**"Birth Right" is entirely fiction. I do not own Transformers. Anything similar to real life people, places, and dates is entirely coincidental**

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Rodimus stood in the Hall of Justice, or as it had become to be known, "The Hall of Jokes". There was a debate going on about who should be High Councilman. Both mechs that were fighting for the chair had chosen identical boards, including but not limited to Cyclonus, Stormsky, Rodimus himself, and Megatron. All of those mechs were flocked around Rodimus as a support net. His mate was one of the mechs fighting for the position as High Councilman.

"Starscream!"

The silver Seeker didn't answer any of the calls from reporters, optics glued to the door as if waiting for them to fly open and Optimus along with a thousand other war heroes to come pouring in, but of course that didn't happen. Optimus was dead, as well as most of the war heroes.

But the doors did fly open and a Seeker with wings larger than what should be possible marched in. They say that if you name a sparkling, you should do it knowing it will follow in that name's pedsteps, and that femme did. Alpha was quickly and rapidly surrounded by reporters, but she just swept her wings out and kept walking, sweeping them to the side. She nodded at Starscream and the Seeker nodded back.

The mech on the left was grinning, exposing very sharp denta. Astatine, son of Halogen, had put up quite the fight to get where he was, and his followers were aggressive. But so were Starscream's. However instead of embracing them like Astatine, Starscream wrote them off.

"No follower of mine will engage in fighting over my beliefs...or beliefs of their own."

Which was funny to most, due to Starscream having been a Decepticon. That was a major drawback. Astatine had the benefit of never being on any side of war, though Rodimus knew he would not have been an Autobot. He was too aggressive of a force to be one...

Cyclonus was in charge of keeping the debate in line. One look from him would stop a mech cold. They would have used Soundwave or Shockwave, but both mechs were in critical condition. Starscream had already set aside a week to devote with each before they died if they did not pull through soon. Rodimus was proud of his mate for giving Shockwave that treatment. What a turn-around the Seeker did...how impressive.

Nightshade chewed on a long talon, her wings down to allow her sparklings to cling to her back. Tailgate was sitting on Megatron's shoulders, and quickly, very quickly, Rodimus and his crew of friends were blocked from camera view by Alpha's out-stretched wings. Cosmic Dust, her mate, cuddled right into Rodimus. The Prime sighed and felt a little better.

"Just in case you need it," Alpha said. "I know it can get rather hard."

"IF WE CAN ALL BE SILENT PLEASE!" Cyclonus emphasised "please" and the whole room went quiet. "Thank you."

Starscream smiled a little bit as he redirected his attention to the purple mech and he inclined his helm to his friend.

"Don't expect easy questions from me, Seeker. I'm still mad at you." The mech flipped open a folder, baring denta in a growl before running a claw down the sheet of questions. "While I'm deciding how to flay you two open, fill this space with reasons why you should be High Councilman."

Astatine went first, opening his mouth and spilling the first sentence out, but stopping when Cyclonus stared him down.

"Did I address you, Astatine?"

"No, sir."

"Then why did you begin speaking?"

"I was uncertain, sir."

Cyclonus' optics narrowed. "Why don't you be a gentlemech and let your opposer go first since he is visiting this fine city?"

Rodimus reminded himself that Seekers belonged in Vos. Astatine was born and raised and would die in Iacon. Starscream would have to uproot his entire family from Vos and shift them over to Iacon. It would be a massive transition, but he had help with a cousin.

Alpha, the long-winged golden femme behind Rodimus, had been a Vosian, but her abnormality prevented her from fitting in when she was a Vosian school-femme. Kaon welcomed her, filled with misfits. She quickly rose to the top, now King of Kaon. While it made people snicker when Megatron was Queen of Vos for a while, Alpha had nothing but inclined helms of respect when she walked by. Starscream had her full support.

Astatine, when he heard Cyclonus' suggestion, sneered. But he looked at his opponent and nodded consent.

Starscream looked down at his claws, no, Rodimus reminded himself, his papers. No speech was written there, no responses to questions...the only papers he had was a letter written to him by Optimus Prime himself. A letter of encouragement. The Prime had known /something/ of what would happen to the Seeker, and he wanted the mech to know exactly who had his back: The most famous Prime since The Thirteen, in Iacon's opinion. Of course Tyger Pax would remind everyone of Zeta Prime...each city had their preferred Prime, but everyone admitted Optimus was pretty great, too.

