"Starscream."

Starscream opened his optics, and looked up at Ratchet. The medic was bent over him, "You're alive."

"Alive?"

"I thought that the blast from Megatron's cannon had hit you in your spark," Ratchet said, helping him up. The two looked around, "Uh, this doesn't look like Jasper," Starscream nodded in agreement, "Where are we?"

Starscream and Ratchet looked around, trying to find any familiar surroundings. It all seemed familiar in one way or another, "Ratchet, remember how I said that Megatron wanted to go back in time?" The medic nodded, "We went back in time, which means we are where Megatron wanted to be. And for one specific reason," Starscream said, "That looks like a city. We should go there and see where we are."

"What would that be?" Ratchet asked, as they began walking towards the outline of a city.

"Think it through. Who stands in the way of Megatron being victorious?" Ratchet's optics went wide.

"Optimus. He wanted to go back in time to kill Optimus. No Optimus, no Autobots," Starscream nodded.

"Exactly. We've gone back in time before the war started."

"Before the war? Which means," Ratchet looked around, his optics taking in the surroundings, "We're on Cybertron," Starscream nodded.

"I just don't know where exactly," The Seeker said, as they stopped once they reached the city, "I don't think I've ever been to this part of Cybertron before," A bot passed them, and stopped when he heard this.

"Not from around here?" Starscream nodded, "Then you have to check out the gladiator pits," he said, "That's where I'm heading."

"Well, do you mind if we tag along?" Ratchet asked.

"Sure, why not? The more, the merrier," The bot said, and the three began walking towards the center of the city, "I'm Jazz by the way," Ratchet and Starscream exchanged looks. Should they use their real names?

"I'm Ravage, and this is Shockstorm," Ratchet said.

"Nice to meet you guys," Jazz said, and he lead them towards the gladiator pits

Once they found seats, they all sat down as Jazz explained how the pits worked, "It's basically a fight to survive situation," he said, "Most gladiators don't have names, and eventually get their names as they progress. This one gladiator, oh Primus, he chose a name for himself. Can you imagine that? And now everyone knows his name! It's crazy!" Jazz said, with a chuckle. He lead them to their seats, "He's one of the more skilled gladiators too," They heard the crowd cheer, and turned their attention to the pits. The first gladiator came out, and waved. Most of the crowd booed him. The crowd grew wilder as the second one came out, "That's the guy," Starscream felt his energon run cold.

Megatron.

Ratchet looked over at him, and saw his expression had changed. His hands were balled into fist, the talons cutting into his metal. Ratchet looked down, and saw why. It was indeed Megatron, and he was just as cocky as ever. Waving to the crowd, he had them chanting his name.

"MEGATRON! MEGATRON! MEGATRON!"

"That explains a lot," Ratchet muttered under his breath, and watched as the match began. Starscream was still as stone.

Megatron was easily beating his opponent, and Ratchet saw this was why the crowd loved him. He was very skilled in hand to hand combat, and Ratchet wondered why he never showed this tactic when fighting Optimus. Speaking of Optimus, if Megatron was gladiator before the war, what had Optimus been?

Starscream was tense the entire match, right up until Megatron tore off his opponent's arms, and waved to the crowd with them. The match was over at that point as everyone stood up and cheered, expect Starscream and Ratchet. Megatron looked around the crowd, smiling, but his smile dropped when he saw Ratchet and Starscream not cheering.

Ratchet looked down at him, "He sees us," he whispered to Starscream, and the Seeker nodded at this.

As they left their seats, Jazz started talking about how Megatron had no losses, when a bot approached them, "You two," he said, pointing to Ratchet and Starscream, "Megatron wants to see you," Jazz looked at them, confused. The bot motioned for them to follow him.

"I'll wait here," Jazz said, and the three left him.

They walked down a hall, and came to what looked like a medbay. The gladiators were getting their wounds patched up, and having discussions among them. At the back of the room, Megatron was getting his arm patched up. The bot led them there, "Megatron, the two you requested."

"Thank you Shockwave," Starscream's optics went wide at that name. He knew the bot looked familiar. Shockwave nodded at him, and left the three alone. Megatron rotated his arm, and dismissed the medic. He turned to them, his red optics shifting between them, "You didn't like the match?"

"The matches are a waste of time," Starscream spat. Megatron turned his attention to him, "The mechs who fight could put themselves to better use than tearing limbs off each other," Megatron tapped his talons against his chin.

"That's odd. Someone said those exact words to me before the match. You kinda look like him too," Megatron said, "I asked Starscream if he wanted to stay and watch, but he said he had better things to do," He chuckled, "That Seeker spends most of his days inside his lab, or with his trine," Starscream felt his spark hurt at the mention of his trine, "What did you say your name was?"

"Shockstorm," Starscream answered, "I'm actually a scientist myself."

"You probably know Starscream then," Megatron said, and got up to get a cube of energon.

"Better than you think," Starscream mumbled under his breath. Megatron took a drink of the cube and turned to Starscream.

"Did you say something?" Starscream shook his helm. Megatron turned to Ratchet, "And you are?"

"Ravage. Medic in training," he said. Megatron nodded.

"We could always use more medics down here, if you're interested," he said, and sat back down, "Anyways, I was just wondering why you weren't interested in the matches. It was nice meeting you two," They nodded, and quickly left the room. Shockwave walked back in, "Something seems awfully familiar about that Seeker."

"How so?" Megatron asked. Shockwave watched Starscream with his one optic.

"He looks like an older Starscream."

"That was way too close," Ratchet hissed, as they made their way towards Jazz. Starscream nodded.

"We have to be more careful with who we..."

"Hey Screamer! Wait up!" Starscream froze, and slowly turned around. He saw two Seekers running through the crowd, and over to...him. Only...it wasn't him, but himself back before the war. Starscream turned around, and smiled at them, "You should have seen the match Screamer! Megatron won again!"

"Not surprising," Starscream said, as the three Seekers walked towards Starscream and Ratchet, "But you know how I feel about them Skywarp," The purple mech, Skywarp, sighed and placed his arm around him.

"Maybe one day you'll go see one," The other Seeker chuckled, "What's so funny Thundercracker?"

"Not likely. The only way Screamer would go see one is if his circuits were fried," The three laughed, and walked past Ratchet and Starscream. The medic turned to the Seeker.

"Your trine, I assume?" Starscream nodded.

"I never thought I'd see them again," he said, as they stopped next to Jazz.

"Where to next?" Jazz asked.

"Jazz, where exactly are we?" Ratchet asked. Jazz looked at him, and blinked a few times.

"Kaon."

The name sent shivers through Ratchet. Kaon. He should have known. Jazz looked at him, "Everything alright Ravage?"

"We'd like to visit another city," Starscream said. Jazz tapped his chin.

"What about Iacon? I gotta friend there that you should meet. He's just a librarian, but he's awesome," Ratchet smiled.

"Sure. Iacon it is."

So the answer to what Megatron wants with a time machine is to go back before the war and kill Optimus! Don't know if anyone figured it out. Anyways, who are they going to meet in Iacon?

As for the way the next chapters will proceed, I will alternate between past and present by indicating at the beginning of the chapter.

Peace out!