Disclaimer: I don't own TF or any characters. I'm just playing with them!

A/N: New story, based a RP with a friend that prefer not to be named XD I respect her wish! Enjoy!

THOSE NAMED FROM STARS

BY

SUPERMOI

Part 1: Fallen Star

[The City of New Tarn, Cybertron]

Rigel sat on the matte silver slab of his cell, he understood he was in a Decepticon prison though the cell across from him was empty and he didn't hear shouting or bodies moving. The place seemed very empty. He had always been told he was protected by a set of laws made between the two sides, laws upheld by the Tyrest Accord yet here he was and he didn't feel particularly safe. Someone should have come to get him but if the war was lost, then who would come? The only offspring of Optimus Prime touched blue fingers to the front of his silver face plate and tried to make better pictures form in his head.

All he could think of was how badly he wished his face mask would form over his entire face, covering his optics, hiding that he felt very small even though he had been told he was big for his age. You will be strong and you will preserve, I know this because you're part of me, he heard his father in his head and it instantly made him feel better. A mute nod followed, I will be father.

[Meanwhile]

Megatron paced. He had two constants- anger and Optimus Prime. Now he had one, anger. That anger was hot in his brain though he could see clearly yet even able to outline what was going on and his options he felt that old need to beat Starscream coming up. The wrong was so unbelievable that he couldn't convince himself grinding a foot down on one of Starscream's wings would make anything alright.

At some point Starscream and Optimus Prime…

And at some point this child came…

A child he now had locked up in his custody. "And you accused me of refusing to die," He growled, speaking to some ghost of Prime still lingering in his mind. He wanted to kill the sparkling. Quietly. Yet even he hesitated to take the life of a Cybertronian child. The boy would be seen as a symbol of hope, someone to rally around in the future or… he would have to actually devote time to this sparkling and make sure the child's love of Optimus and Autobots was thoroughly replaced with better things. Still risk remained. Starscream.

Megatron stared at the space where his Seeker would have been standing if he were here and narrowed red optics.

He pressed a single button on his computer system and screens popped up, "Starscream," He sent a comm message directly to him. "I need to speak to you now." It was not a request and he didn't wait for a response, there was no response needed. He would report to him and they were going to have this talk. He went to the window and put his arms behind his back, holding one wrist, and staring out at the new city and waited for Starscream to show up.

(Starscream's residence)

The seeker was worried.

This kind of emotions wasn't one he welcomed with open arms. Something was nagging at the back of his mind. Something that had to do with Optimus Prime. With that couple days of intense passion they had once shared, before Earth and all that madness. With what might have come out of it. But he was being paranoïd, there was no way... Optimus Prime wouldn't have kept a child secret from one of its creator! he wouldn't... would he? It was NOT knowing that was making his fidgety and irritable. Optimus's face danced in front of his mind's eye, almost accusing, as if pointing a finger at him for not doing what was right. He wished this ghost would leave him in peace...

The seeker paced, and he had locked himself in his lab/office to do so. He needed a clear mind, he needed to sort things out, and most of all... he needed to get his priorities in order. he grumbled, it was so complicated. He had sparklings to deal with, and the very young little ones were very demanding, they were at that age where they constantly needed attention and stimulation, and to be watched over to avoid accidents and mischief. Thundercracker was taking good care of them while he was busy or in one of /those/ moods. He praised Primus everyday for having finally found his mate, the one that was really made for him for all eternity. he had once thought it could be Optimus, but the Autobot Leader had made it clear, after the facts, that he wanted nothing more to do with the unstable, emotionally challenged seeker.

And Megatron...

Starscream hissed and bristled at the mere thought of the hated name. How he had suffered under the so-called 'love' of this monster. Megatron was utterly incapable of love. He was a fool to ever even think he may be able to change that fact. Even after they conceived the triplets, Megatron still was abusive and possessive, almost deadly so. he had left in the end, it was for the best, but Megatron wasn't one to take 'no' for an answer... he pursued him, threatened him, even beat him to try and gain back his submission, but Starscream made something clear: he would NEVER abandon his sparklings for the tyrant's sake. And Megatron wanted nothing to do with them. So their relationship became cold and professional, but old hurts and bitterness dies hard, and live long.

"Starscream" Megatron's voice through his comlink almost made him jump. "I need to speak to you now."

Starscream groaned, what now? But making the warlord wait was ill-advised, and he left immediately to go to his residence and see what he wanted.

(An hour later)

Starscream landed on the Landing pad at the top of the tower Megatron made his after they returned to Cybertron. The new Lord of Cybertron wanted things made grand and look powerful. Starscream just thought it was a disgusting show of ego-boosting. Megatron was probably in his 'throne room' inside and waiting for him.

Starscream hated that place. He quickly made his way there, and entered the room, seeing Megatron facing the wide window and his back was to him. "You called for me, my Lord?" Better not stroke the slagger's ego a little...

