Pick Your Side

An: As always, THANK YOU to all my reviewers and messages are in your inboxes. Sorry its taken so long, but there is a LOT of family drama going on right now and its extremely hectic. My focus isn't on writing at the moment. Please, bear with me and be assured, I wont abandon this fic.

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Sunstreaker stared daggers at his captive. His fuel pump pounded in anger, his body positively vibrating. The mere thought of a Decepticon getting close enough to ruin his paint was sufficient to justify homicide. Add to the fact they were the sneering, condescending enemy, and Sunstreaker was, in the vernacular, 'ready to rumble.'

Of course with all the scratches, dents, dings, and scrapes already adorning his armor from his capture, there really wasn't much to defend. It was going to take at least a week to buff and polish back to his original, immaculate self. As if mocking him of the fact, a piece of armor fell off his shoulder and landed with a clatter on the floor at his feet. The noise didn't distract Sunstreaker, who continued his stare down with the Con.

"Looks like you're falling apart."

"Still look a lot better than you," Sunstreaker retorted, not intimidated in the least.

"You should mind your vocalizer, while you still have it."

"It would take a bigger mech than you to take it, Megatron," Sunstreaker goaded.

"We shall see," Megatron glared, deactivating the energy bars that separated him from his prey.

Sunstreaker took a step back, taking a defensive posture, his optics gleaming in delight. It had taken the combined forces of the Constructicons to wrangle the golden frontliner into the cell at the new base. And he secretly doubted Megatron's strength rivaled their efforts, a theory he was only too happy to test.

Half an hour later, the elite trine had to step into the cell to pry the combatants apart. Soundwave also joined in the retrieval, feeling it his place to intervene on his leader's behalf and send a powerful jolt of electricity through the golden menace. Sunstreaker collapsed with a yowl, his body shaking with aftershocks as Megatron was removed from the cell and the bars reactivated.

Megatron stumbled, pushing away his protectors and glared into the cell with one optic. The other was shattered by Sunstreaker's elbow, which had also left a beautiful streak of gold on the warlord's face. A poignant way to mark his victim with mocking vengeance. Megatron's left arm was hanging limp, the actuators and gears striped from Sunstreaker's overzealous twisting. His once pristine shroud of glittering white armor was now dented and scratched, the primer showing through in numerous places. Armor was bent out of shape and sparks occasionally danced from damaged circuits, but the warlord was still on his feet. Error messages filled his HUD, the red lines creating a tartan pattern, but he ignored them. They were irritating, but not life threatening. At least not immediately.

Sunstreaker was fairing no better, though his defiant attitude was hiding the worst of his injuries. One audio finial had been ripped free, leaving a sparking hole and rendering the frontliner deaf on that side. The trauma caused the remaining audio to overcompensate, a dull roaring now his constant compassion in the silence of the cell. His body twitched involuntarily, the electric shock it received from Soundwave having disrupted the natural flow of current in his body. The slagging glitch nearly stopped Sunstreaker's spark! Sunstreaker's left arm was now useless, thanks to Megatron digging his fingers under the plating and destroying the neural relays. Thankfully the area was deadened due to the damage, so the Lamborghini was saved from the stabbing pains that usually accompanied such injuries.

When Soundwave sent his electrical pulse, it was through the damaged arm, and having no where else to go, the current went straight to Sunstreaker's pedes and exited via his unprotected soles. Both pedes were charred black and a slip of smoke was slithering upwards to dissipate in the air.

The counterparts glared at each other, still willing to continue their disagreement, but unable to do so. Megatron emitted a brilliant shower of sparks, Soundwave's hold on his arm the only thing keeping him from toppling over. He departed, flanked by his faithful Third in Command, the seekers trailing behind, leaving Sunstreaker alone in his cell and to his thoughts.

Sunstreaker staggered backward and collided with the wall. He slid down the cool surface, his pedes unable to support his weight. He sat and stared dumbstruck into the hall, hearing a sparking sizzle from somewhere in his body. The damaged audios made it impossible to decipher where the noise originated. Flares of pain and stray error messages made his diagnostics a scrambled mess of gibberish. Footfalls registered in his damaged audios, but it was difficult to tell their distance and destination.

