It had been 23 hours since the day after the Autobots destroyed M.E.C.H's military base and defeated their human enemies to rescue their human ally, Agent William Fowler. M.E.C.H had fallen into obscurity and they were no longer active after their new leader had been betrayed and killed by the evil Doomsayer when he vaporized Colonel Adam Bowen with his optic lasers.
However, Adam Bowen and his soldiers had finished Project Nightbird and when the Autobots took down M.E.C.H and their military base, Nightbird herself rose from the rubble of the burned building where she had been built and she began her mission to terminate the Autobots and Megatron.
Meanwhile, US President Gabriel J. Henderson and the humans still see the Autobots and the New Decepticons including any Cybertronian as a threat to humanity and Earth. Agent Fowler returned to his wife and son and they were relieved that the Autobots rescued him when he was held captive and interrogated by Adam Bowen and M.E.C.H. As for Orion Eclipse, he and his father were shocked that Doomsayer was the one who murdered Firestar and not the Autobots. Megatron swore revenge on Doomsayer for terminating his sparkmate to make him and his son suffer for his banishment from Cybertron.
Later that day, Altair Comet went to check up on Orion Eclipse as she had heard the news about what had happened near the volcano in Iceland. She knocked on the door to Orion's room and he answered. "Altair?" said Orion. "Orion. I heard of what happened when you and your father fought against Doomsayer. I was so worried about you." Altair said to her boyfriend. "Doomsayer. He...he killed my mother!" Orion told Altair. "What?" Altair Comet asked in shock. "Doomsayer told my dad and me that he was the one who killed my mother, Firestar. He...framed the Autobots. He fooled my father into thinking that they were the ones who caused her death. My father and I were so close to destroying Doomsayer. But when his armada came, they had us both surrounded before the Autobots came to our aid. We fought our enemies until Doomsayer got away with his New Decepticons. I wanted to kill him to avenge my mother!" Orion Eclipse explained before he started crying.
Altair Comet gave Orion Eclipse a comforting hug as she wiped away his tears. After 3 minutes of her comforting her boyfriend, the two lovers sat down before Orion looked at his childhood sweetheart and began to speak to her softly, "Altair? Thank you." Altair smiled at Orion. "You're welcome. I'm just so happy that we're finally together after being separated for over a millennium," she said. "Altair?...H-Have you ever wanted to...be my sparkmate someday?" Orion asked. "Y-Yes, I...I have always dreamt of having an engagement with you, Orion Eclipse. Ever since we were young, I would always send you gifts and love letters without anyone knowing. You and I had a strong connection and we were so in love with each other ever since we were sparklings. But the Great War was so terrible that Autobots and Decepticons were forbidden to ever be together with each other...and they were forbidden to fall in love and have sparklings with each other." Altair Comet told her lover.
"I still remember how my dad would be overprotective of me because he didn't want to lose me just as we had lost my mom...and how he wouldn't allow me to be with you, Altair. But now that my dad is reformed and he's finally learned to let me go...to be with the fembot I love the most, then maybe...when we save the Earth and Cybertron when we finally destroy Doomsayer and his New Decepticon armada, when we keep Unicron locked away forever or destroy him and when we find out how to use The Sword of Primus, and we find a way to put an end to this civil war between Autobots and Decepticons...then perhaps you and I will get married one day." Orion Eclipse said to Altair Comet. "Orion? I wish that my father and mother were here." Altair said. "And I wish that my mother was here. I'm just glad that you're here with me and that you're always by my side." Orion replied before he felt Altair caress his cheek and pull him over for a kiss. Orion Eclipse and Altair Comet romantically kissed each other.
Meanwhile, Megatron was still shocked, spark broken, and enraged that Doomsayer was the one who killed his conjunx-endura Firestar and that Optimus Prime and his Autobots truly didn't cause her death. Megatron then thought about the human nurse June Darby and he remembered how he allegedly developed feelings for her before he changed his mind since he refuses to love again for Megatron himself promised his late conjunx-endura that he would never love again.
He knew that if he fell in love again, especially with a human, then his enemies would go after her. Tears fell from the ex-warlord's red optics as Megatron started to remember all the times he spent with Firestar before her demise. He was snapped back to reality when he heard a familiar voice speak to him.