Megatron didn't turn right away. His room was oval shaped and near carved with black metal, the edges glossy and new with bits of red poured along lines as if the very metalwork bled. He watched new Tarn and was more than aware Starscream had finally showed up. He didn't bother to turn around, not right away, he didn't want Starscream to think he cared enough to take in the sight of him. So he spoke at the window, "You did something nine years ago Starscream and I started to wonder about the warped sense of vengeance you had in mind at the time. Then I pondered what kind of brain-parasite infected Prime to the point he would stoop low enough that you could reach him but then I realized," He turned and walked at Starscream. The front of his chest proudly displaying his Decepticon mark with waving lines coming from both sides in a simple design, he still had minor dings from the war because to him they were as part of him as his spark. To be without any dents was for politicians. "You were so close to perfect Starscream and now look at you," He saw little he liked anymore in his second-in-command. "I should reassign you to be nothing but a breeder, so you can walk around like a bloated metal corpse left in the sun for the rest of your backstabbing life. You've reminded me how you will bond with anyone or anything. Perhaps that should be your function? A genetic canister. We'll start with Thundercracker and move through high command until you've given a sparkling to every relevant member of the entire army," He sneered. "Tell me what happened between you and Prime or I swear on our victory over the Autobots I will make my previous statement a reality for you." He stopped with a little space between them. Megatron's optics fixated and mouth tightened into a silver line, slightly frowning on both ends.

He hated knowing Starscream had done something with Prime behind his back and it wasn't the behind his back part it was that it was with Optimus Prime. Again you remind me how close I have to watch you, every moment of every day because you are always planning, Megatron thought.

Starscream's dread mounted as Megatron talked, and he couldn't help the shudder that coursed through his entire body at the thought of being a breeder for the entire Decepticon's High Command. He wracked his mind trying to remember what he did nine years ago that could only now incur Megatron's wrath. Nine years ago... They were on Earth, at a very tense and slow moment during the war. Both sides at a stalemate. And Starscream did as he always did best, whatever he fragging wanted. Meaning he went out on his own often and never returned until he felt like it. he could never stand long periods of innactivities. His optics narrowed at Megatron's words, and finally he retorted, voiced laced with anger and no small amount of worry. "What are you trying to say, Megatron? There had never been ANYTHING between me and Prime!" he spat, arms crossed defiantly over his cockpit, glaring at the larger Warlord.

There had been nothing... Nothing but that one night stand. Was it what Megatron was talking about? How could he even discover it?! A very uneasy feeling started to rise in the pit of Starscream's stomach and he tried to hide his sudden fear.

Megatron lifted his chin, proud and powerful, the red lights of his chamber blushed his silver tones with an odd red afterglow. He moved past Starscream, almost close enough to brush a wing. "It seems I have everything wrong Starscream, you will have to find it in yourself to forgive my assumption," He said, though he knew well enough that Starscream was not being upfront. He dragged a hand along a black counter without anything resting on it. "Optimus has a sparkling," Megatron tilted his head slightly. "The boy looks a bit like you and I wrongly thought you were related but now that I know you're not I can go ahead and kill the bastard of Prime without any further discussion." He flicked his hand towards the door. "You can leave. You've proven yourself useless to me yet again."

Starscream froze, his mind locking on those few words. Optimus had a sparkling. Nine years of age, looking a bit like himself. There was no mistaking where the child came from, and Starscream, understandably, felt a rush of emotions like hope, desire to know, to see, to feel the little one for himself. To make sure it was indeed his... but what else could it be? Impulsively, he lifted a hand to stop Megatron from leaving, from doing the unthinkable and killing what might be his sparkling. he didn't consider the consequences He had to know... "Megatron wait! I..." He gulped and bowed his head slightly in a show of submission. "I haven't been 100% honest with you. There had been something. It lasted for but a night, I never thought anything more of it! Never thought that a sparkling... had been the result." He was slightly bitter at the end, resenting the now deceased Autobot Leader for never telling him. "Don't kill the sparkling, Megatron. It... might be mine."

Megatron turned sharp and stepped close, allowing the his chest to bump the smaller bot's as he tilted his chin down just enough to put his nose close to Starscream's. Red optics so bright, tiny details beneath swirling as they focused in on the Seeker, "Behind my back." His deep voice rumbled, thick Tarnish accent creating a tone unique among his kind. A single silver finger reached for the underside of Starscream's chin, a slight tilt would lock their lips but Megatron held back, allowing Starscream the choice to allow the tilt or to deny it. He expected nothing but he liked the game, just to breathe in a little submission from Starscream made fans begin to hum in him.

He was angry but he already knew he had every bit of control here. He had learned the hard way that Starscream was one of those bots who bonded heavily to his young and knowing this, Megatron smirked slowly. "Tell me, Seeker, what would you do in my position? You have put in me a place, haven't you? Allow the child of Prime to grown and possibly turn out like Optimus, one who will give hope to the hopeless and threaten everything we have accomplished. You know as well as I do the child should die but to kill the sparkling of Starscream," He rumbled a dark sound in his throat. "All of the rage you instill in me aside, this life is part of you and I cannot simply disregard that so here we are. So tell me what you would see done?"

