52- Patch.

The Nemesis was flying near a sun while Megatron's shadow stood in front of the four Omega Keys lying on the floor. Dreadwing was alongside him, in front of Starscream and his Seekers.

"Few things of value come without a price. So tell me, Starscream, what is it that you and your comrades wish in return?" Megatron demanded.

"Only to be Decepticons once again." Starscream answered as he and his siblings bowed.

"Dreadwing is my first lieutenant now."

"And I accept that much has changed during my absence. We only wish to serve you, our one true master, in any way that you deem fit."

"I am deeply impressed by your accomplishment, Starscream. And know that I will put your offerings to good use, whatever the outcome."

"Outcome? Of what?" Starscream asked confused.

Megatron turned at Dreadwing. "See to it that Knock Out is extracted from the wall."

Moments later, in the med lab, Knock Out was stretching his limbs.

"Ah, it's good to be back." He expressed before he went to put a cortical psychic patch cord behind Megatron's head. "Now, what will we be fishing for today, my liege?"

"Starscream's true motives." Megatron answered looking at his former second-in-command, who was lying on another medical berth, a little nervous before Knock Out connected other cord to his head's back.

Next, it looked like it was happening when the Decepticon space bridge exploded, while Starscream was on the Nemesis' bridge.

"Decepticons, it is with deep sorrow, that I note for the log: Megatron's spark… has been extinguished." Starscream reported with sorrow, but then he smirked. "All… hail… Starscream."

"All hail Starscream!" All the troops chanted.

"Well, well. You certainly didn't waste any time." Megatron's voice said, making Starscream to look everywhere until he saw him next to him.

"What?! I just watched you perish!"

"I did not perish then, and I'm very much with you now. The present you, as well as the past."

Starscream did not understand it until he saw behind himself with the Decepticon troopers cheering him.

"All hail Starscream!" The Cons chanted.

"I can't hear you!" Starscream shouted.

"All hail Starscream!"

"One more time!"

"All hail Starscream!"

Knock Out was watching the whole record on the monitor.

"This is going to be juicy." He simply said.

Back to the memory, Starscream started dancing in a funny way as everyone continued cheering him, while the real one saw it.

"Ah, you're inside my head, aren't you?" Starscream realized.

"The cortical physic patch. You see there are no secrets in here, only your memories. You cannot manipulate their content or modify their outcome. What we see is how it happened." Megatron replied.

Then it appeared a memory when Starscream was in presence of Optimus Prime.

"If you want to be a true leader, Starscream, then stray from Megatron's path and lead the Decepticons toward peace."

"I would be willing to consider a truce, if you would be willing to bow before me, Optimus Prime."

Next when he was mad with Knock Out after his race incident.

"You have defied my orders yet again!"

"My mistake, commander Starscream."

"It…is…LORD!"

Next when he was talking to Wheeljack.

"Haven't you heard? I lead the Decepticons now."

Back to his mind…

"Now, where did we leave off? Oh yes, all hail Starscream? A rather obvious motif, Starscream. You deem yourself more able to lead the Decepticons than myself?" Megatron asked.

"No! Not anymore. I have learned from my many failures, master."

Then another flashback appeared, when Starscream talked to his clones.

"Esteemed members of my armada, you now stand upon the very precipice of glory. To meet the destiny which I have so tenaciously worked toward." He announced to his new squadron.

"Dynamic leadership of the Decepticons!" One of the clones suddenly said.

Back to his mind…

"That clone said it, not me!" Starscream defended.

"It seems you would stop at nothing to disrupt my rule. Including assassination!"

"It was their idea, not mine!"

Then another flashback showed when Starscream was with Airachnid and the Insecticon.

"With this creature under your control and at our disposal we might employ it to terminate Megatron, allowing us to rule the Decepticons."

In his mind…

"I see no clones here. Was this their idea too?" Megatron asked.

"I don't remember any of this. I must have been half crazed at the time. A victim of energon deficiency." Starscream invented.

"Tell me why I should welcome back someone who's every waking impulse has been to thwart me, undercut me, overthrow me?!"

"Not true! I have always put your well-being before my own." Starscream responded while they saw the flashback when he pulled out the dark energon sharp from Megatron's chest.

"How does this revolting chapter comes to attending to my well-being?"

"I was simply trying to help. By ridding you of the dark matter polluting your body."

Then it appeared the time when Starscream was talking to an unconscious Megatron.

"Seems I possess the only thing that would allow you to rise off that slab and walk again, my dearest Megatron."

In his mind…

"I even risked being buried and eaten alive for you."

Then the scene changed to when Starscream was holding the cave's top above him.

"I…I did not abandon you master. I return, to save you! Look into my spark, Lord Megatron. My intentions were true."

In his mind…

"Were they, Starscream?! Were they ever?!" Megatron asked furious. As the image changed to when Starscream managed to get out of the crumble.