Sunstreaker tried to pull himself back on his pedes, just in case it was a Con, but his ankles gave a whining grind and refused to accept his full weight. Sunstreaker preferred to fight his battles on his feet, facing the enemy, but his now useless pedes made it impossible. Well, he refused to cower on his knees, but he could still put up a fight. There was a lot of damage a short opponent could inflict. He was down, but not out. If Megatron came back for round two, Sunstreaker had every intention of battling the smug warlord from his knees. If he was lucky, he'd be able to disable his opponent and level the playing field. He didn't like the idea of having Megatron towering over him as he was unable to stand on his own two pedes.

Sunstreaker grimaced, feeling a raw patch of metal beneath his fingers. It was going to take some time for his neural relays to be repaired, and when they came online, he'd be in a lot of pain. Then the fun task of reapplying his primer and paint. Sunstreaker's anger doubled, realizing a portion of his meticulous paint had peeled from his cheek. He doubted Megatron could have done the damage, and vowed to tear Soundwave a new orifice when he got the next chance.

It was one thing to disable a warrior with intent to kill or maim. It was another thing when they messed with a mech's good looks.

No one made Sunstreaker look ugly.

An hour passed, Sunstreaker enduring the double punishment of immobility and having his vanity threatened. He was calculating punishments when the door opened. Megatron was looking a little worse for wear, but still carried himself with a smug swagger. He was flanked by Soundwave and Starscream. The seeker looked bored, though his optics darted to the patches and welds adorning his leader's frame. Sunstreaker guessed the traitorous seeker was weighing his options on another attempt at gaining control of the Decepticon cause.

Soundwave was impassive as ever.

Sunstreaker wondered if the blue mech was cut from the same sheet metal as Prowl. Both were too quiet for their own good, rarely spoke, and displayed unreadable expressions. Emotions were meant to be displayed and Sunstreaker had no problem projecting his hatred and anger toward his visitors.

"Come to finish our conversation?" Sunstreaker asked, pretending to consider gaining his feet to face off in another confrontation. As if in afterthought, he returned to his lax position against the wall and merely settled on staring at his tormentors.

"Hardly," Megatron sneered, feeling safe with two Decepticons at his side. A small part wondered if bringing Starscream was a good idea. He could side with the enemy at the drop of a circuit.

Sunstreaker looked disappointed. He was secretly glad the warlord wasn't up for a second round. He didn't think he could withstand another attack himself. But he wasn't going to tell his favorite tyrant that.

"So, what do you want?" Sunstreaker asked with an annoyed arrogance that he learned from Mirage. "Tips on beautifying yourself? Sorry to disappoint, but I'm an artist, not a magician. You need more than my skill set."

Megatron looked furious. Starscream looked like he was straining to keep his amusement in check.

Oh yes, Mirage taught well, even if he didn't realize he was educating those around him.

"You weren't so jovial when I had you pinned to the wall and was trying to rip you apart," Megatron sneered, trying to regain control of the situation.

"That's what you were trying to do?" Sunstreaker looked mildly surprised, his lopsided features going lax in relief. "Primus, I thought you were trying to 'face me. What a relief!"

Megatron's angry snarl drowned out Starscream's escaping snort. The seeker looked momentarily abashed, afraid his leader would turn his ire on him, but vented in relief when the tyrant seemed intent on the golden captive.

"I should teach you some manners," Megatron growled, his fans starting to whirl in an effort to cool down his temper. Starscream took an involuntary step back. He knew what that signaled.

"Many have tried," Sunstreaker offered a one sided shrug, his optics glimmering with an evil light. "But with no success."

Megatron noticed the change in mood and switched tactics. "Why do you fight me?"

Sunstreaker pointed to the red symbol on his chest. "Kinda goes with the territory. Enemy and all that."

