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*X*X*
Switchblade rested her head against the door to her creator's room; she could hear his sobs coming from the other side. They were so full of pain that they could've melted even Megatron's stone hard spark. But not Switchblade's. Her spark was harder than stone, and sometimes she wondered if she even had a spark.
"I don't want to do this." Switchblade whispered to herself. Should she just turn around and walk away? Leave Starscream to die of a broken spark?
Switchblade began to turn around. Her back was facing the door when a loud, and particularly agonizing, shriek came from the Decepticon seeker's vocal processor. The Autobot seeker's stony spark dropped into her tank causing a pain so bad that Switchblade wanted to collapse on the ground and wrap her arms around herself. But she couldn't do that, at least not now; she had things to take care of.
In one swift motion, and without really thinking, switchblade turned back to the door, opened it, and walked in.
Whatever switchblade expected, Starscream's behaviour was for different from it. Instead of the thrashing, hysterical seeker that ratchet had described to her, switchblade saw a trembling mass weeping softly, with occasional loud choked shriek. Starscream was in the final stages of hysteria. Was it too late? Was Starscream going to die? For some reason, switchblade felt moist tears stinging at the edges of her optics.
Starscream's shallow breathing quickened, and his optics widened, when he saw switchblade. He opened his mouth to speak but all that came out was a hoarse cough. Switchblade felt the need to comfort him, to hold him close and tell him everything would be alright, but that would be a lie. Nothing was alright. And now, switchblade was wondering if anything would ever seem right again.
Switchblade looked her creator in the optics, trying to keep the same cold distant expression she usually gave him. But it was hard to look at him that way. His face, so pained and strained, with streams of tears streaking down it, looked so innocent and weak. Switchblade couldn't find it in her spark to treat him with cruelty, especially since she knew the cure to his illness.
"He needs you Switchblade" ratchet's words echoed through her head as she moved closer to her creator's berth. "Do you even realize how much he loves you? How devoted to you he is?"
"Starscream." Switchblade said, not cruelly, but not kindly either.
Starscream flinched and bit his lip, no doubt trying to contain a shriek. After breems of shouting insults, it was strange for the Decepticon slave to hear an almost kind tome utter from his daughter's lips. Silently, more tears poured from his face.
"Why are you doing this to yourself, Starscream?" switchblade asked, trying to keep her short temper in check and speak in a calm tone. "I don't understand, why would you want to stay with me? Do you like the starvations? Do you like being insulted and whipped 'til you nearly offline? I don't understand! Explain to me!" By the time switchblade was finished talking, her calm tone had turned into a shout. Starscream had curled into a ball like form on his berth and let out soft sobs. Switchblade's not-so-stony spark twisted and turned in guilt and she regretted her harsh tones.
"I'm sorry" Switchblade whispered "for the shouting. I just...I want...I need to know what you're thinking."
Slowly, Starscream uncurled himself and sat shakily up on the berth, his hysteria had weakened him to a point he had not been at before. Switchblade had the urge to sooth him and tell him to lie back down, but she suppressed it.
"I want to be with you." Starscream whispered hoarsely and shakily. "I...I don't care about anything else. You have a right to treat me the way you do. I understand that there is emptiness in your spark, an emptiness that I caused, where your mother used to be. I would know. I have it to. The first vorn after Dragonfly...died was agony. I woke up screaming every night. And I had no one there to comfort me. My quarters were so desolate without her there and without you there. I'm so sorry switchblade. I'm so sorry dau-" but Starscream didn't get to finish his last sentence because his vocal processor exploded with new agonized sobs. This time switchblade really did reach out to sooth him. She pulled him into her arms and let him rest against her chest plating.
The sobs get coming and getting louder and harder. His sobs were constantly interrupted by couching fits and it didn't take long for switchblade to realize that he wasn't getting any better, he was getting worse.
"Ssh shh, shh. Starscream calm down calm down screamer."
