Author's Note: Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews! :D I was amazed I got so many for last chapter! You guys really encourage me to keep going.
Chapter 7
The number of the captured younglings locked in the cages slowly dwindled as Decepticons came and went to carry the "chosen ones" out to take them to Primus-knew-where. It disturbed the elder younglings that they had no knowledge of what was happening to the little ones. Starscream and his two brothers remained locked up. Despite Megatron's constant reassurances that the younglings were not being harmed, the three brothers remained very skeptical.
The twin brothers, Sunny and Sides, remained imprisoned next to Starscream and cowered down with small whimpers whenever one of the large Decepticon brutes came to forcefully yank a nearby youngling out from the safety of his or her cage. There was a youngling on the other side of the twin's cage who was close to their age. He introduced himself earlier. His name was Cliffjumper.
The remaining younglings waited with dread. Terrified. Wondering when they would be next. The younglings that were removed from the prison block, never returned. They could only imagine what was happening or what became of their peers. Two troopers entered at that moment and scanned the number of prisoners with keen optics.
"Lord Megatron ordered we take three more younglings," one of the Decepticon soldiers motioned to the children as he addressed a nearby guard. The guard simply nodded and remained silent as he stood at attention with an energy spear beside him, gripped firmly in one hand.
"What about that one?" the second trooper grunted at his comrade as he pointed at Cliffjumper.
"Well isn't he a little runt… looks like he's the smallest of the bunch."
"Do we take him, or not?"
"Our leader must decide. He might be too young…after that last youngling perished during the "initiation ceremony" Soundwave said there might be an age limit. Leave him."
The two soldiers ignored Cliffjumper and grabbed three other younglings and quickly left. The cell block door slammed shut and locked.
"Did you hear that, Screamer? What did they mean about the little one over there being too young?" Skywarp's optics widened with dread.
"He also said one of the younglings DIED!" Thundercracker shouted in shocked fury.
"Shh! Shut up you moron! Don't scare the little ones," Starscream hissed with fiery optics. He was furious. The leader of the Decepticons fragging LIED! He said no harm would come to the younglings and yet one of their sparks had extinguished!
Before the three brothers had a chance to debate further on the subject, something happened then that they did not expect.
To the bewilderment of the young Cybertronians, all of the guards in the prison block spontaneously ran out and left them all alone.
"That was weird…" Skywarp mumbled.
"Do you think this is a trick?" Thundercracker asked Starscream.
In answer to his question the building shook as a large explosion erupted somewhere outside above them. They listened for a while as what sounded like a war began to rage.
"I think our time has finally come for us to leave this pit-forsaken place…" Starscream reached into subspace and pulled out a small, jagged piece of metal. He found it laying on the floor of the Omega Youth Sector just before they were captured by the Decepticons.
His two brothers widened their optics in amazement.
"Starscream! You mean you had that in your possession the ENTIRE time we've been here?!"
Starscream shot his brother a sour look.
"Of course, you idiot!"
"Why didn't you show us that earlier?" Skywarp almost sounded hurt. The three of them rarely kept secrets from each other.
"Do you really think I'd let the guards see it?" Starscream frowned at his brothers. He reached an arm out through the energy bars and began to pick the locking mechanism. "Once we are out of this cell, we will free the others then try to find a way to get out of here.
A few minutes later, Starscream succeeded in deactivating the energy bars. The three elder younglings hastily scrambled out and hurriedly began to sweep through the cell block, unlocking all the cages as they did so.
"Younglings, stay as quiet as you can! Everyone, hold hands with your buddy next to you and follow us…" Starscream ordered as he boldly took charge. He led the way followed by Thundercracker. Thundercracker held the hand of one of the younglings and the little ones marched silently out single-file with clasped servos. Skywarp brought up the rear. Soon, Starscream came upon a door. He put a finger to his lip components in a silent warning and gestured for the line of younglings to move against the wall a few feet shy of the door frame. Starscream nodded at Thundercracker and sent him a brief instruction through their spark bond. They opened the door in unison and came face-to-face with a Decepticon guard.
Before the guard had a chance to react, Thundercracker knocked the gun out of the Decepticon's hand. Starscream leaped up and grabbed a pipe overhead and swung his legs out and kicked the trooper hard in the head with both peds. The guard slammed head-first into the wall opposite the younglings and shut down into repair stasis.
