THE LOST CHILDREN OF CYBERTRON
Chapter 43: Learning to Fight like a Master
A few days after the first flight of Starscream found Barricade working out in the Training room. His staff working like Blackout's blades as it twirled in his hand. He moved like a panther or wolf in his case. He then replaced the staff with his gyro blades in seconds. The flash of the blades and then the return of the staff with him flying in the air was more then spectacular.
"In news today the giant planet know as Unicron still lingers ever closer to earth. Military specialists say that the planet is waiting for all of its defenses to shut down before attacking earth. Satellite communications between cities was kept to a minimum due to damage and destruction of most communications satellites. Now on to the weather…"
The broadcast was shut off and switched to some music and Barricade smirked at Sonic's choice of music. The song 'Kung Fu Fighting' began to play with a vengeance and Barricade smirked at that. He pulled out two Sai's and started to play with them again. Twirling the weapons in his hand he quickly dispatched it back to his side. Smirking to himself Barricade was happy to know that he still could do it after all this practice. He remembered the dream he had of him being the wolf and by speaking to his guide he was able to learn all he could.
Slamming his foot into the ground he brought up one of the training pots and gave it a high kick. That pot shattered into pieces and landed on the floor.
"Nice one Uncle 'Cade," said Sonic as he transformed back into normal mech mode.
Barricade smirked as Sonic then climbed onto his shoulder because he was much shorter.
/Sonic/ it was Obun on the comm.
/Go ahead Matriarch/ that was the proper way to comm. someone on the communications device.
/Is Barricade with you? If he is bring him to the main control room I have an announcement to make/ was the reply back
/Indeed he is we are on our way/ Sonic then cut the line.
A few minutes later met them at the control room where Obun was waiting for them her cane at her side.
"You summoned us Grandma?" asked Sonic as he and Barricade entered.
She remained silent and listening until the others all filtered into the room. Starscream and the twins came in last with a happy smirk on his face plates. Obun remained silent as she studies them all. When they fully entered she tapped her cane and rose to the bots level.
"As you can see cough that the attacks are getting worse. The Cybertronians who are here are trying their best but their forces are too scattered.
"Alex is working overtime with Lori and Kyouji on preparing the medical bay Radon you will stay and assist," she said Radon nodded and bowed before leaving the control room.
"Kekoa will accompany the rest of you to the mainland. You are to go and offer assistance to the ones at the establishment they have set up underground. Starscream you and Rodan stay as well for you have not completed your training yet." She said and Starscream nodded reluctantly eager to go into battle once more.
"Barricade, Jazz, and Frenzy you are to return to the mainland to Washington D.C. where the current attack is taking place. Bumblebee I want you to return to Autobot Headquarters and make a report to Optimus Prime and Shockwave. Zenith I want you Artemis and Sonic to check out Beijing there have been reports of Sweeps in that area. Stitch, Skeeter, and Scrappy I want you to check out London I want to know what the British are up to for it seems they are one of the few who had kept the Unicronians back so far," Obun's replied to this sounded suspicious.
Everyone nodded and headed towards the warp gate to disappear.
"Grandma why did you tell us to stay?" asked Rodan curiosity filled his young voice.
"There are some things you three need to learn." She said smiling
"Really?" Rodan said and this time Radon entered the control room again.
"Sorry about that you wanted to see me?" Radon said
"I wanted to tell you both something that I had just recently found out," Obun said
"What is it grandma?" asked Rodan the Autobot Twin said to his matriarch.
"It concerns all three of you that is why I summoned Radon back in here for she needs to hear this as well,"
Just then the doors opened and Radon entered again.
"You summoned me grandma?" she asked
"Yes my child this concerns all three of you," she said as she sat crossed legged on the platform she was on.
The three sat down as well getting comfortable.
"Nanobite recently came across some files concerning you three. She discovered that both you Radon and you Rodan are the long lost children of Starscream and Moonshadow," she said
There was silence and then Rodan was the first to make a move as he turned to Starscream.
"Are you really our dad?" he said shock evident on his face.
"I just found out myself not too long ago. Your mother's spark spoke to me saying that she had a gift for me," he said turning his optics towards his son.
"I just found out that, that gift was you," he said as fluids left his optics.
"How can that be? How did you find out grandma?" Radon said in disbelief eyes looking suspiciously at Starscream and then to her grandmother.
"I had a vision child and the fact that Scorponok knocked a few memory banks back into place in his recent digging," she said with a smile.
She looked at her brother and then at Starscream and then darted out of the room.
Rodan and Starscream watched her go, "Give her time she will adjust," said Obun before she too lowered to the ground and walked out.
"I guess you hate me just as much eh?" Starscream said sadly.
What he got in surprise was something he did not expect. Rodan rushed to him and hugged him tight. Starscream then heard the sounds of sobs coming from the Autobot. Starscream held his son close and could feel the warmth of his spark against his chassis as he felt his sparkling for the first time. His spark sang loud at the chance to finally meet his creation.
It was later that same day after everyone had left that Starscream climbed up the observation ladder to the top floor where he was sure to find Radon. As he climbed up he could hear someone singing. As he gotten closer he could hear the voice more clearly as that of Radon. She was singing in Cybertronian and from Starscream's surprise it was the same song as in his recharge vision.