Nothing she said was soothing him. He was dying right in front of switchblade's optics. He was being eaten alive by guilt and she was the only one who could ease his pain.
"Starscream look at me. Look at me creator." Switchblade said as she took his face in her hands and locked optics with him. "It's going to be alright. You're going to be alright. You're going to get better, and when you do you're going to come back home with me and you'll have a proper room, and all the energon you can drink, and we'll be together forever. Does that sound good?"
Starscream continued to cough and sob, had he not heard her words.
"Please Starscream don't leave me, I barely know you and you're leaving me? Don't leave me Starscream, creator don't leave me!"
Switchblade moved to sit on the berth next to Starscream and took him in her arms. "I'm here father." She whispered. And they remained like that for a long, long time.
*X*X*
WARNING this part is disturbing and graphic. I do not know what is wrong with my brain for me to be able to write something so sick. If you don't have a strong stomach, don't read this part.
"What did you tell him slave?" Cliffjumper shouted "tell me, now!"
"I didn't say anything master, I swear!"
"Liar!" Cliffjumper snarled as he slapped Thundercracker's cheek. "Tell me!"
"I have nothing to tell you!" Thundercracker cried as he was pulled into Cliffjumper's room and roughly thrown onto his berth. "Please master, please!" Thundercracker knew all too well what punishment he was about to receive.
"Spread your legs slave!" Cliffjumper snarled as he pulled a long rod from one of his cabinets "and take off your cod piece!"
"Please master have mercy! I beg you, don't do this!" Thundercracker cried, but did as he was told.
"Shut up and take it, whore!"
Cliffjumper was close enough now for Thundercracker to see that the rod was an electro rod. That, combined with its length and Cliffjumper's fury, made the Decepticon slave wonder if he was going to survive the punishment.
"Tell me the truth, seeker, and maybe I'll go easy on you." Cliffjumper had the cold rod pressed against Thundercracker's exposed port, it made Thundercracker shiver in anticipation. "This will hurt, badly. But you can stop the pain from happening, all you have to do is tell me, little whore, what you told ratchet."
Thundercracker felt tears stinging the edges of his optics. What was he supposed to do? Deny telling ratchet anything and have an electro rod shoved into his port, or tell his master everything and risk his brother being sent back to this awful place? What was he supposed to do?
"I'm waiting, slave" Cliffjumper hissed
"I..." Thundercracker whispered as he offlined his optics "I didn't tell ratchet anything."
Cliffjumper growled "you'll pay for your lies slave!"
With one hard thrust, the Autobot master pushed the electro rod deep inside Thundercracker's port. Thundercracker screamed in agony "please master, mercy, mercy!"
A cruel smile played on Cliffjumper's lips, and he pulled the rod out, only to thrust it no again. Thundercracker arched his back, trying to relieve himself of some of the pain, it didn't work and Thundercracker writhed and screamed on the berth.
"You think this is pain, whore?" Cliffjumper shouted over the seeker's screams "you've felt nothing yet!"
Cliffjumper pulled the rod out of Thundercracker's port and when he thrust it in again he pushed the button that was placed at the bottom, sending an electric shock coursing through his body.
Thundercracker could feel the blood oozing out of his port; he could feel the circuits inside him burning out. He twitched and convulsed on the berth as he screamed until his vocal processor broke and all that came out was static.
Again Cliffjumper pulled the rod out and thrust it back in sending another dose of electricity through Thundercracker's frame. More static erupted from his mouth and blood poured from the abused port, it oozed down the rod and onto Cliffjumper's hand. But still he did not stop the punishment.
On the third shock smoke began to rise from Thundercracker. His optics and mouth began to bleed and his static screaming reached a new level of volume.
Cliffjumper wouldn't stop the torture, and he didn't stop it until Thundercracker was quiet and still.
*X*X*
Hook helped ratchet carry Skywarp to a spare room and lay him down in the berth. The young seeker was quiet now, but once he woke up the hysteria would start again.
