First of all, let me wish you, dear readers, a very happy new year 2009 !
To start it well, why not enjoying a new chapter of "Vicious Circle"? Editing by Edita. Many thanks to her.
To the readers who also read "Hunted Species": Hold on! I have almost put an end to chapter 26...
Chapter 10: Survival
"You're already dead!"
Starscream pressed heavily on the body of his opponent, squeezing hard Galvatron's throat. The Decepticon warlord thrashed beneath him, and finally managed to grab him by the wrist and push him away. Starscream landed on his flank but didn't lose his cold blood; he set the barrel of his null ray on the joint between Galvatron's waist and chest plating, and fired at full power. The Decepticon warlord gave out a cry of pain, while electric spasms shook his body. Starscream shot five more times, aware that if Galvatron was paralyzed, his victory was assured. It was only when smoke rose from the body of the shocked mech that he stopped.
"I told you I would win… Now, you are at my mercy!" he breathed, climbing back onto the body of the groggy Transformer.
His rage for revenge vanished when he looked closely at Galvatron's face, so similar to Megatron's. Pain came back to his spark together with guilt. He knew he had to kill, but he suddenly felt the need to say good bye to the one he had abandoned without an explanation.
"I had to leave you behind, Silvergun," he apologized as he lowered his face, stopping an inch from the lifeless faceplate. Their lips brushed slightly. "I'm sorry that I didn't try to save you and let you become this monster. That was beyond my strength," he apologized with emotion.
Starscream closed the remaining distance and covered softly Galvatron's lips in a good-bye kiss. The peace in his mind fell apart when a fist shattered his cockpit and dug in his chest. He tried to withdraw but a hand fell on his backbone and forced him to keep the kiss sealed, while the ferocious mandenta bit him viciously. Starscream understood his impending demise when Galvatron switched their position, pinning Starscream under his greater weight without regard to his wings, which twisted in the process. The Seeker shrieked in pain so loud that his vocal component almost gave up, to the greatest pleasure of the warlord.
"Now, YOU are at my mercy," Galvatron sniggered with a sadistic look in the optics. "Or should I say, you have to deal with my lack of mercy."
"No, please—!"
Galvatron set a finger on Starscream's faceplate, and traced up the dark line on his cheek.
"It's too late. I'm going to punish you for your arrogance and your treachery, little fool." The tyrant retorted, ignoring his pleas. "Something that Megatron should have done a long time ago. What a pity he had this fondness for you…"
"I'm begging—!"
Starscream choked with fear as Galvatron set his finger beside his optics and caressed his temple, drinking at the terror that played in the jet's red mirrors.
"Why not rip out these beautiful optics of yours for a start? Those deep crimson red lakes Megatron liked to drown in!"
"NOOOOOOOO!"
The wound on his back hurt, and energon flowed down his shoulder blade and even his waist. The pain was however nothing in comparison to the worry that seized his spark. Deep within his core, he knew that Starscream was in extreme danger. He could almost feel the fear that agitated Starscream's spark; it was a light but frightening tingle, a dull pain as their bond was yet too new to allow them to fully share their sensations at a distance.
"Hurry!" he barked, pushing Cyclonus roughly so that he walked quicker.
The mech complied without a word, staggering on his feet.
They walked a few meters when Megatron felt a kind of discharge in his spark as if one of his main electricity circuits had exploded in his chest. He reached his chest with his hand feeling the pain increasing. His mind suddenly raced in fear as he understood that it was Starscream's pain that he felt through their fragile bond. That could mean only one thing—his Seeker was in agony.
"Starscream, no!" he choked with emotion as the throbbing pain persisted. "Lead me to Galvatron's quarters at once!" he barked at Cyclonus and set the barrel of his fusion cannon against the back of the purple helmet, "Or you're dead!"
"This way!" the mech promptly replied, speeding up his pace despite his obvious pain.
Dark corridors after dark corridors, they finally stepped in front of a broken door and the body of a deactivated mech in the dim light. Megatron knocked his hostage down with a powerful hit on the helmet and pushed the door open with worry. He spotted with horror a white wing, torn apart from his Seeker, who was lying in a pool of energon. There was a bulky mech by his side, who was working on ripping off the second wing. Starscream gave a faint moan of pain when the appendage came off with a bunch of broken wires and a splash of energon.