"Megatron."
Megatron turns his head around and sees the Autobot medic, Ratchet. "Ratchet?" Megatron said. "I thought I would find you here." Ratchet said. "What do you want?" Megatron asked.
"I wanted to check to see if you needed medical attention after your battle with Doomsayer." the medic answered. "No, Ratchet. I'm fine." Megatron said before he asked Ratchet, "Ratchet? Can I tell you something?" The Autobot medic replied, "Sure. I'm all audio receptors."
Megatron sighed before he confessed, "When I was turned human, I got to spend time with Jack's mother, June Darby and I...secretly developed feelings for her." Megatron said. Ratchet was surprised, "You what?" he said. "Yes. I have fallen in love with June. But now I feel guilty." Megatron said. "Why?" Ratchet asked. "Because I promised my late conjunx-endura that I would never fall in love again," Megatron replied. "But now that my son and I know that it was Doomsayer who caused the death of Firestar and not Optimus Prime and his Autobots, then I must..."
"Seeking revenge on Doomsayer for extinguishing Firestar's spark isn't worth it, Megatron." Ratchet told Megatron before he continued, "Optimus once told Arcee that revenge won't bring back those we have lost. I'm sorry for your loss." the medic said. "I need to go," Megatron said. "Go? Go where?" Ratchet asked. "It doesn't matter. I just need some time alone in a faraway place from here." Megatron replied before he left Ratchet. Megatron walked over to the other room where he asked the ex-Decepticon medic Knock Out to activate the space bridge so that he can travel to Earth to spend some time alone away from Cybertron.
At the Devastator...
The New Decepticon bounty hunter Motorstrike was polishing his blades when Doomsayer summoned him over to the throne room to have a word with him. Once Motorstrike arrived at the throne room, he knelt before his master and lowered his head to show some respect. "You summoned me, Lord Doomsayer?" asked Motorstrike. "Yes, Motorstrike. I have a job for you." Doomsayer said to him. "Soundwave has informed me that our former lord and master, Megatron, has traveled to Earth alone. So I'm thinking that since you're one of my finest bounty hunters, I should hire you and our finest New Decepticon troops to track him down and capture him. Bring Megatron to me alive and you shall be rewarded." Doomsayer said.
"As you command, my liege. But may I ask why you want me and our troops to bring our former master to you alive?" Motorstrike asked curiously. "Because he deserves retribution for disbanding the Decepticons and for betng his own people by siding with the Autobots, our mortal enemies. Now go! Find Megatron, capture him, bring him back to me alive aboard the Devastator...and I will allow Starscream to execute Megatron with the Dark Star Saber." Doomsayer ordered. "Yes, Lord Doomsayer." said Motorstrike.
A few moments later, Motorstrike and the New Decepticon troopers ordered Soundwave to lock onto Megatron's coordinates on Earth and then activate the space bridge to where they can find him and capture him. Soundwave opens the space bridge portal and Motorstrike runs through it with the New Decepticon troopers following the bounty hunter.
Meanwhile on Earth...
Megatron was sitting on a hill at a desert in Jasper, Nevada while spending some time alone. The former leader of the Decepticons was sad and guilty for he had developed romantic feelings for the human nurse, June Darby, yet he promised to his late conjunx-endura, Firestar that he would never love again. Megatron then thought about Optimus Prime and how much he missed him, especially after he became one with the Allspark after sacrificing his own life to restore the Well of Allsparks. Megatron started to remember the good old days of when he and Optimus Prime were once best friends before the Great War, of when he fell in love with Firestar and sired a son with her before she died at the hands of Doomsayer. Tears began to fall from Megatron's red optics and he began to cry, feeling guilty and responsible for those who have died because of the Great War that had lasted for four thousand millennia.
"Optimus? If you can hear me...then I want you to know that I'm deeply sorry for all the evil things that I've done over the past millennium. If I could redeem myself, then I would do what I can to help my son and your Autobot armies defeat Doomsayer and his New Decepticon armada...but I can't do this without you, Prime. You've chosen my son to help the Autobots protect the Earth and Cybertron...and I promised to help Orion Eclipse and the Autobots defeat Doomsayer and his armada, yet the Sword of Primus rejected him and found him unworthy to become the next Prime. Why?" Megatron said to Optimus Prime while looking at the sky, even though he's departed. He then looked at the stars and began speaking to his late conjunx-endura, Firestar. "Firestar? Ever since I've lost you, I've sworn never to love again. Yet I've developed feelings for Jack's mother and now I feel guilty about it. I wished...there was another way for me to say it. I cannot. I can only beg your forgiveness and pray to Primus that you would hear me somehow and that you would still be alive and with me."
