Sick Mind

The command center was almost empty. Because we were not shielded, certain cons were actually doing their jobs to make sure we didn't all die. Unlike them, I was in the command center polishing my blades. Snowstorm, Matrix, Soundwave, Knockout, and Breakdown were actually out doing something.

Starscream yelled at a vehicon, "Why has the electromagnetic shielding not been repaired!?"

The vehicon responded, "The crews are working as quickly as they can Lord—"

Starscream slapped the vehicon upside his head. Starscream angrily complained, "We are leaking a trail! All the Autobots need do to pinpoint our position is to access the right frequency wavelength! Accelerate your efforts!"

The vehicon complied, "Yes, Lord Starscream." The vehicon ran off.

Lord, still? F*ck, I'll get to it later. First, I'm gonna make this baby shine.

Knockout walked through the doors. He exclaimed, "Doctor in the house."

Starscream scuffed and turned to the doctor, "Ah, Knockout. And how is the patient doing today?"

I put down my battle-mask. Contrary to popular belief it was quite useful. Other than scanning and protecting my face, it also increased certain senses like hearing and sight. I could both accurately clean my weaponry and covertly listen in on Knockout and Starscream's conversation.

Starscream waked towards the doctor. Knockout put a servo on his hip and made a tired gesture.

He stated bored-ly, "Same old."

Starscream turned around and over acted, "An inglorious fate that he should remain in this vegetative state."

Knockout refuted, "On the contrary. Megatron's body may be scrap metal," Knockout tapped his head, "But his mind is still percolating."

Starscream turned around to face and lean in towards Knockout. He demanded as he whispered, "Keep that to yourself! That blasted Soundwave sees and hears everything."

Knockout quietly clarified, "The eyes and ears of the Decepticons."

"Well, as long as their master remains in limbo, so does their cause." Starscream waved his finger, "The Decepticons deserve a," he clenched his fist, "Strong, alert, leader."

Knockout added, "One who would require a loyal second in command."

Starscream chuckled manically, "A candidate would need to earn that post by making a strong case to said eyes and ears."

Knockout smirked, "A case for showing mercy, Lord Starscream?"

Lord.

"You scratch my back, I scratch yours."

The commander and Doctor wanted to kill Megatron. I could not allow that to happen. I started devising a plan to combat the two villains. Long term, Tarn would be the best, but no call to him could be covert, and it would take some time before he and his DJD could actually respond.

Starscream called Soundwave, and the communications officer arrived. I retracted my mask and put my swords away. I walked up to the three. Starscream jumped from fright. He had forgotten I was here.

Best expression ever.

I asked the fool, "What are you three up to?"

Starscream defensively questioned, "Shadow, us? How about you?"

I answered; "I was just polishing my swords," I played dumb, "Did I miss something?"

Knockout covered, "We were just about to show Soundwave Megatron's state."

"Is this some sort of special occasion or something? I just saw him earlier and—"

Starscream hurried the questioning along, ignoring my input."Now if you'd allow us to go," he said.

I volunteered, "I should come with. Nothing is happening here anyway. Because our shielding is down, Autobots could attack us at any moment. Besides," I said, "a little protection couldn't hurt."

Soundwave nodded. I tagged along. We exited the command center. Something felt off about the Nemesis, other than the shields being down. We walked into Megatron's medical room and up to our master.

Starscream nicely asked, "Knockout, if you would be so kind as to provide your expert medical opinion to Soundwave. For the historical record."

Knockout walked up to the main monitor. He explained, "Simply put, unaided, Megatron could remain in this deathless slumber forever."

I cut in, "That's why he's being aided. Right? He can recover aided, despite how bleak it may look now."

Knockout explained, "If he has not recovered by now with aid, it is doubtful what use more aid would do."

Starscream faked despair as he exclaimed, "Our master would not have wanted to be seen this way. To stand idly by while he remains captive in his own body is not just."

Soundwave walked forward to the monitor and pointed out Megatron's fluctuating brainwave activity.

Knockout explained skeptically, "Brain activity, not evidence of consciousness. But merely of an endless dream from which Megatron may never wake."

Starscream was a very good actor. He displayed signs of a moral consciousness when he implored, "Soundwave, we must face reality. Megatron is lost to us."

Knockout added, "The only honorable option would be to show him Mercy."

"A simple throw of the switch," Starscream said.

"Quick, Painless, Compassionate," the doctor explained.

My spark hurt. It felt sad. I stepped in and stated with the most authoritative tone I could muster,"I cannot permit you to kill Lord Megatron."

Starscream was more than just irritated. He demanded, "Why not? Can't you see he's in pain? Putting him out of his misery is the merciful thing."

I coldly spat, "Don't talk to me about mercy Starscream. You have no proof Megatron's in pain." My optics' stare pierced the Commander's spark. I reminded him, "Besides, I still owe our master a life debt."

Starscream glared at me maniacally, he proposed, "Then let us find another way to pay your life debt."

Tarn, I need to get Tarn.

I demanded, "Give Megatron another week. If he does not wake, then you may murder him."

