My Madness, My Saving Sanity

Chapter Twenty Four: One Shall Stand, One Shall Fall

By: Nightelfcrawler

Author's note: While this is G1 based, I've made Starscream a blend of his G1 and Armada personalities just because I find the dichotomy of it fascinating. It takes place in no particular timeline, following no particular events. Also, please review politely. If you haven't something nice to say, keep it to yourself please. Also, I despise nitpicking, please don't make comments about grammar or single spelling mistakes. Enjoy the story, don't be picky.

Here it is, the long awaited ending. Less the epilogue. Enjoy!


For the longest time, no one noticed anything different about Megatron. After all, his moods were as well-known as his swift punishments. If he was irritated and violent, one typically knew to stay away. It was therefore very unfortunate that when that irritated and violent mood didn't ease up after a few days following his explosive outburst in his room. No matter where he went in their base, Megatron was a storm cloud of violent fury.

It was even more concerning that by now nearly everyone had caught him TALKING to himself.

Hook glanced worriedly at Scrapper as both watched the tyrant stalk out of the rec room with his daily allotment of energon, having snarled venomously at empty space off to the left of his elbow, telling it what to do with itself. "Is it just me or…."

"It's not just you."

"Good." The Constructicon chugged a deep gulp of high-grade, worriedly watching the retreating back of their leader as he vanished around the corner. "If I didn't know better, and I probably don't, I'd say he got one too many bangs to the noggin."

"Yeah… but you know how often he comes to the med bay. He won't let you near him with a five foot pole so long as he's not leaking fluids."

"Yeah… I wonder if I could spike his energon and do some diagnostics at least… that ain't healthy, talkin' to the air like that."

"Don't let him hear you sayin nothin' about that, Hook."

"We're all thinkin' it though. Haven't you thought it's odd. Heard him curse at Screamer the other day. Ain't that glitch dead? Why's he talkin' to him then?"

"Haven't a clue."

"Aw crap, can the chat."

Both of them quickly shut up when Soundwave stood up and approached their table, his visor gleaming with a muted glow of his optics studying them both. The Constructicons all avoided his gaze with clear guilt. Though it was impossible to hide from Soundwave's infuriating mind-reading, often he left everyone alone and didn't usually approach anyone about what he overheard. However, ever since he'd taken Starscream's old position of second in command, no one had been very willing to treat him with quite the same indifference as before. Therefore, when he spoke to them more like a comrade than a superior officer, it took them all by surprise. "Megatron: mentally unstable."

Six pairs of optics lifted to regard the visored one. "You're kiddin'." Hook muttered. "Not something I can fix then, if it's something wrong inside his head. I ain't no CPU surgeon."

"Affirmative."

"You um… think he's finally lost it then?"

Soundwave turned his head to thoughtfully regard the departed tyrant. "Hypothesis…. Likely." Of course… no one saw the hidden smile behind the mech's faceplate, and no one would have expected it. After all… Soundwave NEVER lied. At least… not that they knew of.

- - - - -

"You know, I really am ENJOYING this quality time with you."

By now one would have thought Megatron would be practiced at ignoring the manifestation of his former lieutenant. However, that twitching optic ridge seemed to have developed into a chronic condition. While he pointedly ignored the lounging seeker, the tell-tale fact that Starscream's presence was wearing on him seemed to only egg the Seeker on. His smile widened as the tyrant only attempted to ignore him further.

"You really are quite a remarkable conversationalist. Who would have known, after all while I worked with you it was all action, no talk. Now… well, look at you studiously doing paperwork, catching up on record-keeping. Not a single raid on the Autobots, tsk tsk. You're slipping."

"I am not slipping." Megatron snarled, refusing to look at the apparition, but unable to hold his fury in any longer. "I merely am relishing some PEACE and QUIET without annoying glitches like YOU bothering me."

"Pity you haven't even managed to get THAT right."

That twitch pulsed faster over his left optic.

"You know… there's an easy way to get RID of me." The ghostly seeker drawled.

"Pray DO tell."

"Well you seem resigned to the fact that I'm not a ghost."

"I don't believe in ghosts."

"And you have ruled out some irrelevant glitch in your system."

"I'm in perfect health."

"And you seem to be convinced that I'm some kind of trick, left to torment you by Yours Truly."

"Clearly."