Megatron glared at the red sigil that seemed to mock him. He knew if he could turn just one Autobot, the loss would be devastating to his mortal enemy. If it was this yellow menace, he knew the ruby twin wouldn't be far behind. The twins were formidable, as his own body bore witness to the damage that one of them could do. If they joined his side, the war could be over the next battle. Of course there was the slim chance they would side with Starscream and Megatron wouldn't survivetheir alliance.

"I have always wondered why you choose the weak side," Megatron baited, feeling satisfaction when he noted the rankled expression coming from his captive. "I've witnessed your skills. Your thirst for energon. Your abilities are squandered on the pacifistic Autobots. You should join my army. Here you will be treated as a true warrior. You'd get the respect you'd deserve."

Behind Megatron, Starscream rolled his optics, his arms crossing over his cockpit and an exasperated look on his face.

"I would give you the freedom Prime has denied you. The freedom to reach your potential, without fear of reprimand and unjust punishments." Megatron's oily voice saturated the room, making the cell seem even smaller and stifling.

Sunstreaker's frown softened, his gaze contemplative. He had hated the endless rules and regulations that tried to suffocate him since joining the Autobots. When everything got too much and he had to vent his frustrations, he was rewarded with confinement and duties, chores and scorn. No one seemed to understand his need for confrontation. The need to hone skills long learned from fighting to the death in order to survive. Those kinds of instincts didn't simply vanish.

At first, it had been hard, losing himself in the moment. His artistic side preventing him from formulating plans for easy termination of an opponent, but then, like all things, it changed. That feeling of abandon and powerful blood-lust soon turned into a monster, twisting and tormenting the gladiator into becoming something he would have been ashamed of in another life.

But his bloodlust had kept him alive, and in essence, his twin. If it hadn't been for Sideswipe, Sunstreaker could see himself as a Decepticon. In fact, Sunstreaker was considering the Con cause when Sideswipe announced his desire and enrollment in the Autobots.

Sunstreaker had argued violently with his twin but in the end, relented. Sideswipe's bloodied body was the physical reminder that brought reality crashing down on Sunstreaker. He could have killed his brother. Had he really lost so much of himself that he could do such a thing?

The answer had been a terrifyingyes. He had lost a sacred part of himself, and the Autobots were the only way his stained hands and dark spark could find redemption.

"Join me," Megatron said, his voice a grating whisper. His face was contorted in an enticing leer, his one optic giving him a demonic visage. "Fight for me. Reach your potential. Take your place in my ranks and bring terror to those that oppose you."

Sunstreaker face went blank, and for a split second he almost succumbed. Then Megatron whispered, his voice as seductive as a siren, luring one to their demise.

"Wear my symbol," Megatron added, knowing the look of a captured spark that dangled on tenderhooks. "Display my crest and fight for me."

Sunstreaker snapped out of his temporary daze at those words. A switch seemed to click. The proverbial lights came on, chasing away the shadows and the demons they housed.

"No, thanks. I'd rather fight against you than beside you," Sunstreaker sneered, his optics flashing to near white as his strength and defiance grew. "Besides, you symbol is stupid and it clashes with my paint."

Any further antagonizing from either side was halted as the building rocked on its foundations. Megatron's comms cackled to life, soldiers requesting orders and back up, reporting infiltration and injuries, all garbled and seeking their leader's presence. Megatron snarled at his captive before turning on his heel and wavering slightly from his still tender injuries. Soundwave wordlessly grabbed his arm and lead him from the prisoner, acting as both protective escort and makeshift crutch.

Starscream offered a strange look, one Sunstreaker couldn't identify, and took his leave to engage the incoming enemy.

Sunstreaker tried to regain his feet, not wanting anyone to find him sitting on his aft during a fight, but a screeching grind in both ankles halted his progress. He relaxed and his left ankle gave a loud pop before smoke coiled around the electrocuted appendage.

"Slagging figures," Sunstreaker mumbled, settling in to await rescue.

Half an hour later there was a knock at the door of the prison cell. It was a subtle knock, curtsey of his twin as the door flew off its hinges. Two red pile drivers entered before being followed by an extremely pissed off Sideswipe.