"How are you going to tell Starscream, master?" hook asked
They both sat at a dining table; energon was sitting in front of them but neither drank it.
"I don't plan to hook, at least not yet. He's in such a fragile condition. With all the guilt he has already, I can't imagine what it'll do to him once he finds out that Skywarp has been treated with such abuse, and that Thundercracker is still enduring the same tortures. It'll crush him." Ratchet put his head in his hands.
"Do you think he'll survive?" hook whispered.
Ratchet sighed. "I doubt it. If switchblade doesn't forgive him, or at least keep him, than the seeker is as good as offline...have you seen switchblade anywhere?"
"Not since this morning no. Should I look for her master?"
"No, no it's fine." Ratchet said as he rose from his seat "I have an idea where she is."
Ratchet walked to Starscream's room and pressed his audio receptor against the door.
It was quiet.
That could mean two things. Starscream was dead, eaten alive by his guilt. Or, was it possible? Had switchblade forgiven him?
Ratchet opened the door slowly; afraid of what he might face on the other side.
Switchblade rested against her creator's chest, deep in recharge. In return Starscream had wrapped his arms around her in a protective way as he stroked the side of her cheek. The sight lifted ratchet's spark and gave him hope that maybe Skywarp and Thundercracker would heal from their wounds, physical and emotional, as Starscream seemed to be.
"Don't wake her."
Ratchet locked optics with Starscream. He was tired, but there was something new in his optics now. It didn't take long for ratchet to place what it was. Relief. Peace. After vorns of guilt and anguish, Starscream's spark cold rest easy.
"I won't." The medic replied before slipping back through the door and closing it silently.
"How can I tell him..." ratchet muttered to himself as he made his way to Skywarp's room to begin repairs on the poor mech's frame . How could ratchet possibly tell Starscream of his brother's condition now that he was finally happy? Starscream had to know ratchet had to tell him, not telling the seeker was not an option. Starscream had a right to know. He was the trine leader and brother- in bond not in spark- of both Skywarp and Thundercracker. He had to know, and ratchet would tell him.
But not now. For now ratchet would let Starscream relax with his daughter.
*X*X*
Shockwave cuddled Mimas close to his chest; letting the thudding of his spark lull her into recharge.
He truly loved her. It was ridiculous. How could a Decepticon, let alone one as cold and hard as shockwave, melt in the small servos of an Autobot sparkling? It made shockwave wonder what caused emotions like love and dedication. shockwave, the Decepticon intelligence officer, was completely wrapped around Mimas' little finger.
Looking down at her small sleeping form shockwave felt guilt strong enough to render any mech on his on the floor writhing in pain surge through his body. Just thinking about what shockwave had to do to her made him sick.
But there was no other option.
Decepticons couldn't—and wouldn't—remain slaves forever. Someone had to take a stand. The plans were already in motion. The news was spreading to every Decepticon slave. Soon, the revolt would begin, and not a single Autobot in Iacon would be left standing.
Including Mimas.
*X*X*
Orns past, then joors, and still no word from Red Alert.
Optimus prime began to wonder if Megatron would remain comatose for the rest of his life.
"Shockwave is Mimas recharging?" the Autobot leader asked—without looking up from his data pad—Shockwave as he entered the main room of Optimus prime's abnormally huge house. Optimus himself had never liked it much. It was too big for his liking—optimus guessed he grown accustomed to the small, crowded space he'd lived in during his vorns on earth— and the area around it was heavily guarded, but that was one of the many down sides to being head of Cybertron's militia. He would actually think of the large house as a blessing, when it came to Mimas. Being the daughter of the leader of the Autobots would be difficult for Mimas when she was older. Optimus knew he was overprotective and overbearing, but he'd rather his daughter hate him than be kill or stolen because of him.
"Yes, master, she is recharging well."
