Chapter 1 – What's left...

He was lying motionless at the base of the now half-destroyed throne. After a seemingly endless punishment the Predacons had finally let up on him.

He felt nothing but pain. His body was covered with wounds, his wings and his right leg were torn apart and some of his vital internals were severely damaged. He tried to focus on his torturers, but his vision slowly became blurry. He only could see shadows and shapes. His audial receptors were still functioning well though.

„A pathetic creature like you, Starscream, doesn't deserve a quick death. May time be your executor. But consider yourself lucky, for it won't take that long, considering your enormous loss of energon"

Speaking those words, Predaking turned away from the seeker. Slowly he started walking to the edge of the room, followed by Skylynx and Darksteel. Before he changed into his beast form, he stopped one last time. Without turning his head, he added: „This new world has no need for failures like you"

The next moment he and his two followers were gone; risen into the vast skies over Cybertron.

„Lord Megatron...Knockout...Shockwave..." Despite having his throat crushed, Starscream managed to speak the words. Quiet and broken „I...am sorry...so sorry."

Tears of pain and regret were streaming down his face. He let them flow.

'Pathetic...yes...that would fit quite well' he thought. But what did it matter now? Any realization came too late...way too late. Soon, his soul would be one with the Allspark.

No more pain. Forgotten all the suffering he experienced in the past...and that he had inflicted on many others.

No more fear. No more hate. Only freedom.

He smiled weakly at that thought. Slowly he closed his optics and embraced the upcoming darkness. He didn't notice the two mechs anymore, that were entering the room right now...

„Here it is. The signal's emanating from that tower. Weak, but constant." The light blue Autobot-femme, that changed swiftly from a jet into her mech-form, was pointing with her fingers into the crumbled room. Her partner, transforming from a helicopter, landed with elegant movement next to her, giving her a sceptical look.

„Your ability of detecting even the slightest trace of energon amazes me everytime, Stardust." he said, running his eyes over the room.

„Seeker" she said and gave him a short smile.

Then she concentrated on searching the ruins. It didn't take long, until she spotted a figure through the dust. A figure, that was lying on the floor in front of a giant throne.

„Nova, look! There!" After a few steps, she reached the place and what she saw there made her whole body tremble in horror. The terribly ravaged body of the grey seeker, who was lying at her feet in a pool of his own energon, made her step back. She spontaneously placed a hand on her chest and flapped her wings down.

„In the name of Primus...who could possibly do something that horrible...?"

Nova was standing next to Stardust now and started to examine the injured flier. Until he suddenly rose an eyebrow in surprise „Could it be...?"

Stardust didn't notice her partners comment, sitting down next to the seeker. Softly she touched his face, hoping for a reaction. Nothing.

„Hey! Can you hear me?" Still nothing.

„Hm...he's unconscious. His spark appears to be very weak. If we don't act fast, he will die." She looked at her partner, worried. But his mind seemed to be somewhere else.

„Nova! Did you hear me? We must hurry! Help me get him out of here!"

„Leave him to rust" Nova was back to reality. And his eyes were speaking of deep pure hatred.

„...come again?" Stardust was confused. Did he mean that?

„That bastard doesn't deserve to be rescued!" Yes. He did. „Sorry, but I won't move a servo for him!"

He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

„You...know him..." she started to realize.

Nova sighed „Yes...and I hoped I'd never meet him again. His name is Starscream. I think now you know."

Indeed. He often had told her stories from his past life as a decepticon. Including the story of the betrayal he had experienced through Megatron's second-in-command Starscream...that had nearly cost him his life.

She hesitated. Her eyes resting on the bad wounded seeker in her arms, whose body ventilation was very faint. Soon he would be done for.

Perhaps Nova was right. Maybe death was the best option for this individual...was it?

„Well then"

She had made her decision.

„I'm gonna take him" Determined, she wrapped one arm around the seekers back and shoved the other under his legs. He was larger than she was, but he was also very slender, so it wouldn't be too hard carrying him.

Nova looked at her in disbelief, as she was passing him. „After all he has done, how can you help him?! You don't even know him!"

„Exactly. I don't know him. Maybe he has changed since then. Everyone deserves a second chance, no?" Stardust's voice suddenly got quiet. Her determination from earlier seemed to have mixed up with sadness. That didn't go unnoticed by Nova. He knew what was going on in her head right now, and because of that he decided not to object.

„You had no reason either to rescue me, the enemy, at that time...but you did." Her face was brightening up again. „And look where I am now...where WE are now. We're a team...we're friends.

And we're working for the same goal. Maybe THIS guy will learn that, too" She winked at Nova confidently.

„Oh well...you beat me again. But you have to carry him alone!" „Of course. How could I ask that of you!" She was laughing. „But...it would be really sweet of you, if you could take those wing parts and his seperated foot. It saves us the trouble of looking for spare parts!" Stardust continued to walk. With a grownup cybertronian in her arms, flying was not an option.

Nova growled, but then started to collect the body parts and followed his partner shortly afterwards.

„You really know I'm way too friendly with you, do you?"

Stardust laughed and gave him a warm smile.

„Thank you, Nova"

The two of them sped up their pace, running down the tower. It would be a long way to the place, where they had located several autobot-signatures earlier that day. If they wanted to reach it with the seeker still alive, they had to hurry.

In her heart Stardust prayed to Primus, that they would make it in time...and that they would find a medic there, or at least some medical supplies...