I have to say, I decided I really liked this chapter when I went back and did the editing on it. Might be one of my favs. :D
Hope you enjoy it too!

Chapter 13

A message had just come in from Starscream. The rogue Decpeticon was unlikely to contact them unless he required something, usually medical aid for himself. The snivelling mech would do anything to ensure his own well-being.

Standing at the console, Ratchet read out the communique, "'I have obtained something of interest to you which seems to be of no practical use to me.'"

"It's gotta be the Omega Key!" Bulkhead burst out.

Smokescreen threw his arms up in frustration. "He's the one who blind-sided me and Violet!"

The two wheeler huffed, "What else could he be referring to?"

"Ep ep," interrupted Ratchet, "There's more. 'Bring medical kit. I only ask for the surgical replacement of my T-cog in return.'"

The large green mech scoffed, "Pffugh, like we're gonna give Scream back his wings."

"Without the missing key, Cybertron will remain devoid of life," reminded their medic, "We need it."

"Hey broken record I know, but it could be a trick," commented Arcee, hands on her hips. It was not as if Starscream had never tried that before.

"It is possible that Starscream does not yet realise the significance of what he holds," suggested Optimus, knowing that if that were true there may still be hope.

"And we do know that he has been incapable of flight for some time," added Ratchet, considering the validity of the rogue's message.

Prime continued, "The stakes are too great for us not to consider Starscream's proposal. However, we will take precautions."

Violetwind hung back, contemplating the situation. It might be a while before she could speak to Ratchet now, but there was good news on the horizon. They were within reach of obtaining all four Omega Keys and reviving Cybertron. She knew she should be pleased at this but she was not. There were too many things wrong in her mind and she felt she could not get excited until they were sorted out.

Walking forward she went up to Optimus. "Sir, I'd like to come with you when you go to confront Starscream."

"Are you sure that is wise after recent events? You are still in need of recovery and require rest," the mech gazed upon her with concern.

"I'm fine. Nothing serious just a few dents. I want to come," she told him firmly. However, the femme kept silent about her reason behind going; her desire for answers. The last time she had met the ex-Decepticon he had said something that interested her. He might possibly knew more about what was wrong with her and if he knew something, she desperately wanted to find out what it was.

Optimus conceded and nodded slowly. "You may come. Bulkhead, you will accompany us as well. Autobots, prepare to roll out." He then strode off to place their two new keys in the vault.

Please don't go, pleaded her voice knowing that she wished to speak with Starscream.

I'm going. If you're not going to give me answers then I'll find bots who will.

No! Scrap. Stop it. You can't.

Shut up! I don't want to hear any more from you! You- you're hiding something important and I will not stand for secrets any more!

...

Not long afterwards four Autobots exited the ground bridge at the coordinates Starscream had supplied. Bulkhead took the lead, his blaster out as he warily looked around. Beside him Optimus had his own right arm blaster ready, glancing about in case the rogue was to try something. Violetwind and Ratchet followed behind them, the femme also with her weapons prepared, but hoping she would not need to use them.

The green mech was the first to spot something, pointing towards it, "There."

It was Starscream, sitting slumped over with his back to a rock.

Pointing his gun at the ex-Decepticon Prime spoke gruffly, "Starscream, show us the Omega Key."

However the mech did not answer, or even move for that matter, which confused the group. He usually started whining as soon as he noticed someone who would listen. It was not like him to be silent. They approached him cautiously, knowing it could, in all likelihood, be setting a trap.

Violetwind noticed the hole in his chest, scorch marks surrounding it. She wondered just how much medical attention he really needed. A hole in one's chest that size looked like it would hurt about as much as the one in her side had.

"Give it up, Scream," Bulkhead knocked the rogue's helm causing him to fall to the side. "Huh?"

Ratchet moved forward to examine the mech, "We're too late."

"He's dead?" the femme was not sure how she felt about that.

Grunting the medic responded, "He is. A T-cog won't help him now." Leaning down he took out his scanner, going over his body. After a moment a confused frown crossed his face.

"What is it?" Violetwind asked, wondering what was wrong, other than Starscream being dead.

"Starscream has been deceased for some time..." muttered Ratchet.

The large green mech looked confused, "How's that possible if he just sent us the message?"

Realisation shone from Optimus' optics as he came to understand. Starscream must have been able to process the speed enhancing red energon which he stole from them shortly after Smokescreen arrived on earth, but before Violetwind's arrival. The flightless seeker must have planned to use it.

"We have been deceived." Immediately he called into his comm link, "Arcee, close the ground bridge. Now!"

Coming through the vortex, they could sort of see that something was there. All of them prepared for battle, blasters at the ready; even Ratchet had his swords out.

"Autobot's maintain positions!" commanded their leader.

The shadowy figure was slowing down and appearing more solid in their sights. It moved boldly, straight through the four of them. Slowing further, they could tell it was the rogue seeker himself, his faster than normal speed wearing off.