Starscream took a deep inhale and took a sip from his Energon cube. Everything was measured, exactly as Megatron and Nightshade had drilled him about. Both were nodding slowly.

"I would like to be High Councilman because not only have I pulled Vos out of the ashes, I have run it since the end of the war, and I was trained in military. I know how cities and armies run. If I were chosen, I would have a board of advisors, one being Rodimus Prime. I have already picked my Councilmen, and most seemed to have been very pleasing to you all."

"That's lame, Seeker," Cyclonus growled. "What can you do for the future?"

"I can't tell you that."

"Is it a secret?"

The room burst into quiet giggling.

"No. I can't tell you because I don't know what will happen tomorrow. I can tell you what I want, and that's for femmes and mechs to live as they had before the meddling happened: free from castes and restrictive rules. Yes, there will be rules, and they will be strict, but Seekers can have reign of the skies, even at night. Data clerks will have a chance to move up in society. Mechs and femmes mentally damaged will get better treatment and more opportunities. Cyclonus, do you know how hard it is to adopt today?"

The purple mech, being a Debate Keeper, was not expecting a question. He blinked and shook his helm. "No, Seeker. But I suppose you do?"

Starscream looked at Rodimus. The Prime smiled a little, remembering that confusing day when Starscream sprung the question: Would you like to come with me to the orphanage? They went there alright, went through the steps to get a sparkling. They spent all day there, Megatron and Skystorm taking command seamlessly. Rodimus was actually getting excited. Were they really going to adopt?

But the fees...the initial cost and every month after that for six months...and the devestating end result... "Due to Rodimus' status as Prime and your status as a possibility for a High Councilman, I do not recommend you adopt..or even have sparklings. You simply cannot make enough time for both business and family."

The walk home was painful. Rodimus stared at the ground and thought about their son, currently in the nursery with Fae and the other sparklings that were not seemingly glued to their creators. Did Rodimus not make enough time for him?

"I do," Starscream said, breaking Rodimus from his thoughts. The Seeker relayed the entire day to the audience, and when he had finished, the silence was thick enough Rodimus could have cut it with a knife.

"So what do you propose?"

"I make it easier, not so everyone can get a sparkling, but to reduce costs. Why should you have to give over every credit to an orphanage for a child that has probably spent its entire life there?"

Astatine stepped in. "I know you think every life is sacred, Seeker, but if the parents were not ready for a sparkling, they should have gotten rid of it before it was born."
Cyclonus would have thrown something at Astatine had he something to throw and had Megatron not warned him about displaying violence as such. "Astatine, hold your glossa. It is not your turn."
"Yes! I support every life! Young, old, sick, healthy, rich and poor. Why shouldn't I? Is it just a Seeker's responsibility? A Seeker's value? Doesn't it belong to all of Cybertron as well?"

Cyclonus hissed. "You do not have to respond to a comment said out of turn, Starscream. Have you concluded?"

"For now."

"Good. I was getting sick of your voice anyway. Astatine?"

"I should-"

"I just remembered. Starscream, you said 'I would like'. You don't think you should be a High Councilman?"

"I think it is not up to me to decide what should happen after this debate, sir. I will place myself out there and wait and see."

Cyclonus made a note and nodded. "I'm sorry, Astatine, continue."

"As I was saying, I should be High Councilman because it is not only my birthright, but also because I was raised in this very building. I was there all the time with Halogen, my father. He taught me how to be a High Councilman, he oversaw cases with me in the audience. I know how it all plays out. This Seeker knows how to watch a city grow and run a faction into the ground. Ever wonder why the Decepticons lost? And you want /him/ to be in charge? Let me remind you how many mechs and femmes he's killed. Five thousand, in total, including the ones he helped starve in Tyger Pax, and they're /rooting/ for him. He's a manipulative little brat that's overstepped his bounds."

Cyclonus looked at him with such a gaze that stopped Astatine cold, as Megatron knew it would when he suggested he be Debate Keeper. "It is not time to destroy your opponent. I do not need help in doing so."

