side of.” He shook his head. “I would do it differently if I could. But I can't and I am here...”

The crowed screamed out in a cheer, pulling their attention back to the arena. “OH! Did you guys see that,” Skywarp crowed “Overbite took Karellen's head clean off the shoulders,”

“Scratch those names off the list, and the choices get down to five including myself... and I am in next.” Starscream stood up and looked at his wingmates. “I better get down there so I can get prepared. Otherwise, I am going into the ring with just a dagger. Eh, either way I am screwed.”

They leapt off the roof and onto the road below walking across to the heavy metal door with the barred windows. Skywarp and Thundercracker stood next to Starscream just before he entered the arena staging area. They had grown concerned because he was unusually morose. He had been unable to sleep more than  a couple hours scattered across the days, When he did sleep he woke screaming from nightmares. He found himself unable to hold fuel down and had been lowering his activity in an effort to maintain a sufficient level of energy to fight with.  

The agitation the youth experienced seem to stem directly from not knowing who he was to fight. It appeared they were not announcing  the pairs a head of time for this round. This of course prevented him from researching their combat tactics. It prevented him from choosing the right weapons for the job.

“I guess this is it guys,” his tanks flipped uneasily while his recently injured reserve tank ached.

“You got the credits for us to bet with for you?” Thundercracker asked.

“No,” the youth said in a quiet voice, “I think you should save yourselves the hassle and not bet on me this time around.”

Skywarp smiled, “Oh we're bettin' on you, You should bet on you too, you always win!”

“Almost always, Skywarp.  Not always. I have lost a round or two...in the past I was lucky they let me live. These are my last requests, should I die. If I fail this fight, then Thundercracker and you are to split my credits... I made arrangements, a package in my foot locker for you. You crazy pair all I have, and are the closest thing I have had to family or friends in a very long time. Thank you two for always being there for me.”

Starscream patted their shoulders and pulled the door open. Thundercracker could feel the shake in his trine leader's hand. Skywarp could see it and he frowned. Starscream stepped past the threshold and closed the door. He looked back at the pair through the barred window. “Remember me,”  he said before turning away.

Skywarp and Thundercracker stood and watched as the other disappeared into the darkness before making their way up to the bookie and then the stands. They located Darkstar, Stellardrift and Riftwing, and the five took a seat together.

*  *  *

Deathrow greeted the young Seeker and informed Ground Zero of his arrival.

“How are you feeling?” Ground Zero asked opening the cell to admit the flier, who walked in as if he was condemned.

“Eh? Oh, like death warmed up. I am healing quite well actually.” Starscream sat down on the hard metal bench as the two examined him for any power boosts or anything that might augment his natural abilities.

“That's good, heads up, kid. The next fight is going to be a real rough one.” Deathrow offered him a drink. Starscream politely pushed it aside. Ground Zero continued to examine his physical condition for their records. Deathrow picked up a scanner and checked his system functions.

“Am I permitted to know who it is I am to defeat?”

“We can't actually tell you that, it's a blind test, in a way.  In most exams you get to study, this one you have to wing it.”

“That does not instill a lot of confidence in me,”

“We know, we decided to put our bets on you, hope that helps a little,”

“Barely, I fear your faith is ill placed... I am filled with dread. Even when I was trapped, I was not filled with this much dread...”

Ground Zero nodded and Deathrow stepped to the door. “Armoury door is open, Ground Zero. Cadet Starscream may choose his weapons and his defenses,” he stepped out of the cage and stood looking over the array of weapons they had put out for him.

Deathrow leaned into Ground Zero and whispered. “He's having an massive anxiety attack. The scanners are giving warning readings that his functions are way off the charts.”

“Expect anything less? No Seeker cadet from this Academy has made it to this point, they are usually killed early on, he knows his luck is running out.” the other warrior said with a shake of his head.

“Should I get the undertaker to bring up the box then?” Deathrow inquired.

