"No, I won't do it!" Shouted Stormchaser into his commanding officer's face with obvious fury and disgust at his new orders. "And why is that, sergeant?" Replied the officer with an unspoken threat in his voice and death in his optics. "Why?" Questioned Stormchaser, his frame shaking with rage "These mechs have done nothing wrong, that's why!" "Are you disobeying a direct order from me, Sergeant?" "I suppose I am, Sir" said Stormchaser, somehow making 'sir' sound like 'aft-hole' (a skill he learned years ago). "Well, I see no reason why you shouldn't, sergeant, as these mechs have been caught consuming high-grade Energon at a time after it is allowed. By law, we are able to execute them for dangerous behaviour, so I suggest you draw your blaster and snuff their sparks or you will be arrested for obstruction of justice!" The officer roared. Stormchaser stared into the cold blue optics of the officer and spoke the word that would send him down the path of defiance and rebellion. The path that would dictate the rest of his life. "No." He said with the upmost calm. "Fine, arrest them all. Send these lower caste,Kaon scum to the rehabilitation centre and this traitor to the pits. We'll see how long his sense of morality lasts there." The other members of the Autobot enforcement squad grabbed him and used their shock staffs to send him into forced stasis. He didn't resist because he knew they agreed with him.
160 Earth years later-The Pits of Kaon-Gladitorial Arenas:
Stormchaser had been here for short while and had already built a reputation. He fought smart and ended matches quickly. Mechs And Femmes all over Cybertron came to see him fight. Every time he showed how he was a combatant to be feared and every time he showed how his old commander was wrong. His morality was maintained and he only killed if he was forced to. For 160 years he had a routine: wake from recharge, study engineering ( a hobby he picked up when he was forced to repair his own weapons and equipment), train with some other gladiators, possibly fight in the arena then enter recharge. Stormchaser, while not exactly happy with the way his life had gone, was content with this.
This continued for solar cycle after solar cycle up until he fought a mech named Soundwave. At first things were going fine. The usual banter at the start of a match was said and the fight began. Stormchaser immediately went to slash Soundwave's chassis with his electro-claws (a personal modification from when he served the Autobot High Council. All active Autobots were to carry a stun weapon and Stormchaser decided they were too cumbersome and instead installed his into his servos) but he dodged them. Stormchaser immediately came back up and slashed again, this time just barley scratching his opponent's strange visor. Enough power was put behind the attack to force Soundwave back out of melee range. Both gladiators opted to use their blasters. Soundwave drew his wrist mounted laser guns while Stormchaser loaded his neutron assault rifle. Soundwave was quicker. Before he knew it, Stormchaser was pelted by hundreds of stun lasers and forced onto his knees, Soundwave simply continued to walk, slowly, towards him whilst bombarding Stormchaser with laser fire. When he got close enough he drew back his arm and extended a sword. Before the killing blow could be made a powerful voice rang out through the arena "STOP!"
Every head present turned to see a large silver mech with red highlights, deep blue optics and a large fusion 'riot' cannon strapped to his arm. This was Megatronus. The mech who was responsible for the recent surge in civil rights movements. The mech who proberbly ran the whole arena through a puppet owner. "Do not offline this mech, Soundwave. It is obvious that he wishes to help change Cybertron just the same as us." Soundwave looked back down at Stormchaser, panting on the floor with a blade to his throat. From what he could see there was nothing special about this mech. Sure, his red optics may be unusual but...oh. Now Soundwave sees what his Lord meant. On this mech's wings and in the centre of his chassis was a faded and scratched automark. This mech is or rather was an autobot. But why was he here? What could he possibly be doing? Unless...no he can't be the mech who stopped a patrol of Autobots from killing a group of drunken revellers. Could he? Every bot said that it was a rouge Autobot who saved those mechs. The sword at Stormchaser's throat vanished back into Soundwave's arm. "Compliment: You fought very well. Advice: Focus more on defensive capabilities" said Soundwave, offering Stormchaser a helping servo up "Uh...Thanks? You too." Replied Stormchaser taking the offered appendage and pulling himself up from the ground. "Come and meet me in my chambers, both of you. We've much to discuss" shouted down Megatronus from the stands.
The gates blocking entrance and exit from the arena battle ground opened and the two mechs walked out of it, with a strange sense of respect emitting from them. Soundwave due to the fact that Stormchaser had gained the attention of Megatronus and Stormchaser due to the fact that he had met some an equal in skill through Soundwave.
A few cycles later-Megatronus' quarters:
"I have heard tales of a rouge Autobot in Kaon, though I never expected to find him here." Megatronus started. "My old commander would have had me butcher a group for enjoying what might have been their only day off for solar cycles, if that's what being an Autobot means then I was never an Autobot." Stormchaser spat out the word like it was poisoned Energon. The silver mech laughed "I like your spirit. Tell me, what is your designation?" Asked Megatronus, his optics showing clear interest in the mech sat across from him. "My sire named me Stormchaser, Sir." he answered. "Oh, come now. There's no need to be formal here, you're among friends" assured Megatronus "Only subordinates call me 'Sir' and I don't believe you yet work for me,do you? In fact that is why you are here." "Oh?" Replied Stormchaser, evidently surprised with this situation. Perhaps he should have known that Megatronus was scouting for recruits to his new movement. Why else would he be in the stand? "Yes, I would like to offer you a position under my employ. You will be highley paid and given a position suitable to your skills, of cource" Spoke the giant gladiator as he reached onto a desk and gave a data pad to Stormchaser. On the data pad was a manifesto of some kind. Goals, rules and even several projects for the future were written down. But they were not what caught Stormchaser's attention. What did was the glowing purple symbol at the top of the data pad. It was a sinister looking face, staring into his very spark and know that Stormchaser was looking around the room he could see the same symbol on Megatronus' chest and on Soundwave's arms. "So, Stormchaser. Will you join myself and Soundwave in our quest to bring justice and equality to Cybertron? Will you draw a weapon and lay down your life in the name of the mechs and femmes of this planet?" Asked Megatronus, full of hope (for either a new recruit or simply because he believed in his dreams that much, Stormchaser couldn't tell).
"Will you become a Decepticon?"