Notes that ought to help a bit:

Dreadmoon ‘talking’ in bondmode or to himself in the grid - when there’re “these things” around speech, he’s in the grid talking over the speakers. He just does it to nonplus Starscream, mostly.

Starscream ‘talking’ in bondmode or in his head. Believe it or not here, in the fic it does look more like a different font.

 

 

Sweet revenge in midnight blue

 

          Dreadmoon scanned the Watchtower critically. After almost seventeen years it couldn’t be expected to change much, even under Silverflame’s stewardship, but still he scoured the corridors as he strode towards the control centre - drinking in the familiar sights and sounds of Kalis with eager sensors, his footsteps echoing along the walkways as the Tower seemed to resound with the wake of his passing, walls and buttresses whispering to each other in the eddies that their master had returned.

          The footsteps of a stranger didn’t seem to warrant such attention; Starscream’s rapid step raised no such accolades as he kept pace with the Monitor through the long, arching halls, flashes of silver light flowing from his wings and limbs as they passed the only relic of his presence in the Tower, the core staff only glancing at Dreadmoon’s still-familiar tread lancing across their sensor arrays.

          They soon reached the doors to the heart of the Tower, heavily armoured to protect the mind within. Dreadmoon made as if to type in the series of codes needed to gain access to the chamber, then gave a near-inaudible chuckle and thrust his fingers into a series of chinks in the wall. As Starscream looked on, curiosity kicking in, Dreadmoon’s optics flared and he seemed to almost blur slightly as he slipped through the security protocols, entered the maintenance core, accessed the control codes and opened the doors in less than an astrosecond.

          “Very impressive,” Starscream remarked, as the doors slipped open and Dreadmoon returned to himself, “-but I doubt you brought me all this way to show off your skill at opening doors.”

          Dreadmoon’s lip quirked, ever so slightly, but he quelled it before his bondmate noticed.

“True” he said, walking into the room and heading towards his command chair, Starscream following after the monitor locked the door behind them. “When Nimbus contacted me he said there was a problem with the neural network - it wasn’t responding to Silverflame fully. He assured me there were no problems with Silverflame’s re-mod work and he could originally access everything up to the Kaliswall, but recently systems just stopped acknowledging him...” As he spoke, the monitor opened panels on his forearms and plugged in cables connecting to his chair, its base, the floor - Starscream was hard pressed to tell where Dreadmoon started and the chair stopped when the monitor had finished, voice trailing off as he set the last link.

          “So what can you do about it if the system won’t respond to him?” He queried as Dreadmoon settled into his throne. “And where are they?” He demanded, spinning abruptly as he realised the new monitor and his bodyguard were nowhere in sight on any of the considerable screens observing the Tower’s interior. He turned again to see Dreadmoon’s chevron extend over his face, becoming a visor as he partially entered the Kalis grid. “Dreadmoon...”

          A quiet laugh came from the shadowy face under the visor. “Don’t worry Starscream. They are where they need to be.”

          “What do you mean?” The seeker asked uncomfortably, habitual wariness rising despite himself as he tried to get the entire room in his optic field.

          “Don’t worry,” Dreadmoon repeated, the amusement in his tone growing as Starscream glared at him. “I sent them away so I could get this fixed with no interference.”

          “You could have said that before,” Starscream grumbled as he relaxed. Then a thought struck him. “Wait - if you wanted this fixed with no interference, then why did you say you needed me here...?”

 No answer.

 He looked at Dreadmoon more closely and assumed he was fully immersed in the network and didn’t hear. He sighed and wandered towards the monitors, glancing around at the command room with curiosity and casting dubious looks at the prone figure in the chair. Settling himself at a console, he decided to nose around the computer’s databanks and look through any new technology that might have been brought out in his absence. Obviously he couldn’t help Dreadmoon in the grid, but the seeker hated sitting around doing nothing when there was all this up-to-date, fiddly, scientific equipment to pore over - and if he could chance onto something in there that might help Dreadmoon out then so much the better, although Primus only knew how he’d tell his companion about it...