"I'm sorry."

"You're sorry you got caught," Cyclonus corrected.

Astatine waited a beat before continuing, slowly at first and then faster when Cyclonus didn't interrupt. "I will allow femmes more choice when it comes to their body. I will reinstate superiors and officers to keep things running smoother and smoother until it is like water off a Seeker's wing. I will position Elites at all the monuments and parks to promote better behavior when it comes to vandals. I will raise the price of crime, keeping prisoners not for a couple months, but for a couple million years. I will also further encourage the growth of barriers between cities to not only keep Vosians in Vos, but keep Iaconians in Iacon, and Kaonians in Kaon to prevent criminals from city-jumping, to keep them in the city where they commited the crime, allowing our officers to take them down."

Cyclonus made several notes during the time Astatine spoke, looking up when he had finished and seemingly made no intent to continue. "Barriers between the cities? How do you mean?"
"Vos built a gate, Iacon and Kaon can erect walls."

Cyclonus swung his helm around to look at Starscream. "Seeker. Remind me why Vos built a gate."

"To protect the King and Queen and their people, also to keep visitors at a minimum during the building of the Prime Memorial to keep notorious vandals away from the statues while they were being carved. Also, there is a gate around the palace to keep the royal sparklings safe and allow Vosians to view the King and Queen in the gardens without causing distress to young sparklings and without disturbing the royal family..."

"Sounds like you were being viewed like animals in a zoo."

"It feels like that, yes, but Seekers are delicate babies...you must understand, Cyclonus. You have your own."

Cyclonus bared his denta. "Keep my personal life personal, Seeker, or we'll never stop talking about babies."

Astatine coughed. "Sir."
"Do not interrupt me again, Astatine, or I will disregard what I have been told and throw this pen at you. I have prepared my question for each of you and will allow you but a moment to come up with a response. No repeats, no second tries." Cyclonus, as he read it off, scribbled the question out. "What is your opinion about your opponent?"
Starscream looked at Astatine as the black mech opened his mouth.

"You already know that, Cyclonus."
"That's 'sir' to you, mech, and state it for the record."

"I think he's a big fat joke. I mean, he killed all those mechs and femmes only to get bailed out by Megatron along with a murderer? Come on! And no one wants to talk about it?! Hey, guys! Starscream is a killer who would gladly skin your mate for you and clip your peds to a helicopter and send you to the other pole of Cybertron. Have a nice trip! And don't worry about your kids. He'll starve those for you, no problem. I mean, he sounds like a good choice. But in reality? Would you appoint a murderer to look over the future of your children? I mean, come on now..."

Starscream sighed softly and closed his optics. "I accept what you say, Astatine. But know that I have made a complete turn-around with the help of my mate and friends. As for what I think of you? I think you are a possibility. A dangerous possibility, but still an option. However, you say you care when you really don't. You say you know how everything works, but the equivalent of what you are doing is me going out right now to the Sea of Rust and saying 'yeah, something happened here'. And you said 'barriers' and 'walls'. Do you know that simply terrifies me? Not because I'm a Seeker, no. But because I'm a father, too. Do you recall the wall between Kaon and Iacon during the war? Families were separated for years, and sometimes didn't make it back together again. Siblings never recognized siblings and there are still mothers and fathers looking for their children. Still, Astatine. Two million years later, and some families will never be whole again. I simply cannot imagine that level of devestation again. You called me a joke...I know it seems pretty funny for me to be up here, but I am here with all seriousness, because I do take this seriously. I know I may lose, and you may win. I know that is a possibility, and I will applaud you when that happens...but I also know I may win, and if I win, I'm never going to stop acting like I may lose."

Cyclonus looked at Astatine to see if the mech was going to reply, but then cut him off. "And you're out of time. Next. Femme rights. I'm pretty interested in this." Cyclonus had a daughter who after being called names in school and then being told it was because those mechlings liked her no longer wanted to be a femme.

Cyclonus, Rodimus, Nightshade, Starscream, Mace, and Stormsky all lived together as one big family in the palace. When Cyclonus' only daughter returned bruised and crying, Nightmare sheltering her and rubbing her face with his claws, Cyclonus went beserk and would not be calmed until an hour later...an hour spent hearing her story, curled up on the couch with her in a cocoon of purple armor. Not even Tailgate was allowed close to the pair.

