[#136] The Star That Sits Still (Transformers Cartoon G1)

[wickedlittletown]

Theme Prompt: #136 - The North Star 
Title: The Star That Sits Still
Fandom: Transformers Cartoon G1
Rating/Warnings: PG / None
Bonus: No
Word Count: 949 Words
Summary: Jetfire and Starscream are fatefully connected to the North Pole and the North Star

The knowledge about constellations and all the stars in them is as old as the universe. Every species in the universe has their own legends about them. All combined together are probably as countless as the stars in space.

It was surely an interesting topic and Jetfire had fallen down the rabbit hole of the legends about the stars many times. He had told Starscream many of them, mostly on their journey of exploring the universe. It was undeniable fascinating and interesting but for Starscream stars and constellations had only one main purpose: helping with navigating through the endless wideness of space.

 

Rumors about a new life form on Earth had made the round in the universe and reached Cybertron. Jetfire’s blue optics lit up with excitement as he heard that the institute was searching for volunteers to collect data about said species.

“Please, Starscream. You have to say ‘Yes’ and come with me. This is probably a once in a lifetime chance.” Jetfire was talking to his friend for over an hour but Starscream was skeptical. He didn’t wanted to abandon his current project: a new kind of plant that could produce small amounts of Energon under the right circumstances.

 

“Maybe someone else will go with you, Jetfire”. Starscream carefully measured the size of the plant, noticing that it had grown since the last time. “I see it is pointless. I will miss you.” Jetfire replied crestfallen. Starscream pressed his lips together. Jetfire was right, he would miss him as well. Starscream breathed out deeply, wondering if he could create the plant again or find a way to freeze it in time. Starscream turned around. “Fine. You’ve won, dear.”

 

“Look Starscream. This star is called ‘leiðarstjarna’. It has a stable position and I’ve found out that humans can see it. Isn’t that fascinating?” Jetfire remarked, while he pointed at the star, which Starscream only knew under his Cybertronian name and the universal one of ‘stellar polaris’.

 

“Fascinating. Really fascinating.” Starscream didn’t tried to hide the irony. He threw a quick glance at the star and then back to Jetfire. He had crossed his arms in front of his chest, while he waited with a displeased expression for Jetfire to look at him. Astro-minutes passed and Starscream cleaned his throat a bit too loud. Jetfire finally turned his attention back to his friend. “What …? Oh, right. I’m sorry.”
“You have no clue how we can leave this damn forsaken uninhabited area, right? I told we should have undergone an instrument check-up. But no. You said, and I quote you ‘Earth isn’t a dangerous planet.’ Yes, the species here aren’t dangerous but places with temperatures like these are.”

 

“We’ve been to worse places”. Starscream opened his mouth but Jetfire cut him off. “I’ll find a way. I promise but could you please for a moment be the curious scientist and explorer you are?” Jetfire wrapped his arms around him, pulling him into a warm embrace. A little smile appeared on his face and he returned the embrace. “It’s just frustrating. I had expected more from this planet and this new species that is the new talk among scientist in the universe”.
Jetfire concluded that it was wise not to reply and simply held his friend. Deep inside he knew that the temperatures were unpleasant but not dangerous at all. Starscream was just in need of some affection when he was frustrated.

He was acting like a sparkling, deep inside he cursed himself, since he didn’t wanted to ruin the journey for Jetfire, who had looked forward to it. So far it hadn’t been that bad at all. But being lost on an unknown planet was nothing that had been on Starscream’s bucket list for this trip.

Jetfire gently brushed some ice from Starscream’s wings causing them to twitch under his touches. “Give me a minute to update my data about this planet.” Starscream stepped away from him, watched him transform and waited. The icy landscape they had ended up in seemed to be endless. So far his sensors hadn’t picked up any signs of life but who could know what lay beneath the thick layers of ice or in those walls.

“We can be lucky that ‘stellar polaris’ has a stable position. That will be helpful.” Starscream broke the silence. Sure, they could just transform and fly away from this place but this was energy-draining and they couldn’t know if they would succeed in finding any source of energy they could consume anytime soon. Starscream thought about his plant in his laboratory.

“I’m certain I’ve figured out how we can return to …” But Jetfire stopped mid-sentence as he saw that Starscream seemed to be lost in his own thoughts while he was looking at ‘stellar polaris’.

 

The memory of these times long ago faded away and Starscream found himself standing alone in the Arctic night, red optics fixed on ‘stellar polaris’. He had always friendly mocked Jetfire for his interest in human legends about the stars but he had been right: these legends could be interesting.
One was about Polaris marring a woman but she felt from the sky and in grief he just starred down to the ground. This native legend contained parallels to his relationship with Jetfire. They had been more than just friends and just like Polaris he had lost him on that fateful day when they were once more on their way to Earth to explore the North Pole. But unlike Polaris he had tried to find him, with no success. Millions of years later he would find him again and lose him a second time on the same day and this time forever.

Author's Note: For this story we pretend Old Norse is a very ancient language. The legend mentioned in the last paragraph is a native Lakota story.

 

 

Comments

[imhilien]

Nicely written and bittersweet.

[wickedlittletown]

Thank you.

[badly_knitted]

Sometimes you don't know what you have until you lose it. Such a sad enfing.

[wickedlittletown]

You say it.
Sad is what I'm the very best at.

[mxcatmoon]

So sad that he had to lose Jetfire, not once but twice. Sometimes the stars are not so comforting or romantic, but remind us of what we've lost.

[wickedlittletown]

I guess that is why I love these two so much, the bitter-sweet pain of losing someone / stepping someone out of ones life.

Personally I'm very attached to stars as symbol of being a guardian to us and a reminder that there is hope (thanks to Les Misérables - musical). I guess this always shows when I'm writing something that includes stars (doesn't happen that often but it is a returning topic in my writings).