As expected, Starscream pulled his head away with an expression of barely contained disgust. The close proximity made him on edge, he expected anything from Megatron. He had learned to expect the worst from this mech, and that wouldn't change now. His touch made him shudder, but it wasn't in any kind of want or pleasure. Megatron utterly disgusted him. "All you always did was abuse me." Starscream hissed back, his wings stiffening, perking in defiance. "At least Optimus Prime treated me like a sentient mech, not a toy to be played with and discarded!" He took a couple of steps back, his entire posture screaming of his disgust and hatred swirling just under the surface, hardly concealed emotions playing on his features.

Starscream's expression morphed to one of concern and fear for the little one he hadn't even seen yet and still cared about. "Of course you would steep so low as to kill an innocent child, Megatron. You would've killed your own sparklings if I hadn't had the strength to leave before you did!" he took a deep intake, and calmed himself, he had to keep a clear, cool head here. His sparkling's sake was at risk. "Give him to me, my Lord! Give the child to me and I'll make sure he is raised in a perfectly Decepticon's way!"

"All you always did was abuse me."

Megatron laughed, "How many times do we have to do this?" He stopped laughing abruptly. "You were a warrior Starscream, proud and brutal, you knew how to get done what was required and I had such hopes. I knew you would overthrow me someday, I knew you were the only other bot with the drive to shadow me but you failed. You continually failed. You failed to secure your desire because you tip backward into these pathetic emotional states. You were born wounded, your crown is bent, and all of your failures are your own. We demand our own treatment and you asked to be treated like a toy. You are comfortable being treated like a toy. You want me to treat you like a toy and all of your whining, tantrums, and flawed plotting continue to tell me you want exactly what you have been given."

"Of course you would steep so low as t kill an innocent child, Megatron. You would've killed your own sparklings if I hadn't had the strength to leave before you did!"

"How dare you back away from me," Megatron said. "Do you want me to beat you into a crumpled pile of scrap?" He demanded, voice spiking. Then he saw the switch, the moment where he saw Starscream's worry sneak in but he read the fear as well and felt something in him click back to before the war. To the first time he saw Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp. How he had dismissed the Seeker's obsession with his fights in the gladiator pit until Starscream had noticed a weakness in his fighting style, it was then Megatron realized the extent of Starscream's want to bond to him. "Anything born of you is not innocent, that is certain, and a child of Optimus Prime is not something I will be taking lightly. Consider for a moment how dead the boy would be if your statement was even remotely accurate," He growled some at the end. Of all things it was Starscream's last statement that sent him over the edge. He turned to a nearby table and put a fist into it, black metal crying out around him as it gave beneath the force. "HOW CAN YOU RAISE ANYTHING IN A PERFECTLY DECEPTICON WAY!" Megatron started at Starscream, set to thrash him.

Starscream jumped at the abrupt change in Megatron's mood, and deftly jumped back and out of his way. They had danced that dance so often, they knew the moves perfectly... 'Frag, I'm scrapped...' Starscream thought, dodging the warlord once, but he knew that if Megatron was bent on sending him to the medbay in pieces, he would end up there. he was never strong enough to resist and Megatron knew it well. He had always fooled himself thinking he could be stronger, could beat Megatron at this game. He always lose in the end, and ends up the sore loser. That's probably why he never succeeded in overthrowing Megatron. As hard as he tried, as much as he wished, it, wanted it, his resolve was obviously not strong enough. And now, again, he had managed to set Megatron off, managed to put himself in the position of the punching bag.

So he turned to the solution that always worked for him in the past, and spared him to end up dead. He begged. Ego be damned, Megatron would pay for all those humiliations one day. "Megatron, please! I didn't mean to undermine your authority!" he ducked another attempt and was now backed against the window panes at his back, his wings only half a meter from the cold surface. he was faster than Megatron, he could probably dodge him a few more times, but then he'll be right back at square one and would've lost his only chance to save a child of his. He was truly a failure through and through... "My Lord, mercy! I will do as you wish!"

Megatron brought his palm up in a trained strike, hitting Starscream's forehead so his head knocked back against the window and seamlessly pulled the flyer forward as his system was reeling from the whack backward. "Everything you say furthers my disappointment in you," He made sure the Seeker fell onto his back and was quick to step over him and crunch his foot onto Starscream's right wing, leaving a stamp behind as if Megatron had settled his foot in snow. "Mercy Starscream?" He straddled Starscream with his larger form. "Mercy is for those who do not lead and who make no laws," Megatron pressed his index finger along Starscream's undamaged wing and left behind another indent, pressing hard and feeling the way his sensitive wings carved like warm alloy. He dragged, pressed, and turned until Cybertronian characters began to form clearly across the front middle of his wing. He stopped only when the word whore was spelled out.

The word finished, he turned his fist into the pretty black face that he loved and when pink blood began to flow from beneath Starscream's right optic, slipping down the curve of his cheek, Megatron hummed a sound of enjoyment. His fans kicked on hot and his system ran warm, grumbling within him. Ah, my beauty…he thought.