"Thank you shockwave."
Shockwave was hesitant before he spoke again and when he did his voice was quiet and unsure "...any news on Megatron's condition?"
"What?" Optimus said as his head shot of from his data pad to look at Shockwave. Never before had the strange looking Decepticon been so bold. He'd never asked about Megatron or any of the other Decepticon slaves before, even though he knew that Optimus, being in the high place of political office he was, knew all about them. Why would Shockwave care about Megatron anyway? Their relationship had been purely business. And that was over now. So why would Shockwave care anything for Megatron? Anger boiled inside Optimus. Shockwave cared nothing for Megatron's health, all the Decepticon cared about was making sure the Decepticons had a leader and Optimus sure as the pit didn't want Megatron getting mixed up with them again. That is if Megatron ever woke up.
Shockwave shrank away from Optimus. And bowed low as he replied in a shaky voice "please forgive me master, it was not my place to ask such questions. I'm sorry."
Optimus' anger melted away. Hey wasn't the type of mech that could hold on to anger, even if it was justified. Shockwave, in all the time he'd been a slave for Optimus, had never done a single thing deserving of punishment. And, while speaking out of turn was considered disrespectful to some Autobot masters, Optimus found no true harm in shockwave's curiosity.
"Rise shockwave." The prime ordered the still bowing slave "you have nothing to be sorry for."
Shockwave stood up straight, a look of gratitude on his face. But there was one other lingering emotion that played across the Decepticon's strange looking face. Guilt.
"Thank you master."
"and no, I've not heard any news on Megatron's condition."
Shockwave's expression turned grave. "Thank you master. May I go now master?"
Optimus nodded "yes, shockwave."
Optimus watched shockwave leave. He was an odd mech. He fit his appearance well.
/Optimus are you there?/
/ratchet!/ Optimus replied through his comm. Link /how are you old friend?/
/I have been better. There is something I must bring to your attention./
/Optimus I have news!/ this was Red Alert. He was calling. He. Was. Calling. That could only mean one thing. Megatron was awake.
/ratchet. I apologize but I have to take this call./
/wait Optimus i-/ But Optimus had already cut the line.
/Is Megatron awake Red Alert?/ Optimus sounded distressed, hysterical almost.
/yes, he is awake. But...i think you'd better get down here. He's asking for his brother/
*X*X*
"Where is he Red?" Optimus asked, the anxiety was almost too much for the prime to bear.
Red Alerts looked up from his data pad, a sympathetic look on his face. "Before you see him, Optimus, there is something you must now." At this point Red Alert looked at the ground and sighed. "Megatron is changed now. I don't know if it is because of the trauma of almost dying, or if it was the electric shock itself, but Megatron has no recollection of himself. He does not know who he is. He remembers very little about anything. But he remembers that he has a brother. He been asking for you, shouting actually, but he doesn't have your name right, which is odd. He keeps calling you Orion Pax."
Optimus' world fell apart. And the world that replaced it was ancient, was the past, was a memory that would forever be burned in his processor.
The physical pain of being shot once in the shoulder and then again in the chest was bad.
The emotional pain of watching the femme he loved and his best friend die was worse.
The agonizing pain of knowing it was his little brother who had destroyed his life was unbearable.
"Optimus!"
Optimus blinked as he came back to the present world. "I'm sorry Red. My thoughts got away from me."
Red Alert sighed. "You may see Megatron now. But you must understand. Megatron remembers very little. He doesn't even remember his own name. And a bot with no memories is well...not much of a bot at all. If you know what I mean."
Optimus knew. It was the experiences of life, the things that eventually became memories, that made up a bot. It made their morals, their trust in others, their likes and dislikes. It made their personalities, and a mech without those memories was nothing but a hollow shell.
Taking in a deep breathed. "I am ready."
"Your brother is here Megatron" Red spoke as if he were addressing a sparkling.