"Get off him!" he roared, "Take on somebody your own size!"
In one leap, he was on the mech and tackled him to the floor. They both rolled on the ground as his opponent refused to give up, and even gave him a punch on the right cheek. But Megatron was too furious to feel the pain that radiated from his faceplate. He drove his knees hard into the other's midsection, which earned him another hit on the helmet. That was enough to unleash the beast that slept deep within him; his hands shot around the other mech's throat and squeezed hard. The one called Galvatron started hammering his flanks, but once again, his fury was so strong that he ignored the pain. He noticed the warning messages sent by his systems only when Galvatron reached the back of his neck and dug his fingers into his open wound. Galvatron pushed him back roughly, and he fell on his back, sight dimming and audio processors ringing.
"Ho! This pathetic fool had an accomplice! You started well, but you can't keep the distance…" Galvatron sniggered and stepped in front of him, unveiling his face from the shadows. "Let me give you a lesson before I kill you! Mwaaah!"
Red optics full of hate met their double. The two mechs stared at each other with a not-too-faint surprise as they had the feeling to look at their reflections in a mirror.
"What the slag is this nonsense!" Galvatron barked and aimed his fusion cannon at Megatron's chest. "Impostor! I'm going to erase you from the surface of Charr!" he growled viciously.
The younger mech's CPU raced as he understood the danger of his situation. By reflex and instinct of preservation, he caught the axe that had fallen just behind him and slashed his clone in the centre of his chest. Metal dug into metal, wires and energon lines, sending Galvatron flying backwards, where he lay still on the ground. Exhausted, Megatron also rested on the dark and cold paving, awaiting for his systems to cool down and allow him to come back to a sitting position. Once he felt in control of some of his motor functions again, he came on his four and crawled to the mech he had stricken down. Galvatron wasn't deactivated but was out of commission; the deep gash dripped energon and a light could be seen beneath the broken pipes and wires.
"Galvatron's spark…" Megatron murmured, and then realized it was the question of his own spark. From the explanations he had gotten from Starscream and Blitzwing, he understood he would become first the Slag Maker, and ultimately, this Galvatron.
"Starscream… Starscream!" he suddenly screamed, leaving the mech in stasis for the bleeding form of his lover.
No answer came from the Seeker, who lay face down in a large black pool of oil and energon. Megatron limped to his side, ignoring the mixture that tainted his silver paint job when he knelt down and contemplated with horror the gaping hole that used to be the base of the graceful wings. He took hold of the seeker's body and delicately turned him over, just to see the horrible tortures Galvatron had put him through.
"Starscream… No!" he murmured, reaching the dark face with a trembling hand.
The Seeker's optics were gone. Two dark holes where a few sparkles were dying replaced the beautiful red components. Energon drew tear-like figures down his cheek, his lips and his throat.
"I should have come quicker! I should have stopped him!" he moaned, as his hand now travelled down to the Seeker's chest, where the glass of the canopy had been smashed and some devices torn away. Immediately, he caught sight of the light that shone from Starscream's insides and understood that Galvatron had aimed at his life core.
"Monster!"
Megatron glared at the unconscious mech feeling the urge to murder him for what he had done. He raised his fusion cannon and aimed at the warlord's head. He would first shoot his CPU, and then, his spark.
"Priority needs to be reset," stated a monotone voice from behind him, startling him.
"Who are you?" Megatron pivoted on his knees, aiming his weapon blindly in the direction of the tall figure that approached him. "Stay where you are!"
"I'm not an enemy. I can help," the newcomer added ignoring his threat as he stopped in front of him. He reached the cannon with his hand and pushed it aside slowly. "Help you save Starscream…"
Cyclonus's distress call came from the entrance to Galvatron's quarters, which highly intrigued Scourge. He had last seen the Galvatron's lieutenant in a meeting, two cycles before, until the warlord had dismissed them stating he wanted to be alone. The Sweep understood that Cyclonus hadn't come there by himself when he discovered him lying in front of the smashed door together with a deactivated Sweep.
"What happened?" Scourge enquired as he shook Cyclonus a little to wake him up.
