It did not take long for the Seekers to depart. Starscream and his trine stayed in their shared trine quarters the whole time they were preparing, while Megatron was sent to wait in one of their guest quarters in the tower.

An old voisian rule said, that seekers who stood behind to defend the city were not to see the ones, who left to assure the survival of their race until the fight or war was over, to steel their resolve to win and survive the war with the goal to meet their loved ones again. So they waited.

Hazeglide and his trine were staying behind with them, to provide proper medical care for the armada, Dreadwing's trine and some other guards were also staying with the order to look out for the royal trine. Several military units, fighter jets and coneheads, some stealth jets among them. A few Shuttles were to attend transport duties. An eighth of the maids stayed behind to take care of the other needs. The trine of Cloudwing left to Caelifer to protect the seneschal and the others on their journey.

"I have just received a comm. link call. The others have left Cybertron. I guess we can go out now... We should get Megatron."

Starscream was lying on his back on the huge berth, covering his optics with his right arm.

Thundercracker sat on the edge, reading a data pad on vosian history. Skywarp lay on the other edge, hanging halfway over it. All three wore a sullen expression on their faceplate and an empty, heavy feeling flowed through their trinebond from all sides.

"Yes, I guess we should." The blue air superiority jet stood up, and walked around the berth.

He knelt before Skywarp and put a hand on his back in a reassuring way. The black-purple seeker snapped up his head and looked at his trinemate.

"So we' gonna' get to slag the afthead that kidnaped Star now?" He asked, sending a sudden burst of giddiness through the bond.

The trineleader sat up and stared at his left wing, disbelieving.

"Are you telling me, that you want to fight this war?"

Skywarp stood up and flexed his wings.

"Well not the war, but it'd sure be satisfying to punch the fragger's faceplate in. Besides, being all sad and sulky doesn't help us win this fight, does it? We 'gotta get our turbines going if we want to defend our home."

Starscream sighed, letting a small smile grace his faceplates.

"For once, you are right Warp. Thank you."

He said, standing up, feeling the determination he felt, when he first decided to stay behind, flare up in his systems again.

"Hey, what do you mean for once?"

-x-

Megatron paced up and down in the room he was given. To him, it almost seemed like a hall. The rooms in Vos were quite spacious, his quarters back in the arena could fit three times into this guest room. The luxury was also unlike anything he had ever seen before. There were crystals worth more than all of his salaries together in every corner, the floors and walls were polished to an almost blinding shine, the windows were huge and the berth was freaking floating. How was this even possible?

The gladiator shook his head. He had wanted to exit the room to ask what was going on several times, but each time a maid had very politely asked him to stay inside and explained the vosian rule to him. Normally the rough mech would have been angered by that, but he did not feel threatened or confined in any way, as he was provided with great hospitality and the best energon he had ever tasted.

A fond smile spread over Megatrons faceplate. He had rescued the four colored seeker and was thanked for it. He had gained powerful allies in his fight against suppression; and maybe he had also gotten the chance to get closer to the stunning creature that occupied his mind like a virus. The fact that he was a prince, didn't deter him. The four-colored flier seemed to be different than the other nobles, who hollered in joy every time he offlined a mech's spark for their sick entertainment, or kicked a starving youngling on the streets when they begged for a drop of energon.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. The silver mech stopped his pacing and went to open the door. Before it stood the vosian prince, flanked by his two friends.

"The other's have left Cybertron. We can begin the preparations for everything now. Have you fought battles like this before?"

The gladiator raised an optical ridge as a response, his face clearly stating that he had the feeling he was being fooled with. The prince before him shook his head and held up one his hand defensively.

"No, I don't mean it like that. What I mean is, have you expert knowledge in war strategics?"

"No, I have only fought in the pits before." He answered, watching his counterpart closely.

"The vosian library has vast amounts of data pads on the subject. I think it would be wise for us to read them." The prince said and turned around halfway, to order a few maids to bring them the pads.

Megatron nodded.

"Yes, it might be."

"...And ... my designation is Starscream. Please, call me Starscream. I think we should stand together as one in this, noble or not. Nobility doesn't make a mech better after all."

Again, the gladiator was surprised by the oppinion of the prince, he was definitely different than the others.
Soon the maids returned with the datapads and the two of them began to study each of them. They downloaded the information directly, instead of reading everything. It was unpleasant, but a lot faster; and they didn't have much time; Sentinel would surely make his first move soon, if he hasn't already.

"We should move to Kaon and inform the rest of my men."

