On the Nemesis, Megatron approached Starscream on the main deck as all four Omega Keys were lined up on the floor in front of him.
"Few things of value come without a price. So tell me, Starscream, what is it that you wish in return?" Megatron asked.
"Only to be a Decepticon once again." Starscream replied, bowing to Megatron on his knees.
"Dreadwing is my first lieutenant now." Megatron said, gesturing to the Seeker captain beside him.
"And I accept that much has changed during my absence. I only wish to serve you, my one true master, in any way that you deem fit." Starscream said respectfully.
"I am deeply impressed by your accomplishment, Starscream. And know that I will put your offerings to good use, whatever the outcome." Megatron proclaimed.
"Outcome? Of what?" Starscream asked in confusion.
"See to it that Knock Out is extracted from the wall." Megatron ordered Dreadwing.
Later on, Megatron and Starscream were seen laying on opposite tables in the medical room with a freed Knock Out stretching his metal limbs nearby.
"Ah, it's good to be back." Knock Out said happily before he approached Megatron, plugging a Cortical Psychic Patch cable to the back of his table. "Now, what will we be fishing for today, my liege?"
"Starscream's true motives." Megatron answered, looking at his former air commander on the other side.
Starscream gained a nervous expression after hearing this and Knock Out plugged the other end of the cable to his table. This caused Starscream's eyes to widen as everything went black.
We are soon shown the moment when a Megatron is caught in the middle of his old Space Bridge exploding around him. Just like before, Starscream watched the entire thing from the Nemesis' main deck.
"Decepticons, it is with deep sorrow that I note for the log. Megatron's Spark…has been extinguished." Starscream said softly, until he showed a sinister smile. "All hail Starscream."
"All hail Starscream!" The Vehicons shouted in celebration.
"Well, well. You certainly didn't waste any time." Megatron's voice said, leaving Starscream surprised as he looked around and saw Megatron standing very near him.
"W-What?! I just watched you perish!" Starscream exclaimed.
"I did not perish then, and I'm very much with you now. The present you, as well as the past." Megatron replied with an amusing tone.
"All hail Starscream!" The Vehicons cheered as Starscream turned around to see a dream version of himself dancing in front of them.
"I can't hear you!" The dream Starscream stated.
"All hail Starscream!" The Vehicons cheered once again.
"One more time!" The memory Starscream yelled in enthusiasm.
"All hail Starscream!" The Vehicons cheered again.
In the real world, Knock Out was watching the entire thing on a monitor.
"Heh, mind if we tag along for the show, pal?" Deadend's voice spoke up as he, Shadow Striker, Sky-Byte, Lockdown, Clobber, and Bludgeon came in after hearing the commotion as they watched the monitor.
"W-Wait, is that Starscream's memories?" Shadow Striker asked in amusement.
"Oh, a little of his memory, but from what I'm seeing, it's his imagination." Knock Out said with a smirk.
"This is going to be juicy." Sky-Byte smirked.
"Oh, I wish we brought some energon." Lockdown said with a smirk. "But this will be good with this fantasy that is now embedded in our neural circuits." He said as they continued to watch the show.
"All hail Starscream!" The Vehicons called as the Dream Starscream did a weird dance as the real one turned away from the Vehicons cheering for his dream counterpart.
Starscream let out a timid laugh. "You're inside my head, aren't you?" He asked Megatron embarassedly.
"The Cortical Psychic Patch. You see, there are no secrets in here. Only your memories."
Megatron explained as everything around him and Starscream went dark, leaving a single spotlight on them. "You cannot manipulate their content or modify their outcome. What we see is how it happened."
The scene started showing many flashbacks of Starscream's moments throughout the story. The first was of Starscream telling Optimus to bow before him in the canyon where he awakened Skyquake, the second was when Starscream angrily commanded Knock Out to call him 'Lord' and the final flashback was Starscream telling the imprisoned Seaspray that he was the new leader of the Decepticons.
"Now, where did we leave off? Oh yes, all hail Starscream?" Megatron recalled, staring down at Starscream intimidatingly. "A rather obvious motif, Starscream. You deem yourself more able to lead the Decepticons than myself?"