Slouching comfortably in the chair, Starscream set to acquainting himself with the shiny new toys - little knowing that hundreds of sensors in every surface of the room were all quietly tuning to his movements...

 

The shadow of a smile flitted over Dreadmoon’s face as he faintly ‘heard’ Starscream sigh and meander across the room. He’d heard his bondmate perfectly, but had no intention of letting Starscream know that; not yet, anyway. He observed his companion flop into a chair, marvelling at how someone who could be so graceful when he chose could whimsically collapse into a sprawl of jumbled-up limbs at a moment’s notice. 

      He mentally shook himself. Now was not the moment for distraction - even though he’d always loved just watching Starscream...  

No, Dreadmoon admonished himself silently, not yet.

     He moved effortlessly through the sensor arrays of the command room, gradually taking direct control of every monitor, console and piece of equipment - if something were to happen now or a message came through, he’d be able to deal with it without alerting his oblivious partner, busily examining the schematics of the latest geological surveillance satellites on the only monitor Dreadmoon hadn’t ‘possessed.’ Yet. Dreadmoon carefully left the equipment, a faint thread of his consciousness tied in to each machine, and flowed into the controls of sensory arrays crammed into the walls, floor and ceiling... As he watched Starscream devour the information on the monitor, Dreadmoon decided that there was no time like the present. His seeker was totally oblivious to everything around him. Oh, this is familiar he chuckled to himself, faintly aware of the tiny smile spreading over his corporeal mouth through the pale current connecting him to his empty shell. Now let’s just see if I can get your attention, love...

 

Starscream, deep in the inner workings of a land-sea survey probe, didn’t pay much heed to the feather-light ripple that faintly stirred the pressure-sensors in his shoulders. Absently he twitched his wings, for all the world like a horse brushing off a whimsical fly, before shifting to cup his chin in his hands and lean on the console again.

The second time was a little harder to ignore. A trickle of sensation, whispering down his wing as if it was being stroked on the inside by a single, delicate fingertip - a little difficult to miss no matter how deep your concentration was.

Starscream shivered in his seat, sensors flicking to Dreadmoon still prone in his chair. Confused, he gazed around the command centre with a rewarding air of interrupted concentration, the sweetly puzzled expression all the encouragement Dreadmoon needed. With the cyber equivalent of an evil grin, he set about playing his game...

 

Starscream started slightly when he felt lingering fingertips begin to caress his arms - with a knowing smile he leant back in the chair and looked up, expecting to see Dreadmoon gazing down  at him.

His optics widened. The monitor wasn’t there - and yet he could still feel the whisper-light pressure strokes running up and down his arms, tracing lazily over the mounts of his cannons, coaxing delicious ripples from sensors all over...

The seeker shivered and jumped into the air, spinning to scan the room for whoever had dared sneak up on him.  Nobody.  Starscream goggled in amazement. There was no-one there...but...

The invisible ‘fingers’ hadn’t stopped when he moved. Rather they had intensified; skimming further over his arms and shoulders, luring out a soft gasp Starscream couldn’t totally suppress, even more gossamer-light phantom fingertips started tracing the joints and contours of sky-blue hands that jumped in surprise as Starscream held them up in a baffled attempt to uncover what was going on. He tentatively touched a finger to the back of one hand, only to have the microcircuitry around it stimulated beyond anything a single touch could produce. He pulled away but the persistent surges continued their inexorable teasing, abandoning his hands to flicker torturously lightly across his torso and tighten their patterns to a single, solitary shiver of fire tracing its delicious torment down the side of his canopy. This time Starscream couldn’t squelch the soft, shivering moan the persistent attention drew from him; his fuel pump began racing as his energy levels started to fluctuate wildly, systems preparing for bondmode with a non-existent partner...Starscream looked fleetingly at Dreadmoon, trying to work out when, if ever, his companion would leave the Kalisnet and help him work this out.

   The net...

