XXXIX - New Allies
I chuckled nervously, looking to the red doctor. "Bait? I-I'm not sure I follow."
He stood and began to pace back and forth, "If we want Starscream to wake up, we need a way of getting his spark back into his chassis. Let's say we take the sliver of your spark that belongs to Starscream, Seven, and stick it into his spark chamber." he tapped a finger against his chin in thought, "Doing so should force the rest of his spark to leave whatever state of limbo it currently is in–"
"Bringing him back online by re-entering his spark chamber," Arcee finished.
Ratchet nodded, "I can say with confidence from my knowledge of sparks and how they operate that your theory, Knock Out, stands to reason." he crossed his arms. "Perhaps there's a bit more substance behind your flashy finish than I thought."
Knock Out's eyebrows arched and he pretended to fiddle with an audial, "Am I being praised? By you?" he looked around, "Are any of you hearing this?"
Arcee gave him a look.
I cleared my vocalizer loudly, "Doctors? When and how do you intend to initiate this procedure? And what will I have to do?"
"As I'm sure you've gathered," Ratchet began, measuring out his words slowly as he looked to me, "the part of Starscream's spark occupying your own will have to be extracted from you and inserted into his spark chamber. I would like to do this as soon as possible. If you consider yourself ready, we can do it as soon as possible. However, with the equipment I have on hand, it may prove to be a challenge."
I realized my mouth was hanging open. "You have to do what?!"
Optimus stood, grabbing our attention. "I believe from this point on, it will be best to divert our efforts in order to divide and conquer. I will take a team of whoever wishes to go with me for our summit with Megatron, while Seven and the medics remain here."
"To bring Starscream back from the dead," Bumblebee finished, his optics falling onto the Seeker's lifeless chassis, still hooked up to its army of machines.
I looked up to Ratchet, then Knock Out, meeting both the doctors' optics. "I'll do it."
CYLAS transformed and landed less-than-gracefully on the upper deck of the Nemesis, Airachnid following suit behind him. The four other Seekers and Airachind's Insecticons came last, landing behind the pair.
"Spread out," CYLAS said, fanning his wings, "we will cover more ground–"
"No," the spider countered, stepping up, "spreading my armada thin will only bring about more casualties. We will storm this warship and find Megatron, if we have to go through his entire army to find him."
"You cannot order me or my men around," the Seeker growled, stepping up to her. His black optics glittered in the waxing light.
"Funny," she said, not looking at him but her Insecticons stepped closer, "I thought I just did. Follow me."
CYLAS ground his denta furiously, but followed into the depths of the ship.
Airachnid pressed the button next to the door granting access to the bridge. It opened to admit her, at least a hundred Insecticons behind her, CYLAS, and his smaller armada of Seekers.
"Megatron," she purred, "I believe I would like a rematch."
The warlord stood in the center of the room and turned around slowly, "I bested your warrior. Fight me yourself, and I will spare you the embarrassment of watching your armada die at my servo."
She cocked her helm at him, "Unless if I am mistaken, Dreadwing, Soundwave, and even you," she jerked her black helm at the silent mech on the edge of the room, "are not capable of taking on an Insecticon army of this magnitude."
"We shall see about that." he growled, turning to his TIC. Soundwave padded forward, Megatron and Dreadwing made way for him. "Annihilate her and her army." he ordered. They stood just behind the communications chief, safely inside an invisible radius only the three of them were aware of.
"Wait," CYLAS said, coming up beside Airachnid and held a servo out to stop her, "they're up to something."
"Ever so observant," she purred, not looking to him.
"Should we retreat?" he asked.
The black femme didn't get the chance to answer as Megatron took a surprised step forwards, shock on his faceplates. But he hid it quickly and drew himself up, "Starscream's clone, back once again?"
CYLAS gave him a slight, malicious smirk, "You are mistaken, Megatron. I imagine you might have recognized me had I worn Breakdown's chassis. I must say, it isn't right for the occasion."