"Well, now who has hit rock bottom? What's that? I'm sorry, I can't hear you beneath all that ruble!" He exclaimed before laughing maniacally. "Farewell, Lord Megatron. May you rust in peace." He was about to leave, but stopped. "But you have survived far worse. If you manage to free yourself you would blame me for your set back. And there is no way that I can possibly escape from your wrath. Or worse yet: your mindless followers would come looking for you, and take credit for your rescue. Credit that can rightfully be mine! Ragh! MEGATRON!"

Back to his mind, Starscream had no answer after all that they saw.

"A word of advice? Stop thinking aloud." Megatron advised.

"I don't want to play this game anymore! Take the keys! We'll pretend I was never here."

"No, Starscream! There are only two possible outcomes based upon what I find here in your twisted little mind. If I do not deem that you're worthy of rejoining the Decepticons, you will perish on this very day."

"Isn't termination rather extreme? I mean, a really good trancing usually straightens me out, doesn't it?" Starscream asked.

Then many flashbacks showed when Megatron punished Starscream brutally, even when he returned.

"No, master! NOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Back to his mind…

"Why wouldn't you wish to harness my talent for the Decepticon cause when I have so much deviousness to offer?" Starscream suggested.

Then it appeared when he showed Megatron the Autobot trooper's corpse.

"Consider it a welcome home present."

In his mind…

"See how generous I can be, my liege?"

"When it suits you." Megatron answered.

Then the flashback changed when the Terrorcon attacked.

"Master, that's your plan? Bring Autobots back from the death to attack us?!" Starscream asked, horrified.

Then it changed when Starscream engaged Cliffjumper.

"At other times, you can be quiet insolent!" Megatron said.

"Apologies. It's just that I've gone to so much trouble to try to terminate a single Autobot in the first place."

Then it showed when Megatron finished the Terrorcon.

"Trouble would have been facing him as a gladiator."

"I've always considered my wits to be my sharpest weapon."

Then it changed when Starscream faced both Autobots, Sky and Dreadwing with the Apex Armor.

"Wait, you four are up to something."

Then it showed everything that happened to him next.

"You'll never learn, Starscream. Your arrogance will trumpet your wits every time."

The next scene was when Starscream tried to revive Skyquake with dark energon in front of the Autobots.

"You cannot harm me while dark energon flows through my veins! I am invincible!"

Then he lost his arm. Next was when he fired the energon harvester at Bulkhead.

"You're a big one. This could take a while."

Then it happened what Bulkhead did to him. Next was when he confessed to Arcee what he tried to do to Cliffjumper.

"What? She's taking credit for trying to scrapping him now too? That was my doing!"

That made Arcee to aim her weapons at him, making him scream. Then it changed to when he faced Smokescreen for the first time.

"Any last words, Smokescreen and Luke?"

And Smokey took the armor from him. Next it changed to when he reunited with Grievous.

"And my T-Cog?"

"Uh, temporary setback. Other Autobots, other T-Cogs. We shall find a replacement soon enough."

"Not soon enough. Now."

Next it showed when the droids stole his T-Cog, and when he discovered he couldn't transform.

"My T-Cog."

Back to his mind…

"You no longer possess the ability to take flight?"

"Ah, yes. I was going to bring that up, and as you might imagine my predicament pains me to no end."

The next flashback showed Starscream with his clones exiting the Harbinger.

"Fortunately, the Harbinger's tracking systems have remained sync to Megatron's warship. Of course, we should require a means of reaching the…" Starscream was saying, until he heard a transforming noise from behind him. He turned back and saw all the clones in his vehicle mode. "Ah, you can transform? Eh… of course you can, hehe. How else would you fly to the ship? That was a test to which you all…passed."

Back to his mind, while it showed when Starscream was riding on his speeder bike…

"I hope that you might see fit to express your gratitude for the Omega Keys by restoring my starfighter mode, so that may I be able to fly just like my brothers and sister. After all, would I not be more valuable to you with wings?"

Next appeared a lot of images showing Starscream changing and making good use of his alt form.

"Oh, I do transform with an exceptional sense of style…I said that aloud, didn't I?"

Next it changed to when he was captured by the Autobots.

"Megatron tried to extinguish my spark in cold blood. Then all but replace me with that treacherous wretch Airachnid. She abandoned me, left me for scrap! So why not rat them out?"

In his mind…

"No one asked you to leave the Decepticon folds." Megatron said.

"I wasn't exactly made to feel welcome at the time."

The next flashback showed when Megatron was going to execute him as an example.

"Master, please! Give me one more chance! I beg of you!"

Back to his mind…

"Despite the fact that I had seen the error of my ways and dedicated my spark to you."

Then the image changed to Starscream's apology.

"I have gained a clear understanding of my place in this universe. Of who I am. Of who I was always meant to be: Starscream, second-in-command. Humble servant to Lord Megatron."

Inside his mind…

"Until the next opportunity arises to subvert me." Megatron pointed.