He stared at Starscream's mouth and leaned down, licking a silver tongue up his cheek and over the line of fluid. Familiar. Still want churned in him but it was old. "You are going to leave these marks on your wings until I say otherwise. If you have them repaired I'll have you thrown in with the Autobots, I will grind the Decepticon marks from your wings, and I will have control over our children. I will see you erased, Starscream. I'm finished allowing you so much freedom, you walk this new city- my city, as if you have beaten me. You boast that you have found strength and this allowed you to leave me," He squeezed Starscream's face, forcing his lips to pucker. "You were in your best place of strength when you had my favor. Now you have my tolerance. I allow you to be with Thundercracker. I allow you to have our children as your own without my interference. I allow you to talk." He let go of his face. "I allow you to exist in the manner you do Starscream. If I wanted you, you would be here. I don't want you. I've found better toys, as you like to say. One who is not a backstabbing, cheating, emotionally broken, used Seeker Slut like you. You must be so stretched and loose, I'm surprised Thundercracker even knows when he'd inside you. You're not the beautiful brilliant creature I so loved at my side," He traced a few fingers along Starscream's cheek in a gentle touch. "And you were…" His voice calmed. "You were so beautiful..." He lifted his hand but stayed straddled on the Seeker, his greater weight keeping Starscream pinned on the floor.

Through the beating and belittling, Starscream let out cries and yelps of pain, especially when his oh so sensitive wings were assaulted. He tried to wiggle free, kicking his legs but not having enough momentum to dislodge his tormentor. "Megatron! Stop!" He cried, begging, but the warlord wasn't to be moved by words. he felt every lines he carved on his wing and his shame just went skyrocketing, his optics watering despite themselves and his cheeks blushing deep red. He turned his face away until Megatron took a hold of his face and turned it back to face him, but his optics stayed averted, turned away, refusing to acknowledge the torture he was put through y that abusive monster yet again. When Megatron let go he snarled, his fangs showing and his optics glowing in a show of defiance despite his very vulnerable position. "The only way I could have power was when I was groveling for your attention! When I think that I loved you at a point, that I desired your company... I was a fool, and I should've never let you wrap me in your lies!"

Maybe this wasn't the wisest thing to do, taunt your enemy when you were pinned under him, but Starscream had just had enough. he was certain that he had already lost that child Megatron was speaking about, and that the warlord was merely toying with him as ever. just to see him beg and grovel at his feet for some mercy for the child. Oh how he hated that mech. He hated him with such a burning passion that it was consuming him like the fires from the Pit. Thundercracker had been so good to him after he left that monster, and to hear him belittle his lover, his mate, like that was what made him snap. He could deal with insults being thrown at himself, but not at his loved ones. not at his loyal, precious, perfect Thundercracker. "You allowed us to be together you say? Thundercracker has more worth as a lover and partner that you ever did, Megatron! Do not insult him! You can beat me, throw insults at me and even rape me if you so wish, but leave him out of this squabble!"

"It's happening again," Megatron watched him intensely. "That sound, that grading scratchy whining noise that comes when you open your mouth." He backhanded the Seeker's cheek as if he were an unruly child. "Do not speak to me about Thundercracker," He ordered. "You continue to miss the point. I am in charge. I am the living heart of what it is to be a Decepticon while your name is snickered when your back is turned- Screamer. I never promised you a loving partnership, I promised you glory and power and I delivered it to you. It is your own fault that these things have left you, not mine. The unworthy lover between us has always been you. Let this unholy union with Prime be a testament to how pathetic you are. Now..." Megatron rubbed his thumb hard across Starscream's bloody mouth, "I'm going to bounce you on my spike until you whine my name, until you like it and hate yourself for liking it." He stood up but delivered a kick into Starscream's midsection that left a thick wa-thunk echoing in the room and grinned down at his Seeker with a boot-print on one wing and whore written on the other, or pressed, more accurately. Megatron almost laughed at the sight and walked over to the windowsill where he could sit, which he did. He leaned back against the large window to the dark backdrop of nighttime Tarn, the city a black towering creature emerging from the scarred ground of Cybertron once more. Megatron beckoned Starscream to come to him. He was still attracted to hurting him, something about this tug-and-pull drove a hot needle into the back of his head and he felt his spike pressing against his groin plating. He drummed fingers over his blocky abdomen, "Does Thundercracker like being a nurse maid for my offspring? Come here Seeker. As you're doing nothing of value, you might as well be heavy with child as it is the only profession that suits you." He had no intention of such but enjoyed the words nevertheless. He saw Starscream as being weak for ever being pregnant in the first place, some part of it disgusted him at the same time it fascinated him… as if it was yet another flaw exposed. He had not yet come to a conclusion if this flaw was in him or in Starscream but given the existence of another sparkling, Megatron now was sure Starscream was simply a fertile or life-giving Cybertronian.