"So where does that leave you?" Starscream smirked at the scowl carving itself further into Megatron's face.

"Obviously some kind of clever trick of yours that you left behind. How you installed it or activated it just to irritate me at this particular point in time I have no clue." Megatron's crimson optics burned brightly as they bore into Starscream's apparition. "But I want you GONE."

"Well…" The seeker drawled with a coy grin. "Think about it. You've had full diagnostics run, even had Soundwave look you over. You won't submit yourself to a medical exam… poor paranoid soul… afraid the men won't respect you if they think you're hallucinating?"

Megatron grit his fist tightly around the data pad he was holding, rendering it to shards in a heartbeat. "If YOU suggest it, I certainly have no reason to go into the med bay. For all I know the Constructicons were waiting to take me apart the moment they seek weakness. I will suffer putting up with your insufferable presence, as there is NOTHING you can do other than pester me to death."

"Hmmm perhaps." Starscream mused. "But you haven't considered one thing yet."

"What's that?"

"Obviously I would have had to plant this so-called device on you before you cast me out… and I had many reasons to overthrow you before then, but no knowledge of what would happen afterwards. Yet here I am with a perfect memory of everything you've done to me." Megatron frowned. He had a point. His mind turned over that as the seeker continued. "Therefore, whatever it is you suspect is infiltrating your paranoid defenses clearly had to have been planted AFTER you cast me out."

"Yes…." Megatron frowned darkly, not looking at the seeker as he began to sense where this was going.

"And where is the only place I've been since you booted me off my aft and left me to rust?"

"The Autobots." He hissed darkly, optics narrowing to slits of blood red light. They slid over to stare at the smirking seeker. "But how do I know this isn't a ploy?"

"Oh really…" Starscream rolled his optics. "An Autobot ploy to plant me into your subconscious in order to coax you to an ambush? Really innovative, mighty Megatron. Honestly nothing would please me more than continuing to keep you company." The grin widened as Megatron's scowl deepened. "Please, ignore any of my attempts to bait you into attacking the Autobots. I SO love them after all. Goodness knows I wouldn't want to have you attack them!"

The data pad turned into small crystalline powder as Megatron's fist tightened and smashed into his already shattered communications panel. "Soundwave. Gather everyone NOW! We're going to have a little fun."

Behind him, Starscream's smirk turned into a smug grin.

- - - - -

"So…tell me… do we actually plan on storming the Autobot base….? Without a plan?"

"Seems like it."

"Um… don't get me wrong…. I like killing Autobots… but this seems kinda…."

"Suicidal?"

"Yeah."

"That's why I'm all pumped for it!"

"Figures."

The motley group of Decepticons were flying, driving or hitching rides towards the open empty desert. The plus side of the situation was that everyone in their faction knew where the Autobot base was. The down side was that every single one of them was questioning the sanity of their leader's decision to storm the Autobots by surprise and simply go for a full out slaughter fest.

Granted no one in this group was against senseless violence, but there WAS a limit to how smart it was to just barge into the enemy stronghold.

Only… no one was about to question Megatron at this point.

"Soundwave. Report." Megatron growled as the Ark's lower thrusters became distantly visible to their optics. "Any sign of the enemy?"

"None." Came the curt reply over his con. "Enemy not present on surface."

"So… either they're not expecting us, have gone out on a mission, or are all packed inside waiting for us to show up." Megatron mused.

"Seems like you have it all worked out." Came the snide reply from his left, where gliding along calmly beside him was the apparition of his arch nemesis, smirking at him as always. "Should be easy, right?"

"If I asked for your opinion, I wouldn't want useless advice!" The tyrant snarled, provoking merely an odd glance from a few of the other Cons flying nearby who obviously hadn't heard, and couldn't see Starscream's ghostly appearance beside their leader. "So shut up."

"You are the very pillar of stability for your troops." Starscream drawled out sarcastically, but vanished into nothing again as he often did. Megatron only hoped he'd be gone long enough to vent his rage and get to the bottom of this whole situation.

He didn't care if he had to rip his own processor out, but he wanted that vision GONE!

The Decepticons landed outside the Ark in plumes of dust and dirt, weapons drawn, and en-masse stormed the gates. It should have keyed some alarms that it was fairly easy to break down the door, but when in the middle of a battle-lust, thoughts flew right out the window. A few short blasts of Megatron's fusion cannon sent the doors smoking into cinders as the Decepticon forces flooded into the inner foyer. "Soundwave, take a squad and go right. Motormaster, take a group and go left. The rest, with me."