   The seeker’s optics narrowed. Heroically ignoring the crippling waves of sensation and the fevered desire rousing in his core, he flew determinedly, if erratically, towards his comatose bondmate’s shell. The single flame immediately forked and drew out teasing patterns across his torso that left Starscream shaking harder still, but he gritted his teeth violently against the longing whine his vocaliser threatened to let loose.

          “Dreadmoon!”

 

 

The monitor watched his bondmate writhe in the air with considerable satisfaction. It’s inexcusable, really, Dreadmoon mused, that I didn’t think of this little scheme before.

Only a select few knew that the Watchtower’s systems were geared for physical and mental torture - some intimately, at the hands of Dreadmoon’s predecessor. The intricate specialist equipment that allowed monitors to roam through their domains could be turned upon any Transformer - indeed, any cybernetic organism - that aroused displeasure in that region’s ruler, letting them do everything short of turning their victims inside-out. Some had tried that, but the effect was only possible with minds - much to the annoyance of the late Frosttalon, who had always enjoyed pushing forward the boundaries of modern technology.

Still fewer knew that it could be put to yet another use.

     The delicate instruments of the Sixth Sector Watchtower were currently engaged in the most elaborate scheme to torture a mech since Dreadmoon had become monitor. Every piece of equipment, every machine with an output geared to affect Cybertronian systems was drowning Starscream in the most unbearably tantalising, lingering sensations Dreadmoon could come up with- using everything from scramblers to control the seeker’s pressure-sensors and simulate slow, heated caresses all over his bondmate’s plating, to transmitters projecting Dreadmoon’s brain impulses,  sending Starscream concealed tactile simulations of anything the monitor wanted to do to his mate - and Starscream couldn’t even detect what was making his sensors scream.

Despite himself, Dreadmoon was taken by surprise when Starscream turned to glare at his body in the chair - he hadn’t anticipated his companion to work out the monitor was behind his...experiences...for a while yet, and he was a little flustered that he’d miscalculated - still, he could always just move his plan forward somewhat.

As the seeker moved towards his shell, Dreadmoon decided to move onto Plan B. 

 

Starscream landed and stood over Dreadmoon’s body, with a glare he couldn’t quite hold on to as fine-tuned sensors all over his wings began picking up tiny stimuli that hovered just at the forefront of his attention; barely there, but in the seeker’s current state of mind the slightest sensation was agonisingly attention-seeking. 

“Dreadmoon! I know you’re here somewhere, and if you’re doing thi...” He faltered as an almost imperceptible sigh of desire whispered over his wings, the sensation feeding his hunger and totally disrupting his attention “...th...this...” He tried to continue but the glare was breaking up - as was his self-control. “If you’re doing this I know you’re in here and you can hear me! Dreadmoon! Come on...” Starscream wasn’t sure if he meant it as a command or an appeal.

“Something wrong, Starscream?” came over the speakers, the voice alone bringing the seeker out in shivers as he span in the air, looking wildly around as if he could sense his bondmate in the walls and drag him out.

“Yes...no...You know full well what’s wrong! You’re doing it!” Starscream yelled, his patience fraying with his restraint. “This isn’t fair Dreadmoon!” It was a useless thing to say, and both of them knew it.

“Fair?” The monitor purred. “Fair? I wouldn’t say fair - but then it’s not exactly unfair, is it?”

“Stop playing games, for Cybertron’s sake!”

“You’re a fine one to talk about games” Dreadmoon murmured, glad Starscream couldn’t see his grin. “Who started up Stormtag?”

 “That’s not what I meant and you know it!” Starscream had reached the end of his tether and was struggling to hang onto it. Every time Dreadmoon spoke he sent vibrations through the floor - vibrations that simultaneously threw Starscream’s concentration off and rolled through every sensor in his body, sending his tactile awareness soaring and feeding the furious desire flooding his core. Not that the seeker was aware of it of course - all he knew was that every time his bondmate spoke he grew more and more frazzled and frustrated, barely controlling the urge to jump his partner and drag him into bondmode, to hell with the consequences.

“More to the point,” the monitor continued, loving the tense look on Starscream’s face, “who decided to take his bondmate dancing a few weeks ago?”