Starscream folded the letter slowly. "It was the belief of Optimus Prime that both 'gender', as we often do not identify as either or, deserves the upmost respect and honor. And that will be my standpoint. It was traditional that the 'femme' stayed with the sparklings and raised them, be they made or plucked from the Well, and the other worked and raised enough credits for them to get by. But lately, we have stepped back from that view. We have decided that neither is less or more important and have even gone so far to say 'genderless', which is most certainly true as well in more and more cases, but even so...not only should those who identify as femmes be treated with respect and honor, so should also mechs and those undecided. Beliefs should not divide us in any way. It should only allow insight and guide us and those willing to follow."

Astatine sighed, "Pretty words from a Seeker. Here is what I believe: Remember wartime? That sucked, even for us neutrals. Femmes stopped acting like femmes and mechs stopped acting like mechs. It became harder and harder to find a mate, especially for mechs like me that don't swing either way. We can't have that anymore, not while we're trying to rebuild Cybertron. Femmes belong with mechs and mechs belong with femmes. That's how Primus made us, right?"

Cyclonus didn't have to look at Starscream to see if he was going to reply.

"Actually, Astatine, Primus made twelve mechs and one femme. If it is how you say, why was there not an equal amount of both 'genders'?"

Cyclonus stopped Astatine from replying again. "We are pressed for time, unfortunately, and it is nearing our intermission. Believe it or not, it's not fun listening to you two babies whine and moan about how things should and shouldn't be. I declare recess as Debate Keeper."

*Below are interviews featuring supporters from both parties*

Interviewer: Rodimus. Tell us about Starscream. Why has he decided now to make a comeback into society?

Rodimus: Well, to tell the truth, he wasn't going to. There was a huge support for Astatine, so large Starscream thought he didn't stand a chance. But then he realized that he was more than Astatine said he was, and he rose up slowly at first, but then faster and harder until Astatine has to make a faster run for the chair. I think it also has something to do with Megatron's comeback as well. Megatron was kept in a Watchtower in Kaon by Astatine himself, remember? But after Optimus died, Megatron freaked and walked to Vos during the night, abandoning his post and basically showing Astatine both middle digits, but Astatine didn't even notice, because Megatron didn't play a huge role. He was literally sent out to watch...and wait...and do nothing. Optimus died like that, just before he wanted to spring Megatron a huge question, and Megatron couldn't take it.

Interviewer: I hear he's with a younger mech now, the murderer Felix. Any word on that?

Rodimus: I'm not really kept up-to-date who's with who, but I can tell you Megs has made a big turn-around himself now that Felix is on his side.

Interviewer: Where is Felix now?

Rodimus: At home. He couldn't handle the stress of being here. I'm not sure I can handle it either. It's super intense.

Interviewer: So why are you here?

Rodimus: Because Optimus wouldn't let me stay at home. He'd tell me to get over it and laugh in the face of fear, you know? He was /that/ kind of mech, especially when he got older. He was still compassionate, but he was also impatient when he knew someone could do something but they were holding back due to fear. He spent so many years afraid and so he became sick of seeing it in others. That's all I can give you. I want to spend some time with my mate now before Cyclonus kills him. Excuse me.

Interviewer: Reaper, do you have a moment?

Reaper: Mm?

I: Who are you supporting?

R: Astatine, of course.

I: But aren't you a Decepticon? Wouldn't someone from your own faction be more of a likely candidate in your opinon?
R: Look. I don't know if you know this, but Starscream is no longer a Decepticon. He's gone soft. Are we really going to put a marshmallow in charge of Cybertron? I hope not. Plus, have you seen his board? Mostly softened Decepticons. The only thing great about Starscream is that he has Cyclonus with him. That's it.

I: What do you not like about the others?

R: Megatron is a husk of his former self. I mean, he's dating. Warlords don't date. It's pretty cool he has a murderer on his arm now, like, that's a pretty sick piece of jewelry there, but still. He's a warlord. And then there's Rodimus, the Prime. He's an infant, and just pretty to look at. He's incompetent when it comes to anything. I bet Optimus died of embarrassment. I don't believe one of Astatine's men shot him at all. And of course there's that femme that's always behind him. She's probably a stalker. She always has kids, too, like where is she getting them?