Megatron lowered his head in sadness when suddenly, a strange fembot appeared out of hiding and attacked him with one powerful kick. Megatron got up from the ground where he fell onto his back and he saw what appeared to be a ninja fembot wearing a face mask with yellow optics. Megatron was shocked and confused as to who this mysterious ninja fembot was.
"Who are you?! Did Doomsayer sent you?" Megatron asked. The female ninja gave him no response before she ran up to attack him with her pair of Octagon Sai weapons. Megatron draws out his long blade from his arm and he begins to fight against this mysterious ninja fembot, whoever she was and wherever she came from.
While Megatron was fighting against the ninja fembot, a space bridge portal opened, and Motorstrike and the New Decepticon troopers appeared before they saw Megatron fighting the mysterious ninja fembot from afar. Motorstrike wondered who the heck this new fembot was. "Who in the name of Onyx Prime is that?!" Motorstrike exclaimed. He then looked at the New Decepticon troopers before the bounty hunter told them to apprehend the ninja fembot while he attempts to capture Megatron.
"You take down that mysterious fembot. I'll deal with Megatron myself." Motorstrike told the New Decepticon troopers.
Megatron fights the mysterious ninja fembot until he grabs her and pins her to the ground. But just when Megatron was about to finish her, he saw a label on her neck that says M.E.C.H and another label on her chest that said, Nightbird. Megatron wondered as to why this fembot had these labels before Motorstrike and the New Decepticon troopers had him surrounded. "Got you now, Megs!" said Motorstrike. The troopers aimed their weapons at Megatron before they apprehended him and Nightbird. Megatron recognizes Motorstrike as one of Doomsayer's minions who attacked him and turned him human when the New Decepticons and the Insecticons attacked the city of Boise, Idaho. "Motorstrike!" said Megatron. The bounty hunter smiles malevolently at Megatron. "Hello Big M. I see you've made a new friend." Motorstrike said to the ex-warlord. Megatron looks at Nightbird before he looks at Motorstrike and asks, "I don't know who she is. Did your master hire her to assassinate me?!"
Motorstrike looks at Nightbird before he recognizes her and then explains to Megatron, "I'm glad you asked. Allow us to introduce, Nightbird. Lord Doomsayer hired Colonel Adam Bowen and M.E.C.H to create her so that she could be our assassin. She's programmed to hunt down and destroy you and the Autobots. When we heard that the Autobots destroyed M.E.C.H and their military base to save their human friend, we thought that Nightbird perished along with Colonel Bowen and his soldiers. But it seems that she survived." Motorstrike said as he looks at Nightbird. Motorstike commlinks Doomsayer. "Lord Doomsayer? We've captured Megatron and we've found Nightbird,"
"Excellent. Bring them to me." Doomsayer answers the commlink. But just when it seems like Motorstrike and the New Decepticon troopers would call for a space bridge, Megatron kills one of the New Decepticon troopers and transformed into a jet to make his escape. Motorstrike, the New Decepticon troopers, and even Nightbird chased after Megatron across the desert. A few moments later, Megatron hides in a canyon, hoping to escape from his enemies before he commlinks Knock Out. "Knock Out, do you read me?" He said. Knock Out answers, "Yes, what is it Megatron?" He asked. "I've been attacked. Doomsayer sent his New Decepticons after me. Bridge me back to the Autobot base on Cybertron immediately." Megatron requested. "Yes, sir." Knock Out replied.