Starscream had deflated in defeat, knowing Megatron had won this round again, and that his only choice to get away with his freedom at this point was to grovel some more and submit to the stronger one. He laid on the floor where he was still sprawled for several minutes, a hand on his stinging cheek and his optics dimmed to deep burgundi ambers. Eventually he found the strength to push himself up and stand, but did not come to Megatron right away. He still clung to his pride like a lioness to her catch, fiercely and with fangs and claws. Slowly, very slowly, he took a few steps forward, his hand falling from nursing his cheek, wincing at the pain wracking his wings and his helm where it hit the glass. "Thundercracker love them, and treat them as his own..." he answered in a dull voice, submission and defeat lingering there. "Tell me just one thing Megatron. That sparkling you talked about... Is it a lie or is it alive?" He closed the last distance between himself and Megatron and stood in front of the warlord, looking at him with kind of hopeful optics, yet wary and angry at the same time. He would take that humiliation and then he would leave, hoping never to return. maybe there was no child after all, and this was just some elaborate way to punish him that Megatron had come up with. To teach him one of those so-called lesson he seemed to think he deserved for merely speaking up his mind. He bristled however at the idea of that mech touching him in such a manner, and he suddenly jumped back, edging towards the exit, unwilling to submit to that again, reminiscing times where he would have willingly laid down and take the pain and pleasure if it meant having the undivided attention of Megatron.

"Only one thing to ask Starscream? How unlike you," Megatron said with dulled sarcasm. He didn't say anything as he watched his Seeker inch towards the exit, he stared, not a finger twitching. He waited for the moment when Starscream would turn and spoke. "His name is Rigel Pax and he is very much alive," Megatron lifted his chin in wonder, taking in the other. "He addresses everyone as sir, he is respectful, calm, and freakishly mature for his age," He stomped his feet onto the black floor and stood, shoulders back. He had the dead cold expression of a commander, whatever he had decided was done and no force on Cybertron would sway him. Starscream's last and continued resistance sealed his mind.

"It all goes back to the Gladiator pit, doesn't it? I think it's fitting, your sparkling will live or die in the very place you first loved me. If he can survive thirty seconds against me I allow him to live and if he lives he will be schooled and he will be built as I see fit," He made his way at Starscream. "And Primus help both of you if this child so much as lifts his chin in pride at the mention of Autobots or Optimus. For each infraction I'm going to put him back in the pit against me with another 30 seconds added onto the time." Megatron lifted a hand and flicked his wrist, indicating he wanted Starscream to move out of his way so he could leave. "We're going to the pit," A place that was always near him, one way or another. The original long gone but it had been rebuild in space crafts, on moon bases, all over the universe and now, again, in the sublevels of the spire that was his command center in new Tarn. "Attempt to act like a Decepticon while I trash your boy, 30 seconds against Megatron for the child of Starscream and Prime, both bots I can beat witless and watch walk away. Maybe I should up it to 60 seconds, given his parents." He was going to put the sparkling in the pit with him and he was going to engage him but he wouldn't kill him. This was more to shake Starscream up but it was also to shake the child up. He wanted to make an impression for them, a bonding experience in absolute fear and maybe the child would impress him as a part of Megatron longed to see Optimus boil forth in this new life, such a great Cybertronian to have been wasted on all the wrong ideas… perhaps it could be rectified through the boy.

Starscream couldn't believe what he was hearing. His optics widened slightly, and his mouth opened in shock. "But... Megatron, he's just a sparkling! How do you suppose he could survive in the Pit against you?! This is pure cruelty and nothing more!" he walked swiftly to keep up with the larger mech's stride as they descended into the bowels of the tower, toward the Gladiatorial Pit that Megatron had had rebuilt when they first came back to Cybertron. His relief at having escaped a worst punishment was quickly washed away by the cruel, unforgiving words of the warlord. That spark of anger, of rebellion that characterized Starscream throughout the war was back, shining brighter than it had in years. "I'll fight you! Don't make him fight you, he's not ready! He's not old enough! He'll die!" His protective instincts had kicked in and he wanted to protect that sparking that he didn't even know existed just two hours ago.

Another part of him, smaller and less vocal, was almost eager to see the child and what he was capable of. He wanted to have a good impression of him and see if he had the spark of a fighter, like himself and Optimus. Even if it could be nursed to be brighter, fiercer, to make any self-respecting Decepticon proud. However, he didn't wanted the child wasted, molded and twisted to become just another Megatron. It would kill him a little inside if this child he hadn't known yet ended up with the same cold, unforgiving, hateful attitude as Megatron, and sneered and belittled him for any slightest mistake. he would never forgive himself if that was to be the child's - Rigel's - fate.

Megatron paused to swoop his upper body towards Starscream, nearly touching noses as he leaned. "Stop whining. This is for both of you. Stop to appreciate this situation. You, the one who has repeatedly tried to overthrow me. You, who harbors never-ending disdain. You, who thinks of me as a child killing heart in darkness. And Prime. Optimus Prime. Allowing this sparkling to live should be a fleeting thought yet it has become reality, against all logic and preservation I do this for you." He straightened. "But I do it carefully. I want both of you to understand," He walked through sliding doors and stepped out onto the circular ring of his reconstructed pit. "This is my world." He gestured to a sparkling standing off-center, several yards in front of them. Rigel was already in the pit. Megatron had decided this was where things would end even before he called Starscream to his personal quarters.