Starscream picked up the fallen weapon and left the unconscious Decepticon where he lay. He was quite tempted to shoot the fragger when he remembered that one of the younglings died at their hands. Perhaps there were even more casualties…
Starscream shoved the dark temptation aside and gestured for everyone to remain where they were.
"I'll be right back. I'm going to go scout ahead and try to find an exit!"
"Be quick Screamer."
The elder youngling nodded silently and slipped out of the door. Minutes passed and the smaller younglings began to grow restless. The longer Starscream remained MIA, the more worried his brothers became. Soon their fears were put to rest when the elder youngling returned. He didn't return empty handed either. He handed a blaster rifle, one to each of his brothers. There was a weapons rack lining one of the hallways he traveled in his search for an exit.
"Our path is clear. About 100 meters down the next three corridors is a grate in the floor. It leads down into an underground shaft. I think it may be our way out."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go already!"
The younglings hurried along as Starscream led them through a small maze of corridors. It was a miracle they hadn't run into any other soldiers. The three elder brothers figured it was because they were called out to fight, which meant that the Autobots had to be near…
Once they made it to the small grate in the floor, Starscream lifted it up and threw it aside. He managed to squeeze down and looked up at his brothers.
"Thundercracker, stand guard! Skywarp, start handing me the younglings!"
His brothers scrambled to carry out his orders. Thundercracker readied his weapon and couldn't stop the trembling in his hands. It felt odd to be holding a weapon. He hoped he wouldn't have to use it…
Skywarp lowered younglings down one at a time. He started with the youngest. Sunny, Sides, and Cliffjumper were the first to go. So far things were progressing smoothly. Half of the younglings were evacuated into the lower tunnel. That's when danger reared its ugly head. A small squadron of Decepticon soldiers spotted them and shouted.
"Sound the alarm! The younglings have escaped!"
Thundercracker fumbled with the weapon at first but then raised it and fired repeatedly in their direction. He hit the guard reaching for the alarm panel in the hand and then in the leg, dropping him. He shouted back at his brothers.
"They are coming! Hurry! I don't know how long I can hold them off!"
At that moment one of the Decepticons succeeded in activating the alarm. Now it would only be a matter of minutes before they were truly and hopelessly caught.
Starscream kept catching the younglings that were lowered down through the grate but had to stop when he heard the pounding of many feet echoing in the tunnel. He told the younglings that were down below with him to get behind him. He raised his gun and prepared to pull the trigger with a growl in his throat. Shadows appeared on the wall as the approaching figures slowly began to appear from around the bend. He squeezed off a shot and hit the ceiling, leaving a clean scorch mark.
"Don't come any closer! This is your only warning!" Starscream shouted as he fought to remain calm. He was stunned when the mechs revealed who they were.
"Younglings! Are you unharmed?" Optimus Prime ran up to Starscream and eyed the group of younglings cowering behind him.
"We're fine. Thundercracker is holding off the Decepticons just above us and we only got half of the younglings down here…"
Prowl, Jazz, Mirage, and Ironhide jogged behind Optimus pushing hover-skiffs.
"Alright younglings, those of you without alt-forms, board the craft immediately! Those of you that do, transform and follow Ironhide!"
The little ones were all too eager to leave that pit-forsaken place behind them.
Mirage and Jazz climbed up through the grate and assisted Thundercracker in holding the Decepticons back.
"Kid, you've done more than enough. It's time for you to leave!" Mirage grunted as he shot down another enemy trooper.
"I can fight! You need my help!"
"Those younglings are the ones that need your help right now."
Thundercracker nodded once and retreated. He slipped down into the tunnel after the last youngling, quickly followed by Jazz and Mirage. The younglings with vehicular forms drove single file behind Ironhide while Optimus, Jazz, Mirage, and Prowl pushed the hover-skiffs. Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp ran with the Autobots but didn't bother to transform. Jazz was concerned.
"Don' you guys have an alt form?"
The three brothers shared an embarrassed look.
"No. Not yet. We were going to receive our alt modes once we were released from the Omega Youth sector…you know, as a personal graduation ceremony."
"Hop on the transport, younglings," Optimus ordered with a no-nonsense tone of voice. While it was true that the skiffs were completely full at maximum capacity, the leader of the Autobots refused to leave any of the younglings behind.
"No way!" Starscream frowned.
"We can keep up just fine!" Skywarp added.
"That wasn't a request young one…that was an order."
