Author Note: Some swearing and violence in this chapter… Naturally :-)

/denotes internal thoughts/

Chapter 173 – Choose!

MEGATRON P.O.V

''And what exactly might you have found?'' Phoenix retorted antagonistically as she stared determinedly back at her accuser.

Pure delight danced in Starscream's optics as he cast his glance from Phoenix and then to me. ''Lord Megatron, I believe it is best we show Phoenix this evidence rather than tell her.'' He turned to face me. A knowing and calculating smile on his dermas. ''I humbly request permission to escort you – and the traitorous Phoenix – to where we have our evidence waiting for your - examination.''

I gazed past Starscream towards Phoenix. She stood tall and held my gaze. /Such a shame really. Such a terrible shame how this must end../. I stared blankly at her as the thought of how long she might be able to maintain that brave façade when I began to exact my wrath, skittered through my processor. Though I thought my face was unreadable, I noted with small delight the look Phoenix gave me as she saw lurking within my optics the depth of betrayal and pain I felt.

I ignored the way she stared at me and fixed her with a cold, calculating gaze as I gave the order. ''Permission granted Starscream.''

Without another sound, I turn on my pedes and strode from the room in the wake of confused mutterings and anticipation that had built amongst those gathered. ''Decepticons!'' I pause a moment and deliberately turn to face Phoenix. She stares impassively back at me as she clutches her mid-section. ''And Phoenix.'' Her optics narrow and she sets her chin at me. ''Fall in. We make for the coordinates Starscream provides.''

I extend my servo towards Phoenix in silent invitation and allow a half smile to spread on my dermas. ''My dear Phoenix, after you.'' Though my tone seems pleasant there is a coolness to it that is not lost on her as she walks towards me. There is a tension in her frame as she walks past, and I lower my helm to whisper in her audial. ''Less chance of a knife in my back.''

She pauses, her optics widening slightly at my meaning and unexpected accusation. An answering smile spreads across her dermas. ''My dear Megatron, I could say the same to you.'' She raised her optical ridge at me. ''Might I suggest we walk together Megatron - as we once did?''

My servo seemed to falter in mid-air for a moment at her words and the memory they evoked. I was hit by a sense of regret that caught me off guard. /Regret for what once was, and what might have been if she had just…/. I growled down at her. ''That would imply there is trust between us Phoenix.'' I gestured more forcefully for her to lead the way to the deck of the oil rig. ''We shall soon see if that is something that remains between us.''

Phoenix simply stared at me before she nodded her helm once and removed her servo from her mid-section. She drew herself up to her full height, ''Very well Megatron,'' she replied and exited the room.

I followed behind her, my optics burning into the back of her helm. I was surprised she could not feel it. /Perhaps she could/. Behind me, I heard the pede falls of all the gathered 'Cons eagerly move to follow my order. I could almost hear Starscream preening.

As we walked in strained silence along the corridors and gangways, I sent Starscream a private comm. /I would need some assurance Phoenix would – cooperate. I could not risk her using her considerable powers against us/.

Moments later, the smell of salty, sea air and the harsh light of sunshine in comparison to the darkness below, assaulted my senses. Before me, Phoenix walked the final few paces until she was standing out on the centre of the deck. Behind me Starscream stood ready.

''Alright Megatron, you're calling the shots,'' Phoenix began to turn about to face me, a hint of annoyance in her voice, ''what now?''

My optics remained firmly on Phoenix as I bellowed at the Seeker behind me. ''Starscream!''

On my signal, Starscream stepped forward from behind me, his null ray pointed directly at Phoenix, and he fired. I took delight in noting the way her optics widened in shock and then burned in anger as she realised too late what was about to happen. Gasping out loud as the shot found its mark, Phoenix crumpled to the ground in a shower of sparks, her body seeming limp and lifeless, save for the fire that burned in her optics as I approached her.

I sneered at her helpless form as I stood above her. ''Now, my dear Phoenix, that I am assured you cannot retaliate, we will make our way to where this evidence is waiting.'' I leant down towards her twitching form as she glared contemptuously up at me. Without a word, my right servo lashed out and wrapped around her neck, dragging her roughly from the ground to her pedes. Her optics went wide before they began to shutter as my vice-like grip crushed her neck. She could do nothing but endure it.