Thundercracker stepped forward.

"Skywarp and I should stay behind and ready the weapons and definsive systems. Megatron, I trust you protect him." The right wing said, looking the silver mech straight into the optics.

"Do not worry. He is safe with me."

"But I 'wanna go too." The purple mech wailed, but was dragged away by the blue seeker.

Starscream still hated Kaon. It was so ...filthy. But they had work to do. Megatron had to brief the mechs, who had joined him to help in the fight against injustice on their planet, about the gained air support. But it soon showed that it was them about to be briefed. When the duo stepped into the lower levels below the arena, where the silver mech's quarters were stationed, they were greeted by a strange looking, slim black, purple glowing mech with a black visor over his whole faceplate.

"Soundwave." Megatron greeted and the slim mech, probably flier type, stepped forward.

Without saying a word he activated a video feed on his screen, showing the fake scene Sentinel Prime had created and broadcasted to every Autobot on all of Cybertron. The seeker felt the ire rise in his systems, but the silver gladiator spoke before he could.

"So Sentinel has already made his move. We have to start the preparations now." He briefly looked to the side and steadied his stance before looking back up, determined.

"Soundwave. Gather the Mechs in the arena. Tell them that I have important things to say."

The glowing mech nodded and went away. Megatron turned to Starscream, relaxing and softening his voice a little.

"You should wait in my quarters."

The seeker crossed his arms and scoffed.

"Why? Are you telling them something you don't want me to hear?"

If this was going to be the way things would be going he was out of this.

"No. It's for your own safety. The mechs here in Kaon are not as good mannered as the ones you probably know."

A few clicks passed until the prince understood what the other had just implied. He nodded and let himself be led into the gladiator's quarters.

"If you want to you can watch my speech on the monitor. It is liked with the cameras in the arena." The sturdy mech said, before leaving.

Starscream stared at the closed door for a while, still trying to grasp the situation he was in now, they ALL were in now. He wasn't quite sure that it was really what he wanted. But he did not have any other choice at this point. Cybertron would soon be at war, he knew that, there was no way of changing that fact. He could have fled to Caelifer with the others, but it didn't seem right. The vosian heir felt responsible for the protection of his city, he couldn't just let it be destroyed; and he wanted to repay Megatron for rescuing him. Even if he didn't want to admit it, he felt drawn to the rough gladiator, he had felt that way from the moment he first saw him. Starscream shook his head. It was irresponsible from him to make this decision, he knew, but it just felt so right. The seeker sighed and turned on the teleconsol.

-x-

After watching the silver mechs speech on the monitor for a while, the vosian caught himself staring at his decorated, strong back instead of actually listening to the words that were spoken. For the third time this day, he violently shook his head, to clear his mind and turned off the consol. What was wrong with him? This wasn't like his normal self. To be this entranced by a ground pounder was just ridiculous. To be this fascinated by anyone was strange for him. Sure, he could respect some great achievements, but he was the most stunning creature on all of Cybertron, he wasn't supposed to be admiring others. They were to admire him. Starscream shook his head again. When had he become so arrogant? The seeker sighed and stood up from the berth he had sat on, when he had activated the screen. He decided to distract himself from his strange thoughts. Finding it an interesting activity he left the gladiator's quarters to explore the space under the arena. It wouldn't hurt to know how the mechs he would be fighting with were living. The data pads said one had to know the men one was fighting with to ensure good teamwork.

Curiously he peaked out, before stepping outside and walking around, wings held high, thrusters clicking and echoing in the empty halls with every slow step. The floors and walls were not polished, but they weren't dirty either. Most of the space under the arena seemed to be hallway, with different levels. In every long hallway were several Energon dispensers, and lots of doors. There were washracks on every second floor and on the end of the hall on the top floor, one staircase beneath the arena was a medical bay. If you could call it that. The seeker stepped through the threshold and let the doors hiss shut behind him. He could venture around without thought. Everyone was in the arena, listening to Megatrons speech.

Or so he thought. When he curiously strut around in the dimly lit room, looking at the Energon stains on the walls and crude pillars, the dented walls and berths, the paints and spray guns in the lockers, and the surprisingly clean medical instruments on the table, he heard something shuffle in a corner at the end of the room. Inquisitively he walked over to the curtain the sound must have come from. Starscream gave a start, taking a step back, when the curtain was suddenly ripped aside before his optics and a raspy voice yelled through the room.