Ground Zero glanced at the readings and gave the other a simple nod. “Yeah, we better. Readings like that? The kid won't survive... still, bets are on him. I'll support him if he wins or loses.”

Starscream was too focused in the weapons that he did not hear the others discussing the preparations being made for his demise. His optics landed on two weapon choices. An energon-sword, and an Electron-Axe. He decided to go with the sword then chose a repulser shield.

“I'm ready,” Starscream said shakily. Grasping the shield firmly in his right hand and the sword in his left.

“Do you have your usual gear in order? Slingshot, rifles, dagger?” Ground Zero asked.

“Yeah, usual stuff...”

“You should do fine, but...” Deathrow thrust a small packet into Starscream's hand. “Worst case scenario, and you find you are being killed, bite that...”

“Wha-what are they?” hes aid uneasily. Holding the packet feeling two oblong tablets rolling around inside.

“Pain killers, very strong pain killers also contains a sort of tranquiliser. It'll help you...face the end easier.”

“Guys, you aren't helping...”

He could hear his arena name being announced and the two gladiators shoved him gently to the entrance.

The gate opened and he stepped into the brightly lit arena, It was a shock to his system going from the dark underground to the brightly lit arena field. It took him a few moments to blindly wave at the  cheering crowd. He buried his fear under a plastic coat of smiles and faux confidence.

“And here comes Silver Snake, Starscream! This Seeker cadet has stolen the show, with forty-eight total wins, thirty-two kills, sixteen spares and one loss -  to which he was also spared. He is quick and resourceful and has amazing luck... but bet wisely folks, this cadets luck may have just run out...”  Starscream raised his hand holding his sword and shield waving to the spectators. He tried not to pay attention to the grim announcer, only glaring up at him direly.”

“Our cadet's challenger tonight is a cadet all the way from Kaon War Academy - Thunderhead! This warrior is made in cold Steel, with a kill streak of ninety-two, he has to date zero losses, and one hundred percent kills.”

Starscream froze on the spot, his fuel lines turned to ice, his face washed out to near white and his reds faded out. Thunderhead, the Seeker which most of his dread was built on was standing before him, larger than life. Actually he was the most massive Seeker he had ever laid eyes on. The only flier he had known who was comparable in size was Skyfire, and he was not a Seeker.

As he stepped onto the field, Starscream took a step back. He could not believe how much taller this flier was than his Mentor, Darkstar.  Thunderhead was a rich purple colour with golden accents. His wings sported gold and silver stripes while his torso was pearly white. Had he not been potentially the most dangerous Seeker Starscream had ever encountered, the youth might have seen him as incredibly beautiful.

There was something about the giant Seeker that nagged at the youth, something he could not place.

The enormous Seeker took a step forward and looked down at the flier in the field. “I have waited a long time to face you in combat, boy.” Thunderhead's voice was a deep bass tone, it was accented in a strange manner, almost an ancient accent.

The youth glanced over at the stands, he could see the three officers standing on their feet. Their faces washed with terror. Their expressions did not fuel his confidence any.

Thunderhead turned his attention to the direction of Starscream's gaze. “I should have known, I'll have at you too, Darkstar, when I have finished with this whelp,” he roared.

Starscream shook his head and took a defensive stance.

The gong sounded and the giant Seeker flicked out a pair of swords that were built in much like Starscream's rifles. The youth was surprised. This made disarming the warrior much more difficult. It was not impossible, he simply had to get into position to cut the swords off.  He stepped forward and held is own sword out, it appeared tiny in comparison to the huge energy blades the giant wielded.  

His wings could pick up the startling amount of energy that the other flier was generating. Starscream usually could not read someone at such a distance. What he could understand was this flier was his mortal enemy and the enemy of most people around him.

“Femcons and Mech, can we smell fear?” Short Circuit crowed. “I think young Starscream realised today will be the day....”

