Chapter 8: Fight For What You Believe

It was the next day when Optimus declared they were ready. Ratchet stayed behind in the med-bay and warned everyone to be careful as they headed out. Starsong and Soundwave looked at each other. "I'll be right with you, my love," he said.

"I know you will," she said. "Let's show Megatron that we don't back down."

They headed out and found the area quiet. Very quiet. "Something's off," said Arcee.

"I agree," said Optimus.

Just then, Starsong fired her weapon at the ground near Bumblebee's feet and the ground blew up with an explosion. Bee stood there, stunned and looked at where he had been about to step and saw something. "Landmines," said Starsong. "Follow me."

She guided them through the trap and they found Megatron waiting for them.

And Shockwave was beside him.

"Clever that you discovered the landmines, Starsong," said Megatron.

"She will be a fine queen for you once I operate on her, my liege," said Shockwave.

Optimus stood in front of Starsong. "You will have to get through us," he said as the other Autobots also stood by their leader and Soundwave stood beside Optimus with his guns ready.

"You will not hurt my bondmate," he growled.

"Soundwave, I thought you were much more loyal than this," he said. "Then again, you did steal the femme that was supposed to be my mate."

That made them all stop. "What?" asked Bulkhead.

"Yes," said Starsong. "But Soundwave had stolen my spark long before my father paid your father to arrange the marriage between you and me. And I was furious when I found out. Who do you think saved me on that glorious wedding day?"

She said the last three words sarcastically and turned to Soundwave. "Soundwave and his family rescued me and we all hid. But after the incident that separated me from my family, I found a family in the Autobots. And I know who caused that incident," she said.

"The criminals pretending to be us," said Arcee.

"Masterminded by Megatron," said Starsong. "Who found out I was alive from an informant planted to find me. But the attack didn't go as planned and I was rescued by Bumblebee, who became my brother."

She turned to face Megatron. "Time for this war to end," she said and turned to Optimus, who saw her loyalty. "Optimus, we follow you."

He nodded and just as the 'Con's charged, so did the Autobots.

It was a heated battle as many of the Decepticons fell, but some of the 'Bots were badly injured. It was soon only Optimus, Starsong, and Soundwave standing against Megatron and Shockwave.

"Time to end this," said Megatron. "Starsong, come with me and I'll have your boys released."

"You lie, Megatron," she said. "You don't have my sons."

He looked surprised that she called his bluff and grew angry. "Shockwave! Grab her!" he commanded.

"As you command, my liege," he said.

Starsong looked back at Soundwave and nodded. He grabbed her hand and pulled her closer and leapt into the air. To Optimus' shock, the bondmates combined themselves into a new Autobot.

"Convert to Soundstar!" they said together and the new 'Bot was a combination of the two of them.

Megatron was shocked. "A combiner?!" he exclaimed. "I thought you destroyed them all, Shockwave!"

"That information was not in my databanks, my liege," said the mad scientist.

"And neither was I," said a voice as electricity shocked Shockwave and surrounded him, leaving him unable to fight and Soundstar helped Optimus defeat Megatron, leaving the tyrant to retreat with Shockwave, but both didn't get far when they were caught again by other Autobots who took them to the prison planet.

Back at the base, Arcee, Bumblebee, Smokescreen, and Bulkhead were treated and released from the medbay and they all watched as Soundstar disengaged into Soundwave and Starsong again. "That was what that Vehicon meant on what we could do," said Starsong. "I can combine with any bot to form a strong warrior."

"What about your specialty that he spoke of?" asked Arcee.

Starsong smiled. "I can scream loud enough to make others go deaf," she said. "Soundwave found that out once and hasn't annoyed me into doing it again."

"Because I love hearing your voice, my love," he said.

Suddenly, another bridge opened and a car came through, a Vehicon that then opened its door and Rumble and Frenzy jumped out.

"Rumble! Frenzy!" Starsong called to them.

"Mama! Daddy!" they shouted happily and raced to their parents. Starsong then glanced at the Vehicon who transformed and his armor fell off to reveal electric blue-colored armor and a face she hadn't see in a long time.

"Nightbeat!" she exclaimed.

The Autobot spy smiled at her. "Hey, Starsong," he said as he accepted a hug from his younger sister, feeling her happiness through their sibling bond. He responded back with happiness. "Sorry I scared you a few days ago."

She smiled. "You were doing what you and Soundwave had agreed on if Megatron discovered the boys," she said. "I'm just happy to have them and you back."

Optimus nodded. "Well done, Nightbeat," he said. "We thought you had not made it back from the last mission High Command sent you on."

"Had 'Cons on my trail and had to fake my death," said Nightbeat. "Megatron didn't even think twice when I joined the Vehicon ranks."

"Can Uncle Nightbeat be part of the family, Mama?" asked Frenzy.

Everyone laughed. "Frenzy, he already is part of the family," said Soundwave. "Your uncle Nightbeat is your mother's older brother."

"And don't you all forget that," said Nightbeat, giving Starsong a noogie and she did a knee sweep on him, and Rumble and Frenzy dog piled on their uncle, making the others laugh heartily. Starsong looked at her bondmate and he gazed at her lovingly as they kissed, relief filling them that the war was over and they would never be apart ever again.

Ta-da! Yes, the mysterious Vehicon was Nightbeat, who is Starsong's older brother. Kudos to BookieAngel for their guess!

Only one chapter left, sadly. :'( I hate seeing stories come to an end, but all good things have to end sooner or later.

Please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418