Disclaimer:Transformers belongs to Hasbro, Takara, etc . The only thing in this that belongs to me is Arcee's sister.
Miko was walking on a rock with Jack waiting her their guardians, near an Energon mine, "We're suppose to be at a rock concert, but all I see is rock."
Jack yawns, "Relax, Miko. The show doesn't start for two hours."
"Do you know how long I've waited to see Slash Monkey?" She asked him. "Forever!" She shouted before he had a chance to reply. "And it's their only U.S. date."
"There's a shock," Jack said, sarcastically, "I mean who doesn't love obscure Bulgarian shriek metal?"
Arcee and Bulkhead walked out of the mine with bulkhead holding an Energon scanner ffbeeping.
"By all appearances, this mine's been stripped," Arcee said.
"But I'm getting a signal. It's faint, but definitely Energon," bulkhead said with confusion.
Miko heard the conversation, and looked at Jack.
"Doesn't make sense. This operation has been abandoned four, maybe five years. And Decepticons never leave Energon behind," Arcee said.
"Uh, guys?" Jack said, the two autobots looked at him, who pointed at the mine.
The two Autobots saw Miko running into the mine, "Cool!"
"She went in. Unbelievable," Arcee said with disbelief.
"Really? Have you met her?" Jack asked her.
"Miko, get back here!" Bulkhead said as he ran after Miko.
"It would be kind of interesting to see," Jack said, "you know if it were-"
"Safe?" She asked him. "A stripped mine can be structurally unstable, Jack."
"I promise to step lightly," he promised.
"Just don't tell your mom," she said as they walked into the mine.
Above the mine, two jets flew above, one of them was Cybertronian and the other was an Earth Jet, as they neared the mine, the jets were Decepticons that transformed into robots named Megatron and the other was Starscream.
"Uh, Lord, Megatron, far be it from me to question your intentions, but I do not understand why we've returned her after all this time… alone," Starscream confessed, nervously only to have Megatron ignore him as he walked into the mine, "Every last trace of energon was extracted from this mine. There's nothing left."
"Indulge me, Starscream, won't you?" Megatron suggested sarcastically before continuing his voyage into the darkness of the mine and Starscream followed.
Miko! M-!" Bulkhead called out as he walked through the mine.
"Check it out!" Miko gushed excitedly as she appeared from the corridor next to his, "Now this would make an awesome rehearsal space! Hello! Hello, Cleveland! Are you ready to rock? WHOO-HOO-WHOO!" She went on with her voice echoing and Bulkhead went to contact Arcee.
"Arcee, found something," Bulkhead said on Arcee's comlink.
"Bulkhead? Bulkhead, do you read?" Arcee asked, earning static as her response, "Scrap. The mineral composition down here is causing interference."
"Okay. So maybe the acoustics aren't perfect," Miko grumbled.
"Well, we're here. Ratchet's gonna want a sample," Bulkhead remarked.
Bulkhead walked over to a column of rock where the Energon reading was being emitted. The bleeping from the scanner grew louder until it just...stopped. Bulkhead activated his mace and as soon as the beeping stopped. Without a second thought, he began pounding at the rock column before him.
In another part of the mine, Megatron and Starscream continued their exploration as they saw Energon drillers still present in the mine, even though it was abandoned.
"How intriguing," Megatron thought aloud.
Starscream began to pant and gasp nervously before putting on a show and growling, "Incompetent fools! This mining equipment should have been relocated! Why is it still here?"
"A most valid question," Megatron complimented.
"My apologies, Master. I believe Soundwave was in charge of coordinating transport," Starscream stuttered nervously, earning a growl from Megatron, "But in fairness, during your interstellar travels, we all had to assume additional responsibilities. Clearly, mistakes were made."
"Yes. Clearly," Megatron agreed dryly before punching into a wall next to him and took out a batch of energon, making Starscream more nervous, "Every last trace of energon extracted?"