Turning around after him, Optimus pointed a blaster right in his face.

Starscream looked shocked as he stared down the barrel of the weapon. He chuckled nervously, "The red energon wore off, didn't it?"

Seeing what the mech had in his arms, Ratchet's optics widened as he muttered in surprise, "He has the Omega Keys!"

Seeing his unfavourable predicament, the silver mech let out yell and fired his remaining missile at the Autobots. They dived out of the way and he used the distraction to make a break for it.

Sitting up, Violetwind narrowed her optics after the retreating mech. She was determined not to let him get away, not only for herself but also for the fate of Cybertron. He could not be allowed to escape with those keys.

The others were already charging after the ex-decepticon, so she transformed into her vehicle mode and sped after them. While Optimus and Bulkhead fired upon Starscream she tore right by, speeding up behind him.

No, don't do this.

Shut up, you don't control me!

Seconds after she thought this, she rammed into the rogue sending him flying over a small cliff. Not having realised it was there, Violetwind found herself falling over the edge after him.

I told you...

Not now. Transforming mid air, she landed on her pedes.

Starscream had not been so lucky; he was picking himself up and quickly trying to gather the relics as well as fumbling with another device. Seeing her, he muttered to himself desperately, "Come on!"

The femme was running towards him when a ground bridge opened up near the seeker. Grinning from relief he turned to give her sly smile and a wave. "Goodbye Autobot."

Her spark tightened but she was not about to give up yet. Transforming into her alt-mode once again she poured on the power, engine roaring as she put the pedal to the metal once again.

Upon seeing her catching up, Starscream shrieked and dashed into his ground bridge. Right on his heels, Violetwind leapt in after him.

On the other side the two raced out into a room on the crashed Decepticon ship Starscream had been using since going rogue. There the mech was frantically trying to figure out how to get out of this mess, while the femme was seeking the keys and answers to her plethora of questions.

Returning to robot mode she drew out her swords. "Starscream, hand over the Omega Keys. I can't let you have them."

Facing her, he clung to the keys, pressing them against his chest. "Well I'm not giving them to you." With narrowed optics he sent her a glare, the low light only enhancing the chilling effect. "You're all alone and you don't have the guts to make me. I'm going use these and gain a position back under Megatron's command, cause you were right. It is lonely out here on my own. And it would mean I don't have to keep scrounging for energon like a common pest!"

The femme winced at this news, feeling guilty Without meaning to she may have caused this incident due to their conversation back at the canyon. This was certainly not what she had been intending when she was talking to him though.

Staring at the mech, she contemplated her next move, because honestly, she did not have a plan. Catching him had been her main goal, anything after that had not really been considered.

Slowly she took in air, before replying, "I may not be as you remember me, Starscream but I do know how to fight and even if I don't want to, I will if I have to. I can't let you take those back to Megatron." She pointed a blade in his direction, "So hand them over."

The mech smirked. "Are you sure, 'Violetwind?'" He said her slowly and deliberately. "You know I believe I have come to a conclusion about you."

"Yeah? What is it?" she asked curiously, falling for his distraction.

"I can hardly believe she managed to do it... Such a shame the problem couldn't have been cracked sooner..."

"What? What is it?!" she cried out frantically, dropping her weapons and taking a step closer. A tight feeling clenched her very spark, stirring with the desire for truth. She had to know, she just had to.

The rogue chuckled. Clearly she did not know and this only aroused his amusement all the more. "Just tell me one thing, Violetwind. What's it like having someone else-"

The femme did not get to hear the rest, her own scream of pain echoing through the grounded spacecraft. A terrible pain shot through her helm. The femme doubled over from the anguish, clutching at her helm wishing, praying, for it to stop.

Not one to waste an opportunity, Starscream put down the keys and opened up a ground bridge beside the femme. Stepping up beside her, he yelled over her screams, "I guess I'll save it for another time. You look busy. Let's not have you come visit again shall we."

Reaching over, the silver seeker shoved her through the vortex, cackling as he did so.

There was little she could do in response, the pain was too overwhelming to her senses. Her thoughts were consumed with the torment her helm was giving her, rendering her useless.

Falling out of the ground bridge she lay there for a few moments as the pain resided. Rolling over onto her back she looked up at the starry sky, ignoring the discomfort in her door wings. The red soil she lay on and shrub-land surrounding her escaped her notice. She did not care for anything around her, any indication where in the world she was or even about getting back to base. Instead she began to cry. Tears rolled down her metal cheeks and onto the ground.

The physical pain in her helm had disappeared but it had been replaced by the pain of failure. The hurt of still not knowing. And the guilt of having caused Starscream to want to do something that would allow him to rejoin the Decepticons. Plus the loss of the Omega Keys.