That managed to hit home in the seeker’s swiftly fogging mind. “Dancing?!...Oh. Oh no - don’t try and tell me you planned this whole thing just to get me up here...” He trailed off as he started to seriously consider the thought. Dreadmoon had managed to manoeuvre him up to Cybertron and into the Watchtower and get rid of the core staff; he’d fooled Starscream completely as well as manipulating him into...   

Any coherent thought vanished as Dreadmoon started to lovingly stroke the seeker’s arms again, sending Starscream rocketing back into a dizzy upward spiral of touch and sensation, the slightest movement on his part leading to Dreadmoon gleefully pouncing and freezing the seeker to the spot with still more irresistible torture, lovers’ pins-and-needles.

Dazedly Starscream managed to sigh, “You...manipulative...sneaky...”

          “I know,” crooned Dreadmoon smugly, turning his slow, deliberate attentions to the seeker’s face and coaxing a long moan from his vocaliser. “Monitors usually are...but I’m the best.” Starscream wasn’t about to argue with that, but he still tried to ruffle his companion’s composure. He staggered back into the air, veering crazily from the fallout of Dreadmoon’s reaction, wings and limbs on fire as he valiantly tried to ignore his bondmate’s admirable perseverance.

          “I could just...leave the...the Tower,” he managed with a shaky grin. “Then what?”

“If you really, really, wanted...to leave,” Dreadmoon murmured in a tone that made Starscream shiver, tracing invisible fingers down the seeker’s chest, igniting the already screaming sensor arrays with a deliberate slow caress that left Starscream gasping and his optics dull “-then I wouldn’t stop you. But...”

          “B...but...what?” his stunned partner barely managed to reply.

“It can’t save you.” Starscream shivered at his tone - possessive, omnipotent monitor-spark. “I could reach you” Dreadmoon said deliberately, savouring the frustration and helpless, burning desire he could sense flooding his bondmate “-anywhere in Kalis, and there is nothing...” his very tone giving Starscream surges as he sent slow, purposeful tendrils of energy creeping over the seeker, the unbearable desire forcing a whimper from Starscream as he barely hung in the air, optics offline.

“-Nothing” Dreadmoon repeated with relish, “you can do about it.”

Starscream moaned and forced his optics back on. Dreadmoon was a little startled but no less gratified at the ferocious, almost mindless lust he saw raging in his companion’s burning stare.

“Get back here Dreadmoon” the seeker growled, hovering over Dreadmoon’s still form like an avenging angel, his entire being shuddering from the fires of unstoppable sensation raging through him and screaming for his devious bondmate.

Dreadmoon ‘grinned’, knowing Starscream would see the shadow of his smile on his still form and get even more worked up. But there was one last thing...

“Of course Starscream” he said pleasantly, deliberately provoking his companion further. “Just as soon as I complete my mission.”

“What miss-”

All of a sudden the sensor arrays in his wings burst into an uncontrollable surge of stimulation, delicately tuned instruments overloading from an intense flare of sensation that threw Starscream’s mind into a whirlwind of tumultuous, astonished hunger that left him reeling, equilibrium lost as his back arched and a wild cry he couldn’t stop tore from his throat.

A quiet laugh trickled from the room’s hidden speakers as Starscream spun dazedly to the floor, weakly drifting as his systems slowly stabilised and reset themselves after the overload scrambled every array he possessed. His feet brushed the floor but completely failed to support him- Starscream just kept floating down, joints gently folding one after the other, until he had peacefully collapsed in a stunned heap on the floor.

Even after he had stared at the ceiling long enough for the soft laughter to fade into an amused chuckle, Starscream had barely regained enough composure to gasp “You...you planned all that, didn’t you? How long did it take you to...when did you come up with this...?”

“Not long after your little flying lesson” came Dreadmoon’s satisfied reply. “It took a little longer to...persuade Silverflame and Nimbus they had to leave the Tower for a while.”