Leaning conspiratorially towards her, I whispered, ''For your sake,'' my grip tightened, and her optics closed. ''You better hope it is nothing of significance for I do not take kindly to being deceived.'' Her optics fluttered open, and a silent snarl seemed to emanate from her dermas at my words and my servo wrapped about her neck. ''You are lucky I do not cut out your traitorous glossa and deceitful spark right now.'' Standing back to my full height, I bellowed, ''Starscream!'' My optics remained fixed on Phoenix as she dangled above the ground before me.

''Yes, Lord Megatron?'' His voice was filled with eager anticipation and delight.

''Lead the way to this evidence you claim to have, we will follow.'' I growled as I spat my orders.

Starscream nodded his helm, a sadistic look on his face as he watched Phoenix hang lifeless in my grip. ''It would be my pleasure Lord Megatron.'' A smug expression settled on his face before he leapt off the platform and transformed into his jet form, climbing into the sky and towards Phoenix's fate.

''Dirge, Soundwave,'' I barked to the figures waiting dutifully behind me. ''Escort Phoenix to the site.'' Releasing my grip, Phoenix fell heavily to the deck of the platform; a small, strangled groan was the only indication she functioned. I stepped towards the edge of the platform.

''As you command Lord Megatron,'' my faithful subject Soundwave replied as he bent down to collect the crumpled form of Phoenix, with assistance from Dirge. Supporting her under each arm, they held her upright tightly and awaited my orders. Phoenix glared at me silently and balefully.

''Decepticons, to the skies, follow Starscream!'' leaping from the platform, I transformed into my jet mode and sped after Starscream, following his signal.

As I flew through the skies towards the coordinates Starscream had sent through to me, the fire that had been lit deep within me when Starscream's revelations began to ring true, had now turned into a raging furnace. I felt my dermas twist in an ugly contortion of seething anger and bitter betrayal as I recalled her time amongst us and with me. /I trusted her! I let her hold privileges no others, save perhaps Soundwave, had dared been allowed to hold. I let my guard down with her, I let myself../.

I let a loud snarl of anger be torn from my dermas, the sound was lost over the roar of my own engines and amongst the clouds I ploughed through. ''HOW DARE SHE!'' I screamed. ''HOW DARE SHE USE ME. HOW DARE SHE LIE TO ME!'' It felt as though the very energon in my lines boiled with incandescent rage. Yet as the site loomed ahead, a mocking thought dared to challenge me. /She never defected from the Autobots to come and join the Decepticons – join you. Who is it you are most angry with? Phoenix – or yourself?/.

I had no answer.

Sighting Starscream at the base of another of those cursed monuments the human insects of this planet liked to put up to remember their various battles, I dove low, before pulling up and landing gracefully before him. Above me I heard the engines and jets of my fellow Decepticons as they came to land behind me. Soundwave and Dirge landing with Phoenix off to my right.

I cast my optics around noting the pathetic humans screaming and scurrying away in fear at the sight of us. As well they should! I sneered at them in disgust before the sneer turned into a sadistic smile. /I have an idea/. ''Starscream, Knockout! If you would be so kind as to collect some – specimens – for me. Be quick about it!'' I commanded. I noted Phoenix had begun to move her right servo, clenching it into a fist. I smiled.

''As you wish Lord Megatron,'' Starscream nodded his helm and the same sadistic smile spread across his dermas as he turned on his pedes to carry out my orders.

''Of course, Lord Megatron,'' Knockout replied. ''With pleasure!''

''Come here you disgusting insects!'' Starscream spat as he bent down, sweeping his clawed servo to collect several humans up at once. Their screams of terror only serving to make him laugh in delight. He turned about almost stepping on several desperately trying to evade him. ''What a shame I missed,'' he stepped back and sent his other servo towards them. ''I won't miss this time!''

''OOhh.. Gotta collect 'em all!'' Knockout laughed as he walked towards me with four humans. ''How many did you get Starscream?''

''Shut up you slagging idiot!'' I barked. ''Put them over there,'' I pointed to the steps of the monument. ''Make them stay put.''