Meanwhile, Motorstrike tells Nightbird to search for Megatron in the canyon and the ninja fembot begins her hunt for the ex-warlord. Megatron waits for Knock Out to open up the space bridge for him to escape and get back to the Autobot base on Cybertron before Nightbird finds him hiding behind a boulder. The ninja fembot tries to attack Megatron but then he starts to shoot at her with his fusion canon in self-defense. Megatron and Nightbird fight for a bit while Motorstrike watches the two battle each other. "Should we do something?" A New Decepticon trooper asked. "No. I have an idea." Motorstrike said before he pointed his ion blaster at a cliff above Megatron and Nightbird in an attempt to cause a rockslide that would crush them. He shoots his weapon at the cliff and causes a bunch of rocks to fall down, but then when Megatron notices the rocks falling, he grabs Nightbird by the wrist and they get out of the way to avoid getting buried alive by the falling rocks.
"Motorstrike, you fool! You could've destroyed Megatron!" a New Decepticon trooper exclaimed. "So?" said Motorstrike. "Lord Doomsayer ordered us to capture Megatron and he wants him alive." said the other New Decepticon trooper. "Oh!...My bad." Motorstrike replied in embarrassment. Megatron runs away, taking Nightbird as his prisoner while she was injured and unconscious. They ran through the canyon to get away from Motorstrike and the New Decepticon troopers.
Back in the Autobot Base...
Knock Out locked onto Megatron's coordinates as he was about to bridge the latter back to the Autobot base when, suddenly, the space bridge portal started to malfunction, much to the ex-Decepticon medic's dismay. "Oh, no!" Knock Out exclaimed. Orion Eclipse enters the room where the space bridge portal is broken. "Knock Out, what's wrong?" said Orion. "This is bad." Knock Out said. "What's bad?" asked Orion. "Orion, your father is in danger. I just got a call from him and he says he's being attacked by one of Doomsayer's New Decepticon troopers. I tried to open the space bridge portal to bring your father back here to our base, but the portal was having a malfunction and now it's broken!" Knock Out explained.
"Is there another space bridge portal that can transport my dad back to Cybertron?" Orion Eclipse asked. "Maybe. I'm not sure," said Knock Out. "Knock Out, my father is in danger," Orion told the medic. "No worries. Your father, Megatron, knows how to protect himself. He's fought against many opponents before. I'm sure we'll have plenty of time to find another space bridge portal to bring him back from Earth." Knock Out replied. "I just hope that my father doesn't get killed by those New Decepticons." Orion Eclipse said.
-
Back on Earth...
Megatron was at the canyon in the Nevada desert while carrying Nightbird on his shoulder as his prisoner. The ex-warlord and former leader of the Decepticons was waiting for Knock Out to open up the space bridge portal to transport him back to Cybertron, but what's taking that medic so long to do that? Something bad must've happened on Cybertron where the space bridge could be broken.
But in the same moment of waiting for the Autobots and their medics to have the space bridge open, Megatron began to hear a soft moan from Nightbird on his shoulder for she was starting to come awake. Megatron soon placed her against a rock wall but braced himself for an attack from the ninja femme bot. "I may almost know of who you are, nor ever wish to cause a scene...but you have some explaining to tell me, Nightbird," Megatron said, keeping his voice down. Nightbird blinked a few times after rubbing her optics, but when staring at Megatron for a few seconds, she grabbed her knife blade, ready to strike, but flinched in feeling a sharp pain on her side, she felt a part of her body damaged and in needing repairs. "It seems that you appear to be damaged a little. But I should try to help you, only if you cannot kill me and wish to explain yourself."
Nightbird was silent for a minute but lays back in putting her blade away, but in seeing Megatron trying to find something to cover her injuries as he knew it wouldn't be easy for a Cybertronian like her to bleed to death. "I was tasked to kill you and the Autobots. But I was also created by humans who've worked in M.E.C.H before you have taken their business down for good. For this, Adam Bowen and his soldiers created me as their project for revenge. In turn, it is odd to say of it, but my mind confuses me only once or twice for the information about you, the Autobots, and their battles, it had made me unsure for this, however, my task remained the same." Nightbird spoke in a soft tone yet kept quiet, though she was clear enough for Megatron to hear. Megatron was shocked to learn of M.E.C.H being part of Nightbird's existing life in the inside, but on the outside, he couldn't release his anger or hate for a reason. "Whatever you think, I think you have been on the wrong path. What some humans or Decepticons tell you may never be true, trust me...I have seen and done the experiences I deeply regret." Megatron said, once in return with something to help her, an old but strong cover cloth, to make an arm cast for Nightblade. Nightbird felt a little confused at first but calm at the same time, however, something about Megatron made her not sure whether to either kill or spare his life.