They didn't have much of a chance to continue their argument for it wasn't long until the escapees and rescuers were pursued. Angry roars and shouts echoed in the tunnel behind them followed by the distinct sound of multiple transformations. Soon enemy vehicles were within shooting distance. Some Decepticons were ground based vehicles but a few were fliers. The fliers shot ahead of their comrades and attempted to cut off the Autobots.
A sudden revelation dawned upon the Autobots and younglings alike.
They weren't going to make it…
"Skywarp, Thundercracker, with me!" Starscream shouted as he slid to a stop and turned around to face the advancing foes. His brothers followed suit and the three stood side by side and leveled their guns on their enemies. It was in that moment that they transcended from civilians… to warriors. They grimly let loose a barrage of blaster fire. The least they could do was buy time for the Autobots to get the rest of the little ones to safety.
Mirage turned his head and looked over his shoulder. He screamed at the three elder younglings.
"What in the Allspark are you doing?! RUN!"
They ignored him and kept shooting. Soon they disappeared from sight altogether.
"Optimus, those three fell behind, what do we do?!" Mirage shouted with despair.
"We must get these younglings to safety. Then we will attempt to return for them."
"But Optimus, they will never make it!"
"There is nothing we can do for them right now. These younglings in our care are our first priority."
Optimus did have a point. The helpless younglings they were currently rescuing needed them more than the three eldest ones. Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp were old enough to make their own decisions. Mirage felt like he was ready to purge his tanks at the thought that those three younglings might already be dead.
Soon the Autobots made it out and were greeted by Ironhide's platoon. The Decepticons that had tried to cut them off and pursue them were terminated. The younglings had all been instructed to cover their optics and shut off their audios just before exiting the tunnel. There was no need to traumatize the little ones by exposing them to the horrors of their war.
The Autobots were relieved when the 183 younglings were safely onboard gunships. Optimus called off the frontal assault and had his army retreat. Mirage attempted to go back for the three younglings left behind but Optimus stopped him.
"Optimus, they could still be alive, we have to save them!"
"I'm sorry Mirage. There is nothing we can do for them now. They courageously chose to stay behind. What they did was noble and very selfless...and for that, we will honor them in our memory."
Their ship lifted off and Mirage slumped down in his seat and stared glumly at the floor with tears glimmering in his optics. He cared for those three younglings…probably because his younger brother was around their age.
"They are just younglings. They shouldn't have to be remembered...they should be able to live to make their own memories." Mirage whispered softly as he held his head in his hands.
Optimus placed a comforting hand on Mirage's shoulder.
"What's most important is that lives have been saved…183 younglings will now live because of them."
Mirage looked up at his commanding officer and nodded.
"Yes, Sir."
"We will return to base and see what we can do for our rescued captives. Many of them will need temporary homes until the new youth sector can be built."
"Let me know what I can do to help Optimus."
"I will. For now I suggest you take some rest. It's been a long day for all of us."
Mirage nodded and did as his commander suggested. He shut his optics and began to dream of days that were filled with light and laughter. A beautiful place that was unravaged by destruction…
Sunny and Sides were relieved when they made it to the safety of the Autobots' main base. The twins experience with the invasion of the Omega Youth sector and their kidnapping at the hands of the Decepticons had been all too frightening. Little Cliffjumper was also with them. He was a bit younger than them, give or take a few thousand years. Cybertronian life cycles were very long. An adult Cybertronian could live to be billions of years old. Now that war was consuming their planet, it would be a miracle if anyone survived to see their millionth.
Many of the rescued younglings were immediately sent out to other Autobot encampments further within Iacon. Only a handful stayed with Optimus and his team.
While it would be challenging looking after additional younglings, Optimus felt in his spark that it was a blessing from Primus. It was the right thing to do. The younglings were the future of their race and had to be protected at all costs. Maybe Bumblebee would gradually learn how to trust others and form healthy relationships…perhaps by befriending the twins and little Cliffjumper. Speaking of which, he needed to go and check on his sweetspark.
Optimus immediately headed for his quarters. He entered to see Bumblebee in a deep recharge, a small child sized wrench clasped in one hand. He was snuggling his blanket and had his other hand wrapped around mini Optimus's arm. He clicked occasionally in his sleep. It brought a smile to the Autobot leader's face. Wheeljack was sitting on the floor leaning his back against a wall drifting into a light recharge himself. He awoke when he heard the opening door.