"How long are you fragger going to leave me damaged?! Should I rip out your T-cog, so you know how much it hurts you damn med-" The bulky mech stopped his rant and stared at the slim, winged form before him a few nanoclicks, before a leering smile spread on his ugly, scratched faceplate.

Warily the four-colored seeker took a step back, away from the mech. He looked hideous. A mud-brown, dull and blistered paint job covered his whole, Energon stained, inelegant frame. A horrendously huge gap adorned his side, opposite to were a seeker's T-cog was located. His energy signature was eery and gross, as was the look he gave him and the pitch his voice spoke in.

"..Hey pretty thing... Are you the new nurse? ..." He asked in a haugty tone, sitting up on the medical berth.

"I have a terrible ache in my interface panel, come cure it."

Starscream's wings sagged down a bit and snapped back aggressively.

"How dare you?! Stay away from me you filthy ground pounder!" He hissed and threateningly held out his sharp talons in front of him.

The bulky grounder pulled an ugly frown and stood up, advancing slowly.

"Now that wasn't very nice slut." He grunted, and leapt forward, pushing the smaller frame against the wall.

Brusquely he pulled back his fist and slammed it inches above his left wing. Starscream ducked quickly, when he sensed the fist near his wing with the sensors in the appendage. Letting his inborn fighting protocols boot he let his claws shoot out and rammed them deeply into his attacker's chassis creating deep slashes, that spouted Energon. The gladiators armor was quite strong and thick though, so it didn't reach his spark chamber, as the seeker had hoped.

With an ugly cry of pain, the brown mech grabbed his throat and towered above him. His face hovering inches above his own. The foul smell of rancid coolant and dried Energon filled his olfactory sensors, but before he could comment on that the raspy vocalizer grunted again.

"Argh, you stupid whore! I'm going to frag you raw!"

When the hideous mech tightened his grip on his throatcables and started to paw at his hipplating, the seeker prince started to panic. Relying solely on his battle programs he kicked up his right leg and dug his sharp, pointy knee plate into the wound over the gladiator's damaged T-cog, damaging the sparking organ even further. He was lucky the grounder was already hurt. While seekers had excellent battle programs, their frames weren't made for ground combat. He would be lucky if he stood a chance against the injured gladiator.

The silver gladiator stood in the middle of the arena, addressing the mechs, that had gathered around him.

"...From this day on we are at war. The Government has finally decided to slaughter us and everyone who dares to defy them... and we are going to dare. We are going to crush this regime, and rebuilt Cybertron with a just system. Sentinel Prime has tricked the nobles and autobots into believing we have attacked them. They want them to think, that we are the evil... and I say. If they want us to be evil, we will be just that for them... until the war is over, all differences are erased and every mech can be treated the same... Soundwave, show them the fake scene Sentinel broadcasted to the autobot citizens. ... Now my decepticon bretheren. Are you ready to fight for your rights?"

The crowd startet to shout and whoop, throwing their fists into the air. Megatron nodded to himself, satisfied with the determination of his gathered troops. He left the arena to fetch the seeker from his quarters, only to find that he wasn't there.

"Primus, that seeker is troublesome." He sighed annoyed and sent a comm. link to Soundwave to ask for the vosian's whereabouts.

The slim, glowing mech hacked into the arena's security system with ease and sent him a live video transmission of the fight in the medical ward. 'Frag it!' The Gladiator thought and hit the wall, before sprinting to rescue the prince. Again. He slapped the panel to open the door and growled menacingly when he saw one of his fellow gladiators trying to land a hit on the fast and agile seeker. Without hesitation, he leapt forward and punched the brown mech's faceplate in, who fell to the ground with a loud thud and stopped moving. Megatron snarled at the still frame on the floor, before turning around to face Starscream.

"What were you thinking?! Didn't I warn you about the mechs here?! Those are trained Gladiators! He could have terminated you!"

The prince averted his gaze to the floor. His wings moved back against his shoulders, sagged down and started to tremble. He had never been in a real fight before and though he had received military training, the real deal was different, terrifying. The seeker hoped he would get used to that feeling in time. Exasperated the silver gladiator sighed and nudged the beautiful white red-striped wings back up, as careful as he could manage.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, when he had made optical contact with the other.

Starscream shook his head and let out a gust of air.

"Can we go back to Vos? I'm covered in dirt and I want to clean myself. It's also time we start preparing my armada for this war, too."

Megatron nodded, saying nothing.

/Skywarp? Come here and teleport us back home./

TBC...

I hope you enjoyed the chapter.