Angry, Starscream's null rifles were fully charged and he raised an arm and directed it at the commentator. He fired around and Short Circuit slumped with a startled squeak onto the microphone. “Will someone please get rid of that annoying son of a cessna and get him to shut the frag up, he is beyond irritating... and do this before I climb up there and kill him.”

“Well done, little whelp, now when you are quite finished, turn and face me and accept your fate.”

“I won't be laying down and dying...” Still having fear coursing through his being, the young flier turned to face the larger opponent. He understood it was okay to feel the feeling providing he did not let it govern him. He allowed the fear to create anger. Anger that this flier was so confident in his ability to kill him. And realisation struck him. The warrior's weakness was his cockiness. Starscream to a degree had developed a cockiness himself, but he never let go of the thought that each fight could be his last and this kept him grounded in reality. Using his foe's confidence against him was not a lot to go on, but he has used it before to take down a larger and more skilled opponents. There were always the null rays, he could end the fight now before it starts...

“Cocky, that is what you think of me, Whelp? Let me give you a heads up. Your weapons, null rays you call them, they'll have no effect on me.” Thunderhead said, replying to Starscream's private thoughts, there were many hundreds of unprotected minds. Yet he could easily tell which one belonged to his quarry. He felt the strongest fear off those thoughts.

Starscream jaw dropped when the realisation that the mech was a mind reader struck him like a blow to the chest. Unskilled with dealing with such people, people he thought were theoretically impossible he attempted to think of  something other than what he was thinking of. But there was something about this warrior which nagged him, a sense of familiarity like he had encountered him once before an tremendously long time ago.

A vision flashed before him, it seemed nearly ghostly on the field, he could tell by the people in the stands that they could not see it, so it was in his head. He wondered if it was Thunderhead playing with his mind.

He could see a femcon, significantly larger Seeker standing between him and the giant, she formed a sword out of ice and confronted the giant. Ghostly female swung and fought the giant and he ran her through with a sword, she looked over her shoulder and said softly, 'Go, Starscream, run and hide, be safe.' and then she died. He shook his head and the vision vanished. When he cleared his mind of his distraction the other flier was all but on top of him swinging his sword down from above as if to impale him.

Starscream swing his wings out to spin him and then brought his sword upward slashing at the others side. Thunderhead's downward attack missed running him through the top of his head, but managed to slice through his right intake. Both Seekers were wounded, Starscream's injury was in an area with a lot less pain receptors, but the loss of his intake meant he had less protection for his neck, and a slight balance issue. Should Thunderhead want to remove his head, he had a lot less in the way.

The violet Seeker's injury would be more painful, fluids were weeping out over his hip, he touched it with his hand and stared furiously at Starscream.  

The pair circled each other, watching, analysing, contemplating weaknesses. It was harder for Starscream to pick them out as he knew the other would hear his thoughts and know what he was seeing. He began to recite the Cybertronian table of elements in his mind. Thunderhead brightened an optic, he appeared a little confused about the off subject thoughts.

Starscream lunged in and slashed rapidly with his weapon, Thunderhead had been slightly distracted by the Seekers thoughts that he was still a full two second before he intercepted the youths attack. He parried Starscream's strike with one arm and attacked with the other. The young flier was unable to get his shield in position quick enough and and the sword hacked into shoulder, and the edge of his wings. He gritted his teeth and cut senses to his wing. Although he had stopped the pain, he was unable to stop it from bleeding. His shoulder though was the problem. He could not kill the pain receptors in that area without rendering the arm useless. He would have to push on.

“You need to try harder whelp, the more you try, the more bits I will remove from you, I will finish it off by cutting your spark out.”

Starscream snarled. The pain in his arm was starting to fuel his rage. He decided he would give it his all rather than remain filled with fear, as it stood, that was starting to fade as electro-adrenaline was flooding his systems. He knew that he would have to work quick if he were to defeat this giant,  as his injuries could cause him to weaken as he lost fluids, and wings being to heavily packed with lines would rapidly do that.