"Optimus, it's good to see you Sir."
"How is Bumblebee?"
"He's fine. He was well occupied while you were gone. So occupied that he didn't once mention your name."
Optimus was a little surprised. That was the first…
"Thank you for watching him. Please report to your station."
"Sure thing Optimus."
The inventor smiled beneath his mask and walked out of the door. Optimus opened a com-channel with Ratchet and relayed his next order.
:Ratchet, I need you to examine our rescued younglings. I will display a sign-up roster for any soldier that wishes to harbor one of the younglings in our care:
:Yes, Prime. I've taken the liberty of examining the twin younglings, Sunny and Sides. They are in perfect health:
:Their friends Bluestreak and Smokescreen should be happy to hear that. Thank you old friend. I will expect a full report once you are finished:
:Will do:
Optimus smiled to himself. They recovered more than half of the younglings that the evil Decepticon leader had abducted. He could only imagine the look on Megatron's face right now…
Megatron was livid. The accursed Autobots STOLE his younglings! As unfortunate as that had been it wasn't a total loss. He still had 178 new recruits. They would begin their training immediately. Most of it would be mental and psychological to begin with. The little ones would become permanent members of the Decepticon army once they completed their combat training but that was quite a few years down the road.
To ensure the little ones didn't try to scamper off before they could be initiated by Soundwave, Megatron was sure to have tracking chips implanted into each of the younglings. Should any of them wander too far off of the premises, a locator beacon would activate and an electric current would rip through the child's nervous network and temporarily incapacitate them until they could be retrieved.
They belonged to him now. They would all learn that in due time.
Now he had three more rebellious sparks to contend with… he was pleased when the elder younglings that managed to severely injure a few of his soldiers were captured and brought before him after the Autobot's tactical retreat. He towered above them and felt his initial anger begin to subside.
"What are your names?"
Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp remained silent and if looks could kill, Megatron would be a pile of melted slag.
"I do find it rather remarkable that younglings such as yourselves managed to put many of my warriors to shame. How did you come to possess such innate combat efficiency? It's not often that those within your age category are even remotely capable of overpowering and even mortally wounding some of my experienced soldiers. That's a feat worthy of recognition."
Megatron began to pace back and forth in front of the three captured brothers. They didn't answer his question but there was no need. He knew they were untrained. The wounds inflicted upon his troops according to his medic, verified it.
"The three of you would make excellent warriors. You have true potential and all of you can be someone of great importance…one of you may even become my second in command one day. You never know…" Megatron smirked when he saw two of the three sharing glances as they considered his words.
Skywarp couldn't help but fidget the longer they were kept in the Decepticon leader's presence. He didn't like this mech…not in the slightest…
"So…what do you say younglings? Join us and become the greatest warriors that this galaxy has ever seen! There are many benefits in joining our cause."
"If you don't offer good medical benefits, retirement funds, and a decent life insurance policy, we're not interested," Thundercracker snorted with the beginning of a small smirk.
"And I highly doubt you offer any of that…" Skywarp leveled his gaze with the Decepticon leader even though Megatron's piercing look sent chills down his back struts.
"The benefits you will have, will be unlimited access to our base, free energon rations, education in a class of your choosing, a career of your interest, combat training, and yes…we DO offer good health benefits…" Megatron chuckled in amusement at that last bit.
"I highly doubt that…" Starscream huffed with a glare.
Thundercracker and Skywarp looked at each other and then at Starscream.
"Maybe we should just accept his offer."
"I will do no such thing!" Starscream snarled as he crossed both arms over his chest.
"You will join my army…or you will die," Megatron continued as he stopped his pacing to give him a pointed look.
"I'm not afraid of you…" Starscream spat venomously as he took a menacing step forward with a raised fist.
Megatron laughed. He liked this young mech's fighting spirit.
"If that's the case, then it shouldn't be too difficult for you to choose. You should listen to your brothers. They have the right idea…"
"I for one, will never join you! You are a LIAR and a MURDERER!" Starscream exploded, unable to keep his rage pent up any longer as he pointed an accusatory finger at the Decepticon leader. Megatron shook his head in mock pity.
"Mark my words young one. Death will come to you on swift wings should you continue to defy me," Megatron glared at him then. This impudent youngling was starting to test his patience.
"Why in the pit would I want to join your ilk when you lack all honor and have no regard for the lives of the innocent younglings you promised would be unharmed?! We would just be puppets to you! SLAVES!" Starscream continued to rant unrelenting.
