Veiled Intent

Chapter 1: Interrogation

I am not sure if I will make this a whole story set...I had a dream concerning this ...and I just couldnt' get it out of my head so I've put it down for you all to read....

The light shown down into the mech's optics from above; The lights were hot, and stung his optics and burned at his armor. "I don't know." He tried to adjust his optics to the bright light. He struggled.

"Lies." The calm offhanded remark came from his interrogator. "All these are ….are Autobot Lies." The voice, a voice he knew well.

"I swear I don't know…" the cruiser said straining. His servos were tied back behind his back. Doorwings tied together behind his head, in a painful and unnatural fashion. "Honestly" he continued. He did know the answer to the Decepticon's query, but knew better than to admit it to the Decepticon. "I have not been in contact with them…I only heard the call from Optimus that Autobots come to earth….that is all."

"We shall see…" Starscream moved the hot light from the cruiser's optics and turned circling around his desk.

Starscream was the second in command of the Decepticons, how ironic that he would be the one to interrogate the SIC of the Autobots. He sat behind his desk and didn't give Prowl a second look as he started to mix and combine chemicals.

Prowl was hung by heavy chains that wrapped around his arms, neck, door-wings, and legs. His weight was forced forward, and so he hung uncomfortably at an angle.

The seeker smirked to himself as he worked. The myriad of chemicals at his desk were being mixed slowly following precise calculations from a data-pad. Prowl shifted uncomfortably in the binds that held him to the wall. "Don't struggle." The seeker spoke without looking up from his work. "It is futile." The Autobot did not reply. The seeker's optics looked up. The cruiser's head was hanging down, and as Prowl stared at the floor he knew the seeker was right.

Starsceam could only smile, the Autobot would be silent as he worked which would be welcome.

Prowl recharged for a Joor before his optics came online. There was a hand on his torso. He looked up slowly to meet Starscream's gaze. "What …what are you doing?" Prowl asked quietly.

"Keeping you alive…" The seeker's curt response did not shock Prowl. "For now…" Starscream shifted his arm and pushed back two panels slowly. He held up a long needle and slowly he twisted it between the panels and injected into the cruiser's main energon line at his arm joint. "You're energon is low." The seeker began to explain, he took out some rubber tape and wrapped it around the cable to keep the IV in and stable.

Ad the energon drip started Prowl's optics became brighter. Before, his low energy compounded with pain was too much to bear. At least with full tanks he could endure more interrogation. The seeker put a hand on Prowl's helm patting. "We'll try again tomorrow..." Prowl felt like an animal. His head hung low and he shut his optics tight as the seeker turned and exited the lab. Prowl tried to ignore his pain and tried to recharge.

"What more have you found Starscream?" The deep voice was quiet and patient. Speaking from the shadows, red eyes peered down at the seeker who was knelt to the ground. "Tell me you have something."

"My lord, interrogation is an art form." He said not making optic contact with the Decepticon war lord.

"You have nothing…" It was a statement.

"My lord…" Starscream raised up his servos "I just need more time with the Autobot…" he pleaded.

"Your plan Starscream?" The seeker stood at the question.

"A very …very deceptive one my lord." He looked down at his clawed digits and smirked looking at Megatron thoughtfully.

"Dismissed…"

"Yes my lord…" the seeker bowed "Thank you my lord." The seeker backed away never turning his back until he was well out of Megatron's throne room.

Prowl shifted as he came out of Recharge, he started to cycle fresh air though his vents. He groaned and looked around the lab, empty. Starscream had left him alone. He almost had hope of trying to attempt to free himself; but the door to the lab hissed open. Starscream entered and made a bee-line for him. Prowl didn't speak.

"We are going to try something …New." The seeker said and reached up around Prowl's neck and snapped on a digital collar with a large ring at the front. Prowl's optics became concerned. Starscream reached a hand down removing the energon drip quickly without any concern for the Autobot's arm.

Starscream reached up and hooked a chain to the collar and wrapped the other end around his wrist and started to remove the chains on his door-wings, arms, and legs. Prowl couldn't hold himself up when he was released and fell against the Decepticon. Shifting Starscream lifted the bot up in his arms, he moved to the far corner of the room and set the cruiser down on the floor.