The three groups split off, running through the halls. None of them had been here before, thus weapons were held close as they slowly slipped down the corridors. There was no way the Autobots would have ignored their intrusion. They were likely mobilizing, waiting for them to come around the right corner before attacking.

"Megatron, sir…" Thrust whispered in a terse voice from behind him. "Don't you think it's… strange that there's not a single Autobot around here?"

"If I asked for your input, I would have SPOKEN." Hissed the tyrant, flashing a dangerously warning glare at the cone-head. Thrust quickly fell back, not even wanting to get close to taking the previous Air Commander's familiar role of punching bag.

Still… it became increasingly obvious as they moved through the Ark that something was very wrong. There wasn't a single Autobot to be found anywhere. Room after room was empty, they ran into no resistance, no guns, no automated defenses. Megatron finally ordered the rest of his group to split up to more accurately search, demanding immediate contact the moment someone got wind of even one Autobot scum. The comms remained silent.

As he rounded the corner into the control room, Megatron finally came face to face with someone who balked quickly as the fusion cannon slammed up into their chassis, whining as it powered up. "Whoa! Hold on there, it's just me!"

Megatron narrowed his optics, cannon powering down as Thrust's alarmed face stared up at him. "Have you found anything?"

"Nothing sir."

"Where is the rest of your squad?"

"W…we thought it best to split up, sir! We weren't finding anything."

Megatron's optics narrowed, but he lowered his cannon and stalked straight into the control room. Teletran 1 sat idle, no alarms flashing, completely abandoned. "This smells like slag." He growled as he stared up at the security screens, punching up cameras. Each one showed empty corridor after empty corridor, some with Decepticons slinking through the halls, but still no Autobots.

And that damn apparition was nowhere to be seen…

Something fishy was going on here….

"What do you think is going on, sir?" Thrust asked, sounding nervous. "This whole thing… it just ain't right."

"I am growing increasingly aware of that fact." Megatron snarled, shooting the mech a venomous glare. Thrust shrunk back, averting his optics appropriately, letting the tyrant return his attention to the video screens. "What are they up to then… we're in their base… we could destroy it in a heartbeat, and they are nowhere to be found…"

"Maybe it's a trap?"

He didn't even grace his minion with an appropriate scathing remark. Instead, he leaned forward as something caught his attention. "There." He said with a slow growing smirk. "What do you see?"

Thrust blinked, leaning forward to study the monitor. "Uh….."

"There. Look closely."

Thrust leaned forward studying the display before his optics brightened as the image jumped. "It's a loop."

"Exactly." The tyrant turned, a feral smile dancing on his lips. "We ARE being tricked. They are here somewhere… hiding… waiting. Me must simply find out WHERE." He held the side of his head. "Soundwave, come in."

"Sir."

"Status."

"Enemy combatants: none. Perimeter search commencing."

"Cancel that. Gather everyone near my location. We're going to plan a little sting operation. The Autobots think they can outsmart us, but we're going to see just how smart they are."

"Understood sir."

It took longer than he would have liked for all the Decepticons to find their way to the control room, but they did eventually make it there. By the time Soundwave finally arrived, Megatron was furiously pacing the room, on the verge of storming out of there to lead the charge with or without his full forces. Nonetheless, the gathered mechs waited expectantly as the tyrant turned to address them all. "The Autobots think they are clever." He growled, slamming a fist into Teletran 1's console. "But they will find we are not so slow as they think." There were several uncertain glances shared between some of the Decepticons in the audience, but no one dared speak up. "They are here hiding from us. Soundwave, what have you discovered."

"Cloaked energy signatures secured in docking bay." The communications mech intoned. "Suggestion, ambush."

"We haven't searched that area yet, have we?" There were numerous shakes of heads in the gathered audience. "Then it is there we must make our stand. I want everyone to follow me, and be ready to take heads. We go in full power."

Megatron was the first to slam through the heavy blast doors, storming his way into the hangar.

Unsurprisingly, it was empty.

The entire Decepticon force stood there, guns drawn, their leader directing them, only to find nothing to shoot.