Cyclonus's optics flickered weakly to life, as he raised a shaking hand, pointing at the quarters.
"Galvatron… Check on Lord Galvatron."
Scourge propped him against the wall and left him to regain consciousness. He entered the quarters and immediately scanned the trace of energon that tainted the paving. Galvatron was lying very close to the black pool, but the liquid didn't come from the gash in his chest.
"My lord, are you okay?" the Sweep asked, kneeling by his side.
Galvatron's optics glowed a deep crimson red, and the expression of the mech turned to complete fury. Half-conscious, the crazy Decepticon was already seized by rage. Scourge prudently jerked back, but was a few astroseconds too late to avoid Galvatron's fist. He fell on his back, nose bleeding. By his side, the Tyrant came back to a sitting position and raised his arms to the ceiling.
"Give the alert, you worthless piece of slag. I want Starscream and the impostor caught and submitted to my punishment!"
Once again, Megatron had to stop to readjust Starscream's position in his arms. The Seeker's body was slick with energon and totally limp, as Starscream was constantly switching between consciousness and unconsciousness.
"Hold on, Little Prince, everything's gonna be alright."
"Silence!" the mech called Soundwave hissed, "Somebody's coming this way!" he added, beckoning Megatron to hide behind a door. He typed a code on the door panel and pushed the gladiator and his burden inside a dark room. "Wait a second!" he warned, standing in the doorway, holding the two wings of Starscream.
He suddenly withdrew inside and closed the door, leaving only a small gap. Megatron looked over the shoulders of the blue mech and saw five Transformers running past their hideout without a look to them. They were middle-height, darkly coloured and wore cannons.
"Who are they?" he murmured to Soundwave, "They look like gladiators."
"The Combaticons—Starscream's creations. I guess the alert has been given. They're after you."
"Starscream's creations?!" Megatron exclaimed in shock as he lowered his gaze to his unconscious lover. He then looked back at Soundwave with a puzzled expression, "He's never told me he already had sparklings!" he whined.
O
At first, Soundwave responded to this question with a blank stare. Such a remark wasn't surprising after all; the values, standards, references and even knowledge of this Megatron were different from those of the Transformers of this era.
"They are not his sparklings. Starscream had never had sparklings as far as I know. I'll explain later," he answered sternly. "The priority is to leave this citadel as soon as possible without being caught."
Blitzwing's systems rebooted slowly, bringing him back to the world with a splitting buzzing in the head. He tried to move but realized that he was bound with a net of wires. Then he remembered.
"Megatron… He knocked me out and chained me while I was unconscious!"
The triple changer started pulling on his improvised chains; to his relief, they were not very resisting and started snapping. Blitzwing was, however, in a hurry and finally switched back to his tank mode, shredding the last strands in the process.
"Alright, let's get out of here!" he declared to himself as he came back to his robot mode and ran to the command board.
Through the front glass, he saw that the windows of Galvatron's castle were lighting up one by one. Something was happening there, something that Blitzwing didn't want to be involved into at all.
"Sorry for you, Megatron. Among Decepticons, it's every bot for himself. It's what you have taught me!"
Without hesitation, he started the shuttle at full speed and took off in a roar of engines, leaving the young Megatron to his fate.
Soundwave guided them through endless secret tunnels lighting the path with a device that was equipped on his shoulder. They finally emerged in a narrow street, far from Galvatron's citadel. The massive building was blazing with neon lights from its walls, which illuminated the surrounding shacks and hangars. They could hear the hubbub of the encampment, sign that the alert was spreading.
"This way!" Soundwave pointed at a grey blockhouse, "These are my quarters. We'll be safe for a while," he assured.
Megatron hesitated, still having some doubts about the real intentions of the mech. Starscream moaned slightly against his chest, clutching his shoulder as pain tore through him. He had no choice but to give Soundwave some trust; Starscream's life was at stake. Besides, his CPU could offer no other plan right now.
"Okay."
O
"Come in."
The heavy doors closed after Megatron. The young gladiator stepped forward and looked with bewilderment at the many screens that decorated the four coarse-metal walls. He suddenly felt a tug on his right foot, as if he had walked on a shard.
"Hey, watch out!"
