A/N: Hi everyone! Wow, not only do I seem to have no time to write these days, but I also never seem to have time to read all the stories on here I want to read. So apologies to people who have updated and I haven't reviewed, I will do soon. Thank you people who have reviewed my story. Please tell me what you think of this chapter, it's not the last one, but we are nearing the end. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 26

The two titans faced one another. Nobody moved, save for Soundwave, who silently produced Frenzy from his chest cavity and dropped him to the floor. From inside her prison, Alexis saw him scuttle off into the main corridor, responding to some silent command. Soundwave straightened up, his attention back on his master.

"Well?" Megatron commanded. His optics flickered briefly to the Requiem Blaster on Starscream's arm, but if he was shocked to see the menacing weapon there, his features gave nothing away.

"Have you considered my offer?"

"I have," Starscream replied, bowing his head. "A very generous offer indeed, Leader."

"Excellent!" Megatron boomed. "I knew you wouldn't be…"

"It's not enough."

Megatron cut off abruptly, his optics narrowing. "What did you say?"

"I said, it's not enough," replied Starscream calmly. "After all these millennia Megatron, you still don't understand. I want all of it. All your power. And you can delay my rise to leadership no longer."

"Fool!" Megatron spat. He took one step forward, the floor trembling from his impact, his face close to Starscream's. "You turn against me countless times Starscream, and countless times you LOSE! And now, I decide to break the pattern, to offer you all you dream of, and still you defy me! I give one more chance to reconsider Starscream, or prepare to meet Primus in pieces! And as for you, " he snarled, glaring around at Starscream's assembled mechs, "Do not think your treachery will go unpunished! Soundwave, summon the loyal soldiers!"

But Soundwave was standing with his back to Megatron, his body oddly hunched. Slowly he turned, all optics in the room on him, even Starscream leaned over to see what he held in a cupped hand.

They all watched as Soundwave mutely poked at the wrecked body of Ravage in his palm. The casseticon was still alive, emitting tortured rasping sounds, twitching, sparks emtting from his ruined body. At his feet, Frenzy looked up- his mouth hanging open. A small trail of fragments led off from where he had dragged his comrade in.

Soundwave stood still, his expression, as ever, unreadable. From behind his mouthplate came one mumbled word.

/Ravage./

Megatron cruelly batted his hand away, breaking the spell. The twisted form fell to the floor, and Megatron ground it underfoot with a contemptuous sniff. At his master's feet, Frenzy flinched.

"Whatever happened to Ravage, he is no longer no longer of any use," Megatron growled. "This is hardly the time for you to form sentimentality circuitry, Soundwave. Now, alert the troops for battle. Starscream has chosen his own doom. Move!"

But Soundwave, to everyone's amazement, did not move.

"Did you not hear me, Soundwave?" Megatron's voice was soft and dangerous, but there was something else in his tone. The beginnings of unease.

"Well, well," Starscream sneered, causing Megatron to whirl back round. "So the Great Megatron has managed to turn all of his own closest allies against him. How sad that our leader, once so inspiring to all of us, has fallen so far."

"You will PAY for your disobedience Soundwave!" Megatron roared. "Loyal decepticons, TO ME!"

From down the halls came a thundering of dozens and dozens of feet, bellows and battle cries echoing off the walls. Stasrcream let out a shout of relish, his wings flexing, the Blaster beginning to hum as he spread his feet. "Let them in!" he screeched, and beside him Thundercracker and Skywarp punched the air with a collective yell. In the hall there rose a murmur, which became a roar, as all the mechs readied their weapons, sweeping benches aside with a crash, clearing space for the oncoming melee.

At the back of room, the noise muffled slightly inside the capsule, Alexis scrabbled at the seal, battling to find a way out, but to no avail. With a snarl of frustration, she collapsed onto her rear, curling her legs under her and wiping the blood and sweat on her face, her injuries screaming, a helpless spectator. "Shit!"

