Chapter 11: Posthumous message

Megatron stifled a moan when pain radiated from his neck. Well, he believed it was his neck, as most of his systems were still in recharge mode. He was not with it.

'Primus, I've fallen asleep!'

Panicked at the idea he had allowed himself to recharge and was now attacked by an enemy, he powered his motor system in emergency, and almost fried some of his circuits in the process. His optics came back online, allowing him to catch sight of a dark form, leaning over him. He withdrew his cannon-equipped arm from under Starscream's back and aimed at the intruder.

"Get off me!" he screamed.

"Megatron, calm down! This is Soundwave!"

The gladiator stopped powering up his cannon just before it shot the Communication officer in the face.

"Never do it again!" Megatron barked. "And by the way, what were you doing?"

Soundwave lowered his arms that he had raised protectively in front of his face.

"Repairing your neck and shoulders. Wound still bleeding."

'My neck and shoulders…' The reply of the blue Decepticon and the fresh wave of pain that came from his upper back reminded him that he wasn't fixed yet.

"Couldn't you wake me up before working on me?" Megatron protested, trying to not show he was in pain.

"I thought you needed rest. Please, turn to your flank, so that I can carry on with the repairs."

The gladiator complied grudgingly and returned to his position, leaning against Starscream. He startled as he suddenly feared that the Seeker was deactivated, but was relieved when a faint moan escaped his lips. Slowly, the Seeker came back online, his first reflex being to check if the bot reclining with him was his gladiator.

"My memory chip wasn't damaged. It was really you."

Megatron decided to ignore the violent pain that shot from his neck, where Soundwave was welding broken wires.

"Of course it's me. Who else would be able to follow you, Little Prince?" he murmured reassuringly and then kissed his Seeker on the lips. To his relief, the Seeker relaxed against him and didn't mention anything about the pitiful state of his body. He even drifted back into recharge, snuggling comfortably against him.

Once he was sure that Starscream wouldn't listen to the conversation, he dared to ask the question that burnt his lips.

"What is the situation?"

"Not too bad. Galvatron was overexcited, CPU not functioning properly. Shot his two lieutenants during the short meeting," Soundwave replied, working on the last leaking pipe. "Ordered the lockdown of Charr: no communication with the outside world, no travelling outside and to search for his aggressor in the citadel."

He kept silent during a few minutes, deep in his repair work.

"Is he stupid or what? He really thinks we are still in his lair?" Megatron couldn't help chuckling. "This bot really has a glitch! How can he be a commander?" he snorted before he got a reminder from his data bank that he would become this glitch bot.

"He's Galvatron; an improved version of Megatron the Slag Maker in terms of power, but deprived of common sense or sanity."

Soundwave pulled on a wire for the last time and closed the panel protecting Megatron's neck.

"How long do we have before he starts searching the quarters around the citadel?" asked the gladiator, relieved that the repairs were finished.

"A megacycle, maybe less. All depends on Galvatron's mood and capacity to listen to Cyclonus and Scourge."

"Not good. That means we will have to find an escape way very quickly."

"This is not an option."

Megatron remained silent, assessing the situation.

"You have to repair Starscream without delay."

"I will. I'm going to work on his wings as soon as possible." Soundwave assured.

"Perfect. Don't forget you owe me an explanation about the Slag Maker. How did he know I would come and that Starscream would be injured?"

The visor of the Communications Officer flashed nervously.

"Explanations will come shortly. Advise: take time to clean up. Preparation of the repairs ongoing."

Megatron lowered his gaze and had to admit the sight was quite unsavory. Congealed energon tarnished his silver paint job, drawing dark figures on it. Starscream was no better, his unique colourful paint job covered with a thin greenish layer of energon.

"Do you have a coolant shower?" he ventured.

"Upstairs."

Megatron left Starscream reluctantly and climbed up the stairs as Soundwave suggested. The little creatures he had met the day before were still there, scrutinizing the surveillance camera with great attention. They turned their tiny optics in his direction and observed him when he appeared in the room. The gladiator tried to ignore them and scanned the place, in search of the coolant shower, but didn't find it. Soundwave's quarters were large and cosy, divided into rooms with regard to the presence of doors in three of the walls. Megatron wondered briefly who Soundwave could be that he had such nice quarters.

"Looking for something?" asked the little purple bot.

"Hum… Well, yes. The coolant shower."

"Over there!"