"Lord Megatron, I can explain," Starscream gasped nervously.
"Explain what? That you've been hoarding a supply of energon for your own personal use?" Megatron demanded as he dropped the Energon he plucked.
"No! Not exactly. You see, I-" Starscream defended as Megatron shattered the Energon with his foot.
"Do not take me for a fool, Starscream!" Megatron said as he finally snapped, his red Optics blazing with recognizable anger, "I have been wise to your transgressions from the beginning. Not only did you pluck the Dark Energon from my chest in a failed attempt to snuff my spark! But you tried to raise your own dead warrior with it! It's no secret that you lost your arm in the process! Which you've since had replaced!"
"You know about that?!" Starscream screeched nervously as he began backing away from the approaching Megatron.
"Soundwave is quite competent at surveillance, I can assure you. The fact is, Starscream, despite your treachery, I've allowed you to carry on this long because I took a certain delight in following your string of failures. But you've finally become tiresome, predictable. You've hit Rock Bottom." Megatron declared as he aimed his charging Fusion Cannon at the trembling Decepticon.
"Master, please! Give me one more chance! I beg of you!" Starscream pleaded as he tried to shield himself from any potential fire from the cannon.
Jack and Arcee were walking by the section of the mine where Megatron was with Starscream as he planned to execute him.
"You have ceased to be of use to me, Starscream. So you shall simply cease to be," Megatron said as Jack stood in the walkway, Arcee approached the walkway and saw Starscream and Megatron, they looked at each other till Megatron growls as he started shooting his cannon at Jack, Arcee luckily scooped Jack up in her arms and darting to a nearby column as Megatron continued firing at them. Small rocks grumbled from the roof all around them, raising their fears even higher.
"Stay down!" Arcee instructed she hid behind a wall as Megatron continued to fire at them.
Starscream was debating on what he should do, should he help Megatron or leave Megatron to die in this mine? Starscream chose the latter.
Megatron soon saw his second-in-command fleeing, "Starscream, you dare abandon me?!" Megatron exclaimed with anger and disbelief.
Megatron knew he shouldn't be surprised by these actions, as six Earth days before the Autobots and Decepticons left cybertron when Metroplex killed him by crushing him only to be revived by Soundwave later with Dark Energon as well as his mini-con minions, Laserbeak and Rumble, Starscream proclaimed himself as leader and crowned himself as king through a coronation only for him to surprise everyone and defeat everyone who supported Starscream, only for Starscream to flee.
With another roar, Megatron fired shots at the hastily retreating Starscream. However, each shot he made had missed the fleeing Decepticon commander. With ease, Starscream officially took flight and retreated from the stripped mine. Raining rocks surrounded him as a result of Megatron's failed execution shots.
Taking her opportunity, Arcee took a shot at Megatron with her blaster, square in the back, distracting him from his intentions involving Starscream. He went to fire at the once again. In fact, he did. Arcee fired a shot at his hand with the cannon, forcing him to fire at the roof. Above them, the roof came tumbling down. It had sustained enough damage. Now, it decided to take its revenge on the intruders and trap them inside. Megatron looked up in horror at the damage he and his enemies had caused. Rocks surrounded him, shattering every chance of escaping the mine collapse. Blood red optics widened as one giant rock crumbled on top of his form.
Megatron was pinned. All hopes of escape gone and lost…for now…
"Scrap!" Arcee said as the ground below them started to crack open and she began to run away as the ground below her crumbled and collapsed underneath their feet. All three of them gave out surprised yells as they found themselves falling into a widening hole.
Around them, Bulkhead and Miko saw the mine collapsing all around them as a huge rock structure collapsed and began to fall upon Miko, when Bulkhead immediately took action and fell onto all fours, taking the rocky blows for Miko with his back. Around them, rocks came crashing down.