"CYLAS," Megatron's expression darkened and his mouth plates thinned into a sneer, noticing the Seeker's black optics for the first time. He didn't face Soundwave but addressed the silent mech just the same, "End them."
Soundwave raised the resonance blaster above his helm and activated it. The Seeker and spider had lunged at the silver warlord in sync, but fell to the ground along with their warriors, gripping their helms and wailing. But no one, not even they could hear their screams as the piercing frequency tore through the room, sparing only Dreadwing, Soundwave, and Megatron.
"Finish them," the warlord ordered his second. Dreadwing nodded and pulled his minigun from its place on his back, firing rapid bursts of red plasma at the Insecticons. Megatron took it upon himself to fire shots at the four silver Seekers, balled up on the ground in agony.
Soon enough, only Airachnid and CYLAS remained among the sea of chassis. Soundwave silently deactivated the resonance blaster and lowered it, taking a step back while Megatron went forwards.
"So," he growled, his tone like water gliding over ice, "what was it you were saying, that we are incapable of taking on your army?" he sneered, stepping up to CYLAS' faceplates.
"Tell that to Airachnid," the scarred Seeker said in a deathly whisper.
The black spider looked to the slender mech beside her, "I believe that I am no longer in need of you or your men's assistance." she faced Megatron, "Do with him as you please."
CYLAS' wings flattened and his words came out in a low, threatening growl, "Airachnid, what do you intend to gain by ending our alliance?"
"I intend to not lose my function," she purred, not facing him.
Suddenly a ping rang out from a console, and Soundwave went over to investigate. He stopped mid-click and turned to Megatron, beckoning him over. "Watch them," the warlord growled to Dreadwing, and joined the silent mech at the console. His scarlet optics skimmed the text and he straightened, addressing his second. "Take them to the brig and send troops to clean this up." he waved an arm at the dead Insecticons carpeting the room.
"I will at once, my liege," the blue Seeker said, dipping his helm. Suddenly his minigun was trained on CYLAS' faceplates. "My twin lost his spark due to Starscream's incompetence," he growled.
"I am not Starscream, and I assure you that I am the reason your brother rests in peace. I avenged him. Starscream is no more, I stand in one of his clones' chassis." The silver mech hissed. "So lower that weapon."
"Dreadwing, stand down." Megatron ordered.
Airachnid took advantage of their momentary distraction and launched herself at the warlord, who fired his fusion cannon into her side at close range. She fell to the floor and skittered back on her spider legs, energon already trickling from the hole in her side.
"Do not tempt me to extinguish your spark, Airachnid." the silver warlord snarled.
CYLAS seized the moment and attacked the spider, opening fire on her. He wasn't used to having blasters, however, and missed by feet. She clucked her glossa, "Oh, CYLAS, do you want to fight me now too? But you will have to be careful, you're still just a human, no matter what form you take, and you might get hurt."
Megatron spoke up, seeing the opportunity. "I give my word that I will spare the victor and let them leave here unharmed." He turned back to face the screen and sent out a high-frequency signal, hoping to ping the Autobots' comm frequencies. The two fought ferociously in the background, not warranting his attention. He had instigated the battle, and the pair should have known that his word was worth nothing.
As expected, the Autobots picked up almost immediately. "Megatron," Optimus said in a tense, grim greeting.
"Optimus," the warlord transferred the link to his personal comm channel and silently directed Dreadwing and Soundwave to seize CYLAS and Airachnid, the former of which was leaking a profuse amount of energon from a helm wound. But the spider had lost an Insecticon leg, an impressive feat on the mutilated Seeker's part.
"My liege," Dreadwing asked, hitching his minigun onto his back, "they have no use to the Decepticons. Shall we not end this, here and now?"
"But Dreadwing," Megatron turned to his second after having muted the comm, "they do have their uses. Detain them."
The Seeker had to knock Airachnid unconscious to get her into cuffs, but CYLAS was far more willing, blinking energon out of his optics while glaring up at him in silent fury. "This is far from over," he growled quietly.