Megatron's optics lit to a furious hue of burning light. Everyone watched as he slowly circled around, eyes wild and frantic, confused with the lack of opponents… until, he heard the laughter.

It was soft at first, but extremely mocking. As he whirled about, his gaze focused on the most unlikely of mechs grinning widely at him from his ranks. Megatron's optics narrowed. "Is something the matter, Thrust?"

"Oh, not at all mighty Megatron." Came the smooth reply. Megatron's optic ridge itched as it tried to twitch, a strange sense of suspicion and paranoia creeping into his CPU as suddenly he realized something was VERY wrong here. That did NOT sound like the cowardly Thrust. "Not at all. You put on a BRILLIANT show, actually."

"Thrust." Megatron growled warily. "What is the meaning of this?"

"You know…" Thrust said, casually striding through the parting ranks of Decepticons as if casually walking down a hallway. "This was quite a lot of fun. And to think, the whole time you thought it was YOUR idea."

That left optic ridge was suddenly quite active. "What?!"

Thrust smirked. And that smirk was completely uncharacteristic for the cone-head. "Open your optics, Megatron. What do you see?"

Megatron frowned, scanning the ranks of gathered Decepticons, and suddenly became aware of one single fact. Every single one of them was pointing their weapon directly at his chassis, all with hardened optics and grim expressions. His gaze snapped immediately to his most loyal. "Soundwave. Explain."

The communications officer did not have a weapon pointed in his direction, however he did not change his stoic expression as he regarded the tyrant calmly. "Megatron: inferior."

There was a tense silence as Megatron absorbed that statement, jaw set. "So. Thrust. I never in my most creative visions imagined it would be YOU spearheading a mutiny. You have never even come close to possessing a spine."

"You are so correct." Thrust said smugly. "But you are wrong on one point, Megatron."

"And what would that be."

"I am not Thrust."

Megatron actually blinked. And in that one moment, suddenly everything clicked. It was at that point that Thrust reached up and touched the back of his neck. Immediately there was a change. A fuzzy shimmer distorted around the mech, only to reform into an entirely different, and ultimately more familiar vision. "You…." Megatron hissed, voice venomous and tense, staring with wide optics nearly bulging from their sockets. "How…"

Starscream merely smirked, holding up a tiny chip between his fingers. "You know… you REALLY should have let me flaunt my background in science while working for you, and you would have KNOWN such things as this existed." He turned it over in his palm, studying it with a thoughtful smile. "It's amazing what a little technology can do. Not only to disrupt your own neural signals to allow your OWN power source to fuel the little gadget I had planted at the base of your neck…" Megatron's hand slapped up to the place, optics wide as he finally made contact with it and ripped it off. "…but it's amazing what knowing your enemy allows you to do." He spread a hand out to the side, and in unison every single Decepticon, excluding Soundwave, reached up to their neck and removed their own patches. And in that instant, the entire Autobot army flickered into existence as their facades were dropped.

"It's amazing how defenses are dropped around your comrades. It made my plan SO easy to carry out. You split them all up inside the base, and made it much easier. Take out one or two mechs, replace them with our cleverly disguised replicas, take down the rest, replace those… You never even suspected the army you were commanding was in truth your enemy."

Megatron stared at them all, jaw set. "I don't believe it." He said finally, calmly surveying the many guns aimed directly at his chassis. "You FINALLY made a plan that WORKED, Starscream."

"Amazing what a few loyal followers will do." Mused the seeker, crossing his arms smugly in front of his chassis.

"Megatron." Optimus Prime's voice rang out from the crowd as he made his way through the gathered Autobots. "We have the rest of your men detained. I offer you a choice. Surrender now, or we will open fire. You have led your men into our base with forced entry, despite given circumstances drawing you here. You are outgunned and outnumbered. I suggest you surrender peacefully."

Megatron smirked. "Like hell."

"Wait." Came a calm and suddenly icy voice. Optics shifted to regard Starscream as he slowly took a few steps forward, putting some distance between himself and the crowd. "Prime, you know this has to end between us." Starscream said firmly, optics never leaving Megatron's. "One of us will fall here today. If it is me, feel free to shoot this slagger dead where he stands. But I WILL face him alone."

Multiple optics shifted to plea with Optimus. They all knew time after time Starscream had fallen at Megatron's hand. Immortal Spark or no, they did not want to see it happen again. However, Optimus watched the two as they faced off in silence, sharing memories and hatred in that single moment. It was inevitable really. Everyone knew this had to happen. "Everyone is to stand down." He ordered firmly. "Allow them to settle their differences."