Then the flashback showed when he talked with Knock Out alone.

"And how is the patient doing today?" Starscream asked.

"Same old."

"An inglorious fate that he should remain in this vegetative state."

"On the contrary." Knock Out reassured. "Megatron's body may be scrap metal, but his mind is still peculating."

"Keep that to yourself." Starscream said softly as he approached Knock Out face-to-face. "That blasted Soundwave sees and hears everything."

"The eyes and ears of the Decepticons." Knock Out said in the same voice tone.

"Well, as long as their master remains in limbo, so does their cause. The Decepticons deserve a strong alert leader."

"One who would require a loyal second-in-command." Knock Out offered, interested in where was going Starscream with his conversation.

Starscream chuckled. "A candidate would need to earn that post by making a strong case to said eyes and ears."

"A case for showing mercy, Lord Starscream?"

Knock Out saw that too, so he started to get nervous.

"Uh oh. Does this thing have a fast-forward button? Or better yet erase?!" He said nervous pressing all the buttons.

Then the screen showed that the next scene was when they two tried to convince Soundwave.

"Knock Out, if you would be so kind as to provide your expert medical opinion to Soundwave. For the historical record." Starscream requested.

"Simply put: unaided Megatron could remain in this deathless slumber forever."

"Our master would not have wanted to be seen this way: to stand idly by while he remains captive in his own body. Is not just." Starscream expressed.

Soundwave walked beside Starscream and pointed to the monitor.

"Brainwave activity. Not evidence of consciousness, but merely of an endless dream from which Megatron may never wake." Knock Out corrected.

"Soundwave, we must face reality: Megatron is lost to us." Starscream declared.

"The only honorable option would be to show him mercy." Knock Out offered.

"A simple throw of the switch."

Knock Out started to get really nervous.

"When Megatron comes out of it, he'll do more than just stick me back in that wall: he'll have Starscream's head and mine!" He yelled scared, but he saw the cord behind Megatron's head, and an idea came to his mind. "But… if I disconnect before a proper power-down, the link is severed and… the big guy will never emerge from Starscream's head."

Knock Out started to twist the plug, but suddenly a hand grabbed his own: it was Dreadwing.

"Everything okay here?" He asked.

Knock Out twisted the plug back. "Just checking cable integrity."

Meanwhile, inside Starscream's mind…

"Is it any wonder that I've come to value loyalty above all else?" Megatron asked.

"Well, you know we are Decepticons. I'm sure than even your beloved Dreadwing isn't perfect."

"No one is perfect, Starscream. But like his departed twin, Dreadwing understands honor."

Then the flashback showed when Starscream awakened Skyquake from his slumber.

"Awaken, warrior. Rise and serve your new master." Starscream called.

"Skyquake serves only one master." The new Decepticon pronounced.

"Excellent. Your loyalty and devotion will set a fine example for the troops. No need to be timid, Skyquake, you may bow." Starscream encouraged.

"You fail to grasp my meaning. I am here on a mission, assigned to me by my one master: Megatron."

"Yes, him. Sadly, Megatron is no longer with us." Starscream pointed.

"Impossible." Skyquake answered.

"Why is this so difficult for everyone to accept?"

Next it showed all what happened that caused his demise. Followed by when Starscream returned holding dark energon.

"Ah, the gravesite of the mighty Skyquake. So quick to reject my authority while you lived, but as the first of my reanimated warriors you shall bow to my command." Starscream proclaimed as he broke the dark energon shard in two pieces and threw one into the grave.

The piece fell into one of the cracks and began to glow. Next, he inserted the other half into his chest, making his eyes turn purple.

"Yes! Power of dark energon, be mine!" He said as his body was covered with purple flames. "Symbiosis! Hahahahahahaha! I CAN FEEL IT!"

Back to his mind…

"I understand he perished that day." Megatron said.

"Well, Skyquake is neither living or dead and no doubt continues to wonder through some dimensional neither-realm in search of his missing limb." Starscream explained.

"It would be wise to keep that to yourself around the warship." Megatron advised.

But Dreadwing saw everything, which made him angry. Thing that Knock Out witnessed.

"Awkward." He mumbled.

But Starscream seemed surprised.

"Does this mean?" He started.

"Yes, I will allow you and your fellow Seekers to return to our ranks. If only because you are more valuable beside me than against me."

"Ah, thank the Allspark!" Starscream yelled happy.

"Inviting has nearly destroyed the Decepticons during your absence. We must operate as a united front if we are to revive and conquer Cybertron. That means each and everyone of us, Knock Out." Megatron said to the screen, making Knock Out to get a chill.

"Megatron sure knows how to patch things up, eh Dread…?" Knock Out started, but then he saw that Dreadwing was gone. "Dreadwing?"

Dreadwing was outside, on top of the warship, but he felt betrayed, cheated, used. He couldn't believe it: Optimus was right about everything he said about Megatron. He ended letting a roar of rage.