Starscream shouted, "It is not murder! Megatron has not recovered in all of this time. Why do you think he'd wake up now?!"

"I have a debt to pay Starscream," I answered plainly. "If Megatron dies, I tried my best and I am free of it. If he wakes up, I have saved his life from you and your mercy, and am also free of it."

Starscream asked annoyed, "Soundwave? Do I take your silence to mean you concur with Knockout's medical expertise?"

Soundwave was silent.

I threatened Starscream, "With my plan you have nothing to lose, if you truly have the best intentions. The only thing you lose is power if Megatron wakes."

Soundwave did not move. He did not make any sign to whom he would agree with.

Starscream walked closer to the plug and slyly stated, "Speak now or forever hold your piece," Starscream looked back at Soundwave and asked, "Going, going..."

Soundwave pointed to the wire attached to Megatron's head.

Starscream acted intrigued. He mumbled, "Hmm." The commander saw the cord was connected from Megatron's head to another out-of-sight location. Starscream followed the cord.

He exclaimed, "What in!"

Two Autobots stood up and pointed their guns at Starscream. A ground bridge opened up behind them.

Starscream yelled, "Intruders!"

Arcee pointed her blaster and offered, "Allow me." She shot at the plug and jumped back into the portal.

Megatron's spark stopped beating.

Starscream sighed in relief. He triumphantly stated, "It was the inevitable outcome."

Soundwave glared at Starscream from underneath his visor.

Starscream growled, "Of course it would be wrong to allow Megatron to perish by an Autobot's hand," Starscream turned to me and submitted, "Shadow, you may have your week to pay for your life debt. But, we should plan to reconvene then." Starscream commanded the Doctor, "Knockout!"

Knockout put the plug back in its outlet.

Soundwave and I left. As we walked back to the command center, he asked, "After one week, what will become of Megatron?"

I answered, "I don't know. I'll have to ask Snowstorm to help me come up with a plan."

A lie, but of my real plan, Soundwave would not approve.

My friend asked a different question, "And what about your life debt?"

I answered, "Megatron is worth more to me than a debt. It being paid won't change a thing. Proof of this being that the debt was technically already paid a long time ago. Many times in fact. Our Lord actually owes me. But this isn't about that."

Soundwave and I waited in the command center. It wasn't until five minutes later that Matrix and Snowstorm burst in.

Matrix exclaimed proudly, "Look at my champion!" She ran over and hugged me. Matrix bragged, "My good friend Shadow, saved Megatron's life!"

Soundwave was intrigued at how this information spread so quickly. He walked over to Snowstorm to discuss the possibilities and outcomes.

Matrix jostled my head and complemented me, "Just look at that beautiful brain of yours! So quick! So smart! Say... What exactly is this life debt thing you used to out lawyer Starscream?"

"It's a binding contract based on a promise," I explained, "It was commonly used by cybertronians, almost regularly before the Great War. To have one shows great honor and loyalty."

Matrix cried, "Cool! I want one!"

I spent the next hour explaining why she did not.

Soundwave and Snowstorm had been predicting the rate gossip would travel and how far it would go.

Not much after I had finished explaining to Matrix, vehicons entered the command center. The ship's shielding was repaired. More interesting; however, was a new rumor circling the Nemesis. Soundwave picked it up. He and Snowstorm walked over.

Soundwave played the vehicon chatter, "Do you think it's true? You mean about Lord Starscream not being the one true heir? Yeah! I think it might actually be the Shadow of Death. Oh, definitely! She has always stood loyal with lord Megatron. Also, she succeeded in leading when Starscream did not! You're right! Did you notice how she never referred to Starscream as Lord? Yeah! When the spacebridge blew up, she refused to believe that Megatron was dead. She was right! She also refused to follow Starscream."

I was dying of laughter on the inside.

Snowstorm commented, "This is just some of the vehicon chatter we picked up."

Matrix asked, "There's more of it?"

Soundwave nodded.

Snowstorm continued, "Some of it goes far more in depth. The vehicons compare Shadow's successes to Starscream's failures. Some even have Vehicons denouncing Starscream as their one true Lord."

A smile grew from a tiny perk, to a monster, which had wrapped its tail around my face.

I gasped, "Wow." The smile faded. "Starscream's gonna kill me," and then I smirked.

...

"That's a shame."

"Procedure, it can be a bit much at times, but—"

"Anything approved by Megatron is high truth. Yes, I know."

"So, you see, this can't be done covertly."

"Yes Tarn, thank you for trying."

"Trying? You know, Megatron said trying was nothing but failure disguised. If you want success—"

"Starscream is planning to extinguish our Lord's spark."

"I'll send Ghost for recon."

"Thank you Tarn."

"Don't mention it... By the way, Sky Shadow's dead."

"Your team?"

"I can't say he met his end with peace, but I can assure you that you're now the only one of your name."

"..."

"Ghost will arrive as soon as she can. Keep the hierarchy in tact until then... and Shadow, take care. I enjoyed speaking with you again."