Starscream continued to fly at top speeds through the collapsing mine. The speeds he was reaching were speeds other jets could only dream of reaching. Nothing was going to stop the disgraced Decepticon now. He was so close. Ahead, Starscream could see the small hole that provided the mine with sunlight. Closer… Just a little further he had to go. And each second brought him closer. However, rocks began to pound at his alternative vehicular mode. Starscream let out a cry as he began to spin out of control in the small airspace he was provided. He transformed into his robot form as he came crashing to the ground.
"WHAT? NO!"
His scream echoed all around as he desperately reached out his hand for help. However, there was no one around to hear his screams. No one to see the collapse. No one around the help the occupants who have become trapped inside. The rocks blocked the only remaining entrance and exit to the stripped mine.
Echoing sounds and flying dust filled the forest that surrounded the mine. However, no one was around to see or hear the commotion that just happened. The mine collapsed into nothing but piles of rock, dust and erosion from time. This collapsed mine was about to become the graves of Jack, Arcee, Miko, Bulkhead, Megatron and Starscream as they slowly suffocated or starved to death.
Unless a miracle happened which would involve the trapped occupants escaping death for the millionth time.
Jack had managed to dig himself out of the pile of rocks that had trapped himself, his Autobot partner/guardian. He was covered in dirt, sand and dust that had built up over time and was released when the mine collapsed.
"Arcee!" He cried out in worry, he heard no response, "Arcee!" He got the same response, "oh, scrap," he said and departed from the rock pile he was trapped under,
and went searching for his friends that were trapped in the mine. And anything that could mean freedom.
Miko coughed and spluttered as she pushed herself unsteadily onto her feet. When the mine began to collapse, she fell onto her hands and knees as Bulkhead shielded her from the giant rocks that began crashing down all around the two. Just like Bulkhead, she didn't understand how the mine could have collapsed. The way Bulkhead was pounding at the wall for geological samples to deliver to Ratchet shouldn't have been enough to cause the mine to collapse just like that! Even if the mine just happened to have been declared structurally unstable.
"Did I do that?" Bulkhead asked her, nervously, distracting Miko's worried thoughts.
"Don't think so!"'she aif, walking forward.
"Are you okay?" Bulkhead immediately asked Miko worriedly.
"Natch," Miko nodded, "What about you?"
When she turned around to face him, she suddenly didn't need to hear the reply. She already know. Bulkhead was once again standing on his own two feet. However, his arms were high above him. Holding the roof high above the ground. The mine was already in a bad shape due to being stripped and left untouched. Now, the mine was in a even worse shape because of the sudden collapse. The only reason the mine hadn't collapsed fully was because Bulkhead was holding the roof up in his section of the mine as the only support the mine had left. If his arms gave out, the rest of the joint would come crumbling down in just seconds.
"Peachy," he answered sarcastically.
"Whoa!" She gasped.
"Don't worry, Miko. I got it under control," Bulkhead reassured her, despite being unsure himself.
"What do you think caused the cave-in?" Miko asked.
"Who knows?" He answered after sighing, "I just hope Arcee and Jack are safe, 'cause we could definitely use an assist."
"Just keep raising that roof, Bulk. I'll get us out of here," she said as she approached the rock pile before them.
Miko lifted one rock out of the way and deposited it somewhere else before pushing another rock away and moving on to another rock. The pile was big. Bulkhead knew that much as he carefully watched Miko for signs of exhaustion. He also knew this much about help arriving and Miko digging their way out.
It could take a while.
Outside the mine, all was calm during the hours that followed the mine collapse. The sun was beginning to set, indicating how long everyone had been trapped. Rocks were suddenly pushed away from the pile by a clawed, metal, oily hand. Starscream gasped and coughed as he pushed himself out of the collapsed mine. After big gasps and intakes, Starscream's breathing slowly returned to normal. He turned around and saw the damage to the mine the brief firefight had caused. Starscream couldn't help but laugh happily and evilly at the recent turn of events.
"Predictable, Master? Is that what you called me? Well, now who has hit Rock Bottom? What's that? I'm sorry, I can't hear you beneath all that rubble! Farewell, Lord Megatron. May you rust in peace!" He said laughing evilly.