The hall was fast filling with decepticons, more and more of them barging into the vast hall, until it was hard to tell who was who. Soon the air was filled with the yells and booms of battle, as fists and weapons met. Bright flashes punctured the air, illuminating the high ceiling. Alexis caught a glimpse of Thundercracker falling, with a spidery, dark green mech on top of him. Moments later he flung it off and shot it in the face, sending it cringing into a corner. He got up and plunged back into the chaos. Alexis kept her hands pressed to the globe, staring out, her heart racing. She couldn't see Starscream or Megatron, they were lost in what seemed like hundreds of metal bodies.

Megatron aimed another punch at his second in command, they were indeed fighting in the middle, a small arena of space around them as their respective sides fought one another, ready to lend aid should either demand it. But for now each belonged to the other, and to call for help at this stage would be weakness.

"Pathetic, useless, piece of scrap!" Megatron emphasised each word with a blow, the jet dodging and returning blows of his own. They wrestled, firing small weapons in an effort to make each let go of the other. Megatron delivered a laser into Starscream's neck components and he hissed and leapt back. They circled one another, glaring.

"And what is that junk on your arm, hm? Some vanity accessory to impress your little gang, Starscream?"

"A small treat I am saving for later, Leader," Starscream sneered. "The Requiem Blaster, waiting for me all this time on this little island. Did you never wonder why I requested Europe as my own, above other, greater continents? Such short-sightedness on your part…"

"Every bot knows The Blaster doesn't exist, growled Megatron. "So, all this time you have wasted chasing mythical weaponry. How very like you, Starscream. Your schemes just get more and more desperate!"

"We'll see, Megatron!"

The surface beneath Alexis' feet had been trembling constantly since battle began, but now a strong blast to her left threw her sideways into the glass. Smoke clouded the area and she waited impatiently for it to clear, straining to see what had happened. Shapes moved through the fog, entering the battle, a red arm here, a white leg there… Then her eyes widened as she caught sight of a tall red and blue figure, a visor covering a mouth underneath two blue optics…

Both Megatron and Starscream paused, as the sound of battle behind them changed subtly, mechs on both sides yelling in surprise . They spun round, through the chaos glimpsing the crowd parting, then an all too familiar figure strode through the battle, swatting aside decepticons with his axe, blue optics blazing. "Megatron!"

"Optimus Prime!" hissed Megatron, taking a step back. He turned to Starscream.

"We need to lay aside our differences, Starscream and unite against our enemy," he said urgently. "This fight can wait. You take the…"

He staggered back as both null rays hit him in the chest. Before he could recover, Starscream's fist slammed into his jaw, felling him like a tree.

"Nice try leader, but I don't think so!" Starscream crowed, standing over the furious decepticon, glaring up in pain and disbelief. "These autobot filth are nothing more than a pleasing distraction! I'll have them for DESSERT when I'm finished with YOU!"

Soundwave had stood motionless in the corner of the hall since the fight had broken out. The shouting of Prime's name finally stirred him from his reverie and he turned his blank red stare up and round towards the Autobot leader. Cold reflex recognition of a definite enemy appeared to galvanise him and he opened his chest, releasing his casseticons and striding into the battle. Rumble ran at his master's heels, shouting insults and war-cries in Cybertronian, whilst Ratbat soared high up above the chaos with a shriek.

From her vantage point, Alexis watched Frenzy dart here and there, desperately trying to avoid getting crushed by the stomping feet and huge tumbling bodies. Then a high pitched whine, getting louder and louder, snapped her head up, and she gasped and dropped to the floor, curling into a ball with lightening speed, as a laser blast struck the top of her capsule. There was a deafening bang and then an acrid, awful smell filled her nostrils. Risking a glance up she saw the blast had melted the transparent roof. With a cry she rolled over, just in time to avoid a beach-ball sized white-hot globule of the melted prison hit the floor. Holding a tattered sleeve to her mouth, she curled back, feeling the heat and watching the roof crumple and wilt like plastic held in a flame, creating a hole, widening as it smoked and popped…

Starscream smirked as Soundwave strode past him and Megatron, heading determinedly towards Optimus Prime. "How fortuitous," he chuckled. "All my game pieces are performing admirably, eh Megatron?"