"But sir…" Prowl started to interrupt.

"They must settle their issues independently of us." Optimus said quietly. "Some scores are not meant to end with surrender."

"How right you are, Prime." Megatron growled, turning to address his former second in command as Starscream stepped forward. All the Autobots backed up, giving the pair room as they began to circle each other. "This is MY fight… against my traitorous, too-stubborn-to-die second in command!" He lifted his cannon, crimson optics gleaming far too bright for any normal sane mech. It displayed the madness lurking right beneath the surface. On the complete opposite plane, Starscreams' azure optics gleamed cold with complete sanity as he faced off against his former commander. "One way or another, this ends here. I don't care HOW many times I have to ram my fist through your spark, your life is MINE Starscream!!"

"I think not." Was the calm reply. In one swift motion, Starscream crossed his arms and simultaneously detached each wing-sword from his back, igniting them with brilliant energon-infused crimson light. "I have defied death at your hand not just once, but twice. I have finally outsmarted you. Your reign is over, Megatron. You are yesterdays' model, broken and damaged. For the longest time I swore it was I who was being driven into madness by your hand. But now I see that I had to walk that line between the sane and insane in order to finally reach you where it hurt the most… Admit it. I'm better than you at every turn."

"You will NEVER be better than me!" Megatron snarled, lunging forward with a feral snarl.

Starscream deftly twisted aside, one sword parrying the cannon aiming for his head, the other slamming into Megatron's shoulder with forceful intent, and the battle began.

At first, it was clear Megatron had the strength advantage and firepower over the Seeker. Though he only had one primary weapon at his disposal, his grip and fists more than made up for the limited charge length of his cannon. He managed to wrestle a grasp on Starscream's left arm at one point, swinging the seeker about into a bulkhead with such phenomenal force, everyone heard the crunch of metal as his side caved in. However, Starscream didn't seem to let it affect him, as he quickly recovered by slamming his free sword into a vulnerable point in Megatron's extended arm, nearly severing the cables in the process. Megatron hissed in pain, releasing him, and the two began to circle again.

Starscream lunged forward with amazing speed, startling the tyrant as he feinted with both blades aimed for his neck. Megatron brought his cannon arm up, the most armored part of his body to parry the blow, only to be taken by surprise as Starscream went into a roll, blades slamming into his right ankle. As the roll took some of the force out of the blow, it wasn't enough to sever the limb, but sparks flew violently as Megatron stumbled back limping, energon dribbling onto the floor in a slow splatter of drops. There was an audible release of exhaust as the watching Autobots came close to nearly cheering at the move. Silence resumed however as Megatron fired up his cannon at the seeker's still turned back. Starscream only had seconds to throw himself aside before the blast streaked by his head, catching him in the knee as he rolled. A low hiss of pain escaped his vocalizer, but he pushed himself to his feet, continuing to circle with a slow limping gait that his opponent matched.

They were completely even, blow for blow.

How long it lasted, no one could say for certain. The match seemed to draw everyone's attention like a moth to a flame. No one could look away, no one dared shutter their optics for fear of missing something important. Both Megatron and Starscream were refusing to back down. Each had enough injuries to have sent them into stasis long ago. Sparks were flying off severed cables, energon splattered the floor and colored their bodies. Megatron had numerous severe gashes littering his silver armor, Starscream was nearly blackened with scored hits and distorted metal. But neither was backing down.

The tension was stretched so tight in the room, everyone knew it would snap any moment.

It happened in a split second.

One moment Megatron was glaring hatefully at the Seeker, cannon aimed right at his chassis glowing violently violet with roiling energy, the next moment a brief thought flickered over his processor as his energy level flashed critical. The seeker had not been looking for random places to hit him simply to score hits, he had been aiming to purposely sever his critical cables to drain his energon supply. He was running very dangerously low… and taking time to notice this was his mistake.

Starscream was on him in a heartbeat.

The entire fight up until that moment had been blow to blow, physical strikes against fusion cannon. After all, Megatron thought of Starscream as inferior, a weaker fighter. No one had the firepower he himself packed, and thus this was the mistake he made. Starscream had once commented how his cannons were nearly as strong as Megatron's own.