He begins to walk away from the mine, accomplishment filling his body. Megatron was finally taken care of. He could now again rule the Decepticons… Then he remembered something.
"But you have survived far worse. If you managed to free yourself, you would blame me for your setback, and there is nowhere that I could possibly escape from your wrath. Or, worse yet, your mindless followers will come looking for you and take credit for your rescue. Credit that could rightfully be mine. Megatron!" He said screaming.
Jack continued to look for his friends as he walked through another pile of rocks, "Arcee! Bulkhead! Miko!" He then heard a thud and looked around and saw an Energon driller nearby, "Well, that could come in handy." He added as he approached it.
Miko continued to lift up rocks from the pile blocking their way and moving them to another locating. Her breathing was becoming heavier and she began wheezing. The air was starting to become thin the more Miko exhausted herself. Bulkhead was growing even more concerned as he watched Miko work hard. Finally, he decided that enough was enough. She's going to wear herself out. Signs of Miko about to wear herself out began to show as she finally collapsed as she fell on her back .
"Miko!" Bulkhead cried worriedly.
"I'm feeling strong," she said as she sighs while panting, as she struggles getting up.
"No, you're not," he told her, shaking his head furiously.
"I just need to rest for a second, that's all," Miko said as she went to stand up, but as she did so, she fell back down.
"Miko, listen to me. There's no fresh air down here. If you use up all the oxygen too fast…" Bulkhead said, but finding himself unable to finish his sentence.
"We could suffocate," Miko finished fearfully for him.
"Not 'we', Miko. You," Bulkhead corrected her, "Autobots don't need to breathe, remember?"
"Right. Smack-down in outer space," she chuckles weakly as she remarks weakly, "that was cool. Okay. What if I just slowed down breath… less?"
Miko stood up and stumbled over to the rocks. She went to pick another one up. But she found that she couldn't even make it budge. She expended too much energy. She found breathing an even more impossible task than normal. Bulkhead couldn't stand to watch Miko making herself suffer anymore.
"No, you need to stop," Bulkhead begged her.
"I can't, Bulk. I have to get you out of here," she said before slumping against the rocks.
"Miko, please. Don't worry about me, I'm fine," he said as his arms begin to give.
Jack climbed onto the Energon drill, Stood on the computer control panel, tapped the touch screen keyboard-like controls at the center circle, observing the reds, blues and greens as the screen slowly came to life after not being used for so long. Soon the drill started to move around as its engine activated and moved forward, "Roll out," he said as he embarked on a mission to save his friends and find a way out of the mine.
Bulkhead grunted as he visibly strained to hold the roof above him. Suddenly, he heard the familiar sound of machinery. Hope began to build up in his spark. During the time of the castes and Guild, before the war that plunged Cybertron into darkness, before he became a Wrecker, Bulkhead worked in construction. That included building glorious construction and destroying other constructions. And one of the requirements is to know every piece of machinery on Cybertron. So he knew machinery when he saw it or heard it.
And he knew that sound was coming from a drill.
"Do you hear that?" He asked Miko.
"Sounds like…," Miko panted tiredly.
"Drilling. Gotta be Arcee and Jack," Bulkhead said.
"We're in…here!" Miko called out.
But her voice was too weak. Whoever was coming towards them wouldn't hear her cries. Or locate her and Bulkhead for that matter. Just like they couldn't locate where the drilling was coming from and figure out how close it was.
"Miko, grab something and bang it on my foot," Bulkhead requested, "Can you do that?"
While Bulkhead certainly cared about getting out of the mine, he cared more about Miko's wellbeing. Especially after she wore herself out moving piles of rock. Weakly and still panting, Miko staggered to her feet. She was still weak. But her strength was slowly returning. She found a rock she could lift and grabbed it. She even struggled with that. But she didn't stop. However, when she reached Bulkhead's foot, she hesitated.
