A/N: Yes, I own them! Hasbro loves me! NOT. Oh well.
This is a great turning point in the story. Things are going to kinda go downhill from here, sorry, but shit happens, and the shit is happening to Starscream.
Starscream had spent nearly an entire day by himself outside. When someone had approached him, he would tell them he didn't want bothered. His optics stared at the sky. He couldn't figure out for the life of him how all of that cannon stuff was so familiar, or why. It bothered him deeply. Was there something the Autobots were hiding from him? No, it couldn't be. He remembered being sparked. He remembered being a sparkling. He groaned as he stared at the setting sun. He had heard the approach of footsteps, and turned to tell them to go away, only to find Optimus standing there. He instantly calmed, and laxed his shoulders. Optimus moved up closer to him, he sat down with him, looking up at the sky as well, "What is bothering you, Starscream?" He asked, not looking from the sky.
"I don't know," Starscream replied, also not looking away. Sunsets were such beautiful things to watch. It was among one of Starscream's favorite parts of the day, and so were sunrises, but he rarely got to see them.
"I can tell it has something to do with you being injured," Optimus turned his head to look at Starscream, who pulled his optics from the sky to glance at his creator, and he nodded, "It doesn't make any sense," Starscream started, trying to find the best way to explain how he was feeling, "being shot by those cannons, I remember it from before, but there wasn't any before that I can remember." His deep red optics went back to the sky, "It's confusing," he closed his optics a moment as if trying to remember. One name came to him, and he had no idea where it had come from.
Megatron. His optics flashed open and his systems heated up at the thought. Not of a friendly heat, but one of anger. Anguish. Pain. Suffering.
He had heard this name before, and before he even really knew who Megatron was he hated him. It was a deep hate, one that he could not relate with anything else. It was that strong, that defiant, that… evil. He closed his optics again. His head tilted down as he thought.
The army Megatron left behind. Well that was impossible, right? The Decepticons were now neutral. Soundwave and his symbiots, Barricade, Thundercracker and Skywarp were the only ones left. They had announced their defection to Optimus, to them all. He would have to ask Skywarp and Thundercracker about these thoughts. He didn't know where they came from, or why they were. He would approach Optimus about it, and perhaps through all his wisdom, he could help, but fear of being thought less of, he reconsidered it. He glanced back up at the sky. Something wasn't right.
Optimus was now at a real stalemate. He had spoken to Ratchet earlier about what had been said in the repair bay, but he still couldn't believe his audio receptors. How was it possible that Starscream was getting any memory back? It was impossible. The re-spark of one was something nearly unheard of itself, and the fact of one regaining from a previous memory was even more unheard of. Optimus had to figure out a way to explain to Starscream. It would not be an easy task, but even he deserved the truth. But would it be the right thing to do? To tell him he was an Air Commander for the Decepticons? To tell him what hell he had befallen when he had been shot before? What if this was the only memory he would regain? The rest too much trauma for him to recall. Perhaps, but unlikely. Optimus could almost feel it wanting to bubble up inside the processor of the young Seeker.
"Is there any way for Ratchet to go into my memory banks and find this missing part of my life?" Starscream suddenly asked.
"It's not advised, Starscream," Optimus answered more quickly than Starscream thought he should have. As if he were expecting this question. Maybe he was thinking it himself.
"I know that. But is it possible?"
Optimus looked back towards the sky as the sun disappeared behind the mountains. He wasn't sure, himself, if it was at all possible, or how Starscream was remembering from a past life. It was bad enough that he was referring to the humans as squishies, which wasn't in any vocabulary the Autobots used. He would talk to Ratchet first, "Starscream, what all do you remember?"
Starscream looked to his creator and gave a sigh, "I am not sure, Optimus. I remember being shot at, and being hit and that's the last thing I remember from this previous hit, is it a vision?"
"I don't recall Autobots getting visions, Starscream," Optimus answered truthfully, "can you explain to me why you called the humans what you did?"
"What do you mean?" the Seeker asked, as he folded his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms about them.
"I mean when you came to," Optimus peered at the Seeker, "You called them… squishes,"
"I was mad, it was the first thing I could think of to call them," Starscream looked down, apparently feeling sorry for saying such a thing.