I: You said you didn't believe Astatine's assassins went after Optimus, Megatron, and Starscream? Don't you know Astatine confessed to that?
R: Yeah, and Starscream confessed to his war crimes, but no one's holding those against him. Look, all I know is that I hope Astatine wins so he can slap some sense into these whimps. 'I want equal rights', blah blah blah...and then they say that we're violent. Starscream's followers built a statue of Astatine and then burned it down. They rioted in the streets.

I: So you think Astatine has the power to punish his opponent's followers because of their beliefs?
R: He should. I mean, he's High Councilman. He can do what he want...right?

Interviewer: Approver, how do you think this debate is going?

Approver: I DO NOT APPROVE

I: Oookay then, moving on.

Interviewer: Megatron! A moment of your time!
Nightshade: Megatron is not answering questions at this time.

Megatron: Actually, now I am.

Starscream: Don't feel like you have to, Megatron.

Megatron: Starscream, I can handle this.

I: Why are you supporting Starscream? Shouldn't the one he betrayed go for someone other than the betrayer?

M: It doesn't make sense, does it? Well...I guess you could say that time has changed my views on the brat. Unfortunately, it all boils down to how many people will look up if you say 'gullible is written on the ceiling'. It doesn't matter who has the most experience and who sucks spike for breakfast, what matters is what the people think the mechs said at any given time. And it's about what they think is right, not about Starscream or Astatine,because at the end of the day, who really lost? The people.

N: That's enough, Megatron. You'll wear yourself out.

M: I'm fine. Really.

I: Nightshade. Some people don't think you should be a Councilmen. Why do you think they're wrong?
N: I don't. I trust Starscream's judgement. If he thinks I can do it, who am I to say I can't?

I: Starscream, an-
S: No comment. Megatron is running out of breath. I suggest you move on now.

M: I'm...*pant* Fine...

I: We will see you at the end of the debate then.
S: Take your time finding us. Come on, Megatron. You should sit down.

Interviewer: You're our last interview, Astatine. What do you have to say about what happened up there?

Astatine: Honestly, I think I did okay. Starscream didn't know what hit him, and he's out there cowering between Megatron's feet with his friends telling him it will all work out okay. I don't need anyone to tell me how it will work out, because I already know.

I: How?
A: The public is smarter than that. Starscream is a murderer and an ex-Con. As soon as I'm High Councilman, I'm putting every ex-Con in jail, where they belong.
I: But what about all the good works they have done? I think Cyclonus served well during community service and he's even been allowed to be Debate Keeper!

A: He's awful at a Debate Keeper. He never let me finish, always let me go when there was a limited time, but he favors Starscream. I know he does. This is rigged so that the opponent wins.

I: I...I don't see your reasoning.
A: Anyway, it will go like this: I say my bit, Cyclonus cuts me off, he gives Starscream an extra long while, and the public will choose, but they'll choose right.

I: And that would be...you?

A: You got it. Because I've never killed anyone and I know what's good for the public. Starscream only knows what's going on inside his own house. He doesn't venture outside, doesn't learn anything knew, just sticks to what he knows.
I: How do you know that?
A: Because he's a Seeker!

You decide. Vote in the comments. The results will be featured in the next part of the story. Should Astatine be Councilman? Or should Starscream?

*results will be posted before the story. Names will be excluded.

((Made this as a rant due to all the political sh!t going on right now.))

AN: HEY EVERYBODY GOOD TO BE BACK. I have been extremely busy with college. You would not believe. Also, I may be back to stay (maybe) because writer's block, as you can see, is stepping back. (Helps when you have to write five page essays [lies I only had to write three, but I turned in five] every week). So how has everyone been? I've missed you all. People who have been favoriting me and my crap I post here (I hope it's getting better, omg, some of this stuff is real bad. I look back on it and go -_- ) have really kept me going with this piece. Anywy, not interested in who you want to vote for irl, but I'm completely all ears to who should be High Councilman.

As for me, I'm so Pro-Screamer. We should have shirts.

"I scream, you scream, we all scream for Screamer"

-Said no Screamer-supporter ever.