"Can you still stand?" Asked Megatron, offering his hand to Nightbird. Nightbird felt silent and still at first, but slowly took Megatron's hand to be helped onto her feet. "I can, however...what makes you think to help me if we're still enemies?" Nightbird asked feeling confused. "I believe you should learn about the true meaning of oppression, and never dare afflict it with death or any cause to mean it. Try to walk with me, so we can find a way to escape. I will explain all of what is going on as we do, and await for a space bridge to pick us up." Megatron answered in a kind tone. Nightbird, in having no other options, followed Megatron down their path, led as the Ex-Decepticon leader, was about to tell the entire truth in the honesty of how he knew from the past and now from his son. But in the moment of it, Megatron was hoping that Orion and the Autobots were alright while having the space bridge ready to get him. This time it could take him and Nightbird to learn from one another and hopefully not end up fighting to the death as they try to trust one another for now.
It had taken them a few hours to travel through the canyon's caves to find another way out, at times, however, Nightbird would defend Megatron from any falling debris from the cave's pointed rocks above when a feeling like an earthquake was felt, or when Megatron began to keep Nightbird safe even as a flock of Earth bats flew by the two. It made Nightbird unsure but after the Ex-Decepticon leader's explaining earlier the events that happened. Nightbird began to slowly realize that she was tricked and lied to by the New Decepticons. "Megatron, may I please ask a question as we are almost out of the tunnels of the cave?" Asked the femme ninja when being held up by Megatron. "Yes, what seems to be troubling you?" Megatron spoke in a statement to Nightbird.
When the two came to a halt by a rock wall leading to the way outside, Nightbird softly took a deep breath and to soon sit onto her knees and looking up to Megatron, leaving him a little in first before hearing her question him. "I have been thinking of what you have told me, about Doomsayer, the losses and difficulties you've faced even before your redemption. I...I had no idea how horrible it must have been for you. And to add, I am truly deeply sorry for what happened to...your wife, Firestar. But, if we were to ever make amends with each other and go back to your base, may I...may I have the honor of calling you my senpai? The meaning of senpai is a Japanese translation of mentor or master as I was given the ability to speak the human languages of English and Japanese. I will understand if you do not wish for me to speak of such a thing if you are uncomfortable." Nightbird then bows her head down to respect Megatron, still leaving him silent and confused...but, when being called Senpai, that was something he'd never known before. The Ex-Decepticon then kneels down and offers his hand to Nightbird, giving a gentle smile to her. "Of course, and to this I should inform the Autobots about you, so you can introduce yourself to them in your comfort zone, for how the humans speak to approach themselves to one another." He told her to keep his voice down.
Nightbird felt surprised by Megatron's answer, but under her mask...she softly smiled for the first time and held his hand, but suddenly, they both heard a voice from above them. "Hahahaha, there you are. You scrapheaps will not get away from us this time!" It was Motorstrike and his troopers, as they were looking to capture Megatron and bring back Nightbird still on any coast. Megatron and Nightbird both knew they were not going to Doomsayer, instead, they would fight their way to escape back to the Autobots. "Sorry Motorstrike, but our answer is no. Now bug us off or we will come up and send you packing!" Megatron shouted from below. This made Motorstrike in shock from what he heard and clutched his fists. "How dare you say that?! Get up here and face us, but if we win, then we will take you to Doomsayer by force!" Both Megatron and Nightbird began to climb up the rock wall and in loading their weapons. As they made it to the top, their battle with Motorstrike and his troops began. Each side battled for a long while as both sides didn't dare give into defeat. Megatron slashed his sword at one of the troopers and in blasting another with his fusion canon, however, the troopers dodged and kicked Megatron to the ground hard. Nightbird witnessed this and throws some shuriken-star knives to hit the troopers on their backs. "Megatron-senpai! Hold on, I'm coming!" Nightbird called out, but Motorstrike grabs her and points his blaster to the side of her head.