/Optimus, you have a phone call/ came Ironhide's voice. Optimus went to stand, "I will have a talk with Ratchet about your question regarding the memory search," He moved from the Seeker, turning to look at him once more as he walked back to the main building where the phone call was being held. He connected with the caller, "Optimus," he said.
"Yes, Optimus, this is the Secretary of Defense. I wanted to advise you that I have talked with the others about your request, and it would be too much of a liability if we were to shut down those cannons, I'm sorry," there was an apparent nervous tone in the SoD's voice. Optimus rumbled loud enough for it to be heard through the phone. His optics went to the Seeker sitting outside and he felt the youngling's pain. He knew something was going on with him, but he could not tell what. Perhaps it was best to see if Ratchet could check his memory banks.
"We will discuss this later, I have something more important to do at the moment, Prime out," Optimus looked around getting raised optic ridges from others around him as he disconnected the line. He looked around to see Ratchet standing not far off, /Ratchet we need to talk/
Ratchet outwardly nodded and headed for his med bay with Optimus on his tail. When they got into the room, he briskly shut the door, "I know something is up, Optimus, I can see it,"
"Can you check into Starscream's memory banks? See what you can find in there? I fear he is somehow getting his memory back,"
"That's impossible. He was re-sparked. A whole new slate, what you are considering is not possible."
"I thought so too, but something has him bothered. He seems almost afraid. I want you to check him, if you would, old friend,"
"Of course, Optimus, get him in here for me," Ratchet turned to his computers and activated him, "but I warn you, if he is by some strange occurrence getting his memory back, I believe this will only stimulate them more," the Medic never looked away from his computers. Optimus nodded silently and called for
Starscream through their created link, and the youngling hopped up from his perch and headed for the med bay. When he arrived, he found his creator and Ratchet standing there, "You needed me?"
"Yes, Starscream," Optimus sighed, he really didn't want to do this, especially if it would bring more memories back, "I spoke with Ratchet about your request, and he approves,"
"Starscream, lay down on the berth and don't move. When I connect you, you may feel strange sensations in your processor."
"Will it hurt?"
"It shouldn't, no, but it will feel strange. Anything that you see will be recorded on this machine."
Starscream gave a glance at the machine. He read the words on it slowly, as if dreaming.
Ready to Proceed.
Connect CPU to Central neural memory station.
Starscream shuddered, but moved forward to the machine, lying down as told to, he watched around him. Optimus could feel the fear in his spark and tried sending warming and gentle pulses to his youngling, which seemed to work a little, but not much.
Ratchet reached for the necessary cables, "Open your chest plate, Starscream," he instructed. After a few moments, the chest plate on the young Seeker opened to reveal the spark chamber, glowing brightly, healthy. Ratchet reached in and looked back u pto the computer as if waitingfor it to instruct him.
CPU connected.
Ready for Spark chamber connection.
"This is where it might feel a little strange," Ratchet informed the Seeker as he connected the Spark chamber to the computer. Ratchet was right! It was a strange sensation! It felt as if his whole body went weak and strong at the same moment. Flutters of electricity bolted through him.
Spark Chamber successfully connected.
Ready for Stasis Lock.
Ratchet pressed a button on the machine and Starscream felt himself getting tired. Very tired, "Wh- what's happening?"
"It's just putting you into stasis," Ratchet informed, professionally.
Stasis Lock initiated.
Stasis Lock Completed, starting memory reactor.
Optimus and Ratchet watched the main screen as it came to life. It started with views of when Starscream was a sparkling, going through various things he had done, including meeting up with the Ex-Decepticons to when he would get in trouble and put the blame on Frenzy or even on Sideswipe. As
they watched the memories, they laughed, and then suddenly everything went black on the screen, and the first thing that came up made both Optimus and Ratchet gasp in fear.
Little did they know Starscream himself was going through the memories as they were extracted and reformatted to be read on the computer. It was like a nightmare, one he could not escape. They at first didn't notice how he twitched as he lie there helpless on the Berth.
Next Chapter: So what is being seen? Guess you will have to wait and find out.
This story isn't going to last much longer, so prepare for an ending soon. Not sure when.