While this chapter isn't particularly violent, it escalates from here.
Disclaimer: Transformers are the property of Hasbro and their licensees. This story is based on IDW's graphic novel Megatron: Origin by Eric Holmes and Alex Milne. I wrote this story.
Dawn of War
Chapter Four
Kaon. The most distressed city-state on Cybertron. The population consists of a collection of the disturbed, debauched and dispossessed. The last stop on the way down or out, on their way into the Void (or the Matrix, if you believe). The sanctity of life has no meaning and even in death, a steep price is often extracted, a painless death being preferable to the agony of living. The criminals and thieves preying on the residents are the law in this city. No official or Senate representative dares to venture through the dimly lit streets, which are filled with desperate mechs scavenging in an attempt to stave off stasis or aged femmes hawking their battered frames as thugs patiently wait for opportunity to stumble their way. Countless signs advertise the bars and taverns crammed next to gambling dens; garish, flashing neon lures hardened mechs to the pleasurebot houses and energon pubs. The skies and streets are crowded with Kaon's security forces that, in a vain attempt to keep order, are reduced to patrolling the main strip in an effort to justify their existence. Here, security is a politician's buzzword. The only real security is the kind you pay for, or the type provided by the end of a weapon's barrel.
It was in Kaon the Seekers were forced to find a place to live.
Thundercracker was astounded to discover Starscream and Skywarp knew their way around this place. Apparently, while he studied, Starscream had made good on his promise to make sure at least one of them went out more often. Picking their way through the dirt and trash, they turned and walked down a darkened and desolate side street. Immediately, his sensors went on alert.
"I don't like this. This area is dangerous" he whispered to Skywarp.
Starscream overheard him.
"Get used to it. The entire city is dangerous." He shot a look at him.
"This is our home now."
Starscream stepped over the body of a mech sprawled in front of the entrance to a dilapidated building. When he made a sudden move towards him, he kicked him and sent him flying against a post and the sickening sound of his cracked cranium reverberated in Thundercracker's audio receptor. He stood there, his mouth open, gaping. It happened quickly and already, Starscream was halfway up the stairs, as if nothing had happened.
"Come on" Skywarp said softly, tugging at his arm, knowing it would take him some time to become accustomed to their new surroundings.
Starscream went to the back and rang. He knew they were being scrutinized on a monitor. Finally, the door slid open. An imposing, tall white mech stood in the entrance. Evidently, he was well acquainted with Starscream.
"Who are they?" he asked Starscream, nodding his head in the direction of the other two.
"They're my wingmates. Astrotrain, meet Skywarp and Thundercracker" he replied as he walked in.
Astrotrain stepped aside.
Thundercracker looked around. The place was rundown but neat. Another mech sat at a table, staring at them. He gestured towards some chairs, indicating they should down.
Astrotrain and Starscream went into another room to talk.
"So, fresh out of the Academy?" the mech at the table asked them.
"You could say that" Skywarp answered.
"Not by choice, from what I heard."
Skywarp nodded.
"So, is Prowl still working there?"
Skywarp grinned. "I hear he was reassigned. Here."
"I never liked him. Always by the book".
Astrotrain and Starscream walked back in.
"They're staying until they find a place. They can use Octane's room. We'll be back" Astrotrain announced as he got ready to leave. Before going, Starscream looked at Thundercracker, directing his words at him.
"Don't go out until we return. If you need anything, ask Blitzwing. He knows this area well."
As soon as they left, Blitzwing pulled out a container full of energon.
"Help yourself" he told them.
"What is it?" Thundercracker asked. The color was dark, almost red. It was thinner, less viscous.
"High grade".
"Fortified high grade, you mean" Skywarp said, eagerly reaching for it. He poured some into a cube Blitzwing slid over to him.
"Where did you get it?" Thundercracker asked. It was expensive and he didn't look like he had the credits to buy it, let alone share with strangers.
"I made it." Blitzwing answered proudly.
Skywarp pushed a cube over to the blue Seeker.
"Just drink it."
Astrotrain glanced at Starscream. The young Seeker's resilience surprised him. Working as a bouncer in the bar when Starscream and Ramjet appeared, he assumed they were dilettantes slumming for the night. As he left his shift, he was surprised to see them take on the thugs that attempted to rob them. The sheer viciousness with which they responded, not just by fending them off but robbing them in turn, was impressive. The unlucky mech that attacked Starscream had his arms torn off in addition to being relieved of anything of value. He lay helpless in the street, energon pouring from his battered chassis, his companions having abandoned him. Astrotrain stopped to watch until they noticed him. While they stared at each other, Astrotrain wondered if he was next. He spoke first.
"You better leave. The security forces always come this way" he told them. "Don't fly out, either. This is a restricted area" he added.