"I only enslave Autobots and any other lifeform that proves to be otherwise inferior. As I promised before, you will become great warriors. The soldiers I currently command lack the potential you carry. You are worth more than all the energon and riches in the world…" Megatron practically purred as he looked at them with appraising optics.
Starscream felt his spark breaking when he saw his two brothers move forward to stand near the Decepticon leader. They looked at him with sad optics.
"Just do as he says. The Youth Sector was destroyed. We would have been released within a few months but with no home to call our own. Accept it…there is nowhere else for us to go," Skywarp said softly.
"That's hardly true! The Autobots would have taken us in had we followed them!"
"Ah, but they didn't, did they youngling? Tell me…after the Autobots saved the rest of the younglings…did they ever return for you? Did they even attempt to rescue you a second time?"
Starscream's face fell and he looked down at the floor. His spark ached at the thought. He felt hurt. Abandoned. Betrayed.
"No. They left."
"Then what your brothers say is true. You have nowhere else to go. Stay with me. I promise I'll take good care of you…" Megatron's voice almost sounded gentle and reassuring. As a guardian would speak to, a helpless youngling.
"No! This is a trick, it has to be!" Starscream's optics widened with a disgusted look as he took a few steps back. He didn't believe him.
"What reason do I have to lie to you, young one?"
Starscream could hardly think of an answer to that question….but he still highly distrusted this mech.
"How can I trust you?" he growled with narrowed optics.
"I speak only truth! Join me now and you will be unharmed. Continue to resist me and you shall force me to take drastic measures. You will pledge your allegiance to me. I won't take 'no' for an answer!"
"Well then. If that's the case Lord Megatron…" Starscream snarked with great disdain.
Megatron looked the young mech clear in the optics with a frown of his own as he waited for Starscream to complete his sentence.
"My answer IS 'NO'." Starscream smirked with satisfaction when the Decepticon leader growled at him with clenched fists.
"What did you say?" Megatron hissed icily as he took a couple steps towards him. Thundercracker and Skywarp watched the interaction between the leader of the Decepticons and their brother with wide optics and sparks filled with dread.
"Need me to spell it out for you?! N…O….means NO!" Starscream answered with his head held high in a haughty voice. He stood his ground as Megatron slowly lumbered towards him. He wasn't afraid. He could however feel the fear his brothers were feeling…they feared for him. They feared for his safety and for his life. Megatron wouldn't DARE hurt him! Not if he wanted to prove that he wasn't a liar and would hold true to his word! Clearly the youngling didn't know the tyrant half as well as he believed. Starscream thought he had this mech figured out but soon learned what became of those foolish enough to disrespect him.
Megatron grabbed Starscream by his throat and lifted him high in the air and choked him.
"You are a FOOL child…to disrespect me. Someday you will appreciate my…discliplinary methods…it's time you learned to respect your elders!"
Megatron threw Starscream aside and then summoned his guards.
"Take this youngling to prison chamber 156 and lock him in. No one is to have any contact with him whatsoever. He is not to receive any energon until I so order it."
"Yes, my lord," two Decepticon soldiers bowed before hauling a protesting Starscream out of Megatron's throne room.
Megatron gazed down upon the two younglings that had wisely chosen to join him.
"We were never properly introduced. What are your names younglings?"
"I'm Thundercracker and this is Skywarp..."
"And what of your insolent brother?" Megatron was all too eager to learn the name of the young mech. He had a good feeling that in time, that feisty spirited one would no doubt rise up within the Decepticon ranks.
Thundercracker spoke again after sharing a quick glance at Skywarp.
"His name…is Starscream."
"Starscream…" Megatron tested the name out for himself. He rather liked it.
That young mech currently imprisoned…had a great destiny ahead of him. Starscream couldn't see it now…but he had the true makings of a Decepticon. Megatron couldn't wait until the day, when Starscream finally bowed down... and called him… 'Master'…
TO BE CONTINUED!
Author's Note: I'm really sorry this chapter was more about Starscream and his brothers but I had to fill it in since they played a role with helping the younglings escape. I can give you the hint of a spoiler by just saying that they will appear a few other times within the story. This sort of wasn't my plan to incorporate them but now that I have Sunstreaker and Sideswipe… well… you know how it is. Lol-Please leave me a review! :D