She did not know how long she lay there. It could not have been more that a few minutes but to her it felt like hours. The glowing blue-green of a ground bridge opened up near her but she did not bother to look over at it. It did not matter to her who came out, whether they were Decepticon or Autobot.

However, luckily it was the Autobots who stepped out. They were ready for battle, weapons at the ready. The five bots quickly assessed the situation and saw that the coast was clear, Violetwind being the only being around. Though considering her state of being they were confused and concerned, rushing over.

"Vi, are you alright?" asked Smokescreen with worry in his voice.

"I'm fine," she muttered grumpily as she sat up. "I wasn't able to get the keys back either."

"We will find a way to regain possession of the Omega Keys. The life of our fellow Autobot is not so easy to replace," Optimus told her, his optics filled with compassion.

"You're not trying to turn into Smokescreen, running off on your own are you?" grinned Arcee her arms folded.

Not in the mood for jokes, the purple femme sent her a dark glare, surprising the two wheeler, the rest of the bots sharing a concerned glance of surprise.

"Is there something wrong, Violetwind?" asked their leader.

"I'm fine," she replied curtly.

"Hey, let's get you back to base," suggested Smokescreen, starting to help her to her pedes.

Shaking off his grip, she growled, "I don't need help," and got up on her own.

Arcee and Optimus shared a worried glance, while the rookie stared at her with wide optics, at her harsh brush off. It was not like her.

Together they walked back through the ground bridge. As soon as they entered to base, Optimus ordered Violetwind to the medical bay, worried she might try to avoid it if it was just a suggestion. Quietly he asked Bulkhead to make sure she stayed there.

The purple femme did as he asked, but shot Bulkhead a harsh glance as he followed along after her.

Before Ratchet could go and fix her up, their leader took him aside. "Old friend, make sure Violetwind is mentally well as well as physically, when you see to her. She was not her usual self when we met up with her." Optimus glanced in the direction of the medical bay, "I fear something has affected her deeply."

Ratchet nodded, "I'll do that, Optimus."

...

Violetwind was laying down on the berth as Ratchet worked on fixing her dents. The air was tense, neither bot saying a word; one not wanting to talk, the other not sure what to say.

As he worked, the mech tried to figure out what was wrong with her. She had been acting strangely since returning from the warship. It made him wonder what had occurred there and what had caused her to be so persistent in her pursuit of Starscream. Something very strange was going on.

Not sure what else to say he tried to prompt her with what she wanted to talk to him about earlier. "There was something you wished to discuss, wasn't there?"

The purple femme avoided his gaze simply replying, "No."

The medic grunted. "That's a lie."

"No. There's nothing I want to say. To anyone!" she insisted firmly.

Ratchet stopped his repair work, absolutely certain something was wrong now. "You're hiding something. What is it?" he questioned firmly, not ready to take no for an answer. He'd dealt with some of the feistiest, most stubborn bots during the war, handling one femme would be easy.

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied adamantly. To emphasise this she rolled onto her side so her back was to him.

Not about to stand for this, Ratchet yanked on her door wing eliciting a squeal of pain from the femme as he forced her onto her back again. Huffing angrily he stared right into her optics. "Don't think you're going to leave this berth without explaining yourself!"

Violetwind huffed, still avoiding his gaze.

"Did those Decepticons do something to you? Violetwind, I need to know! I can't help you if you don't tell me!" He got up in her face, staring into her optics.

Taking a shaky intake of air, soft tears began to flow from her optics. "No, it wasn't them..."

"Then what?" he asked, his tone much more gentle.

She closed her optics to sob for a moment before she opened them, looking up at the medic. "I need to know... Who I am..."

Her answer was not what he was expecting, causing his mouth to open and close a few times as he tried to process it. Eventually he uttered, "You're Violetwind. An Autobot and part Team Prime. And one femme, who has surprising, been almost as much trouble as Miko."

"No, Ratchet... I mean... Ratchet, something's wrong with me, with my head... with that voice..." She replied through her tears, staring at her hands as she played with her fingers.

"Ah..." he realised where some of her anxiety was coming from. Leaning back he glanced over at his monitors, wondering if he should tell her anything. It was not like he could explain what he had found himself, nothing like this had ever existed as far as he knew. He did not even understand what had caused it. Venting heavily he looked down at the troubled femme. "Listen... I'm sure there's nothing to worry about," he did his best to reassure her, "We'll work through this."

"Starscream... I thought he knew something- does know something... About my voice... I... I didn't get to finish talking to him because of a terrible ache in my helm and then he kicked me out..." Violetwind admitted, reaching a hand up to wipe the lubricant from her face.

Looking over her thoughtfully he fetched his scanner. "I'll take another look over your processor to check and compare it with the previous scans later."

Finishing that task he got back to repairing her dents, neither of them talking again, each with their minds revolving around Violetwind's mysterious voice and its purpose there.