"That is what they always say when it is." Dreadwing retorted. He made to take them to the brig, but Megatron stopped him.
"No. We will be taking them with us."
His second was skeptical, but complied. "As you wish, my Lord." he gave CYLAS a contemptuous look, "I suggest delivering that abomination to Shockwave to study–"
"Silence!" Megatron barked. He unmuted the comm link and spoke into it, knotting his servos. "I presume that you wish to meet?"
"Indeed."
"I will permit you to join me aboard my warship for a short time." the warlord rumbled, "Whom are you bringing with you?"
"Arcee, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Smokescreen, Wheeljack, Ultra Magnus, and myself." the Prime stated.
"Does my former second's clone not wish to partake in the proceedings, as well as your medics?" Megatron asked innocently, nodding to Soundwave to activate the space bridge. The blue mech's fingers flew over the screens, entering in swift commands.
"They are otherwise engaged." Optimus stated vaguely.
"Provide your current coordinates." Megatron ordered.
The Prime did so, and the warlord knew with confidence that they were not the location of their base. Neither side had a reason to wholeheartedly trust the other. Yet.
Soundwave received the coordinates and sent them to the space bridge, activating it. They saw on a camera's feed that group of colorful Autobots cautiously emerged onto the upper deck of the Nemesis in a circle, blasters raised and pointed outwards. Only once they realized they weren't about to be attacked did they dare lower their blasters.
"Funny, a the leader of the Decepticons being true to his word." Wheeljack growled.
"Remind me," Smokescreen scanned possible places troops could be hiding in, "why didn't Sev come with us?"
"I don't think he chickened out, kid." Bulkhead said, knowing what the younger mech was implying.
The seven bots cautiously walked towards the doors leading into the ship. "We will be extremely vulnerable if we enter," Ultra Magnus pointed out, "it is hardly to our tactical advantage."
The doors opened, "Trust me," Megatron purred, standing in front of them, "we have a better view from up here."
Several bots' optics narrowed, but they gradually dispersed to the sides of the warship, looking down.
"Cybertron!" Arcee gasped.
"Indeed, and our homeworld is not as it once was," the warlord said, prompting them all to look closer. "The Omega Lock was the apex of the Ancients' creations." he remarked, the corners of his mouth plates smugly twitching upwards.
The Nemesis drifted slowly over Cybertron, a gleaming pearl of silver in a sea of blackness. It was no longer a war-torn graveyard and wasteland, but a sparkling new planet that hardly resembled its former self. Nature had taken over, metallic plains blanketing the planet and deep ravines crisscrossing it. Cities stood, but even from space, it was clear that there was work to do.
"How?" Bulkhead breathed, voicing everyone's thoughts.
"The Lock was destroyed," Bumblebee added breathlessly.
"Not before we Decepticons put it to its intended use," the warlord corrected.
"You shot a beam right into the Well of Allsparks, the heart of Cybertron itself." Smokescreen said, remembering the laser of blue light. The others wore similar expressions of revelation and amazement.
"We can go home," Arcee whispered.
The Nemesis began a slow descent to the surface of the metallic planet, affording them all a scenic view in a gentle spiral. Many of the Autobots present began talking excitedly amongst themselves, forgetting that they were aboard their enemies' warship as they discussed their plans.
They "landed" minutes later in the center of Kaon, the Decepticon capital. "After you," Megatron gestured to a platform that lined up perfectly with aft of the ship's flight deck. The Autobots slipped out of their reverie and looked to the Prime, who nodded.
"Megatron, I ask one favor of you." Optimus said as the others left, turning to the silver mech beside him. He returned the look expectantly, bemused. "Ratchet and Knock Out are about to attempt a procedure upon Seven and Starscream as we speak, one that will prove difficult, if not impossible, without the proper technology."
"You are asking to use one of Kaon's medical laboratories?" Megatron arched an eyebrow.
Optimus inclined his helm, "I am, and only for the duration of the procedure. We shall use whatever recovery time that is required for them on our own equipment."