Megatron nodded in acceptance and proceeded to the indicated room. He was once again surprised by the comfortable spaciousness of the shower room, as he was more used to the small size of his own quarters. He walked to the bathtub and pushed a button, letting out a cry of surprise when warm coolant splashed generously from the showerhead. He was used to the trickle of water from his shower, pouring coolant sparingly due to poor infrastructure, but not to such a tsunami.

"It must be broken," he muttered as he offlined his optics, enjoying the delicious read-out created by the liquid running over his sensors. "A pity Starscream can't get off his berth," he sighed.

He then noticed a container at the opposite corner of the shower and a piece of synthetic fabric.

"Perfect."


Soundwave once again inspected the wires in Starscream's back, wondering how he would relink them to the sensory network of the two severed wings. He had extensive knowledge in electronic and medical engineering, but the task was arduous for him alone. His only hope was that a certain green Con' accepted his request and came without delay to perform the repairs.

"You can fix him, right?"

The Communication officer looked up at the gladiator, hesitating to reply that he might not be able to repair Starscream. He finally decided to lie in order to avoid potential outburst from his guest.

"Affirmative. Gathering of the needed materials ongoing," he stated monotonously and climbed the stairs.


Starscream moaned lightly when a sweet sensation of warmth blossomed on his face. He felt a trickle of liquid run down his cheek and stop at the corner of his mouth. He parted his lips and tasted what he identified as coolant. Another warm caress graced his forehead, sliding slowly to his temple. A hand rested gently on the back of his neck, lifting his head a little. The warm sensation traveled from his chin down to his throat. Somebody was bathing him.

"Megatron?"

"Shh. I'm here," the gladiator whispered in his audios. "I'm washing you a little. I think you will feel better afterwards."

Already too exhausted to reply, the Seeker let him continue his careful work. Starscream's mind quickly drifted, carried away by the gentle caress on his wounded body. He imagined himself in Megatron's arms, lips and limbs locked as their cores became one, like the first time they had shared intimacy. Primus, it was only a few megacycles ago, but it seemed like an eternity had passed since that sweet first time. If only he could be back in time, and avoid the mistake of abandoning Megatron; they wouldn't be trapped here, at the mercy of Galvatron. Why did he always have to make bad choices?

"Here. Your paint job is clean, Little Prince."

The murmur in his right audio was followed by a kiss on his lips and a gentle caress on his cheek. Starscream sobbed as he judged himself to be the worst idiot of the universe.

"I don't deserve your attention, Megatron. I betrayed you. I was so stupid! I—" He cried.

A hand covered his mouth gently, silencing him.

"Yes, you acted like an idiot, and I can't forgive your betrayal completely. I just hope that from now on you will trust me more and consider my feelings towards you," Megatron murmured, "No more betrayal,. I don't know what I'll be able to do if you deceive me again," he added and then brushed his face against Starscream's face plating. "Don't push me away anymore, and I will be forever by your side," he pleaded.

This was enough to lead Starscream to a complete breakdown. Sobbing uncontrollably, he managed to grasp Megatron's shoulders and clung at him.

"I will try… yes! I will try!"


Soundwave caressed evasively the cover of the box, still hesitating to open it. His dreamy thoughts were disturbed by the door signal, telling him that someone requested entry.

"Be on your guard!" he warned his cassettes. He motioned noiselessly towards the door and scanned it. He got the feedback of an energy field he knew quite well; his guest had arrived. "Disengage weaponry," he called as he typed the code to unlock the heavy metal doors.

A short green bot was standing straight on the first step, grazing the floor nervously with his foot.

"I don't think I've been followed. May I enter?" he asked.

"Please, proceed, Hook."

The Decepticon so addressed stepped inside and looked disdainfully at the mini-bots who were grinning at him.

"No bad jokes, you two, or I step on you!" he warned.

"Wanna try, big bot?!" Frenzy challenged with a scornful smirk, which disappeared from his face as Soundwave dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "Okay, boss, I'm going back to the surveillance camera," he complied with a sigh.

Hook welcomed Soundwave's order with a nod of satisfaction.

"Why did you want to see me in your quarters? You didn't tell me much yesterday, after this crazy bot of Galvatron dismissed us – Argh! Slag this liability!" Hook pretended to spit on the ground to emphasize his disgust for the current Decepticon Leader. "It seemed to be a kind of… a question of life and death," he added, regaining his composure.

"Assessment correct," Soundwave stated and pointed at the hole leading to the hideout beneath his quarters, "The reason is downstairs."