Rigel wasn't sure what was going on. He'd been moved from his cell to this place, the boy thought it looked like a training ring but had never heard of a gladiator pit or anything similar before. He had his head tilted down looking at some fluids spilled on the floor that hadn't been cleaned and had been mulling over if it was blood or his mind playing tricks on him when another door opened. It started him some but he recovered quickly. "Hn," He made an uneasy sound as two bots stepped in. He recognized Megatron because everyone knew who Megatron was but not the bot with him. The sparkling rolled his shoulders back to try to look taller than he was bravery and control, bravery and control, the child pep-talked in his head.

Rigel came up to Starscream's hip if they stood side-by-side. He had Optimus's head, silver face plate slide over whatever gray features were beneath and also the build of Prime, the same shoulders, hips, and legs down to his knees where his form suddenly became Starscream. This followed a similar theme at his arms, Optimus cutting off at the elbow to become solid blue forearms and hands. His chest was Starscream's and Seeker wings were held high behind him. He was big for nine but tiny for a Cybertronian and blue optics focused on the doorway.

Megatron waited for the sparkling to fall apart as fully grown bots hundreds of thousands of years in age would cower and choke in his shadow but the child did what Megatron expected of Optimus, not the masses, he lifted his chin ever so slightly in an acknowledgement of some sort. "Do you know who I am?" He walked at the child, absolutely expecting some kind of breakdown or attack or pathetic appeal from Starscream. He knew the way the Seeker had been about their babies before they were even born and he doubted his Seeker's bond would be any less with this sparkling actually he hoped for it. He hoped for a massive breakdown in any form, he hoped he could trash Starscream in front of his son and show both of them they were beneath him. Hopelessly beneath him. He wanted father and child to be afraid.

"Yes sir." The child's voice was more Optimus but young. He had not the hardened vocals of adulthood but maybe, long years from now, he would have his father's deep confident voice. For now he had a clear tone, it was not squeaky or high pitched, but still that of a child. Rigel was trying to look between both of these bots he didn't know and even with his nerves starting to rise he stayed where he was. He wanted to stare at the flyer more because he was familiar, physically but also a feeling kept rubbing around his spark- as if he knew him. Rigel knew better than to take his optics off of Megatron yet… that flyer, the child thought. In the time it took Megatron to take three steps the boy could feel the bond and it won over being defensive about approaching danger. Rigel stared at the Seeker, spark humming oddly in his chest telling him he needed to go to this person, be closer, that things would be okay so long as he could reach him. The need to be near hit the boy hard, especially after being alone in a cell for several weeks. Without words Rigel knew, parts of him that matched this bot and the feeling… this was no stranger. This person was important, so important. "Father?" The child peeped nervously.

Megatron smirked. How beautifully strange these bonds were between children and their parents. He had never had the chance to experience it with his own yet he couldn't say that he felt nothing for the triplets. He was aware of them, always, even when he was not close to them yet Rigel rather quick ability to identify the bot who had contributed to his CNA surprised Megatron. To get to Starscream required walking past him or around him as the ring was large enough but the boy moved forward, still young enough to not expect to be pummeled by an adult and caught up in the feeling of safety produced by the very sight of Starscream. Megatron crossed his arms, he'd let the child go to Starscream, he'd let the boy begin to link that parental fire in his Seeker so the brawl he was going to force onto them would be spectacular, at least, Megatron hoped. The idea of pulling a child from Starscream's arms caught Megatron hard, perhaps he wouldn't even touch the child when he could mutilate Starscream's sense in being able to protect his own child. What would possibly be a worse feeling than that? He never thought such an opportunity would arise and to have Starscream in this position almost made Megatron's anger at the idea of him with Prime slip away.

Rigel's face plate parted in the center and slide away on both sides of his head, revealing a sweet face that was gray and more Optimus than Starscream though the boy had inherited Star's beautiful mouth. "I know you. I w-w-would know you any-anywhere!" The nine year old put out blue hands, optics oddly positive in light of all of the loss and fear the boy had to have been sitting in. Rigel felt relief for the first time since the loss of the war and his father had wounded him in a way that left him quiet and unable to find his words. He had been stuttering since Optimus died.

Starscream shut his mouth but couldn't silence the fear and worry in his spark, emotions that were growing and getting stronger as they reached the Pit. he had known Megatron was telling the truth but to now see the child with his own optics, it made his spark leap forwards towards the small form on the other side of the arena. This was just another of Megatron's twisted idea of a lesson, for him and for his child both, and he was dreading what was to come next. he wanted to throw himself at Megatron's feet and beg him to spare the child, to leave him alone and take it out on him instead. he was half a mind away from doing just that. How was that fair, or even just, to submit a child to that kind of pain and horror? He could never get himself to understands Megatron's thought pattern anymore.

The sparkling looked strikingly like Optimus prime, with the same built, faceplates and general way of holding himself. However, his seeker heritage was also obvious in his wings and thruster heeled feet, as well as the air vents on his blocky shoulders. And he looked at Megatron not with fear as could be expected, but with something like recognition and maybe even a hint of childish bravado. Starscream just hoped it wouldn't go further than that. The warlord was easy to tick off. There was no mistaking who the child's parents were however, as he had traits from both Starscream and Optimus Prime in him. More of Prime, though, as Starscream could clearly see. it made his spark clench painfully to see that child he had help create for the first time ever, knowing he'd been purposefully hidden from him all these years.