Megatron's answer was a blow to the back of the jet's knees, sending him crashing to the floor. He aimed his cannon, but Starscream rolled to his feet deftly and barged into it, pushing it upright with all his might. The cannon went off, smashing a huge hole in the ceiling. Debris rained down, and the cool night air rushed in. The jet screamed a command, and his two wingbrothers immediately responded, launching off up through the gap, drawing out a large number of Megatron's followers in pursuit, to continue the fight in the sky. No sooner was this done than Starscream whirled around, hitting his foe once more with his null rays.

"How I would love to join them up there, old man," Starscream grinned insolently at the prone Megatron, whose circuits were struggling to deal with a second null hit in as many minutes. "But, being the superior flyer of the two, I thought it would be more sporting to end it down here. Not without mercy, am I?" He laughed mirthlessly, raising the Blaster to Megatron's face. "The fact is, without your loyal army, which diminishes by the klik, you're nothing. They don't want you any more. They want me."

Megatron simply glared…. Then his optics wandered to a spot behind Starscream's left shoulder. Too late Starscream tensed, only to find a huge weight on his back, scraping his wings, huge arms clasping him from behind, pulling him back. He cursed and struggled, Megatron's laughter ringing in his audios. "Oh, what a good try Starscream. Not good enough, as ever, I'm afraid, and you're all out of chances. And well done, Mixmaster. Now, the weapon! Rip it off his arm!"

To Starscream's horror, the hulking monster that was Mixmaster nodded, and with a grunt, forced him to the floor, and yanked the gun painfully from his arm, tearing out some of his wires in the process. He let out a deafening scream, almost drowning out the laughter of Megatron. But then…

"Wha?" grunted Mixmaster, staring at the weapon he was holding aloft. A series of clicks rang out, and below on the floor, a slow smile began to spread over Starscream's face.

"It's… shrinking!" Megatron roared. With a swift movement, Starscream rose, slamming his fist deep into Mixmaster's metal belly. The huge mech grunted in pain and the scaled-down Blaster flew from his grasp and whirled away, over the heads of the remaining fighting mechs, disappearing from sight…

"Ow. Ouch! Ow!"

Alexis tentatively tapped the twisted material as it cooled, impatient for it to be cold enough for her to climb out. "Come on, come on!" Over her head the battle raged, and every now and then a blast rang out that was a little too close for comfort. She kept looking round anxiously, biting her lip, but none saw her. Tucking her hands inside her sweater, she hauled herself out, jumping lightly down onto the ledge. Ahead was a 4-foot jump onto a table, from there she could climb onto the floor, this was going to be dangerous…

Frenzy ran as fast as he could, the sound of his skittering feet drowned by the roars and blasts above him. He skidded to a halt just as a massive foot stomped down in his path, the mech in question oblivious to his presence. One wrong move and he'd be scrap metal! He'd find a corner, and hide there until it was all over…

Just then he collided with something warm and soft, running in the other direction.

"Alexis!"

"Frenzy!"

"We're gonna get squished!" he wailed. "We gotta hide!"

"Shhh! Calm down! Frenzy, what's happening? Who's winning?"

They both cringed back as a huge chunk of the ceiling fell, crashing down feet from them. At any moment they could be killed or captured. She scanned the room searching desperately for Starscream. There he was, some fifty feet away, grappling with Megatron. The sight of the huge grey mech sent a chill down her spine and she stepped back, grasping the cold metal of Frenzy's arm… Then, in the opposite corner, she spied it, lying on its side, gleaming in the light, too small for the others to see, way over in the opposite corner…

She took a deep, determined breath and grasped Frenzy's arm. "Come on…"

Starscream's feet were spread wide apart, and he snarled with exertion, locked in a grapple as Megatron shoved against him with all his might. He could feel his energon reserves depleting, and it seemed Megatron was feeling the strain of battle as well, though neither was prepared to show it. Where was the weapon? He tried his best to see, his optics flickering around the battle, searching for the Blaster, made harder to find now it was only about two feet long.