Hook looked perplexed but didn't ask any further questions, certainly accustomed to the laconic explanations of the Communications Officer. His short, pronoun- and article-deprived sentences, recited in a monotonous tone, were after all his trademark.

"I hope it is worth all this mystery!" Hook retorted, looking bored. "That's enough with Galvatron and his stories of Starscream's and Megatron's ghosts!" he muttered.

As expected, a shrill cry of surprise grazed at Soundwave's audios when Hook reached the bottom of the stairs.


Megatron kept his cannon aimed at the green robot who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, mouth gaping in surprise and optics blinking, as if he was about to short-circuit.

"Oh, by Primus and all the pits on Cybertron, how is this possible?! Holy slag, you're-"

Overwhelmed by surprise, the green con wasn't able to finish his sentence.

"Oh yes, who am I?" Megatron asked defiantly.

"You're Lord Silvergun… before we, the Constructicons, reprogrammed you into Megatron the Slag maker!"

The gladiator lowered his weapon in surprise.

"Constructicons… reprogrammed me? How and when did it happen?" he asked. He glared at Soundwave who had just landed by the side of the newcomer. "Is this your explanation or another trick of yours to destabilize me?"

"Negative. Information that Hook already knew you were missing," the Communications Officer replied and then peered at his guest, "Hook, further explanations are required!"

The Transformer so addressed pointed at Megatron, looking completely panicked.

"You came to us one night, covered with energon. You looked completely depressed and suicidal-"

"So it's you, the famous Constructicons?"

The six Transformers looked warily at the grayish bot who was standing in the frame of the main door of their hangar. They knew him already as he was the public figure of Skullcrusher's faction, the most popular one for his young age and his status as a hero of the Liberation War against the Quintessons. However, instead of respect, his appearance triggered a salvo of danger warning flooding their battle systems. Lord Silvergun was literally covered with energon from head to toe and his red optics flamed with the light of craziness.

"Lord Silvergun, what happened to you?" Hook ventured.

"He killed my love, so I killed him and his lackeys as well!" The energon-stained warrior chuckled insanely, "And now, I have nothing left but memories of him… Memories that are killing me slowly… so, so slowly."

Hook beckoned his fellow Constructicons to stand back, as the energy field of their visitor flared with dark anger and despair. Something awfully wrong was going to happen, he could feel it.

"Who killed who? What are you talking about?" he shrieked.

The optics of the young Lord Silvergun lost their threatening expression and turned blank.

"Skullcrusher killed my Little Prince, so I killed him. And now, everything is gone but the memories of my Love!" he spoke in a broken voice. The next look he threw at Hook showed he was totally crushed by grief. "I can't keep them anymore. My hopes had been destroyed. I thought I could win against destiny, I was wrong!" he cried. "I can't live like this anymore! Delete everything!"

"I asked you to erase my memories?" Megatron asked in surprise.

"Oh, not only your memories, but you also requested us to incapacitate a great part of your emotional system, so that most of your emotions would be reduced to almost nothing!" Hook corrected, shaking his head. "That was dangerous on many counts. Therefore, we refused. You then took Bonecrusher and Scavenger hostage, placing a collar linked to a detonation system around their necks, stating you would terminate them if we refused!" he breathed.

"I did that?"

"Yes, you did! We obeyed and made the necessary reprogramming as per your request. You also had your face plate changed, so that you looked older and crueller. When all the modifications were done, you left without further harm to us. A few megacycles later, we heard rumours that Lord Silvergun had killed Lord Skullcrusher, and had been executed by the late warlord's lieutenants. You, under the identity of Megatron, an obscure follower of Skullcrusher, took power over his faction, the Decepticons," Hook explained with fervor. "That was the starting point of the Decepticons' rising on Cybertron!" he completed.

"That's a total crap!" Megatron barked. "The resemblance between me and the Slag Maker is so obvious! Don't tell me everybody ate this without a second thought!"

"Of course there were suspicions, but everybody was afraid of you. Nobody asked questions, and we, the Constructicons, kept silent about your reprogramming, in fear of your wrath."

The young gladiator opened his mouth but vocalized no sound, as he was struck by the awful realisation.

"Skullcrusher, I swear, if I come back to the past, I'll kill you before you take on Starscream!" he finally muttered, banging his fist.