"No! Not anymore. I have learned from my many failures, master." Starscream reassured.
Then, we are shown the flashback of Starscream addressing his five clones of their task as Nacelle interrupted him by saying they were to help the former air commander gain leadership of the Decepticons.
"That clone said it, not me!" Starscream protested.
"It seems you would stop at nothing to disrupt my rule. Including assassination!" Megatron stated, unconvinced.
"It was their idea, not mine!" Starscream told him pleadingly.
However, another flashback was displayed and it was when Starscream had attempted to convince Airachnid to join him in a plan to use her mind-controlled Insecticon to terminate Megatron.
"I see no clones here. Was this their idea, too?" Megatron asked rhetorically.
Starscream tried to give an excuse,"I don't remember any of this. I must have been half-crazed at the time. A victim of Energon deficiency." Starscream lied in a dramatic way.
"Tell me why I should welcome back someone who's every waking impulse has been to thwart me, undercut me, OVERTHROW ME?!" Megatron demanded with a furious glare, stomping towards the Seeker.
"Not true!" Starscream quickly said in fear.
"I have always put your well-being before my own." Starscream pleaded as the next flashback was of Starscream pulling the Dark Energon shard from Megatron's severely damaged body.
"How does this revolting chapter constitute attending to my well-being?" Megatron questioned, particularly mad from seeing the memory.
"I was simply trying to help, by ridding you of the dark matter polluting your body." Starscream replied nervously.
After the flashback showed Starscream gloating over an unconscious Megatron, it changed again to show the time Starscream was stuck lifting a ginormous boulder inside the collapsed cave.
"I even risked being buried alive for you." Starscream reminded.
But Megatron still wasn't convinced when the memory Starscream said his intentions on helping him were true. "Were they, Starscream?! Were they ever?!" Megatron asked angrily while marching up to Starscream.
The next flashback was of Starscream barely escaping the cave-in, only to furiously realize Megatron would come for him if he survived or that one of his other followers would come save him to gain grateful credit. After he saw this memory, Starscream couldn't muster any excuse and looked on in worriedness.
"A word of advice? Stop thinking aloud." Megatron told his former air commander.
"I don't want to play this game anymore!" Starscream stated cowardly, seeing there was no way he explain this. "Take the keys! We'll pretend I was never here!"
"No, Starscream! There are only two possible outcomes based upon what I find here in your twisted little mind!" Megatron stated as Starscream gave a terrified look, "If I do not deem that you're worthy of rejoining the Decepticons, you will perish on this very day." he announced with a stern glare.
"Uh, Isn't termination rather extreme?" Starscream questioned fearfully. "I mean, a really good trancing usually straightens me out, doesn't it?" He asked backing away with his servos up.
A bunch of flashbacks started to be shown when Megatron abused, punished, and tortured Starscream for his many failures or betrayals.
"Why wouldn't you wish to harness my talent for the Decepticon cause when I have so much deviousness to offer?" Starscream asked.
The next flashback was when Starscream had presented Megatron with the deceased Cliffjumper body for his Dark Energon test.
"See how generous I can be, my liege." Starscream reminded, hopeful his old master would spare him from seeing this memory.
"When it suits you." Megatron retorted.
The memory flashed forward to when the undead Cliffjumper started attacking the two Vehicons, with Starscream observing in horror.
"At other times, you can be quite insolent!" Megatron stated insultingly.
"Apologies, it's just that I've gone to so much trouble to terminate the Autobot in the first place." Starscream admitted, though all he did was dealt the final blow on Cliffjumper.
In the next flashback, the undead Autobot charged at Megatron and the Decepticon leader effortlessly sliced him in half with his blade.
"Trouble would have been facing him as a gladiator." Megatron said.
"I've always considered my wits to be my sharpest weapon." Starscream replied proudly.
The next memory was when Starscream battled Optimus, Ironhide Windblade, Drift, Dreadwing, Lockdown and Clobber with the Apex Armor, only to then collapse through the ice when a bunch of explosions engulfed him.
"You'll never learn, Starscream. Your arrogance will trump your wits every time." Megatron told him.