The mech Optimus saw looked like Megatron, but it couldn't have possibly been him. This mech was curled up on a berth with his face in his hands; his body trembled slightly. When Red Alert spoke to him he lifted his face from his hands.
When he saw Optimus his lips pulled back in a snarl.
"Liar! This is not my brother, this is not Orion Pax!"
"Now Megatron, calm yourself and let me explain this is-"
Red Alert was cut of midsentence by Megatron putting his face back in his hands and groaning.
"He suffers chronic processor aches." Red Alert whispered to Optimus. "They usually come when he is remembering something. He was chronic from groons after he remembered his brother."
Instinctively, Optimus moved closer to Megatron, to his little brother, to help ease his pain.
"Get away from me!" Megatron shouted, baring his fangs " I know you! You are...you are..." Megatron groaned.
"I am Optimus Prime." He whispered.
This time Megatron actually screamed. "I hate you! Why? Why do I hate you, what did you do?"
Optimus was taken aback. He looked to Red Alert from an explanation.
"It seems that Megatron remembers what he felt during a memory before the whole thing actually comes back to him. It's something I've never heard of anything like that before though."
"We are enemies." Megatron whispered now, it was hard to hear him because his face was still in his hands. "we fight...we used to fight for...something. Something that has to do with the insignia on my chest, and the one you bare on your shoulder."
"Yes" Optimus whispered back.
For a while Megatron was silent, the only sounds in the room were his deep inhales and exhales. Optimus watched with sympathetic optics. He wanted so badly to hold his little brother in his arms, as he had done when they were younglings, and tell him everything would be okay.
"Why does the medic say you are my brother?" Megatron spoke after a while, surprising Optimus with his controlled voice. "I know that you are the reason I almost died. You almost killed me. I don't remember anything because of you."
"Do you remember how it happened?"
"I remember pain, and remember I convulsed every time you hurt me. Was it electric shock?"
"yes." Optimus whispered "Megatron I am your brother."
"No, that's not possible. I hate you, but I could never hate Orion."
Optimus bit his lip. How could Megatron not remember what he did? Was Optimus supposed to tell him? How could he? Optimus spark sank. He would have to Megatron, at least that Orion Pax no longer existed. But that wasn't entirely true. Optimus Prime was Orion Pax. The new and improved version. But at the same time Optimus was not Orion Pax. Their two personalities, Optimus' calm, in control nature, and Orion's easily amused, lax nature, were completely opposite each other. So, no, Orion Pax wasn't alive. But Megatron's brother was. Even if Optimus was not the brother Megatron wanted, he was still Orion in that sense.
"Orion Pax was murdered; he barely functioned when proper help arrived. The only thing they could do was give him a new body and a new personality chip. I am Orion Pax, or I was at least."
Megatron's body stiffened. "That can't be true. Why would anyone want to hurt him?"
"You know the answer to that Megatron."
Megatron looked at Optimus, locking their optics. His usually distant and cold burning red optics were full of pain and confusion. It must be awful Optimus thought to himself to not remember your life. But, maybe for Megatron it isn't such a bad thing.
"Who killed him?"
Optimus sighed. Megatron would remember one day anyway, so there wasn't any harm in tell the mech now. It was best to prepare him for the memory of murdering his brother.
Optimus sighed again. "You."
*X*X*
At one point during his time as a slave Soundwave had considered Blaster a friend. He'd even considered sparing him from the revolt, giving him the chance to flee Iacon at live to fight another day, because he believed he'd owed it to the mech. But not anymore. How typically Autobot it was to say that a lesser being was your friend, your equal, and then assert their power over them only went they wanted something. It was hypocrisy, it was so Autobot.
Soon though, very, very soon, Soundwave wouldn't have to live under Autobot rule any longer. The revolt would happen in just over a breem.
And then no Autobots in Iacon would be left standing. Soundwave would make sure that blaster was one of the first to fall...or maybe one of the last.
*X*X*
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