"Starscream? What does Starscream have to do with -?" Hook suspended his sentence as he discovered the battered form of the Air Commander. "Oh Primus! He used to be beaten to a pulp by Megatron, but never to such extent!" he exclaimed, scanning the major wounds rapidly. He suddenly stopped and looked up at the gladiator. "It's you who attacked Galvatron, isn't it?" he asked.

"Yes, it's me. My only regret is that I didn't put him out of commission before he did that to Starscream!" Megatron replied vehemently.

"You will certainly have other opportunities to fight him. He's looking for you, and he will certainly order to search the entire camp very soon." Hook covered everyone present with a concerned look. "Potentially, we all are in danger," he added.


Soundwave preferred to leave Hook answering the torrent of questions that Megatron had decided to pelt him with. He quickly climbed the stairs, and took the box that he had put back in a sealed safe. He set it on the command board of his desk, and checked the cover nervously. Everything was so linked together; there was no room for luck or misfortune. Starscream's and Megatron's fate was already decided, put repeatedly at stake as the vicious circle played out time and again. How many times had Megatron asked him to open this box and give the presents to the two designated bots. Should he open it this time, or disobey the orders to try to break the circle?

"Boss, are you okay?"

Soundwave looked down at Rumble and Frenzy, who were observing him with concern. He realized that he had been motionless during a few nanoclicks, his right hand hovering in the air.

"Status: no malfunctioning. Return to your work."

"At your command, boss!"

The two Casseticons left him to the contemplation of the box. Brushing his fingers over the cool metal, Soundwave's hands found their way to the lock and the small control panel. The secret code given by the Slag Maker was quickly typed, and was followed by the soft noise of the cover sliding aside to open the precious safety box.

There were two objects which Soundwave identified as a data pad and a small Transformer. The sentient being was the size of his fist plus his forearm, and looked oddly like an Earth insect called scorpion. The Communications Officer hesitated for a nanoclick and then tried to seize the small form, encouraged by its apparent lifelessness. He quickly withdrew his hand when two red lights flashed on what resembled a head, and its claws threatened to shred his fingers. He stepped back as a very much alive metal insect jumped out of his prison, claws pointing at him.

"State your identity!" Soundwave warned, peeping furtively at his blaster, unfortunately out of his reach.

The scorpion responded with an animalistic hiss and, taking advantage of Soundwave's dismay, jumped from the top of his desk to land close to the entrance door. He crashed against it, as if intending to demolish it, but the door held out against the impact. The scorpion-former did not seem knocked out or disoriented, and quickly changed his strategy: he started melting the metal of the right-hand corner with a small soldering iron equipped in his mouth.

"Open the door!" Soundwave ordered as he understood that this thing wanted to get out of his quarters at any cost.

The doors of liberty opened for the scorpion, who immediately scuttled along the street, clattering on the surface of the pavement with his claws. Then he abruptly stopped and started scratching at the mixture of rock and metal, digging his way out.

Stunned, Soundwave and his Cassettes made no move until the tail of the "thing" disappeared in the hole he had dug.

"What… What was that?" Rumble stuttered.

"Crap! This thing was… scary!" Frenzy added.

Soundwave looked at them over his shoulder. His main processor, usually very quick to assess a situation and suggest a solution, was rather clouded if not out of commission.

"Boss?"

Soundwave failed to answer.

"BOSS!" Rumble cried, "The door is open. This thing could come back, or somebody else could break into these quarters…"

A very wise remark, which brought Soundwave to reality.

"Probable identity of this creature: a gift from Megatron to Galvatron," he stated laconically and then stared at his Cassettes. "First assignment—you mend the hole and hide any trace of this creature around our quarters," he ordered.

He then grabbed the data pad and reached for another drawer. He opened it feverishly and withdrew a small data-pad reader, equipped with an antiquated large keyboard and a ridiculously small screen. This was the first thing he found when he had come back to life as Soundwave, without any memories of his former life and with a smiling Megatron staring at him.

"What is the second assignment?"

"Show Silvergun how to use this old computer."


Soundwave walked down the staircase slowly and found Hook already working on repairing Starscream's wings. Megatron was by his side holding up one of the severed appendages while the Constructicon was connecting a pipe. Starscream moaned in return, and dug his fingers into the metal of the berth.

"You're hurting him!" the gladiator said in a tone of reproach.

"I'm trying my best!" Hook retorted without looking up. "I'm not hurting him for pleasure. It's a very difficult surgery," he added to justify himself.

"You'd better be more careful!"