"Where do you think you're going, you traitor? Hehehehe, this will be surprising as Doomsayer will enjoy having to torture traitors like you when we get back. Now...any last words before I scrap you?" Motorstrike asked in an evil smirk on his face. Nightbird struggled to get free, but in the far corner of her optics, a dimmed light of a portal began to shine and a bot ran towards the cons with backup. Nightbird then looks to Motorstrike and only says. "I do, you and your troopers are totally screwed. Sayōnara!" Nightbird suddenly trip-kicks Motorstrike and throws a smoke bomb, having her escape and run to help Megatron. Motorstrike was coughing hard as the smoke hit him, yet before he could fire at the femme ninja, he got attacked by a hard blast of a blaster and turned to see Orion Eclipse with the Autobots. "Back off Motorstrike! And get away from my father you scrapheap murderer!" Orion said pointing his blaster at Motorstrike while the Autobots attacked the troopers. Nightbird in the meantime hurries to Megatron and to help him up to his feet. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" She asked. "I'm alright, but please, go to help the Autobots, they'll need your help in stopping Motorstrike." Megatron replied to the femme ninja. Nightbird nodded and held out her ninja's knife blades to run towards the troopers in slicing parts of their body off, this caught Orion's optics when seeing Nightbird attack the troopers and help his team, it then gave him an idea to end Motorstrike's task before he could escape. "Hey Motorstrike, you like the game of cat and mouse that humans play? Then you're in for a big surprise with our version of the game. Try to catch me, you overgrown slowpoke con!" Orion said while running and blasting Motorstrike in a circle. Nightbird then saw off this, to soon read Orion's optics for his plan to work.
Nightbird nodded to him and waited for her chance. "Grrr, stop running around like that you cursive Autobot! And. Hold. Still. NOW!" Motorstrike yelled in getting very annoyed by Orion's shooting and taunting him several times as the young bot circled around him. But in this, he didn't see Nightbird soon having her ninja shogi in hand as she quickly threw the chain part around and tightly Motorstrike's Body, then kicked his back to then pinning him down with a strong net to keep him in place. "Gauh! Grrr, let me go now, you traitor ninja!" Motorstrike angrily yelled looking at Nightbird. "Sorry, but I do not take orders from someone like you, you're a cold-blooded being who only cares about seeing others suffer in pain to pleasure your entertainment." She quickly kicks the back of his head to cause Motorstrike to pass out as she was strong. "Thank you, but what did he mean by a traitor? Are you one of the Decepticons?" Asked Orion as he approached Nightbird calmly. Nightbird looked to him and then to Megatron for a moment, but all she could say to Orion was, "No, I wish to come to your base with your father. Allow me to explain myself to you all as I wish to help you in your battle against Doomsayer. If you wish to accept my help." Nightblade requested in then bowing to Orion in Japanese respect. Orion Eclipse smiled before saying, "Sure. We could use a man-made ninja fembot such as yourself on the team." Nightbird smiles behind her mask.
Megatron returns to Cybertron with his son and the Autobots welcome Nightbird as the newest member of their team. Ratchet removes the M.E.C.H label off of Nightbird's neck and replaces her "nightbird" label with an Autobot insignia. After becoming an Autobot, Nightbird becomes Megatron's new friend.
Meanwhile, Motorstrike returns to the Devastator where he tells his master, Doomsayer, the bad news that he failed on his mission to capture Megatron. "You have failed me, Motorstrike." said Doomsayer. "Forgive me, master. I tried everything, but me and some of our troops were betrayed by M.E.C.H's creation, Nightbird." Motorstrike explained. "I don't want to hear the excuses!" Doomsayer snapped at the bounty hunter, making him flinch.
"No matter. Megatron will be destroyed one way or another as punishment for disbanding the Decepticons. If I can add Predaking and his Predacons to my New Decepticon army, then perhaps I can find the Insecticons and add them to my army as well so that my army will be large enough to crush the Autobot scum. Once we find the Autobot base and find out where they're keeping Unicron, then once we find our master and rescue him, we shall bring him back to Earth, restore him back to life at its core and then...absolute chaos will be unleashed." Doomsayer monologued.
Soundwave enters the room and he shows Doomsayer where the Insecticons are. On one of Cybertron's moons. Doomsayer makes a malevolent grin as he then makes his next move to travel over to one of Cybertron's moons.
TO BE CONTINUED...