"I don't wanna hurt you," Miko said.
"I know it's hard to believe. But I'm tougher than I look," Bulkhead laughed, "Now give it all you've got."
Miko was still hesitant about pounding in Bulkhead's foot with the rock. But she wasn't about to disobey him now. Now while they're fighting for their lives. While they have to risk just about everything to get out of the mine alive. With grunts of determination, Miko raised the rock above her head and whacked Bulkhead's foot with it. Hard. The sound of rock clanging metal echoed around the space. She raised the rock and repeated the previous actions. She continued to do this for several minutes.
As Jack continued to use the drill, he deactivated it as he saw a large hole next to him, saw a familiar face with red optics, it was Megatron, looking at him.
"I suppose helping those less fortunate would be completely out of the question," Megatron remarked to the human, "If that is the case, you might as well use your drill to finish me. I guarantee you will never have a better opportunity. Than right now." Jack's hands hovered over the controls. He was so tempted to take the offer. Drive that drill into Megatron's mind and just finish him off once and for all. Revenge filled Jack's mind. He wanted to take that opportunity very badly. However, there was something in his mind that stopped him from doing so.
Would Optimus finish Megatron if he was in their current position?
"Well? What are you waiting for? Think of the glory. Seize the day. Optimus would." Megatron said, continuing to torment the sixteen year old teenager.
As Megatron said those words, Jack had made up his mind concerning the offer. He wasn't going to take it. Megatron wasn't his enemy. He wasn't his concern. And he also knew that Optimus wouldn't take the chance he was offered. Optimus has always wanted to have Megatron see reason. See the pain he has caused and finally, the war would have the peaceful end the Autobots desire.
"No, he wouldn't. not like this," Jack told him, walking away going back to the controls, reactivating the drill.
"I will be sure to share the details of our little conversation with optimus, the day I rip out his spark!" Megatron promised.
Miko had no idea how long she's been pounding at Bulkhead's foot with a rock, as per his desperate requests. All she knew was that her arms were beyond sore and breathing was becoming even more difficult as the air grew even thinner. Whenever Miko began to falter, Bulkhead encouraged her to keep banging the rock on his foot. "Atta girl," he said as she bangs the rock on his foot and banged it again.
She suddenly heard a noise, "What was that?" she asked him.
"Nothing. Go on. Keep banging," Bulkhead immediately responded before groaning.
"Bulkhead. What's happening?" Miko demanded.
Bulkhead sighed inwardly. He knew he couldn't hide the strain from Miko forever. He didn't even have forever to hide the strain he was under. Besides, Miko was counting on him to keep her safe and alive until rescue arrived. So the least he could do is tell her the truth.
"Tell me!" She pleaded.
"My arms, they're starting to give," he answered.
Never in his eons-long lifetime had Bulkhead seen a face filled with such fear.
"Does it hurt?" Miko wanted to know.
"A little," Bulkhead grunted in pain as his arms began to visibly shake and rocks came crumbling down.
"Bulkhead!" Miko cried.
"Help's coming," Bulkhead promised Miko, "We've just got to guide them here. Hit me again. Miko, do it!"
Immediately, Miko picked up a fresh rock since the rock she was using before shattered after being used to hit Bulkhead multiple times. She raised the rock high above her head before resuming her patterns of hitting Bulkhead's foot. With each hit, Miko felt herself growing even more tired and weak than she was before. After the fourth hit, she dropped the rock and fell against Bulkhead's foot panting. But the sounds of drilling and crumbling rocks caused her to look up at Bulkhead.
"Are they any closer?" Bulkhead asked hopefully.
"I can't tell! The sound is all…freaky in here!" Miko answered as she walked away a little…only to fall onto her hands and knees from exhaustion.
Suddenly, both of them perked up at the sound of the rock pile before them being pounded. Their hope began to skyrocket to seemingly impossible limits. There was only one explanation for this. Someone had found them. Help had arrived. The clanging sounds from Miko hitting Bulkhead's foot with a rock had worked. It had lead rescue to their location.
