I'm so sorry it took me almost two years to eventually come up with this chapter, which is not even worth the wait. To be honest, I had planned to abandon this story. But seeing as people are still requesting an update even after so much time made me want to give it another chance, so here it is.
As I said, the update isn't worth the wait, but I promise it will get interesting soon. I'm not sure if I will include (much) slash pairings in this,I will see how it goes because, well, I don't even know myself!
Leave a review if you liked this.
Chapter 3: A change of plan
As long as it has seemed to be, the Decepticons' journey back to Cybertron eventually came to an end. Exhausted, Astrotrain touched down on the base's landing ground. He informed his passengers of their landing and 'kindly' asked them to get the hell out of his insides and fetch him some fresh energon a.s.a.p. The very low level of his tanks didn't even allow him to transform into his bipedal mode.
Everybody went out of the space train, more than happy to comply with their transport's request.
For most of them, returning back home meant a well deserved rest, a very needed refuel and repairs. Most hoped that, given the actual situation and the state their leader was in, there would be not much for a simple soldier to do for several orns, which means only one thing: Vacations.
Fools, they didn't know...
Of course they didn't know, they could not foresee the future! But Starscream had gone through this, no matter that it had all happened a very long time ago for him. He knew exactly what would take place so very soon that no one could be prepared on time, even with the knowledge of the future.
There was a key element that would be missing to that future he had known about, though, and it was a very important one too: This time, Unicron would not have a Galvatron to do all his biddings.
But Starscream knew better than to expect a radical change of the course of events. The chaos bringer was- least one could said- inventive, he'd find another wicked way to get things done the way he'd want them to be. Starscream couldn't guess what it would be, but he had the feeling that he'd know very soon.
He had opened the door to an entirely new future. From now on, everything would be different from what he had seen in the distant past. And, this time, he'll live to see it, with real optics!
It had its pro's, and its cons too: He'd miss the wonderful-yet unfortunately short lived-feeling of the crown of his head...
He followed the others out of Astrotrain, a slight skip in his steps since he had shot his own foot during the attack of Autobot city, a very unfortunate episode he rather not think about anymore.
The fittest ones, mainly the constructicons- since two of their best medics were part of that particular combiners team- were instructed to take care of the less valid mechs, take them to the medbay and tend to their injuries with no delay.
Skywarp and Thundercracker were taken along, still damaged but far less than they should have been if Starscream had not fixed them during the flight back home. He wished he could soon see them up and about.
For Megatron, though, it was an entirely different story. His damages were not merely cosmetic like the seekers' had been, they were also deep and touched important systems, not to mentions a sickening number of primary and secondary energon lines.
The warlord was in a bad state, if you wished to put it in an optimistic way. In a more realist view, you could say Megatron had one foot into oblivion already.
-" Take him to my lab!" Starscream instructed Soundwave. " I'll meet you there" On that, he took off, without waiting for the tape deck's acknowledgement.
The blue Decepticon third in command, who was still carrying an off lined Megatron in his arms, watched the jet fly away with confusion. He knew Starscream very well and was very aware than the seeker was not to be trusted.
Especially not with his leader's life!
He would have ignored the order and taken Megatron to the main medbay where Scrapper or Hook would have been forced to attend to the gunformer as a priority, maybe at the price of the other wounded Decepticons' life.
But something made him hesitate in his decision: This Starscream, the one who had returned with them, was not the one he knew.
Well, he was Starscream, no doubt about that fast: His energy signature did belong to the Starscream he knew. But something was different, something was definitely off with this one: Aside from the obvious change of attitude and his surprising 'caring' behaviour toward his wing mates and Megatron, Starscream had done something he had never done before: He had allowed Soundwave a glimpse of his thoughts.
A very long time ago, shortly after him and Soundwave's first meeting, Starscream had built himself a strong mental barrier to prevent any intrusion, even when in deep recharge or stasis.
The wall had never been lowered, not even once, not even for the shortest moment...
….Until today.
In the seeker's mind he had seen how strongly and genuinely he wanted for Megatron to pull through, as if it was vital for him that his leader survived. Why? The telepath didn't find out yet, because the mental barriers came up as soon as that small information had passed through. There was no doubting the fact Starscream had further, dark motives for his strange behaviour, but only one thing was clear for Soundwave right then: For once, and as improbable as this could be, he could trust Starscream with Megatron's life.
He secured the inert body in his arms and took off not long after the seeker, intending to do as he has been told.
oOoOoOo
The universe was immense, its width a measure of unthinkable proportions. Yet, and even though there existed no such thing as a written destiny, the universe could be a very narrow place for one who knew when and where to be.
He had been observing them for long, eventually learning to know them better than they knew their selves. For a given situation, he could guess and envision the outcome with an average ninety-nine percent accuracy.
Hidden in his own shadow, Unicron waited for his speculations to become an actual reality.
He had seen it all: The surprise attack on Autobot city, the messy assaults of the Decepticon warriors and Optimus Prime's epic fight against his enemy of ever, Megatron.
He had assisted from afar to the fall of the Decepticons' leader and the obvious jubilation of his treacherous and perfidious second in command.
Those two were so predictable! Their game had gone on for eons, power struggles and reconciliations, an ever turning wheel of occasions, power shift and failed attempts, like perfect algorithms. With no doubt, the chaos bringer's ancient brain quickly made out Megatron's more than certain future...
Damaged as he was after his last fight against the Prime- yes, last, because what was left of Optimus' time was a matter of breems- Megatron wouldn't survive his subordinate's cruelty.
And soon, Unicron would step in between him and oblivion to impose his future servitor a forced role in his grand schemes.
Or so this is how things should have been. But for the very first time since a very long time, the planet eater had failed his estimation of the future.
He was surprised, yes, Starscream had kept his hated leader alive. How strange of him.
Uncron's plans would not suffer that un-suspected turn of events, though.
He only needed to find another pawn to manipulate and a new solution to get rid of the Matrix of leadership once and for all!
But he wasn't worried the least: His long centuries of existence had taught him to be very patient.
oOoOoOo
Another long, yet muttered, wail escaped his vocal components.
He could not think of anything else, the scene repeated itself in his mind over and over again. How he acted on impulse, foolishly offering Megatron the shield he needed. Hot Rod pressed his fists against the sides of his head and the image of Optimus Prime being shot again and again by a laughing Megatron while he was used as a shield by the warlord kept playing in front of his optics.
It was all his fault if their leader had now rejoined the Matrix.
Of course, none of the Autobot had blamed him for it, but Hot Rod couldn't have been convinced otherwise.
The others could say all they wanted, Hot Rod knew that he was responsible for Optimus' death. He could as well have terminated him himself for all that could have changed.
He had isolated himself from the others, only for a short moment, he had promised Daniel. He just needed to be alone for a while so he could look pathetic on his own. He had chosen a spot very high, hard to reach so physical exertion could make for a small punishment, then he had sat alone to stare into Space, to be closer to Space.
Little did he know, he wasn't alone.