That had been before he 'died'.

After all, what was the benefit of coming back to life if you didn't have a few surprises up your sleeve.

Megatron found his face occupied with a glowing energon blade as the Seeker slammed into him full force with surprising strength, forcing him to the floor. It was then a strange tingling numb sensation crept through his entire body, the same moment his optics registered a glowing light dying from the twin cannons mounted on Starscream's shoulders, cannons which he had yet to fire in this fight. As he stared upwards at the seeker's smug expression, the realization of his mistake slipped into Megatron's mind. Starscream hadn't re-built the cannons he'd used in their last fight… he had turned them into null rays. And not just ANY null rays… an upgraded model.

"Well, well, well…" hissed the seeker, one foot solidly planted in the middle of the tyrant's torso, both cannons pointed directly at his face, and the twin energon swords crossed beneath his neck

Megatron tried to move. He sent the signals to his limbs, but the signals either were ignored or never reached their intended destination. Either way, not so much as a finger twitched, as the tyrant lay completely and utterly helpless at the hands of his former second in command. A furious expression slowly smoldered it's way into his optics, as his lips pulled back into a sneer. "Congratulations." He hissed. "It seems you finally did something RIGHT for once." His gaze hardened. "What are you waiting for, coward. End it."

Starscream's azure optics were alight with fury and hatred as he gazed down at his fallen commander. Millennia of history hung between them as their gazes bore into each other's optics, years of hatred, years of rebellion, years of plotting exchanged in that mere second. Around them, Autobots and Seekers alike held their breaths, not daring move, not daring speak a word as they watched a historical scene play out before them. Everyone knew what was likely to happen, yet…

Starscream leaned closer, his voice low and soft yet clearly audible to every listening receptor in the room. "Do you know the reason I joined you, Megatron?" When he received no answer, the swords pressed harder into the mech's throat. "I joined you for two reasons. One, I was a deluded idiot drunk with foolish ideas of grandeur, devastated by the loss of the only role model in my life, and craving to destroy everything I was to become a new mech. Two…" His gaze hardened further. "… because believe it or not, when I first met you, I respected you. You were a warrior. You had vision. You knew what direction we needed to take to better Cybertron, and weren't afraid to do things that others balked at to make it happen. I respected that. I could see success through your actions. But do you know something else?" He leaned so close that their noses practically touched. "I lost that respect for you after I found out what a coward you really were." Megatron's optics narrowed venomously, but he said nothing. "You hide it well. You call ME a coward, you made an example of me to prove how strong you were, but it was all to hide the truth. Without fear, without threats, you are just another mech with delusions of grandeur. Every attempt to wrest control, to take command of Cybertron has failed miserably. You have destroyed our home, split our men and scattered us among the stars. You have only led the Decepticons under your reputation of fear. Without that, you are nothing. Less than nothing."

Starscream leaned back, some of the pressure easing as his swords pulled away from the mech's throat, their glow dying as Starscream slid them smoothly back into place along his back. Megatron's optics widened in shock as the seeker stood up, realization sinking in that for whatever reason, Starscream did not intend to finish what he'd started. The seeker stood tall, foot still firmly planted on Megatron's chest, as he gazed down with pride and a new sense of self-worth. "I never thought I would be the kind of mech to embrace the Autobot's soft-hearted ideals. I don't believe in granting mercy to those who don't deserve it, I don't believe that I should waste my energy being 'nice' to you. However…" His gaze hardened. "If there is one thing I learned, it is that I don't have to prove myself to someone to you, I don't have to take a life to show how much I have grown. I am stronger than you, and for that reason, I will not kill you, Megatron. Instead, I leave you to suffer a much worse fate… being tried for your crimes, thrown in a cell and left to rot in misery for the remainder of your pathetic life."

And with that statement, Starscream turned and walked away from his fallen foe.

Megatron stared blankly at the ceiling, unable to comprehend the words that had been spat in his face. No… he would not accept this! This was NOT how it was supposed to end! A boiling surge of fury filled his processor with raw uncensored hatred, overwhelming every sense he had. And in that moment, by pure loathing alone, Megatron managed to shake off the null ray's dehabilitating effects and push himself half-upright, cannon igniting to full power aimed right for the departing seeker's back. An inhuman howl of vengeance tore from his throat as his sights locked on Starscream.