This was proven correct when multiple flashbacks showed Starscream attempting to revive Skyquake with Dark Energon before getting his arm shot off, using the Energon Harvester on Bulkhead as the dark-green Wrecker used all of his strength to resist and punch Starscream in the head, then it was the time Starscream accidentally confessed to have kill Cliffjumper to Arcee and she angrily aimed her blasters at him, then when Smokescreen used his Phase Shifter to knock Starscream out of the Apex Armor, and finally it showed the moment when Silas and his M.E.C.H troopers stole Starscream's T-Cog. This last flashback was something Megatron was not expecting.
"You no longer possess the ability to take flight?" Megatron asked in surprise.
"Ah, yes. I was going to bring that up, and as you might imagine, my predicament pains me to no end." Starscream said embarrassingly.
The next flashback was of Starscream addressing his clones of their mission outside the Harbinger with the Mercenaries following them, with the former air commander very shocked by the fact his clones possessed their own T-Cogs. It also showed the time Starscream miserably rode his Cybertronian bike through the Antarctic.
"I hope that you might see fit to express your gratitude for the Omega Keys by restoring my jet mode. After all, would I not be more valuable to you with wings?" Starscream questioned.
Many flashbacks were displayed of when Starscream used his expert jet form skills to get himself out of any situation.
"Oh, I do transform with an exceptional sense of style…" Starscream stopped himself when he realized what he said. "I said that aloud, didn't I?"
In the next flashback, Starscream was ranting on about how Megatron tried to execute him and how Airachnid simply abandoned him to the Autobots' mercy, saying he'd prefer to get even by ratting them out.
"No one asked you to leave the Decepticon folds." Megatron proclaimed.
"I wasn't exactly made to feel welcome at the time." Starscream said as the next flashback was of Megatron attempting to execute Starscream in the abandoned mines, falling on his knees for mercy. "Despite the fact that I had seen the error of my ways and dedicated my Spark to you."
In another flashback, Starscream is speaking out his monologue about how he was always meant to be Megatron's loyal second in command with Soundwave listening.
"Until the next opportunity arises to subvert me." Megatron retorted.
Next, the flashback displayed Starscream and Knock Out speaking to each other in silence. They talked about how Megatron could remain in his mind-sleeping state forever if they convinced Soundwave there was no point in saving him, and both of them agreed to this plan for a position of power for the Decepticon doctor.
In the real world, Knock Out saw this old memory and he grew very worried while the other Decepticons looked surprised and turned to the doctor. "You tried to do what?" Skye-Byte questioned with a brow.
"You were agreeing to offline Megatron? Clobber asked in a bit of a surprise tone.
"Uh oh. Does this thing have a fast-forward button? Or better yet erase?!" Knock Out asked frantically, pressing random buttons.
Unfortunately, the monitor's screen started showing the next flashback of the moment Starscream and Knock Out explaining to Soundwave that Megatron is not capable of being saved from his deathless slumber and that the most appropriate thing to do would show him mercy by taking him offline.
"Oh, and Megatron saw it." Lockdown said with a cringed.
"Dude, Megatron's so gonna have your chassis." Deadend said with a cringe look.
"You think I don't know that?! When Megatron comes out of it, he'll do more than just stick me back in that wall! He'll have Starscream's head and mine!" Knock Out exclaimed worriedly, until he saw the Cortical Psychic Patch cable hanging under Megatron's table and approached it. "But, if I disconnect before a power-down, the link is severed and…the big guy will never emerge from Starscream's head." He said to himself going over to Megatron's end of the Cord and was about to grab it before Dreadwing grabbed the Doctor's hand while the other cons aimed their weapons at him.
"Everything okay here?" Dreadwing asked in a dangerous tone.
"…Just checking cable integrity." Knock Out said, turning the cable back into place.
"That's what we thought." Skye-Byte said as he and the other cons lowered their weapons.
"Quiet." Knock Out hissed as all of them turned their attention back to the monitor.
"Is it any wonder that I've come to value loyalty above all else?" Megatron asked.
"Heh. Well, you know we are Decepticons. I'm sure that even your beloved Dreadwing isn't perfect." Starscream replied sheepishly.