Far, far above the clouds soaring with the wind
A falcon flies alone silent as the sky
I hear his lonely cry never can he rest
I walk with you along an empty winding road
We're far from the ones we love
And never can return
Never can we see again
The Countries of our birth
When will I ever find a place to call my home?
Sadness circling like a falcon in the sky
When will I ever find a way to speak my heart?
To someone who knows what it means to be alone.
Far, far above the clouds against the setting sun
A falcon flies alone silent as the sky
I hear his lonely cry
Never can he rest
I long to spread my wings and fly into the night
Open this lonely heart to one who understands
When will I ever find
A way to speak my heart
When will I ever find a place to call my home
Sadness and loneness a falcon in the sky
When will I ever find a way to speak my heart
To someone who knows what it means to be alone.
Starscream felt the fluids leave his optics as he heard this and silently crept up to Radon and slowly embraced Radon in a fatherly hug. Words were not said as Radon began to cry as well and Starscream held her tighter not saying anything for there was not anything to be said.
"You know I was shocked to find out that I was your daughter," she said
"I know, but in a way I love this gift that your mother has brought for me," he said
"Really?" Radon said
"Your mother told me that the greatest gift comes from the spark, in a way she was right." Starscream said smiling
"At least since you are a politician I have gotten to know you before I found out," replied Radon.
"Well I guess this is one of the reasons why I have to admit hating being one." He said as he shrugged.
"You don't like the power of control the entire Decepticon army?" Radon said bewildered
"Nope, I rather would spend time with my brothers (your real uncles) then rule an army." Starscream admitted.
"Wow cool," Radon replied
"Yes cool, you see I became the heir when Lord Megatron admitted to me his second in command that he had no heirs. His sparkmate died before she could give him a sparkling," he said sadly.
"Wow that must have drove him nuts," Radon admitted.
"Oh yeah it did so because my family was the only relatives he has left even though we are very distant one, one of us has to be the heir. So he tested all of us and found me to be the best choice. I protested of course but that did not stop him. When Megatron put his foot down he put his foot down," Starscream replied back to the sparkling.
While Starscream was talking to Radon he failed to notice the short withered figure looking on with happiness on her face as she disappeared back into the shadows.
THE NEXT DAY
"Harder you have to hit harder Starscream," Obun said as she watched Starscream practice his punches.
Starscream had punched harder and harder still till he could feel his hand force air out of them.
"Good that is it bend the air to your will." Obun instructed and Starscream punched the air once more until a sonic BOOM! Filled the room shaking everything and the air whipped round him as he punched again.
"Good, good now give me a round house kick!" Obun said and Starscream did so systems working overtime to accommodate each move Obun wanted him to do.
Well he had to pay catch up some time. While he was trying to fly the others were way ahead of him with the martial arts. Starscream kicked feeling rage build up in him as a fiery flame escaped his foot.
"THAT'S IT!" Obun shouted and shorted into a fit of coughs again.
Punch, kick, punch, kick, spin, kick, sweep, punch, block, slash, kick, slash, kick, uppercut, kick, punch, block. This went on for hours as Starscream's systems threaten to overheat as Obun pushed him harder and harder then she did the others.
The room itself was sweltering hot and the other humans had already left leaving Obun with Starscream. She practiced move after move with him till finally she stopped to let the room cool down. With blinding speed she pulled water from the air and use it to freeze the room cooling it down. As it cooled down Starscream turned to her as he too pulled water from the air and used it to cool his frying systems. Steam rushed out of him from his overheat and Obun sighed as she turned to him.
"Now that your systems are cooled down it seems you have some problems with water and earth," she said.
The next few hours were spent mastering the fluidity of each movement something that had Starscream exhausted by the time dinner came around. After refueling he trudged into his recharge berth. Staring at the ceiling Starscream drifted off to sleep. As he dreamt he could just imagine what it was like to live as an orphan. As he dreamt again a different image this time he dreamt he was a bird his spirit form. He was alongside his mate and together they hunted for food to feed their chicks.
He knew that the female he returns to is Moonshadow coming to visit him again. She never spoke to him but the soft look in her eyes was enough to tell Starscream that everything is well. As the dream faded and he started his return to reality Starscream was content as he rose from his recharge berth.
The following days proved to be just as stressful as he practiced till the sun set and even when the moon rose. Obun was a slave driver as can be. Starscream worked harder then he had ever done before each day grew closer to completion as he burst flame, water, wind and earth at targets as well as sparred with the twins. He sparred in the air, under water, through the ground and above it.
It was not till the third week that Titan ran through the halls. He was the only other member other then Alex who remained behind. The beast bot was dragging something that Starscream totally missed but none the less as soon as he vanished he ran back the way he came only to disappear again.
Starscream sighed as the day finally came that he is to return to the mainland and proclaim his right to the Decepticon throne. Shockwave and the others are waiting for him.
"Wait, dad!" yelled Radon as he walked towards the hanger.
"Yes?" he asked…
TBC
Sorry folks I had to leave that cliffy I just got through watching Independence Day with Will Smith. That was such an awesome movie that I had to see it again. I especially loved the speech with the President telling the pilots that they will not go quietly into the night. Well this and the fact that I am so desperately waiting for the next episode of Avatar the Last Airbender. Well sorry for the cliffy but you will have to wait till next time.
Aloha