When Megatron walked up to the child, Starscream almost jumped right in his path to stop him, nearly lost it, he fully expected the cruel mech to pummel his child into dust right in front of his optics to teach him another fragging lesson of his. He did took a step forward and lifted a hand, dread and fear in his voice when he spoke, his tone begging, pleading. "Megatron, please, leave him alone! Don't hurt the child!" He hated being reduced to this... He had a strong bond with the triplets, and he was already feeling the strength of the bond that could fully develop between himself and Rigel. The child didn't even reach Megatron's hips! he was so tiny and fragile-looking in the warlord's shadows! how could he survive any kind of encounter with the tyrant in his own domain?! He couldn't let that happen. he would fight fangs and claws for his child!

When the sparkling reached him, he fell to his knees, and instinctively he embraced him in a loving, fatherly embrace, wrapping both arms around the smaller, lither frame and holding him to his chest. "Yes... yes Rigel, I am your father." he answered the child's stuttered words with a smile, his optics too bright as he was holding back tears. his spark felt fuller brushing against the young one of his sparkling and the feeling was stronger as they were in close proximity. "I know, I know, and I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you. I'm glad that I have found you at last, Rigel." Starscream was no fool though and he was keeping a wary optic on Megatron over his son's shoulder, expecting anything. he let go and pushed him away holding him at harm's length to get a good view. he was a handsome little sparkling, like his creators, and he would become only more so as he grow older he was sure.

Rigel smiled through the hug and continued to smile when Starscream held him at arm's length and looked at him, he straightened up as much as he could so he would look taller. He felt this way when Optimus was able to spend time with him, the ease of being close, the happy hum of his spark but he had so few moments with Optimus that were not through comm calls or holograms. He actually be hugged was wonderful. Rigel shook his head slightly at the apology noticing his father's face was recently injured and a footprint dented one wing while the other had Cybertronian characters that spelled, "Whore?" The boy read, then realized what he had said. He looked unsure, clearly that wasn't something to display proudly. Someone did that to him, did that awful mean thing…

"What hap-happened?" Rigel asked, as if he had some power to make it right and the child touched a hand to his father's black cheek as if the marks pained him.

"Megatron happened." The silver Lord said roughly.

Rigel looked over a wing at this, optics brighter. "Why?" He asked, not demandingly but with dislike, confusion, the very idea was so foreign and harsh.

"He made a mistake, several of them." Megatron grinned. He looked at this young Optimus and while he hated it, he also felt a connection. He had tangled for so long with Optimus that his best and worst memories involved him, that thousands of years of thought had been devoted exclusively to him. Then throw Starscream in. His two constants. His two favorites.

Rigel face plate slide and clicked over the front of his face as he looked up at Megatron from his close embrace with Starscream, "Don't hur-hurt my father-r, hur-hurting people loyal to yyyyou is the same as p-p-p-putting spoiled fuel into your s-s-s-system, sir." Something he had heard Ratchet say once.

Megatron locked optics with Starscream but spoke to the child. "We're going to handle this like Decepticons Rigel. Have you received any instruction in combat?"

"A l-l-little sir." Rigel answered.

"All you have to do is survive thirty seconds against me," Megatron stated. "And you get to be with Starscream."

"Uhnn…" The sparkling stepped back some, his small wings and back bumping into Starscream as fear finally showed. The child's optics were round and bright, trying to figure out if this was really happening. He realized Megatron had killed Optimus, already hurt Starscream, and was now going to trash him and what could be done about it hadn't yet come to the boy.

"You should put as much distance between us as possible before I start counting." Megatron growled.

Rigel felt cords in his throat clenching and he struggled to produce sound in his vocals, "Y-y-y-you w-w-won?" His stutter began to come through in his nerves and longer sentences. He had hoped until now he was wrong but this confirmed it. If Optimus lived this wouldn't be so, none of it. He was here because his father really was gone, he was here with Megatron and Megatron was the same bot who killed Optimus. The sparkling felt the cold horror of knowing this same adult had beaten his father, the unblemished image of Optimus as a shining star dimmed behind Megatron's eclipse. Rigel was still innocent enough to be slow to abandon hope and slower still to accept that Optimus had… had… had failed.

Megatron squeezed one hand, feeling joints click. "What do you think?" He lowered his palm as if he had something resting in it. "Look here Rigel." This was the bait to lead into the thirty seconds, to lure this child literally into his palm. Megatron stared at Starscream, it was the Seeker he really wanted. He wanted Starscream to come apart on his knees in front of his child or attack him so he could give him one of those punishments Megatron actually thought Starscream liked.

"I'll protect you father." Rigel tipped his chin up in pride, stand tall Rigel, almost everything can be taken from you but your will. As long as you have this, you will never be defeated, he heard Optimus in his head. He went to move a blue foot forward.

"Please do," Megatron rumbled in his chest, flushing red light along thin details inlaid on his body. His optics blazed, blushing red on the high points of his cheeks. "Come little son of Prime, protect Starscream." He was delighted and intrigued.