The voice came from his foot. Megatron leaned forward, getting a firmer grip on Starscream, and discovered a small drone-like robot that was shaking his head with a resentful look. The tiny purple thing was the smallest creature he had ever seen.
"What is that?" he exclaimed, stepping back until he felt the coldness of the door tickling his bleeding wound.
"I'm Rumble, one of Soundwave's Cassettes," the small creature replied, beckoning one of his siblings to approach. "Frenzy, look! He really looks like Megatron, but he's younger." He then glared at Starscream and laughed. "Ah! Ah! The little brat is in spare parts!"
"Eh, Eh… Well noted!" the red and black Cassette replied.
Megatron glared at the two small things that hid behind Soundwave's feet emitting little squeals. He automatically disliked them as they seemed to enjoy Starscream's dire strait.
"Rumble! Frenzy! Do as ordered!" Soundwave growled in irritation.
"Yes, boss!"
The two small creatures ran to their respective screens, each of them displaying a different view of Galvatron's castle and its surroundings. Megatron suddenly had a feeling that all of this had been prepared for a very long time.
"What is going on here?" he asked groping for the switch to unlock the door.
Soundwave walked without a word to the far corner of his quarters and moved a rack full of electronic devices with effort. He then removed a thick grayish film of the same color as the ground unveiling a trap door, which he opened.
"Follow me. You will be safe there."
O
"What are you going to do?" Megatron caught Soundwave's hands before the blue mech plugged a long tube into the stumps in Starscream's back. "What is that?"
"I need to revitalize the circuits that were linked to the sensors of his wings. If I don't do that, he will have no chance to be given new wings, even less to use them and fly again." Soundwave waved Megatron's hands away, "I've already told you: I'm not your enemy. I am here to help you!" he added.
"I still don't understand why you want to help me," Megatron retorted. "You have to explain at last! Why is this hideout equipped with medical machines, ready to welcome Starscream and me?" He glared angrily at his interlocutor; "And why do I have the feeling I already know you?" he hissed.
"I'll explain everything once Starscream is patched up. You don't want to let him die without medical care, do you?"
Megatron lowered his gaze on the Seeker. Starscream's lips were twisted in a grimace of pain, and the black holes of his torn optics added despair to his already downcast expression.
"No… No, I don't want him to die!"
"Then let me work on him and hold him tight. It's going to sting a lot. He might thrash when I connect the cables on his back. You have to prevent him from moving and aggravating his wounds." Soundwave recited his instructions in a stern and monotonous voice. "Your cooperation is necessary, even if you don't trust me yet," he finished.
Such a weak answer didn't convince Megatron but he knew his options were reduced to following this strange mech. He didn't like Transformers who hid their faces behind a facemask, showing nothing of their thoughts or feelings, and moreover, hiding their identity. Who was Soundwave? A mech he had known in the distant past? An ally or an enemy?
On the other hand, if Soundwave hadn't been here to help him escape, he would have been killed by Galvatron's troops.
"No! No! Leave me alone! Let me die!"
Megatron braced himself when the Starscream's shrieks reached his audios. Awoken by the pain caused by repairs on his back, Starscream was wriggling stronger and stronger on the repair berth.
"Shh! Little Prince! I'm here; I'm protecting you! Let Soundwave repair your back," he murmured in a reassuring tone.
He grabbed the Seeker's wrists, but Starscream pushed him back with the strength born from desperation and delirium.
"No! Galvatron! Please, no more torture! Kill me! Kill me! I don't want to suffer any more!" Starscream moaned.
At a loss what to say or do, Megatron climbed onto the berth, seized Starscream by the waist and propped him against his flank.
"What are you—?"
Soundwave stepped back, surprised by Megatron's move. The gladiator ignored him, his attention focused on his Seeker, who was now completely petrified by fear. He wrapped his arms around the battered form and kissed lightly Starscream's forehead, while caressing gently his waist.
"It's me, Starscream. It's Silvergun, Love."
O
Through the darkness, he could feel the touch of fingers on his ruined plating. His overtaxed CPU was submerged in confusion; although it was soothing, the owner of the energy-field that wrapped him reminded him of… Galvatron.
"It's… another trick… to torture me! Haven't you had enough?!" he sobbed.