Starscream examined the ceiling for a while longer. After a moment he found his voice again. “You...did all this...” “-For you,” Dreadmoon cut him off as he sat up and disconnected the cables from his arms, moving closer to his unstable bondmate who watched him like a hawk. “I love you, Starscream. I’d do anything for you -” a sly grin crept across his face “- above and beyond the call of duty.”

There.

Starscream lunged up, grabbed Dreadmoon by his wings and pulled him down, the surprised monitor suddenly nose to nose with the seeker. Barely able to keep his voice level, the seeker ground out “...Anything..?” Dreadmoon nodded, hypnotised by the flames of furious desire he’d lit in Starscream’s blazing optics. Pulling himself together somewhat the monitor smirked into the twin crimson infernos, and laid his hands, with primus-awful slowness and deliberately not coming into contact, either side of Starscream’s waist - shifting his weight to glide over the seeker and kneel astride him as his burning companion held onto his wings and stared into his optics, as though Starscream didn’t trust himself to speak. Leaning forward, the smirk growing wider, Dreadmoon hovered possessively over the seeker, bowing a little nearer, an inch closer, shifting oh-so-slowly, until finally his chestplate was barely a breath away from the trembling jet and Starscream was going out of his mind with longing - frozen to the spot like a deer under the hunter’s stare. Dreadmoon bent a little further, optics wicked, and blue chest brushed amber canopy. Starscream shook like a leaf in the wind, a strangled whimper somehow escaping his vocaliser as he jack-knifed into - and nearly pitched off - a very satisfied monitor.

Starscream grabbed Dreadmoon by the shoulders and pulled him down, nuzzling into his neck, his stack of comebacks deserting him as he clung to his bondmate like a lifebelt, adrift in a storm of desperate yearning and delirious with desire, reaching out through their link...

The monitor mentally pulled back, earning himself a look of reproach and frustration he treasured.

“Are you sure you have the power left?” Dreadmoon asked teasingly, flickering his ken out to Starscream’s spark then darting away as his companion snatched at the bond. His reward was an audible snarl as the seeker surged beneath him, exasperation loosing a brief flash of primal programming as Starscream bucked and hurled the monitor over onto his back, the seeker diving onto his partner and flinging them both blindly into bondmode. The last thing Dreadmoon’s optics saw was a wanton, feral smile on Starscream’s face as he growled, “Let’s find out...”

***

Some time later, a certain monitor was lying flat-out on the floor with his contented bondmate snuggled up half atop of him, limbs and fingers entwined as systems recalibrated and recharge beckoned. Not looking up from his lazy, lingering study of Dreadmoon’s fingers, Starscream said, “Well?”

A drained “Mmmh?” was all Dreadmoon could manage. The seeker languorously tried again. I said, well? Did I or did I not have enough power left?

     The tone was more playful over being right rather than demanding, so Dreadmoon replied in kind - as much as he was able. Well... he mimicked, teasing, just about, I think.

Starscream gave a mental snort and made to cuff him, but his hand fell short - not entirely accidentally. He was too comfortable to move, so his hand fell over Dreadmoon’s side and brushed the monitor’s fingers again. Dusk curled around noon and they again fell silent, both contentedly reflecting on the benefits of a well-planned revenge.

I’ll have to pay your surprises back more often, Dreadmoon murmured, fighting a losing battle with recharge- but not really caring.

That’s all it was? Payback? Why, Dreadmoon, I’m hurt.  Starscream snickered. I’ll get you for that.

I’m looking forward to it, the monitor replied, with a languid soulsmile for his mate before falling quietly into recharge. Starscream smiled back - then his optics brightened, and he laughed out loud as a thought suddenly struck him. Dreadmoon gave a mental murmur of complaint but didn’t wake, and the seeker grinned in anticipation as he followed his bondmate into recharge, sending- When you wake up, love, we’re going to have a long talk about us, surprises and Skyfire...

 

 

 

 

THE END.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Revenge’ is © me; Dreadmoon, Nimbus and Silverflame I’ve borrowed from Wayward and Starscream knows who he belongs to. Not me, sadly, but I can dream. Or pay thousands for copyright. Ah, well...