Meanwhile Megatron was his superior in brute strength and mass, and time was running out. Curses! He hadn't come this far to lose! With a growl he ducked out of the grapple, sending a vicious missile strike into the vulnerable area under Megatron's arm. The deception leader howled in pain and rage, staggering, and tried to charge his cannon. But it was taking more time than usual, so a smaller gun emerged from the opposite shoulder, the bullet whizzing and impacting with a sting on Starscream's shoulder, the pain spreading dully across his torso. He yelled out and toppled over, grabbing his enemy on the way down. The two of them fell with a crash to the floor, making the whole room shake. Starscream lifted his head, shaking it woozily, and across the floor, two small figures came into focus, lifting a gleaming object off the floor between the two of them…

Optimus Prime ducked as Soundwave came at him again, his emotionless mask cold with hatred. To his left Ironhide was busy fighting Scrapper and Blackout both at the same time, bellowing insults and clearly enjoying himself. His soldiers were fighting well and bravely, but it wasn't enough. The room was in chaos, and the battle was also raging above them in the skies. In the middle, he could see Megatron and Starscream wrestling furiously, but there was no sign of the Blaster. As he parried another blow from Soundwave and swung his axe, he saw Starscream, now lying on the floor entangled with Megatron, lift his head sharply. Optimus followed his gaze, and groaned at what he saw. As Soundwave's hands closed around his neck, he yelled over to Ironhide.

"We've got trouble!"

Frenzy clutched the Blaster, Alexis having quickly realised her injuries would not let her lift the heavy weapon. "Now what?"

She did not reply and bit her lip, glancing over towards the prone rivals entangled on the floor. At that very moment Starscream raised his head, staring straight at her. A range of emotions flashed over his face in an instant as he registered her: anger, confusion, relief… and then fear. For the briefest instant his optics flashed with apprehension, and her twisted around, shoving his palm into Megatron's face to stop him from seeing… but it was too late. With a growl Megatron shook free, and headbutted his second in command with terrible force. Starscream's head smashed onto the metal floor, his helmet audibly cracking. As she watched in horror, his fingers twitched, before he slumped limply back. Unmoving. With a contemptuous grunt, Megatron hauled himself painfully to his feet, a grin of triumph splitting his face as he spotted the casseticon holding the Blaster… and behind him was… a human?

Megatron laughed, a deep, booming cruel noise. Kicking the limp form of Starscream aside, he stepped forward, laughing afresh as the small beings shrank back into the corner. Behind him, he heard the shout of Optimus Prime. "Megatron! No!" Without even looking, he made a small gesture, and his remaining soldiers rushed to restrain the autobots. He heard the frustrated bellows behind him as they were overpowered. Glancing up, he saw the treachourous seekers still busy in the skies fighting above. Perfect.

"Casseticon, well done. Now. Give this Blaster to me."

Frenzy opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He hugged the Blaster to his chest, mouthing wordlessly, as Megatron took another step. Boom. Behind, he saw his master, Soundwave, expressionless, and at his feet, Rumble, who was staring up at Soundwave, looking confused. Alexis was silent beside him and he felt her body temperature drop.

"So. Starscream has indeed been keeping vermin as pets. I heard the rumour, but did not believe."

He came to a stop in front of them, his legs two huge towers. Alexis kept her head down. She tried out of the corner of her eye to see if Starscream was moving. Come on. Get up, get up…

"Give me the Blaster."

Alexis leant towards Frenzy, whispering into his audio receptors. "Shoot him. You can do it."