Soundwave noticed easily the young gladiator's growing aggravation as the latter tensed up and glared at the medic with a predatory look. Megatron was on the verge of bursting in anger.

"Megatron's presence is requested upstairs for explanation about the current situation," he informed promptly, well aware that he had to draw him away from Starscream for the duration of the surgery to avoid any complications.

"No way, I'm staying!"

"Megatron, your priority is to read the message left by the Slag Maker."

The gladiator glared at him with blazing optics. In addition to his obvious anger, Soundwave could read a certain hesitation in his energy field.

"I can't leave Starscream like this!"

"Megatron's competence in repairs is not sufficient for this surgery. I will assist Hook," Soundwave insisted, trying to be convincing by forcing his voice to become less monotonous. "Now, please, go upstairs and read the message. This is important!"

Megatron glanced at the battered form of his lover with worry in his optics and then looked back at Soundwave with a defeated expression.

"Okay."

Reluctantly, he let the Communications Officer grab the wing he was holding and climbed the stairs, throwing a last look at the Seeker.

"Slag, he's really in love with the little fool," Hook murmured, welding the second pipe. He stopped, however, when Starscream wriggled in pain. "I think we have to put him to sleep if we want to do clean repairs. Besides, I don't want Megatron to smash my face because Starscream is in pain. Do you have some thanatorgon so that we can put his systems on standby?"

"In the medicine cabinet."

The Constructicon left his task briefly to have a look into the designated cupboard.

"Hum, it is well-stocked. You have really prepared everything down to the smallest detail," Hook commented, slightly amused. "I hope you are going to brief me on what's going on here."

"Priority is to repair Starscream. Explanations to Hook are of secondary importance."

"Secondary importance, eh? You know, since I'm sure you're perfectly able to speak like a normal bot, I think that you should tell me everything you know. We're potentially in a big mess!"

The green mech came back to his patient's side with a small flask filled with grey liquid. He extracted from a subspace a small needle, which he fixed onto the cover of the flask. He then palpated Starscream's inner pipes in search of the main fuel line, which he found quickly.

"What… what are you doing? Get… your hands… off me!"

Hook smiled when he heard the so familiar pleas, shrieked in a so familiar screech. For one reason or another, Starscream had always hated being touched. Except by Megatron, which earned him punches and ill attention.

"Yeah, I know. Be a gentle sparkling, and have a good nap while we repair you," he said in a mocking tone.

"No… NO! Leave me alone!"

Hook ignored the weak pleas of the Seeker and injected the whole content of the phial into Starscream. The Seeker's system reacted almost instantly as Starscream went limp, barely able to voice his fear.

"Sil… ver… gun… Me… ga… tron…" He made a noise that the two Transformers identified as a sob, "I… love…"

To the relief of Hook and Soundwave, Starscream fell into recharge before he could make any further disturbing noises.

"Okay, let's work on the wing you're holding. I have to warn you; this will take time. A very long time!" Hook declared, resuming the delicate work to fix the pipes and circuits one by one.

"Necessary tasks will not be avoided."


Megatron sat at Soundwave's desk, looking suspiciously at the two small bots who were bustling about activating a data pad, connected to an odd-looking screen. Strangely enough, the device gave an impression of modernity and obsolescence all at once: it was far more advanced than the one he was accustomed to using, and at the same time, its dented casing bore witness to a long history of accidents.

"Here, take the headphones!" the purple one said as he handed the small pieces of black plastic to Megatron.

The gladiator didn't bother to thank him and placed the headphones on his audios, wondering why they were taking so many precautions. The screen suddenly flickered to life, showing the silver bucket-head of an old looking Transformer, tearing a cry of surprise from Megatron.

"Greetings, my dear Megatron, or should I say, Silvergun…"

His own grating voice echoed in his audios, challenging his logic chip. This was a total nonsense!

"If you're watching this video message, it means that I'm dead or not exactly myself, and that Soundwave followed my orders. I know that this must look like a total nonsense to you—it happened to me as well, when I was young, when I was you, but I need all of your attention."

The gladiator felt an urge to stop this video, go and find Soundwave and smash his face for subjecting him to this farce, but he stayed riveted to his chair.

"Excellent. I know you are in total disbelief, but you're still watching me." The silver Transformer chuckled loudly and then regained his composure. "We're caught in a time circle, a very vicious one. It always happens the same way; Galvatron kills Starscream in this time and my treacherous second in command is sent back to the past, where he meets you at your young age. Quickly, you fall in love with the winged beauty, and even when he rejects you and returns to his future, you follow him. And then," the Slag Maker smiled savagely. "The turning point!"

