Disclaimer: We do not own Transformers or its canon characters. We do however own our OCs. Please do not use them without our permission.
Theme Song: Oh, Death by Jen Titus
"Sire, please. If you get this, send help-"
The transmission abruptly ended with the sound of ion cannon fire and the painful static of a broken comm.
A deadly mixture of anger and anguish wracked the former warlord's features as he buried his helm in his servos. A part of him knew all along where his daughter went but refused to believe it, or act lest her true identity be known and she be terminated for it.
But it seemed that wishful thinking was for naught.
She was either offlined already or…
He couldn't bear to think of it.
Starlight turned to her sparkmate with coolant in her optics. She had heard it through the bond. She gently laid an arm around his shoulder plating before asking hesitantly, What are we to do?
Megatron winced. She was afraid, though she had a right to be. Their only child was in danger at the hands of his former Second in Command.
His helm suddenly rose, his red optics blazing with fire. If Starscream wanted to rekindle the revolution to slight him, then he would happily join the war. And if he found his daughter gone, he would make sure the arrogant Seeker prince stayed dead.
"Come, Starlight," he rose to his peddes with all the poise and strength that he had before and during the war. "We are traveling to Iacon to end this madness once and for all."
"Come now, Scorpia. I don't like to be kept waiting."
A familiar voice beckoned her out of her unconscious state. As she slipped out of its numb hands, she cried out in pain softly. Her left audial receptor. All she could feel was pain and static. She tried to lift a servo in order to quell the pain before realizing that she was restrained.
Oh, frag.
Her optics hesitantly onlined. The room was even more dimly lit than Starscream's so-called throne room but she could clearly see his smirking facial plating.
"There. That's better. Now, I'm going to ask you a series of questions. Answer wrong-" He ran his digits across the left side of her face, leaving superficial claw marks in his wake. She winced. "Well, you get the picture."
Despite the crippling fear she felt, she leaned forward as much as she was able and spit on him. "I'm not telling you slag, you poor excuse for a mech."
His crimson optics widened with indignation and, before Galava could react, Starscream primed another missile and shot. A scream echoed through the room.
There was a flash of severe pain in her left arm. She was afraid to look and see what happened to it.
He gripped her facial plating tightly, causing more scratches on it due to his claws. "You're trying my patience. Behave and you might live through this." He let her go roughly before attempting to compose himself. "What is your real designation?"
Her chassis heaved before she muttered, "Galavatrona."
"I'm sorry. I can't hear you." Sharp digits dug into the gaping wound in her arm and she cried out.
"Galavatrona, you fragger!"
"Galavatrona…" he pulled back with a smirk. "Now we're getting somewhere. And why did you come to see me, Galavatrona?"
She bit her bottom lip component. Starscream repeated the same action and though she cried out, she refused to reveal her plan.
"Very well," the still cloaked Seeker regarded her coolly before asking, "If you will not answer that, then tell me this. You said your sire was a miner and your designation is reminiscent of Kaonian gladiators." Disgust entered his features. "Your sire is Megatron, isn't he?"
"Frag you!" she hissed in her sire's tongue out of sheer habit.
A brief flash of fear entered his optics. Perhaps he was imagining what his former leader would do if he discovered what he had done, but as soon as it came, it left. He would do nothing as long as she was in his clutches.
And until then, he could do whatever he pleased.
It was Megatron's turn to suffer and writhe like a worm.
"It seems Primus is finally smiling on me," his smirk returned. "My foolish cousins are almost dispatched and now I not only have the daughter of my enemy, but the son of my enemy as well. What fortune, wouldn't you say?"
Galava's spark began to race as she saw the glint of a silver blade in the darkness. "My sire will avenge what you do to me sevenfold."
"All the more reason for me to live in the moment." Galava offlined her optics, bracing for further damage, before Starscream added mockingly, "This will hurt me more than it hurts you."
Fastback looked up as the door to the mechs' cell opened before getting to his peddes. He put himself between the mech entering and Rodimus.
"What do you want, Decepticreep?"
"It's time for your appointment with Trepan, little mech," Acid Rain roughly grabbed Fastback's arm before jerking him towards the door.
Rodimus' optics widened and in a panic he began to punch and kick the Seeker commander. Trepan was a psychologist before the war who did something called shadowplay, brainwashing, to those who opposed the Senate.
Trepan even tried to brainwash Megatron while he was a miner.