A click and a tile in the floor turned over, the chain was attached to the ground. Prowl's optics looked up there was a lounger next to him. "You may lay, recharge, or sit on the lounger…however if I tell you to move off of it …you would do best to listen." The seeker lifted Prowl's face in his hand "Do you understand?"

"Yes…yes Starscream…" Prowl nodded. Starscream released his face and let him fall to the ground. Prowl couldn't find the strength to get up.

The seeker observed the weak Autobot quietly. "Rest…" For the seeker, it was a simple quiet command. A command Prowl would follow. He reached out as the jet watched and crawled up onto the lounger and collapsed. His optics shuttered and soon the Cruiser was deep in recharge. His door wings flattening down against his back.

Starscream reached down putting Prowl's face in his hand and leaned down close looking him over and smirked. "Stupid Autobot." He whispered and released the mech's face allowing him to lay undisturbed.

Days later; Prowl sat on the lounger quietly watching Starscream. He was feeling significantly better now that he was not suspended from the wall. He was starting to know the drill. The seeker's routine was becoming clear. Prowl never spoke unless spoken to, and even then his answer was usually just "Yes Starscream."

The seeker entered the lab and walked angrily to the lounger "OFF!" he barked. Prowl wasted no time jumping down moving to the side of the lounger. The seeker sat down crossed one leg over the other and started to read a data pad.

Prowl lay on the floor he turned his back to the lounger and pressed his body as close to it as possible. By doing this, his head would be hidden under the arm of the chair and the seeker would not be able to see him. He could recharge or lay without being watched.

"Autobot…" it was quiet but commanding.

Prowl opened his optics and spoke quietly without moving. "Yes Starscream?"

"Energon…" he said offhandedly. Prowl leaned up and crawled forward and reached out with his hand. The collar held him back far enough that he would have to extend his hand to reach it. Starscream touched his datapad and the cabinet unlocked. Prowl leaned forward twisting his arm in an uncomfortable fashion. His fingers grabbed the door of the cabinet and opened it slowly and reached inside grabbing a cube and then shut the door.

Prowl scooted back to the seeker and set the cube on the arm of the chair. Starscream put a hand on his helm "Good…as you were." The seeker released him and took the cube in the free hand. He had never once during the exchange looked at the Autobot.

Prowl lay on the floor and curled up closing his optics. He fought off the defeated feelings that were welling up in his chest. The seeker's arms were long enough, that as he read his arm fell over the side of the lounger; he was petting Prowl's back slowly. Prowl felt like an animal but did not move. The back of the seeker's knuckles ran across his back slowly gently, it was almost endearing the motion and the softness of the touch. Prowl did his best to remain perfectly still.

The seeker knew he could not see the Autobot, and the Autobot could not see him. He smirked and used a thumb on the datapad screen to roll the screen up and started to read the reports that were flooding in from the rest of the Nemesis.

Prowl fell into recharge while the decpticon pet his backstrut.

A Joor later; Starscream had finished the reports. He stood walking to his desk he set the data-pad down. Leaving Prowl on the floor as he stood. He stepped forward and locked the cabinet holding his energon supply. To keep it out out of the Autobot's reach. Knowing how volatile the substance could be; he didn't want it in the cruiser's hands.

Most of his days the autobot was secluded in the corner with just the lounger. Megatron had tied to get Starscream to dispose of the bot. However Starscream found him far more useful as a slave and pet. After fighting with Megatron; the leader of the decpticons had left the decision to Starscream. Starscream intended to keep him.

The decepticon was fond of his pet, submissive, and broken completely. Prowl was not without his rebellious streaks, but Starscream was able to get past most of them with ease. Starscream was not kind, but he was not overly cruel. There was common sense about him even with his temper.

The seeker made his way to the door and looked back, he turned slowly. His better judgment was washed away and he stepped back into the corner. His arms slid down below the Autobot as he knelt, he pulled the body closer and lifted it up into the chair.

"Yes Starscream?" Prowls optics tried to stay open.

"It's nothing…rest…I will be in my room." He said and let the Autobot go and stood finally leaving his lab. Prowl fell back into recharge without another word, nestled into the warm of Starscream's vacated seat.