The he charged the violet Seeker and launched himself upward, and executed a back flip and attempted a landing on the other's shoulders. Thunderhead reached up and grabbed the flier out of the air and swung him down into the ground with incredible force. The impact caused him to create a small crater and his shield slipped from his fingers and landed just out of reach. Stunned from the impact Starscream lay there attempting to get his co-ordination back.

Thunderhead took this moment to run in, and grab the sword out of the youth's hand then drive it down into his left wing, digging it in, twisting it and finally leaving it in. The young Seeker cried out. He fumbled in his subspace pocket for the packet that had been given to him by Deathrow.

“Pain neutralisers, a coward's way out” the giant Seeker remarked, when he saw the package in the youth fingers and read the unprotected thoughts. “Ah so you are aware of what I do when I make my kill,” he said as he slowly grabbed the sword and pulled it through the wing, cutting into it more, allowing the pain to linger. “I like to play with my prey,” He took the packet from the youths fingers and tossed it aside. “No pain relief for you,” he laughed. “Oh, that old trick, reduction of sensation, You should stop trying to avoid the inevitable,” he said as Starscream attempted to shut his wing's senses off. Thunderhead reached down and put his hands on the surface and energy erupted from his finger tips disabling Starscream from being able to use that ability. The wing he had previously shut down turned back on, both wings screamed in pain.

The violet Seeker knelt on the field, resting one knee heavily on the impaled wing. He shifted his weight to exert intense pressure. He stared down at the cadet as if trying to trying to comfort him.

“Please...have....mercy,” the young flier whispered, “end me quickly.”

“I can't hear you, Starscream!” Thunderhead said giving the sword another twist. “I want them to hear it too,” he gestured to the spectators.

“Kill me now, damn it!” The youth cried out and every one in the arena fell silent.

“I would usually take you up on your request, however, you are a somewhat special case to me.” the giant said.  He took out a large dagger. Made of hardened folded tridium. Had it been in Starscream's hands it would have been a small sword. He gently poked it in the youths throat, just enough to draw a tiny bit of fluid. Starscream raised his chin allowing access to the primary energy lines. Severing those would cut off power to his brain unit, the end would follow shortly. Nimbus gently stroked the blade across the exposed  cables and plates. “They call me Nimbus, short for Cumulonimbus -  that's how I got the show name of Thunderhead.”

Nimbus gently dragged the blade along the Seeker's throat and down his chest. Not enough to damage him outside of a very tiny scratch. “What I am doing to you is really simply entertainment for the masses, they don't classify this as murder, and yet murder it is.” he whispered. “Has your 'mentor' ever explained who I am and why I would come for you?” Nimbus kept his voice low enough so that only Starscream and none of the spectators could hear.

“Get fragged,” the youth hissed. The young flier gasped as Nimbus twisted the sword and continued to cut upward through the wing, slowly-using a sawing motion. Starscream struggled against the other. It was no use.

“No? That is such a shame... Such a terrible shame, Starscream. He should have. He really should have. The history he and I share and of our friendship – I suppose that amounts to nothing now. But I can tell he has told you nothing...nothing about who you really are or were... because we can use past tense, since you will be dead momentarily.”

“I'm no one particular...” the youth managed. “Just a guy who was trying hard to make it in life...”

“That is how I wish you to remain, a nobody and a chronic failure in life. One who's goal will always remain just out of reach -  much like those pills that would end your suffering. The problem is I could let you live, but I won't. Actually its more like I can't let you live. You are really the only thing left between me and leadership of the Seekers.”

He moved the blade to run it softly across the youth's face. Starscream winced fearing the blades proximity to his optics. “I'm no Seeker leader. I'm not even an officer...”