Simultaneously, no less than fifty blaster shots unleashed themselves into the fallen tyrant triggering an early release of energy that slammed towards Starscream.

There were few times in the Air Commander's life that he would claim to owe his life to anyone.

This was one of the rare few times.

Skywarp slammed to the ground on top of his wing mate as they re-materialized out of the warp that he had initiated to save his commander, panting with wide optics as he desperately peered down for any sign of fatal damage, several meters away from the still smoking crater right where they had been. "Screamer?! Talk to me!"

"Get the… frag off me, you glitch!"

Relief rang through the hall as Skywarp stumbled off his wing mate, lifting him into a half-sitting position as all optics shifted back in tandem to stare at the still smoking target of every single mech's weapon target. No one spoke, no one moved. Starscream stared with wide optics, Skywarp supporting him tense and prepared to make another jump if he needed to.

It was soon obvious that it was utterly unnecessary.

Ratchet was the first to move, walking slowly through the debris and energon-slicked floor to kneel beside the motionless figure of the fallen tyrant. A few nano-clicks later, his head lifted. "He's finished." He said firmly.

"You're certain?" Optimus was the first to reply, walking forward to stand beside his medic, staring down at the twisted remains at his feet.

"Unless he too has an immortal spark…" Ratchet said wryly, shooting a sarcastic smirk towards Starscream. "…I seriously doubt he could survive having his spark chamber vaporized. There's nothing left capable of sustaining life." He stared down at the dull lifeless optics staring blankly towards the direction his cannon had fired it's last shot, towards the seeker he had been trying to kill with his last breath. His optics were wide, facial plates frozen in a half-look of horror and shock, probably as the last thing he'd seen was Skywarp saving Starscream's life in the nick of time, robbing the tyrant of his final vengeance. The lack of light, the slightly graying to the once bright silver armor, and the slow leak of energon pooling beneath the motionless body was all that was needed to verify the one single and very final fact….

Megatron was dead.

The room still was muted with hushed silence, as nearly everyone still was afraid to grasp onto this one concept, afraid it wasn't true, afraid that it was just a mistake. Therefore, it was Starscream who's voice pierced the quiet first. "I want to see him." He said sharp voice, raspy and strained as he fought to push past the pain of the numerous wounds that were clearly having a severe drain on his system.

Skywarp shot him a dirty look. "Like frag you are. You'll bleed out all over him and go offline. Imagine how embarrassing that'll be."

Starscream merely grabbed Skywarp's wing tightly, yanking down HARD much to the seeker's protesting squeal of pain. "Help me up, you slagger! NOW!"

"Ok, ok… sheesh…. TC, give me a hand. He's fraggin' heavy."

Thundercracker swiftly moved towards the two, slinging one of Starscream's arms over his shoulder as Skywarp grabbed the other, and together they hoisted him into a standing position and helped him walk towards the place where Megatron lay. Starscream said nothing, his face a placid calm mask as he stared down at the motionless figure, took in the energy readings and had a very long and hard look.

A smile worked it's way across his face. Not a sarcastic smile, not a mocking smile… but a genuine smile free of malice and scorn. It was a smile that spoke of freedom, and of peace. "May Unicron hail your spark, Megatron." Starscream muttered in a low voice. "And may the Pit never return it to the Matrix."

"Right. Now that you've sufficiently cursed your fallen commander…" Ratchet said, fixing the seeker trio with a firm unblinking stare. "You are to go straight to the med-bay. NOW. Primus, you're a handful."

Starscream's optics lifted to meet the medics, and his smile widened, with an almost cheerful glitter to his gaze. "Yes, doctor." He said in a distant voice, as if still cocooned in his gleeful victory.

"Move it." Ratchet ordered, swatting at the two coherent seekers. "Before he bleeds out all over the floor."

"No problem." Skywarp said, nodding to Thundercracker. In seconds the three were gone in a shimmer of violet light.

"Ratchet. I want you to place Megatron in a container suitable to send his remains to Cybertron." Optimus said solemnly gazing down at the fallen Decepticon leader. "Alive or not, we will return him home if only to be a reminder of what we have fought for… and what we have lost."

"Aw… You mean we can't play hockey with his head?"

Ratchet actually hesitated long enough to shoot a questioning glance to Optimus.

"No, Sideswipe. You may not."

"Frag."