The fingers kept caressing his waist, so lightly that his damaged circuits didn't complain in pain. Metal lips touched his lip component, softly and gently, adding to the confusion. He knew this kiss.
"It's me… Silvergun."
The name awakened another pain in his spark, more powerful than the physical pain that overwhelmed his body. Energon rose to his absent optics; optical circuits burned at the contact, drawing a howl of pain from his overtaxed vocal processor.
"Shh, calm down, Little Prince." The voice was caressing, like the fingers that were now brushing his cheeks.
"You… You can't be Silvergun. I abandoned him… in the past!" Starscream weakly retorted.
Tender kisses replaced the gentle brushes, which travelled down his throat.
"I followed you through the time tunnel."
Despite the darkness he was buried in, Starscream suddenly felt a ray of hope warming his spark.
"It's impossible… How?" he breathed.
"I'm able to move heaven and earth, fight the time and the whole Universe, when it is about keeping you by my side, Love."
The Seeker felt his spark quivering with emotion. With strength he didn't know was left in his body, he groped for the face of the mech, and gave out a cry when his palm touched the harsh but young features of his gladiator.
"You… came for me? You saved me!" Starscream exclaimed, his body shaken by electric spasms, mostly due to the strong emotions that coursed through his spark. "You're here despite my betrayal?"
A reassuring chuckle reached his audios.
"Did you really think that my Little Prince could escape from the impulsive and hothead lover that I am?" His lips were once again graced with Silvergun's unique kiss. "Beware… I want you. I love you! I'll keep you with me!"
O
Soundwave was observing them without a word, quite puzzled by the affection displayed by this young Megatron and the Starscream's reaction. The gladiator was cradling the Seeker like a sparkling, caressing him gently, soothing his pain and silencing his apologetic pleas with loving kisses. If the Megatron of this timeline hadn't warned him about the coming of "Megatron the Silvergun", he would have taken this as an Autobot masquerade and killed the two lovey-dovey impostors.
But "Megatron the Slag Maker" had warned him…
"I've already told you; I won't tolerate your insolence any longer, Starscream!"
"Why did you have to call me traitor and humiliate me again, Megatron!?"
Soundwave hovered his hand and, instead of pushing the heavy door to Megatron's office, he brought his face closer to the half-open door. In the weakly lit functional office, Megatron slammed Starscream against the opposite wall and leaned against him. The scene was all too familiar to the Communications Officer, as well as the sexual tension that rose between the Decepticon Leader and his Air Commander. Like all the other Decepticons, he asked himself if, at last, Megatron would kiss Starscream when he set his face close to the dark faceplate of his beautiful second. Their gazes locked; Starscream's lips parted as if in invitation while hesitation appeared on Megatron's face.
"Because you're the greatest disappointment of my life!"
A black hand shot around the Seeker's throat. Starscream opened his mouth, not to welcome a warm kiss, but to cry pleas for mercy. Finally irritated by the vocal performance of his Air Commander, Megatron slammed him brutally against the wall and let him slide to the ground.
"Out of my sight, little worm!"
Starscream got slowly to his feet, and shot him a look in which resentment fought with hurt. Then his lips crooked in a devilish smile, and his optics blazed with anger.
"Oh, I'm your greatest disappointment? Beware that I don't become your doom!" he purred sensually.
"Out! Before I deactivate you!"
The Seeker ran away without further ado, escaping through the door that he was the only one to use. Megatron kept staring at the wall where he had pinned the Seeker a moment ago, and finally slammed his fist into the metal making a dent. He remained in this position, face lowered, for a few astroseconds, until he noticed the presence of his third in command in the corridor.
"Come in, Soundwave."
The Communications Officer entered with no haste, leaving Megatron enough time to come back to his seat and regain some composure. However, when he approached the large desk, he found that Megatron looked tired.
"At your command, Megatron. You wanted to talk with me?" he ventured.
"Have you seen us, Soundwave?"
"…"
Unsure of the consequences if he replied affirmatively, Soundwave decided to keep silent.
"I actually called you at this time so that you could see us."
"…"
Now Soundwave was unsure of what to think, except that Megatron wanted to confide. It was actually better to keep silent and just listen.