Starscream and Knockout both walked over to the stairs and roughly threw the humans down onto the ground. There was a loud snapping sound and one of the males of the species screamed out loud in agony, his leg bent on a funny angle. Some of the others gathered around him trying to help. ''If you think about moving, it'll be the last thing you do you disgusting fleshbags.'' Starscream loomed above them, his null rays pointed directly at them. The humans cowered and cried out in fear, but they remained where they were.

I shook my helm. ''Such fragile, annoying creatures the species of this planet. I will never understand what Optimus Prime and the Autobots ever saw of any worth in them.'' I snorted in contempt as I stared at Phoenix and took a step towards her. ''I do not understand why Optimus Prime chooses to protect and defend the likes of them, we are GODS compared to them!''

Phoenix had a strange smile on her face as she stared at me. ''Tha… that..is what sep… separates Op..Optimus Prime from you Megatron,'' Phoenix's ability to speak was slowly returning. I glowered at her. /We were running out of time/. ''His humility o..over your arrogance!''

I growled out loud at her and closed the distance between us in two short strides. My right servo flew from my side and struck her hard across the face. The sound of metal cracking and energon flying from broken dermas and shattered denta drew a pleased smile from me. ''Be careful how you speak to me Phoenix, for I will wipe the smug smile off your face!''

I loomed threateningly before her, narrowing my optics. ''Anything else you care to say?''

Phoenix spat a mouthful of energon and shards of metal from her mouth, but her gaze remained on me, fire burning in her optics. ''Nothing you'd care to hear, I'm sure.'' Her voice was rough and hoarse, no doubt her voice box had received some damage from grabbing her by the throat. Phoenix stared defiantly at me.

Despite the rage I felt towards her, I had to admit I admired her courage. Her spirit. I reached out my right servo and gently placed it against her cheek, one of my digits gently stroking the plating there.

Phoenix flinched at the unexpected contact, though she did not move. Leaning towards her, my voice dropped to a whisper intended for the two of us alone to hear. ''I trusted you. I welcomed you into our ranks. I confided in you… I thought we….'' I paused momentarily, a hard and bitter expression settling on my features as once again the cold reality of what she had done assaulted me. Some of the fire in her optics died at my accusations and she had the grace to look guilty. It only served to anger me more. ''STARSCREAM! Where is this evidence you promised us? Show it to us NOW!''

''Of course, Lord Megatron, with absolute pleasure.'' Starscream bowed and turned to face the monument. ''Thundercracker, Skywarp, Thrust! Bring forward the evidence!''

There was some movement from behind the monument as the other Seekers dragged something forward. Something yellow and black. My dermas split into a massive grin as it was confirmed who it was they had in their possession. /Perhaps Starscream is not so useless after all?/.

The young Autobot scout was whirring and beeping angrily at his captors as he fought against them. He looked injured, as did Skywarp. /Still has some spunk about him this young one!/. He glowered up at his captors, his radio scanning frequencies to allow him to talk since I had deprived him of his voice. /Quite clever really/. ''ONE OF THESE DAYS.. POW!... RIGHT IN THE KISSER!'' The young Autobot began to struggle rather futilely before his optics caught sight of Phoenix and he immediately stilled. A sad, mournful sound was emitted before he hung his helm in silent surrender. If I needed any more proof against Phoenix being in league with the Autobots, the reaction of the foolish scout just now told me all I needed to know. I clenched my servos by my sides and gritted my denta.

''Lord Megatron, we have captured the Autobot spy and scout Bumblebee!'' Starscream shouted in glee as his optics shone brightly. He stared goadingly at Phoenix whose own optics went wide with shock for a moment before she narrowed her optics and stared impassively at Starscream. ''I would like to see you try to deny that you are in league with the Autbots NOW you deceitful bitch!'' Starscream walked over towards Bumblebee who continued to stare sadly at Phoenix, his optics saying what words could not.

Starscream paused before the yellow and black scout momentarily before he lashed out and punched him, causing him to stumble on his pedes and shutter his optics. Spittle flew from Starscream's mouth as he rounded on the prisoner. ''I have seen this pathetic slagger the last three times Phoenix made landfall in the Houston area. The last time, just this morning.'' Starscream dragged one of his dagger-like digits down Bumblebee's face, leaving a trail of scratched paint and gouges in its wake. The scout held his ground, staring daggers of his own at Starscream. ''She has been leaving this pit spawned Autobot data pads to inform Optimus Prime and the others of our intel.'' Starscream backhanded the prisoner roughly. ''DO YOU DENY IT?'' he screeched at him. Behind me I heard Phoenix give a low growl, her frame tensing as she watched helplessly.