"Thanks" the red Seeker told him. "What's your name?"
That's how he met Starscream. After that, he began stopping by the bar to talk. Starscream's appetite for information was voracious, asking him about his experiences at the Academy and the military. Despite looking out of his element, Astrotrain noticed the younger mech was fascinated by the tumultuous and violent activity in Kaon; it seemed to stimulate him. He dragged him to the illegal gambling dens and pleasurebot houses, managing to always pick a fight. The various criminal schemes also fired his imagination, particularly counterfeiting; he was always telling him how they could improve and refine the methods to maximize profits. Now it seemed he would have an opportunity to put his ideas to use.
"What happened to Ramjet?"
"He's taking care of his. Just like I'm taking care of mine." he replied.
They walked towards a dive not too far away.
"Still have your job?" Astrotrain asked Starscream.
"At least until the end of the lunar cycle. It doesn't look good after that."
"What about the other two?"
"Skywarp's good. Thundercracker is…he hasn't been around like we have. But he'll get with the program."
Two smaller mechs sized them up as they passed by. Taking in the Seeker and the Triplechanger, they decided to look for easier marks.
"Where's Octane?"
"He took a temporary transport job. He should be back before the end of this lunar cycle."
They reached their destination. Inside, the air was stale and the lights dim. Astrotrain knew exactly were he was going. More than a few patrons noticed them, Starscream standing out as he was fresh and unscathed. They walked all the way to the back until they came to a heavily reinforced door guarded by a scowling mech.
"I'm here to talk to Swindle" Astrotrain told him.
"What about him?"
"He's with me."
"I don't know him."
"Swindle's expecting us."
"Wait here" he told them.
They waited until he appeared with the smaller mech known as Swindle. Astrotrain he knew but this young flyer made him pause. The cold, hard look in his optics was at odds with his unmarred frame and polished body. Still, the potential he represented was incentive enough for him to take the risk. Besides, Vortex and Brawl were with him. They could easily handle these two.
"Let them in" he told Vortex.
Starscream glared at Vortex as he passed by, who returned the look.
"What do you have?" Swindle asked once the door was secured.
"Cutting right to the chase?" Starscream asked.
"My time is valuable. I don't believe in wasting it." He had agreed to meet with him only as a favor to Astrotrain; if he met with everyone who claimed they had something of value, he's never get any peace.
"Let's see what you got".
Starscream took out a box with some of the chips. Dramatically and slowly, he opened it. Swindle nearly gasped when he realized what it contained. Power chip rectifiers were restricted, classified military grade weaponry. In high demand and extremely hard to come by. The look on Swindle's face told Starscream his instincts were right. Now all that was left to do was negotiate an acceptable price.
"You can verify your credits now"
Starscream put his code in and waited. It was all there. Enough for them to live on through the next two lunar cycles if they were careful.
"Does the possibility exist you might come across more?" Swindle asked hopefully.
He hadn't considered it, thinking only about the immediate future. Realizing he could exploit the access he still retained at the Science Academy, he improvised.
"What are you looking for? I have several contacts in the military."
Swindle named a list of components and weapons.
"I'll look into it. I'll let you know when you can take delivery" he said, trying to keep his options open. He needed to find out more about Swindle and his operation. Turning to leave, Swindle stopped him.
"Wait!" he said. This was almost too good to be true. "How can I contact you?" he asked.
"Let Astrotrain know. I'll keep in touch".
As they both walked back, Starscream handed Astrotrain a data card.
"Here" he said, handing it to him
"What's this?"
"That's for you." he told him.
"For what?"
"For helping me."
Astrotrain handed it back without looking.
"Keep it. You're going to need it. Especially with that blue one, what's his name?"
"Thundercracker. He'll be fine. He's just…"
"Soft" Astrotrain said.
"Not soft. He just thinks too much."
They returned to find three drunk mechs watching the screen. All three were mesmerized. Astrotrain and Starscream joined them
"What's this?" Starscream asked.
"It's a recording of the latest gladiator match" Blitzwing told him. "Octane's always buying them."
"Gladiator match? I thought those were shut down"
"Nah, they're still around. But they're in a different place every time."
"Who's that?" Astrotrain asked, pointing at a figure on the screen.
"That's Clench."
There was something compelling about the gladiator match that appealed to Starscream, something raw, basic and primitive. He was quickly learning that the instinct to survive was all that mattered now. Almost like the fight to the death that he was watching. The consequences for them were no less final. In Kaon, it was thrown in your face at every turn. The weak perished; the strong survived. He poured some of Blitzwing's energon into a cube and sat down to watch. Within astroseconds, he too was mesmerized.
A/N: Thanks for reading! Leave a review or comment if you like it!