"There was a time when I was in love with Starscream. And he loved me," Megatron said dreamily. "It was a long time ago. I lost him, and it drove me crazy. So crazy that I had myself reprogrammed so that I couldn't feel compassion or love towards anybody. So desperate that I had a great part of my memory about our love removed." He paused, tilted his head and smiled bitterly. "Then, he came back. I don't know how… I realized that my attraction for him wasn't dead, but I was unable of love towards him, just desire that I couldn't fulfil. I just hated him for what his loss had led me to become."
"My Lord—"
"No, let me finish!" Megatron ordered. He set his elbows on the glassy surface of his desk and rested his chin on his intertwined hands, staring vacantly. "The worst, is that I had once thought that I could avoid this situation, but I failed. When I think I had been warned… by myself!"
"I'm sorry sir, I'm not sure I understand what you mean."
Soundwave was lost, very lost. The scanning of Megatron's mind indicated he was telling the truth. He wasn't drunk either, although his words were a total nonsense.
"I'm a prisoner of a time circle. A very vicious one…" Megatron laconically replied. "And so is Starscream. Everything happens all over again. I don't know how many times this loop has looped, I just know that every time that I've tried to break it, I failed."
Soundwave felt like a bell was ringing in his CPU.
"A time circle? Is it linked to the time experiment we completed in the Hall of Heroes a decacycle ago?"
Megatron smirked at the remark.
"Good. You're starting to understand," he chuckled. "Now, let me finish my explanation. Tomorrow, we're going to attack Autobot City. I'll kill Optimus Prime—at last! — but he will wound me to death. Starscream will take advantage of my weakness to abandon me in deep space. It sickens me to say that but… don't stop him!"
Soundwave flinched. Had Megatron blown a circuit to ask him such a thing?
"Megatron! How can you-?"
"Silence!" The Decepticon leader's optics flashed menacingly, imposing silence on his trusty Communications Officer. "I'll come back, different from whom I currently am. More powerful and far crazier than now," he added and then laughed. "Here are my orders: stay away from me, whatever happens, and take care of this."
Soundwave was too stunned by Megatron's request that he couldn't find a word to say. The Decepticon leader opened one of the drawers of his desk, and produced a long metal box, which he placed in front of him.
"I want to keep this until "I return". It won't be me as the one who's speaking currently to you, Soundwave. It will be me as I was at the time of Emperor Quintessa the Third, fifteen million years ago; Silvergun the gladiator. I will come through the time tunnel we created, trying to catch up with Starscream. Be ready to welcome me with a fully equipped repair bay for Starscream, who will be injured by the mech I would have become." His hand caressed lazily the surface of the box. "On the following day of Silvergun's appearance, open this box. There are two objects in there; one for Silvergun, the one I used to be, and another for the one I will be."
Megatron looked up at Soundwave and couldn't help but chuckle as he sensed the confusion in his energy field.
"Any question?"
"Are you telling me… that you're setting yourself up through different timelines?" Soundwave asked, unsure.
The Decepticon Leader gave out a cackle of amusement.
"More or less. Last thing; never let Silvergun and Starscream come back to the past. If necessary, destroy the time tunnel. Did you copy, Soundwave?"
The Communication Officer nodded silently.
"Excellent!" From insane joy, the expression of Megatron the Slag Maker turned to a dark determination. "I have to break this curse, this vicious circle. To do this, I have to let the current time circle loop completely, and break the next one at its start," he groaned. His optics shone with determination. "I won't fail again. I'm the only one free to choose my destiny!" he swore.
"Soundwave… Soundwave!"
The grave voice of young Megatron drew him out of the memory of this last meeting with the Slag Maker. The gladiator was observing him from the repair berth, Starscream still cradled within his arms.
"Ye- Yes?"
"Starscream is calm now. You can proceed with the repairs."
"Perfect."
Soundwave resumed silently his repairs on Starscream's back, avoiding the scrutinizing gaze of Megatron. The Seeker was remarkably calm despite the pain that certainly flared each time he welded a circuit or plugged a pipe. He clutched the shoulders or the chest of the gladiator, stroked his energon-stained face against the silver faceplate in search of comfort, or just moaned his pain. He was behaving so differently from the insufferable Starscream that he knew; he looked so vulnerable that it put Soundwave ill-at-ease.