Then she felt two enormous fingers clasp her under the arms. Her ribs exploded in fires of agony and she screamed involuntarily, her head whirling in vertigo as she was pulled upwards, then enclosed in a metal prison of Megatron's fist. Overcome with nausea, she retched and curled up, feeling the fingers clasp her tighter as she curled up smaller. Her bones ached and she gasped for breath, unable to fill her lungs properly. Tears stung her eyelids and she squirmed, only to feel the fingers tighten some more. She went very still, hardly registering the words rumbling above her. "Disgusting pathetic maggots. I can hardly bear to touch it. To think this planet, with all it's potential, was once overrun with them. Their time is over. If you have a bizarre affinity with this organic, Frenzy, you had better think carefully about handing me the Blaster. Before I am overcome with disgust and decide to crush it."

Frenzy found himself alone, gaping up at the decepticon leader. He waited for the usual command that would normally be arriving in his head from Soundwave about now; to obey Megatron. But none came. The blue mech stood back some distance, watching silently. Far above his head inside Megatron's closed fist, he heard sounds of weak struggling and muffled cries coming from Alexis. Starscream lay where he had fallen. As Frenzy stared at him, his fingers twitched. Optimus Prime, whose arms were held behind his back by Mixmaster and Bonecrusher, also saw the movement.

Just then Megatron's foot slammed down inches from Frenzy's body. "GIVE ME THE BLASTER, RUNT! GIVE IT TO ME RIGHT NOW, OR YOU WILL END UP LIKE RAVAGE!

Frenzy held up the weapon towards Megatron. Trembling, he raised his head. "All… h..hail… S…S…Starscream," he squeaked, and pulled the trigger.

The shot impacted on Megatron's left knee, the sound tearing the air as he roared in agony, stumbling backwards, his left leg a smoking, melted ruin. As the room watched in amazement, he collapsed, optics flickering, the ground shaking.

Alexis felt the world tilt inside the dark fist, her ears ringing from the sound of the Blaster's shot. Then Megatron hit the floor and her whole body jarred from the impact, her head hitting the side of his palm. The fingers leapt apart and she flew out and onto the floor, rolling over and over, the pain gripping her almost indescribable. There was no time to lay there. She staggered upright, clasping her head, and stumbled right into something hard. Red light made her wince and she shook her head again, trying to focus. She had walked right into Megatron's face. His mouth lay in front of her like a hellish doorway, his eyes glowing with hated and disgust. She heard a scream leave her mouth, and stumbled back, only to back into a fist which curled around her and lifted her up. Madly she began to struggle. "Let me go! LET ME GO!" Then a familiar voice chuckled in her ear.

"Shut up Human. Let me take it from here."

"Starscream!"

It was he who had picked her up. She whooped in delight, clasping his finger. He gave her a grim smile, energon was leaking from him in several places and his helmet was half crushed, his wings dented. "Shall we finish this?"

She nodded firmly, and he stepped over Megatron and bent down in front of Frenzy, who was frozen to the spot, still clutching the Blaster mutely. Starscream leant down and plucked it from his arms. "Nicely done, Runt."

Frenzy merely nodded weakly. Starscream straightened up,, his head tilting back at the sound of dozens of engines approaching at high speed. Megatron must have summoned his army back to him. He turned his head towards the fallen leader. All the while, the Blaster had grown, clicking smoothly and re-attaching itself. Around him all mechs had ceased fighting, and stood, silent, a tableau of expectation. Megatron's followers were looking uneasy. Some had already sheathed their weapons and stood, tense. The autobots had been released, almost forgotten. They simply stood and watched the scene un-fold, too transfixed to attack. Optimus' blue optics never wavered from Starscream's face.

He turned, and walked towards his leader, his damaged limbs smoking and crackling. Energon leaked from his wounds, pooling around him. As he drew nearer, Megatron gave a pained, derisive laugh.

"You will never be fit to rule, Starscream. You think you have what it takes for all of them to follow you? Your weakness will overcome you in the end! You will be never be better than second best!

Starscream stood over him, regarding him in silence. Then he raised the Requiem Blaster.

"It wouldn't have worked for you," he said. "It only functions for those who were present when it was found. Those who are destined to use it."

And he pulled the trigger.