“That is where you are wrong, fledgling whelp. Let me explain.” He applied a little pressure to the dagger and it cut into his cheek. “You see, I wanted to marry the Queen, She was beautiful, strong and I felt I would make her a very nice husband. Yet she refused; she said it had to do with how I could hear everyone's thoughts and that was abnormal - or did she think think that? So I killed her.” he drew the dagger down allowing the blade to part the thin skin-like surface. “It is interesting to hear what everyone thinks. Except right now all I hear is you. I can hear you mentally screaming out for Darkstar, for your wingmates, for me to end your pathetic life... it is so musical, I could...I could do this to you all-day-long,” he said giddily. “And you are putting on such a brave face for the audience... aren't you, Whelp?”

He stopped cutting into the youth's cheek and moved his blade over the chest and rested it there. “Seeing how I was the oldest Seeker, I figured that once she was gone, I would get the respect I deserved. Yet, her brother was made the Seeker ruler, he was the one they turned to. He chose his bondmate quite young but they never sparked. And then one day he...and his Conjunx managed to whelp an heir. In secret... or they tried to keep it a secret.”

“I don't understand what you are driving at...I can't think...please have mercy...” the youth whimpered, Darkstar was on the edge of the stands with his wingmates holding him back.

Nimbus roughly grabbed Starscream's face and squeezed looking into his optics with rage. “For someone one so slaggin' smart you failed to see the big picture, you waste of spark.” he snarled his voice was loud enough for everyone to hear it. He raised his dagger and pressed it against the glass canopy in Starscream's chest directly over the chamber of the spark. He applied pressure and slowly allowed the blade to cut through the glass into the chest. The canopy spidered then fractured, shards flying in all directions. He enjoyed killing, there was a certain satisfaction in ending a life while letting them there had been so much more to theirs. but taking his time to kill this one had the most satisfaction. He alternated between cutting into the wing and driving the blade down. “And no matter what, we are both here in this pit legally and no one can stop me doing what I am doing, except-maybe you, if you had the courage, if you didn't simply lay down allow me to kill as you said you wouldn't,”  He twisted the blade of the dagger opening up the wound to allow the fluids to flow freely. He smiled a sick serene smile.

Starscream's voice carried across the entire arena.

He used this moment to finish his thought. “As I said, you fail to see the big picture. Darkstar, is the current Seeker ruler, you ignorant little fledgling,” the giant Seeker snapped, “and you are his heir....I slew your dam... her death was a joy. How her thoughts dwelled upon you and your survival. She told me who you were.”

Starscream's optics flared with with a small burst of life. The vision he had seen made sense suddenly. While Nimbus had been gloating about Starscream's history, his hand had a mind of its own and went to his own tiny dagger. Without thinking, the youth had it energised and he drove up upward into Nimbus' chest. The older flier bellowed in surprise then blinked out of sight.

“There we have it Femmes and Mech, the fight is over and do we have a clear win....erp?”

Weakly Starscream raised his arm and fired a single null ray shot that struck Short Circuit in the chest. Short Circuit had been leaning out of the Commentators stand and tumbled onto the ground below -  unconscious.

Starscream glanced over his wing and spotted the packet just barely within reach. He caught it in his fingers and drew it over. He opened it and the two pills fell into his hand. “Pain killers and tranquilliser,” Deathrow had stated... he was about to pop them into his mouth when a member of the crowd stood forward and threw a credit into the pit, the coin bounced across the dirt and stopped next to Starscream's wing. Others followed suit until every spectator was on their feet and sent a token credit into the arena. These coins represented a salute to the victor, and it an extremely rare occurrence.

Arena teams ran around to pick up the coins and put them into a bucket. They would be handed over to Starscream as soon as he was on his feet again, if he survived his ordeal.

Darkstar ran over and grabbed the pills from the youth's hand. “Those could kill you boy,” Darkstar warned. “I will give you some peace though,” Darkstar rested his hand on Starscream's head gently and emitted a gentle EMP.

“You...you have... a lot of explaining to do,” he whispered just before fading out.

Darkstar cringed. He knew Nimbus had been telling the youth something and he had a dreadful feeling coming clean was going to be necessary.