"Yes!" Bulkhead cheered.
"Arcee found us!" Miko cried.
At last, the rock pile came crumbling down as the person finally broke through. Bulkhead and Miko were so happy…until a laugh had dashed their happiness. The laugh was more of an evil cackle rather than an actual happy laugh. It was starscream rather than Arcee or Jack.
"Put any doubt of my allegiance to rest," Starscream said, thinking he was talking to Megatron, only to see Bulkhead and Miko instead of who he was expecting.
"What's he doing down here?" Miko asked, confused.
"Miko, get behind me, Bulkhead immediately instructed, "now!"
More rocks came crashing down to the ground, causing Miko to dart behind Bulkhead. At the same time, Starscream came forward and lunged at her.
"Well, well, if it isn't Bulkhead and his pet vermin. My, you do have your hands full, don't you autobot?" Starscream sneered as he noticed Bulkhead's current predicament.
"Do whatever you want to me, Starscream, but let the Human go!" Bulkhead pleaded.
"No! I'm not leaving you!" Miko protested as she hugged Bulkhead's ankle.
"It appears that the human wishes to remain," Starscream remarked as he reached his clawed hands towards Miko, causing her to retreat further behind Bulkhead.
"Starscream, don't push me!" Bulkhead threatened as he saw Starscream follow her.
"You like playing with the big robots, don't you little girl?" Starscream tormented Miko as he followed the japanese exchange student around the Wrecker.
Miko screamed as she saw Starscream standing over her. Reaching towards her. Bulkhead didn't like the idea of the slippery Decepticon laying his oily claws over Miko. So without thinking about the consequences, he kicked Starscream hard. Starscream let out a yell in surprise as he flew across the area towards the wall. Bulkhead grunted as he once again found it hard to hold the roof up above him.
"That's it, Autobot," Starscreamed roared as he picked himself up, "I will."
"What? You'll what? Make me bring down the ceiling on top of all of us?" Bulkhead challenged before turning to Miko and pleading her desperately to leave, "Run Miko!"
Miko was conflicted. If she ran, she would be safe from dying in the mine from either the mine collapsing on top of all of them or under Starscream's hand. However, there was also the chance she would never see Bulkhead again. And the last thought scared her senseless. So she shook her head and hugged his leg again.
"Yes. Run, Miko. I would love to see you try. Really, I would," Starscream challenged.
The Energon drill breaking its way through the wall and running over the Decepticon weasel crushed Starscream's cocky demeanor. The Energon drill deactivated after that. Bulkhead and Miko then looked up and saw Jack peeking from the control system.
"Jack, get Miko out of here, now!" Bulkhead said, and Jack immediately jumped down onto the ledge used to climb on and knelt down whilst reaching out his hand for Miko. To find safety from this Energon mine.
However, Miko was stubborn. She didn't want to leave Bulkhead behind. Because she feared that is she did, there was the possibility that she would never see him again. And that thought refused to leave her mind. So she didn't want to leave.
"Come on! Come on!" Jack pleaded her desperately.
"Run, Miko!" Bulkhead repeated.
Tears were running down her dirt-stained cheeks, washing away the dirt. Abandoning Bulkhead in the mine would be the hardest decision she ever made. She didn't want to leave Jack either. She reached her hand up and Jack pulled her up onto the drill, she looked at Bulkhead, "We can't leave, Bulkhead!" She said as she starts to cry. Jack went back to the controls and reactivated the drill, causing Starscream to freak out underneath them, which Jack and Miko considered an added bonus to their hasty escape. Without a second thought, Jack reversed the drill out of the unstable area and proceeded to make the escape. Taking his chance, Starscream stood up.
"And then there were two," Starscream sneered as he turned to approach Bulkhead.
"Arcee will save him, won't she?" Miko asked him.