"Hey, Bro," Sunstreaker greeted.

"I'm telling you, I could have cracked that code," Jazz was saying, giving Sideswipe a cross look.

"My way was faster," Sideswipe replied, his pile drivers disappearing back into their normal configuration. "But you can work on the cell and get my brother out of there."

Jazz looked like he wanted to argue, but held his voice as he set to work on the control to Sunstreaker's cell. The Third in Command didn't appreciate being ordered around by the frontliner. Jazz was as easy going as they came, but he refused to have a subordinate dictate his actions.

Prime was the only one who could order the saboteur around. Prowl only thought he did.

"Took you long enough," Sunstreaker goaded.

"Want to extend your stay?" Sideswipe snapped in uncharacteristic fashion, noting Sunstreaker wasn't showing signs of leaving his confines.

Sunstreaker was going to offer an acerbic retort, but his right pede chose that moment to emit a feeble spark and fall off with a sickening, grinding squeak. Sunstreaker was glad his neural relays were dead, or else he would have been educating the others with extensive caustic euphemisms. Most of them originating from a sadistic CMO.

"What happened to you?" Sideswipe asked, finally taking in the damage to his twin.

"Megatron got fresh, Soundwave got jealous," Sunstreaker grinned up on seeing the energy bars vanish. Jazz stepped aside with a superior look, clearly expecting a comment on his abilities, but Sideswipe pushed past him.

Sideswipe stood towering over his brother, hands on hips, pissed expression still firmly entrenched on his face. "The things you get yourself into."

"On the bright side, I'm not bonded to either of them, so I can still enjoy being a bachelor," Sunstreaker grinned, using his good arm to try to maneuver himself into a standing position.

Sideswipe snorted and crouched by his brother's side, noting the discoloration and energon stains. Sunstreaker wasn't going to be moving of his own accord anytime soon. Ratchet would make sure of that. With a disgusted grunt, Sideswipe grabbed his brother's lost foot and dropped it on his lap before picking him up, bridal style.

"Aw, how sweet," Jazz grinned, knowing the comment rankled both frontliners if the double rude gesture from Sunstreaker was any indication. Sideswipe scowled, but let his brother's extended finger speak for him.

"Mind picking up the pieces?" Sideswipe asked with a sneer as he passed Jazz.

Jazz looked into the cell and found several pieces of golden armor and a couple of circuits. With a shake of his head he collected the lost pieces and placed them in his subspace for safe keeping. He turned, following the twins out of the cell block.

Much do the trio's surprise, they found Starscream in the hall. The twins were in front of Jazz, blocking his view and blinding him to their roadblock. Jazz sidestepped and let out a gasp, his gun in his hand and leveling at the winged enemy.

Starscream gave a sneer to the black and white Autobot, then to Sideswipe. He graced Sunstreaker with a half smile and barely noticeable nod before taking off down a side hall, leaving his mortal enemies free to escape.

"What the slag was that all about?" Jazz asked, watching the retreating form of the Air Commander.

"Something you want to tell me?" Sideswipe asked with a curious expression.

Sunstreaker thought back to his incarceration, recalling how Starscream recoiled with Megatron's voice. There was something about the way the seeker moved that piqued the Lamborghini's interest. When he spoke, it was slow and thoughtful. "Maybe there is something he wants, but doesn't know how to ask?"

"Maybe," Jazz muttered, motioning for Sideswipe to continue down the hall. "Screamer always has an ulterior motive."

"Maybe," Sunstreaker agreed, his processor buzzing with images of the seeker. He would have to keep his optics on the tri-colored seeker, for something was brewing, and Sunstreaker didn't like being caught unaware.

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Yes, I'm giving Screamer a little more limelight. I have a couple more ideas that he may be involved in, so don't worry. There will be seekers cropping up from time to time.

This chapter was a little rushed, so if I missed something (spelling, grammar, loopholes), let me know.

Reviews would be welcomed and celebrated and could really bolster my spirits right now.

I'll try to get another chapter up soon. Thank you for your patience and wonderful reviews. They are loved and appreciated.