"What need have your for Starscream's chassis?" the warlord pried.
"Starscream has been in a coma ever since his chassis met the cyber-matter of the Omega Lock." the red mech said.
"Impossible." Megatron scoffed, stopping in his tracks just before the entrance to a skyscraper.
"Is it any more impossible that Cybertron was restored through the same means?" Optimus asked.
"I wish to see him for myself," the silver mech rumbled. "That is not too much to ask, considering what you have requested."
"And end this conference?"
"We shall return in due time. The others will not know we have left."
Optimus thought it over for a moment, frowning slightly. He finally touched two fingers to the comm unit on the side of his helm, "Ratchet, move the humans to a safe location. I am bringing Megatron to our base."
Seven reclined on the med berth beside Starscream, his arms crossed behind his sleek helm as he stared up at the ceiling. Unannounced, Optimus strode into the room from the main entrance hallway, followed by none other than Megatron. The Seeker's wings twitched beneath him and he stood abruptly, looking at Valor. His red sword was in its black sheath across the room, safely tucked in an alcove, too far away to reach.
"So," the warlord said softly, striding across the room over to Starscream's chassis, "the rumors are true."
Seven skittered off the berth nervously and shrank behind Optimus. "W-why are you here?"
The silver mech fixed his ruby optics on the small Seeker, who froze. "Unless if your leader has spouted nothing but lies, my former second has been locked in stasis since our last battle." the Seeker edged out from behind his leader at this, considering Megatron's words. "Optimus has requested to use one of Kaon's medical facilities temporarily," he dipped his helm and his optics glinted, "in order to have the best chance at reviving him. I take it that is what you wish, is it not?"
Seven blinked, stunned. "More than an–but Kaon lies in ruin along with the rest of Cybertron. Unless if you intend to take him aboard the Nemesis—which is not happening, mind you—this derelict husk's med bay is the best we have to offer him."
"Do you recall when Megatron fired the Omega Lock into the Well of Allsparks?" Optimus asked, looking to Seven.
The Seeker's wings snapped up, quivering, "You aren't saying…"
"Indeed."
The smaller, winged mech clutched the edge of a table to steady himself, optics widening. "I-I never thought… I didn't think it possible, and the Lock was destroyed…" he breathed. "We can go home."
Megatron faced Ratchet and Knock Out, "Take your dear Starscream with you. I assume it won't be much trouble."
"Oh?" Ratchet raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest plate, "Who are we to take orders from you, and what might you know about medical technology? Transferring him is perilous. My pede is down."
"I know more than you think," the warlord cocked his helm knowingly. "Enough to know that you are bluffing, dear doctor, because you do not trust me."
"We can't just listen to him, Optimus!" The white medic exclaimed, turning to his leader.
"If he keeps his word, it remains our best option if we wish for Starscream to survive and obtain lasting peace." the Prime maintained.
Knock Out looked to Ratchet, who nodded solemnly. The red medic began unplugging the assortment of lines, cables, and IVs from Starscream's supine chassis, taking him off life support.
"What are you doing?!" Seven yelped, and lunged forwards to stop him.
"Easy!" the red medic exclaimed. "He will be fine for a few hours without life support! Nonetheless, I would like to be swift." he looked to Optimus.
Seven warily watched Megatron as the Prime left his side and gingerly lifted Starscream off the med berth like a rag doll. His double suddenly was struck with a flashback to when the Seeker had fallen into recharge beside the Prime. Optimus held him the same way as he had then, and judging by Knock Out's expression, he was thinking of the moment as well. Ratchet was unreadable.
Megatron led the way to the space bridge that he and Optimus had come through, gesturing for the red mech to go through first. "After you." The Prime entered the vortex with a flash of light and vanished, Starscream with him.
Ratchet glared at the warlord, "You next."
"As you wish," Megatron inclined his silver helm at the medic and spun on his heel strut, stepping into the vortex.
"I don't trust him," Ratchet announced after the silver mech's exit, looking to his two companions. "The both of you are ex-Decepticons, so I'm certain you will agree with me in thinking that he isn't helping us out of the goodness of his spark."