"You and I just need to find a way out of here before Megatron digs himself free," Jack retorted.
"Megatron's here too?!" Miko gasped fearfully.
Jack didn't respond. So Miko took that as a yes. Jack went to move forward. But something stopped them. They ran into something. Jack gasped at the sight. Miko peaked and she too gasped at the sight.
"If you think, I'm gonna beg for mercy, Starscream, forget it," Bulkhead said.
"Yes, begging for mercy would be quite pathetic, wouldn't it?" Starscream chuckled nervously, "Well, you're much more valuable to me alive. Imagine Megatron's appreciation when I not only rescue him but deliver an Autobot. I believe that would restore my stature quite nicely."
Starscream froze in fear as he heard the sound of a familiar blaster charging up, he slowly and hesitantly turned around and saw one of the Autobot twins.
"Don't move, Starscream," Arcee warned very dangerously before turning to Bulkhead, "Hey, Bulk."
"Hey, 'Cee," Bulkhead greeted weakly.
"Raise your hands," She said as she continues to aim her blaster at Starscream's face.
Starscream panted nervously. He wanted to take on the femme Autobot. He also wanted to take on the Wrecker. But there was also the possibility that if he did, he could cause the remainder of the mine to collapse on top of them and destroy all hopes of escape. With that alone, Starscream made up his mind. He moaned and slumped slightly. He knew when he was defeated.
Arcee and Bulkhead, escaped the collapsed mine in their alternate modes with their human companions, when Bulkhead stopped Miko climbed out of his alternate mode, while Arcee stopped and Jack jumped off her. Both Autobots then transformed and approached the collapsed mine.
"We could finish them here and now," Arcee said.
"Shame we didn't bring any grenades," Bulkhead said pounding his fists together.
"Would Optimus finish them?" Jack asked, despite already knowing what the answer was.
"No. He probably wouldn't. Not like this," Arcee shook her head.
"But Optimus wouldn't rescue them, either, Right?" Miko asked, knowing she would never receive an answer.
"Let's go home," Bulkhead said before walking away from the mine, the others followed.
Starscream now wished that he didn't obey Arcee's command to raise his hands. For as soon as his hands were in the air, he ended up carrying a heavy burden. And that heavy burden just happened to be holding the ceiling high above him. Bulkhead had done it for numerous hours before he broke into the space before. And now, he had the privilege of carrying that very same heavy burden. Starscream's frame visibly shook under the strain of the collapsing ceiling. Collapsing rocks did nothing to lessen the ceiling's weight and Starscream's strain.
Next to join Starscream's sky-high strain and exhaustion was absolute fear. Bright lights suddenly appeared next to him as someone broke through the wall. Starscream looked next to him and saw the familiar blood red optics of Megatron, who was studying him. He somehow managed to dig himself free from what would've been his grave. ANd he hasn't forgotten what he was going to do to his Second-In-Command.
"Master! You're alive! Thank the Allspark!" Starscream cheered.
Megatron didn't say a word to his second-in-command in response to his relief. He only continued to glare at the Decepticon brave enough to deceive him. Starscream felt his fear continue to rise at Megatron's scrawling expressions. Knowing he only had little chances to save himself from Megatron's wrath, he took all of them in one go.
"I... I did not abandon you, Master. I returned, to save you!" Starscream gasped.
"Save me?" Megatron repeated with disbelief.
Megatron's tone of voice told Starscream that he knew of his actual intentions. That Starscream was only seeking for the glory he would get when he saved him. His tone also said that Megatron hadn't forgotten his original pre-collapse intentions. Starscream bit the bullet and he took his only unused chance left.
"Look into my Spark, Lord Megatron. My intentions were true. Please! Have Mercy!" Starscream said, continuing to beg for his life.
Starscream didn't get a response. All he received was Megatron's continuous scrawl. He didn't know what his master was going to do to him this time. However, he already knew is that It wasn't going to be pretty.
Next is Partners, Chromette will appear in that episode.