At this point, Megatron was unable to tear his optics off this face; the representation of the monster he would become.

"You're trapped on Charr, with Starscream wounded by Galvatron. I asked Soundwave to help you escape this trap, and he will. I guess you are surprised to hear this; as I mentioned previously, I have already experienced this," the Decepticon warlord stated in a tone of confession. "Last time, I was stupid enough to look through Soundwave's archives, look at all records of myself as the Slag Maker and was revolted enough to go back to the past with Starscream. I was like you, you know, a candid mech who couldn't bear the thought of what I would become. How stupid I was!" The Slag Maker dismissed the moment of emotion, pretending to laugh madly. "What am I saying? I am the Slag Maker!" he chuckled.

"This is madness!" Megatron brushed the screen with a thumb, tracing the features of the mech. It was a perfect representation of him!

"Oh, yes… What I'm saying is crazy… but far less cruel than the fate that awaits you and Starscream if you return to the past. I know it very well, as I am victim to this fate." A new chuckle followed this assessment: "Victim… This word really doesn't suit my current image," the warlord said between two laughs.

"What happened to me that I became you?"

"Yes, fate. Or should I say, mistakes of my own, my inability to get out of this vicious circle. I don't believe in fate, or luck… but I have to admit, I'm caught in something I have not yet found a way to escape from."

"I don't believe in luck either!" Megatron couldn't help murmuring. He was actually beginning to lose faith in everything.

"However, I am very determined to try and escape it again. I know I have tried and failed every time, but I'm sure there is a way to escape this nightmare. Therefore, I warn you; never go back to the past!" The Slag Maker insisted on the screen, "Nobody can change the past; only the future can be changed!" he declared sternly and then lowered his voice, looking suddenly sad. "You don't want to live what I've gone through again. Losing him hurt me so much that I lost the taste of life. I had to find something else to fuel my empty existence; war, conquest, annihilation of my memories and my feelings. I had myself reprogrammed so that I couldn't remember anything of him, but it failed."

"I can understand that. I went almost crazy when I realized Starscream was missing," Megatron muttered.

"I knew the reprogramming failed the first day I saw him standing in the street, like a ghost standing on the ruins of my past. He remembered nothing of me, and just looked at me with his beautiful red optics. I felt a tingle in my spark, although I was not supposed to feel it." The Slag Maker sobbed, not willing to adjust the camera. "I wanted to be with him again, but didn't know how to love him anymore. I hired him for my army, promoted him to the rank of a high officer, but I didn't know how to love him. I beat him, because it was the only way for me to touch him. I tortured him mentally, stimulating his jealousy and craving for attention because it made me feel like I was the centre of his universe."

"How miserable I will become!"

"Isn't that a pathetic way of living? Therefore, you have to escape the vicious circle. Take Starscream with you, and escape from Charr. Go and seek protection with the Autobots. And the most important thing: NEVER GO BACK TO THE PAST!" The Decepticon Leader insisted on each syllable of the last sentence. "I have a plan to break this circle for sure. You have to trust me and run away," he finished and then gave his interlocutor a sincere smile. "I hope that finally, Megatron a.k.a. Silvergun will be happy with his Little Prince," he concluded.

The screen went black, leaving Megatron in the deepest confusion, if not worry. Confused on account of his new feelings towards the Slag Maker, he thought he could hate him, but the Decepticon warlord seemed to be a victim of his ugly fate. An empty shell deprived of the most basic feelings and capacity to love, frustrated by desires he could never fulfil. Lost because he was asked to abandon his world. What would happen to Wiper? He didn't want to abandon him. He was also worried as he felt that he and Starscream had to move quickly: they were not safe on Charr, and would inevitably fall into Galvatron's grasp.

"What should I do?" he whispered.

Automatically, he pushed a button on the data pad, and the image of Megatron the Slag Maker reappeared on the screen, playing back from the beginning.

"Greeting, my dear Megatron, or should I say, Silvergun…"

The gladiator sighed heavily, his optics not leaving the image of the Decepticon Leader.

"If only I could have your assurance, Slag Maker," he murmured and then hid his face in his hands. "If only I had you strength and will to believe in victory," he sobbed, ready to cry. "Oh, Starscream, I'm so sorry! I don't know what to do anymore!"

To be continued


Many thanks to Silvernight for her time and the beta reading of this chapter.