As soon as Megatron started to really threaten Rigel, Starscream couldn't hold it back, and the fierce, savage warrior that he was resurfaced with a vengeance. With a shriek of rage, he jumped to his pedes and between his son and Megatron, putting his body between him and the warlord. It had been painful enough to see the realization of what Megatron had done to him and to his father bloom in the child's optics, he wouldn't let him trash his son without doing something against it as well! He held a hand in front of the little one, but his narrowed, angry, fierce red optics never left Megatron. His voice held a bravado, a determination that made it cutting as steel despite its screechyness. "Stay back, Rigel! I will not let him hurt you." Then his attention was back on Megatron and he snarled, baring his fangs menacingly. "You hear me Megatron! I won't let you lay a finger on my son!"

he could feel Rigel determination, his will not fight and not let himself be beaten into the ground. it made him proud and steeled his own resolve of protecting the child with his life. He was worthy of his protection and of his love. he would like to introduce him to his little brothers, but if he had to die today... He trusted Thundercracker to take over. Such a strong willed, unwilling to lay back down and roll over for anyone, not even Megatron. "Whatever happens, Rigel, please, do not interfere. Stay safe, my son."

Rigel's mouth parted behind his face mask, which wiggled when he talked the way Optimus's did. He nodded slowly and looked nervously at his father's hand, hovering there saying 'stay back' and began to say something. "S-"

Megatron went into Starscream like a metal bull and the sparkling dove to the side and ran up to the doors that the two had come through but they wouldn't open. He banged on them and waved his hands above his head thinking he was small and not being picked up by the scanner but still the doors stayed closed.

Megatron seemed to be made from something beyond Cybertronian, blasts rolled off him like water being flung on the hood of a car and once his hands were on Starscream he clamped down. He loved when Starscream was angry, he loved seeing that moment of hope where the Seeker thought he might win or might wound him vanish under severe injury. He smashed the Seeker's legs around his knee plates and put his hand through Starscream's wing, tearing a thick trench through alloy, gripping the end he broke the wounded hunk off and hit Starscream several times in the face with it before throwing it aside only to bring that same fist into Star's cockpit, shattering glass. "If you want to protect your child, you'll remember your place," Megatron, as much as he wanted to leave the wing that said 'whore' visible decided on pain over long-term humiliation. He grabbed the tip and crushed and twisted, pulling a hunk off. He beat Starscream until he was sure the Seeker would need to call Thundercracker to be able to get to his feet. Megatron put his hands together and lifted them above his head for another brutal blow to Starscream's chest but Rigel had reached what he could endure to witness, the child jumped onto Megatron's back from behind, which was an impressive leap for his size. Rigel tried to grab the Decepticon leader's hands to keep them from hitting his father.

"Stop!" He yelled. "You won!"

"How Optimus of you," Megatron growled. It was so predictable. Megatron backed off Starscream, who was on the ground, and grabbed the sparkling by his faceplate, pulling the boy off his back by it and letting him hang. Rigel yelled and clutched at the hand that held his face, feeling the sides of his cheeks bearing a load they simply couldn't and he knew the plate was going to come off. His alarms whistling in protest did nothing, the plate came free he screeched when he felt the odd sensation of inner layers exposed to the raw air, sparks popped on each side of his face and warm fluid went down his cheeks, slipped from his chin. "Nyyyyyy…" He grit his teeth, optics flickering from the stinging pain on his face. He dropped to the ground.

"Is that all Seekers?" Megatron asked.

The child growled back and stood, "Someday I'll be grown and I won't let you hurt others this way!" He yelled, and his words came out clearly.

It was exactly what Megatron didn't want to hear. "30 seconds."

Rigel flinched but Megatron was over him already. 30 seconds were a complete confusing blur for the sparkling.

Megatron beat the boy rather thoroughly, crushing his forearm so it looked like a ruined can and leaving his red, white, and blue body dented badly over his chest and shoulders yet Megatron held back and he didn't touch the child's wings. He could have killed Rigel with a single punch if he wanted. He ended it by throwing the sparkling into Starscream, the boy slapped against his sire's side with a yelp and sunk down, his body hot and one of the fans on his shoulder had stopped swirling from being bent, while the other was howling to try to cool the child.

Rigel leaned his head back until it touched Starscream. His right arm was unresponsive and pain swelled in a way Rigel had never experienced before. The child didn't know how his father (Optimus) had survived the battles he had, how he endured damage that was leagues beyond this. Weakness trembled through the nine year old Cybertronian, he was not built to withstand physical violence.

Megatron walked up to them and handed the sparkling his face plate which the boy took with trembling fingers. "Good boy."

Rigel wanted to cry. He needed to cry. Terror, adrenaline, and pain all said cry but he could see his father's face so clearly he couldn't. This was something he had shared. More than anything he wanted to hide his face, feeling like he had failed both his parents. Rigel pressed the bent face plate over his nose and mouth and winced when it bumped the wounds on the sides of his helmet, it didn't fit anymore anyway but he kept it there held by his working hand.

He listened to the door open and close. They were alone. He and Starscream.

-To be continued...-