"Please, don't take him! Take me! It's me you want! Don't let Trepan near him!"
"It's none of your concern," Acid Rain snarled before pushing Rodimus back. "Master's orders."
Fastback clawed at Acid Rain's grip, trying with no avail to break free. As Rodimus was pushed back, the Praxian turned to him. "Rodi, don't! It'll be fine, just focus on getting home."
Coolant welled in Rodimus' optics. "There is no home for me without you. We're best friends, remember? I'm not leaving you!" He turned back to Acid Rain from his crumpled position on the ground. "Please, take me."
There was no pity in his black optics. He merely continued dragging Fastback forward. "Enough. Your little mech will be back in a joor or so. Relax. The doc's a pro." He smirked evilly before slamming the door with Fastback still in his hold.
Despair began to take hold of Rodimus as he collapsed fully. If Trepan got a hold of Fastback, then his friend was as good as offline.
"God, why don't you do anything? I know we've gotten into trouble but he doesn't deserve it," he quietly cried. "Please, help him. Forget about me. Just help him."
God, please take care of Rodi, Fastback prayed as he was all but dragged onward. I know I don't always do what's expected of me, by You or my family, but please hear me. I admit, I'm scared of what's ahead, but I can face whatever it is as long as You make sure my best friend is okay.
The young mech didn't like complying, but he knew that if he argued they would go after Rodimus. He'd come to protect his friend, and he would do just that.
He thought back to Rodimus' reaction to what the Seeker had said, 'don't let Trepan near him.' What was at the other end of this path?
"Where are we going?"
"Don't you listen?" the Seeker countered impatiently. "Trepan. They really keep you sheltered in Iacon, don't they?"
Fastback tilted his helm down. He had no idea what this "Trepan" was - he always preferred to spend his time playing basketrek or exploring rather than reading. He almost said as much, but stopped himself at the realization that it might sound like he was back-talking or something.
A short, deep chuckle escaped Acid Rain's throat. "Just like before the war. All of you had no clue until it was too late."
Finally reaching the intended destination, Acid Rain shoved him inside. The room wasn't as forboding as the young mech thought it would be. There was only a medical berth with restraints- no sharp devices of torture to be seen- and a lanky mech by its side.
His paint scheme was orange, a similar color to Rung's, Iacon's lead psychologist. His optics were a pale venomous yellow but something glinting in the dark made Fastback's spark race.
Thin medical needles protruded from his digits.
"This is the young one?" When Acid Rain nodded, a sickly sweet smile crossed Trepan's features. "Let's clean out that jumbled mess inside your helm, shall we?"
Fastback tried to back away, but was impeded by Acid Rain's unmoving posture. Said mech's servo clamped on one of his shoulders and he twisted away from it.
"No! S-stay back, both of you!"
"Come now. If you struggle, then I might accidentally do some serious damage to your processor. I'm here to cure you, my dear mechling, not to handicap you." His dangerous-looking servo closed in on a still struggling Fastback.
"Just… relax."
The Praxian's frantic gaze went between the mech's hand and his facial plating as he approached. "W-wait." He tightly offlined his optics and turned his helm away. "J-Just promise me you won't hurt Ro - the one I came here with."
"The son of the Prime?" The doctor chuckled. "You have my word he won't be harmed… at least, not by me. As an underling, you know I can't possibly control Starscream's actions." He smirked. "Now, are you ready or do I have to ask the brute here to restrain you?"
Fastback further leaned away from the mech, optics still offlined. Rodi, I'm so sorry.
D/N: Dun dun Dun! More than Meets the Eye comics reference. *maniacally laughs* Bring on the cold, heart-breaking feelings!
GhostofaGirl03: Yikes, strep? We shall definitely be praying for your swift recovery, love DX But thank you for the compliment :) We're glad you enjoyed it!
Cindermoon2002: Oh, we will! We have up to chapter fifteen written as of now actually so continue to look forward to more updates.
"Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and He hears my voice" Psalm 55:17
Anywho, we hope you enjoyed this chapter as always and may God bless you and your day!
Until next time, Dream'sRealm
B/N: Aahhh what is life without torturing one's characters? I don't mind telling you I enjoyed this chap quite a bit - especially for getting to delve into everyone's thoughts as they're put in this situation *cackles*
As one Con said who I am now a massive fangirl for, savor the daylight - things are about to get rather dark :)