"No one is perfect, Starscream. But like his departed twin, Dreadwing understands honor." Megatron proclaimed.
Two more flashbacks were then shown. The first was when Starscream awakened Skyquake to serve as his trustworthy warrior, only for Dreadwing's twin to proclaim that he only serves Megatron as Starscream attempted to convince him that Megatron had perished with little success along with when Bumblebee had made Skyquake crash down to the surface. The second one was of Starscream using the Dark Energon he stole from Megatron to try and revive the now deceased Skyquake as a Terrorcon, along with showing the undead Skyquake getting his arm blasted off by the missile that was launched at him by the Hexside Squad.
"I understand he perished that day." Megatron said.
"Well, Skyquake is neither living nor dead. And no doubt continues to wander through some dimensional nether-realm in search of his missing limb." Starscream admitted.
"It would be wise to keep that to yourself around the Nemesis." Megatron instructed.
However, Dreadwing had seen and heard all of this and he slowly started to put on a very angry expression. Noticing this, the other Decepticons gave nervous looks while looking away, twiddling their fingers, scratching their heads, clearing their throats, or whistling innocently.
"Awkward." Knock Out muttered, placing a hand on his head.
In the mind world, Starscream was surprised by the last sentence Megatron had just spoken.
"Does this mean…?" Starscream began to ask, gaining a very hopeful smile.
"Yes. I will allow you to return to our ranks. If only because you are more valuable beside me than against me." Megatron answered, feeling like he'd regret this in the near future.
"Oh-ho-ho, thank the Allspark!" Starscream cheered in absolute happiness, falling to his knees.
"In-fighting has nearly destroyed the Decepticons during your absence. We must operate as a United front if we are to revive and conquer Cybertron. That means each and every one of us…Knock Out!" Megatron said, glaring out in the open.
In the real world, Megatron was actually seen glaring right through the screen as The Decepticons jolted back in freight when they saw this, "H-How did he…?" Clobber asked nervously.
"Lord Megatron is no ordinary Decepticon," Skye-Byte explained.
"Megatron sure knows how to patch things up, eh fellas?" Knock Out asked jokingly while trying to lighten the mood with a shudder.
"You could say that. And try not mash up Starscream too much, okay Dread-" Shadow Striker paused as they saw the Seeker Commander was no longer in the room, "Dreadwing?" She asked with a brow.
"Where did he go?" Clobber asked.
"I think I saw him leave the room just after seeing what really happened to his twin." Lockdown said while gesturing to the door.
"He probably just went to blow off some exhaust." Deadend reasoned.
On the bridge of the Nemesis, lightning began to emit from the dark clouds and a heavy rainstorm poured itself down onto the Decepticon warship. Astrotrain was left with no choice but to endure it since he was too big to fit inside the nemesis, but he didn't mind before he saw Dreadwing was standing over the edge of the bridge as he thought about what he just witnessed.
"Hello, Dreadwing. Doing alright?" Astrotrain asked, but Dreadwing kept his optics away from him as he stood quiet. "Dreadwing?" He asked in confusion again as Dreadwing stopped on the other end of the runway.
Not only was his own twin brought back from the dead in such a disgraceful way, but Starscream, the one responsible for that and was only pledging loyalty to Megatron out of cowardice, and not only was Megatron allowing this, but he was aware of Skyquake's resurrection and said nothing to him. To Dreadwing, there was absolutely nothing honorable about any of this and that Optimus' opinions of his master turned out to be true. Dreadwing then let out an angry shout that could be heard throughout the entire rainstorm, which made Astrotrain flinch at his outburst, seeing how mad Dreadwing was right now as he kept quiet.
Dreadwing knew there was only decision he needed to do to ensure his brother would be avenged, a decision that once made would seal his fate forever.
Short but simple.
There wasn't much to change in terms of this chapter since it was mostly just memories of Starscream and the extra Decepticons enjoying the show.
But now, Dreadwing has been made aware of Skyquake's fate and is definitely not happy about it.
Stay tuned, The Autobots managed to find a means to reclaim the Omega Keys and journey to Cybertron to revive it, but Megatron has other means of getting them back, in "Regeneration".