"I'm done with his back. I need to examine his chest. Can you stand up and hold his back so that I have a clear view?"
Megatron complied reluctantly as Starscream started to move again when the hands of the gladiator left his body.
"Where are you going, Megatron? Don't leave me!" the Seeker whined in panic.
"I'm not leaving you. Soundwave needs to examine your chest!"
"Soundwave?!" Starscream's voice reached a high-pitch level, reflecting his fear. "No! No! Don't let him touch me! He hates me! He wants me dead!"
Megatron's optics flashed in anger at Soundwave. The predator stretched his arm and grabbed the Communications Officer by the throat, forcing him to lean forward. His lips outlined a cruel rictus, which left no doubt to Soundwave about the identity of the gladiator. The Slag Maker already existed in Silvergun's programming, sleeping but ready to be unleashed.
"Explain what this farce is about!"
"It's not a farce. Starscream was the second in command of Megatron the Slag maker, and me, the third. We often disagreed about strategy, and Starscream hated me," Soundwave promptly exclaimed. "As for your rescue, it has been ordered by the Slag Maker himself before he disappeared and became Galvatron."
Megatron loosened his grip a bit but didn't let go of the blue Deepticon's throat. His optics flashed the characteristic dark red that Soundwave had so often seen when his leader was angry.
"Do you mean… he knew I would come?"
"This had already happened in the past. Megatron… I mean, the Slag Maker, he had been in your position before; chasing Starscream to bring him back to him. You're caught in a vicious time circle, and he knew it. He's been trying to break it, even though he had become Galvatron."
"Nonsense!"
"I can give you evidence of it. However, the priority here is to patch Starscream!"
Megatron let go off Soundwave's throat. His optics flickered madly before they glowed their usual crimson. The gladiator surrendered to his reasoning… for now.
"Repair him!" he hissed as he took hold of Starscream's wrists and forced them by his sides, allowing Soundwave to reach his ruined chest.
Despite the energon that tainted the circuits, the wound was less critical that the ones on the back. After checking that the spark casing hadn't been cracked and that its power supply line was intact, he patched the energon supply line that leaked the vital liquid.
"Done. I won't carry on with further repairs; Starscream must recharge before. He's too low on energy," Soundwave calmly stated. "You should rest as well, with him," he added.
"And remain vulnerable to your potential betrayal?" Megatron sniggered. "No way. Besides, your answers don't satisfy me. Explain further!"
"If I wanted you dead, I would have just left you deal with Starscream's wounds in Galvatron's quarters, and wouldn't have helped you leave the citadel. Besides!—"
(Soundwave! This is a red code alert! Your presence is requested at Megatron's throne room!)
Motormaster's voice rang in his audio processors. Soundwave immediately switched on the loudspeaker so that Megatron could hear the orders.
"Soundwave in. What's going on, Motormaster?"
(Starscream and an accomplice attacked Galvatron. The guy is furious. We have to find the little piece of slag and bring him to Galvatron.)
"I see, this is a hunting trip. I will be there shortly," Soundwave replied, cutting the comlink as he stared at Megatron. "I have to go, otherwise, they're going to suspect I'm helping you. Once again, you're safe here."
O
Megatron watched him leave without a word, feeling the worry taking hold of his spark. Soundwave closed the trap door behind him, and the lights dimmed gradually in the small laboratory.
"Megatron…"
The whisper came from Starscream, reminding to the gladiator that somebody urgently needed comfort. He climbed onto the berth and seized his Seeker carefully, setting his cannon-equipped arm on Starscream's back, making sure he could maneuver it without damaging the wires that hung from the ceiling. Who knows? He might have to face a sudden attack, and had to make sure he would be able to defend his lover.
"Here, Starscream, I'm here. Now, have some recharge. I'm watching over you."
"What are we going to do now? Galvatron will never leave us alive," the Seeker breathed.
"Oh, yes, he will. He doesn't know what I'm capable of yet!"
Megatron's self-confident statement seemed to reassure Starscream, who slowly slipped into recharge. However, deep within his spark, Megatron was fighting the feeling that he was not in control of anything.
To be continued