"Whatever was good in his spark died a long time ago," Knock Out quipped. "Not even dark energon could bring it back."
"Did he not have a close friendship with Optimus early on?" Seven asked, looking to the white medic.
"Yes, but that Megatron perished a long time ago, as Knock Out said."
"Starscream died as well, and we are bringing him back."
"Turning one's helm is not so easily done." Ratchet crossed his arms. "Least of all the first offender's."
"Starscream, Knock Out, and I are living proof that it can be done, are we not?" the Seeker challenged, mirroring the medic's stance.
"None of you were extremely loyal to the Decepticon cause, last I checked. But we are wasting valuable time while we just stand here bickering." Ratchet said, effectively ending the conversation. "Fortunately, on Cybertron, our chances of resurrecting Starscream increase dramatically. And it is not merely because if Megatron upholds his word, we will have access to better technology."
"But because he will be closer to the Well of Allsparks. It is where sparks go to when their chassis are no more." Knock Out added, tapping his chin. Seven went over and retrieved Valor, sheathing it into its place on his back between his wings. The Seeker fingered its pommel thoughtfully, hoping that he will never have to use it again.
"Exactly." Ratchet looked to the Seeker as the three walked through the portal, "Seven, are you ready? It goes without saying that this procedure with your spark and Starscream's may very well turn fatal. We need to extract the sliver of his spark from yours, something that has never been done before."
"Are neither of you capable medics?" Seven's wings fanned out. "I am acutely aware of the stakes. However, if you can bring Starscream back and I die, why not do the same for me?"
Knock Out sighed, deflating. "It isn't that simple. This is a one-way street, Seven. Once the piece of his spark is extracted from yours, the connection between you both will be severed, and I say that with certainty. If your chassis cannot handle the procedure and your spark leaves," he swallowed nervously, "that's it."
Seven's optics widened and his wings flattened. "I have to do this. For Starscream's sake and mine, do it quickly." his ruby optics fell onto his double's limp form in Optimus' arms. "Do it before I have enough time to scare myself out of it."
Megatron let out a dark chuckle from the corner of the room. "Doctors, I imagine that you will find the layout of this medical bay exceedingly similar to that of the Harbinger's. This used to be one of Shockwave's laboratories, until he offered it to me to in turn give to you. Use it wisely, and try not to break anything." And with that, he was gone.
"He knows the location of our base?" Knock Out breathed, looking to Optimus in horror.
"We didn't think!" Seven exclaimed, already on a med berth, his wings vibrating beneath him. "He recognized the inside of the ship, how else? Starscream was sent to scout the Harbinger's wreckage twice, and Megatron knew of it. How many Decepticon ships have crash-landed on this very planet that my twin knows of and has visited twice? Only one, I should think!" he fumed, "I am the reason that Lord Megatron has discovered our base's location not only once, but twice!" He hit his leg in anger. The Seeker fell back against the berth and stared up at the ceiling, chest plate heaving as he fought for control over his emotions. "I am also the reason that MECH found our old base in the first place," he said quietly, "they must have picked up the signal from your rescue ground bridge when I was trapped in the shadow zone and traced it. Then they gift wrap Starscream's T-Cog and hand it to us, and he dies." he bit his lip, looking at Starscream who was on the berth beside him once again.
Optimus went over to the small Seeker's side and knelt down beside the berth, "A chain of events leads to everything that happens, making it easy for anyone to blame themselves if they look in the right places. But some things are out of our control, such as Starscream's virus. We could not save him then. The cause of his termination was out of our control, but its effect is within it. If we wish to achieve all our aims, we must confront them simultaneously with our combined power. We will rebuild Cybertron, revive Starscream, and make peace with Megatron and his Decepticons." The Prime straightened up and Seven's optics followed him as he walked away, beginning to fill with hope. "Wherever you go, Seven, know that we will always be with you." he smiled down at the Seeker and the doors closed in front of him.