The black and yellow Autobot shook his helm and glowered at Starscream. ''WHY.. DON'T YOU… JUST… SUCK MY..''

''ENOUGH!'' I yelled. I had seen and heard enough. ''Starscream, stand down.'' He raised his servo as if to strike the Autobot again but thought better of defying me and stepped back. Turning instead to gloat at Phoenix. ''You can have your fun with him later. There are more pressing matters to attend to now.'' I glared at Phoenix. Walking slowly towards her, I produced one of my swords from my subspace, twirling it around in my right servo menacingly.

Phoenix stood guarded by Soundwave and Dirge, her optics flicking between me and the sword I held in my servo. A quiet ferocity burned within her optics. I stalked towards Phoenix, circling around behind her. Without warning, my left servo shot out and grabbed her by the neck as my right pede kicked her in the back of the legs, forcing her to her knees before me.

In the distance I was vaguely aware of the Autobot scout whirring out loud as he tried to surge forward towards her, but he was restrained. I shot my optics towards him, hissing threateningly, ''Try anything Autobot, and I kill her right now!'' He stilled immediately.

I released her neck and moved around before her. The same servo shot out once again to grip her once pretty face tightly as rage and pain wracked my spark. She gasped as her shattered dermas were squeezed painfully. /Why? Why did it have to be her that they sent to me?/. A pain, a sense of loss I had not felt in eons, gripped my spark as a vision I had hoped to attain once again slipped from my grasp. My voice was cold and filled with a deep and bitter anger as I leant down to her. ''Congratulations Phoenix,'' I snarled in her audials. ''You have surpassed Prime.''

She tried to turn her helm towards me, confusion evident in her optics and she flinched as she saw my face. She flinched at the regret and sadness mixed with pure rage that burned in my optics as she gazed at me. ''You are now my greatest regret.''

Phoenix closed her optics briefly, sighing out loud as she prepared to appeal to me. Her voice was low and filled with sadness when she looked at me. ''Megatron, I'm sorry..''

I released her face and moved behind her once again, bellowing into her audial ''CHOOSE!'' A split second later, my left servo lashed out to grab her by the left shoulder, dragging her roughly to her pedes. Overcome with betrayal and rage, I let a feral snarl escape my dermas as in one swift motion, I ran the cold, hard length of my blade through her traitorous back. I drove it through her upper abdomen, barely missing her spark chamber as I ran her through.

A strange feeling of satisfaction, pain and guilt tore through me as Phoenix screamed out loud in shock and pain, gasping and clutching at her chest. /Where have I seen this before? Ahh… I remember/. The image of Prime hanging limply from the tip of my blade in that forest right before I blew him apart, flashed through my processor. I smiled. I leant forward, closing my optics tightly as my dermas brushed against her audials, tasting her one last time. ''Just returning the favour my dear Phoenix!''

Over on the stairs of the monument the humans screamed in terror and Bumblebee made a series of loud whirring noises as Phoenix fell limply to her knees before me. The young scout growled in anger, ''Aww you.. done.. it now… I'm gonna…KILL… all you….''

Starscream rounded on him and backhanded him once again hard across the face. ''SHUT UP YOU PATHETIC PILE OF SCRAP!''

I smiled triumphantly down at Phoenix as she tried to reach up and grab the length of blade as it protruded from her chest. Energon was dripping down from her injuries to pool on the ground before her. /She LIED TO ME! She USED ME! She deserves to DIE!/. Phoenix gasped out loud, one servo clawing at the blade, the other at the servo that wrenched her helm back violently, forcing her to take in the sight of the humans cowering and of her Autobot friend held prisoner.

I found myself grinning down at her, my servo grasping her tighter and my blade sliding further into her chest. ''Tell me Phoenix. Who lives and who dies? The humans or the Autobot?'' I ground out through gritted denta, my servo squeezing tighter and my blade twisting about in her chest. She screamed out in agony. ''What would your noble Optimus Prime do?''

Phoenix closed her optics and gasped in pain. ''Meg.. Megatron.. It doesn't have..''

"CHOOSE PHOENIX!''