Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OC Siren and any alterations to the original storyline plot her presence creates to various readers amusement everywhere across the globe.
Transformers One: Siren Chapter 8
"All right. Wake them up."
Orion, D-16, Siren, Elita-1, and B-127 are woken out of stasis from shocks to their systems.
Once the five of them regain their bearings they find that they're in a major pickle.
D-16, Orion, Siren, Elita-1, and B-127 are surrounded and outnumbered by bots none of them have ever laid eyes on before.
But it's easy to surmise what occurred to have them end up here in this problematic situation.
They'd inadvertently crossed into someone else's territory.
Alpha Trion had been locked in stasis for so long that he hadn't known the path he'd shown them through the mountains was actually one quite filled with peril.
As the D-16, Orion, Siren, Elita-1, and B-127 are now discovering.
The five of them are currently inside what's remaining of the shell of an old, wrecked ship these seekers are using as a base.
Siren doesn't like all of these eyes on them. It makes her feel extremely self-conscious and distressed.
Siren moves closer to Orion for security which Orion readily offers.
Spitefully, D-16 glares sideways at Orion. He probably doesn't like that Siren's immediate response to all this was to beeline to Orion for protection instead of him.
Seated on a throne is a seeker who they assume to be the leader. There are two mechs on either side of the throne. Both are broad and bulky with one with a visor mask for a face and the other only having one blaring optic.
These three are the ones in charge of whatever this operation is.
They are Starscream, Soundwave, and Shockwave.
"Now, are you spies, or just incompetent lackeys," demanded Starscream.
Holding his servos up placatingly, Orion said "We're not spies."
"But he is incompetent," quipped Elita-1, trying to ease the tension.
"Scanning electrical impulses," said Soundwave, deep voice echoing, radar waves leaving him and hitting Orion. "He speaks the truth."
"That just means he believes himself as any spy would," scoffed Starscream.
All at once, B-17 pointed enthusiastically at the three mechs, but he couldn't say anything because his words were muffled by a gag over his mouth.
Finding this weird, Elita-1 said, "Uh…why is he gagged?"
"He wouldn't stop talking," said Shockwave in gruff agitation.
"Even when he was unconscious," asked Elita-1.
"Especially when he was unconscious," said Shockwave, irritated.
If B-127 had been talking as much as Siren suspects, then the whole lot of them must've been dealing with enormous headaches by now.
"Enough," commanded Starscream. "Two options for you. One, we slowly dismantle each of you, one bolt and screw at a time, and really make sure you feel it. Or two, in exchange for a quick death, you give us intel on the Energon trains, access to the mines, or anything else that could hurt your boss Sentinel Prime."
Confused, Elita-1 said "Who exactly are you guys?"
B-127 knows the answer to that.
Tearing the gag off his lips, B-127 said "The Cybertronian High Guard!"
Growling, Shockwave said "I told you it wasn't tight enough!"
Grinning, B-127 said "Prestigious defenders of Iacon!"
Skeptically, Elita-1 said "Prestigious."
Smiling as he too recognizes them, Orion said "He's right. I read all about you in the archives. You are the most legendary warriors in all of Cybertron."
"Look, look, look. That's Starscream, and your Shockwave, and Soundwave. Guys, raise your hand if you have a wave in your name. There's a lot of waves," said B-127.
"Silence," said Starscream. "The yellow annoying one is correct. We were once the High Guard. We witnessed Sentinel's betrayal and saw the Primes fall. Since that day, we've been fighting from the shadows, doing whatever we can to sabotage Sentinel."
"That's good because, I'm just saying, we're allies in this. We found Alpha Trion and he told us-," said Orion.
"Whoa. Hold on a moment," said Starscream, leaning forward on his throne with great interest. "Alpha Trion? Are you telling us that Alpha Trion has been alive all this time?"
Surprised murmurs broke out amongst the High Guard.
Here they are, saying that they've been fighting against Sentinel from the shadows in the name of the 13 Primes and they hadn't been doing anything to aid one of the most respected elders of their history. That they failed to help him during the fall.
"Last time we saw him he was," said Elita-1. "He'd been trapped in stasis this whole time, but we woke him up."
"What do you mean was," pressed Starscream, looking for further answers.
"Alpha Trion remained behind to keep Sentinel's troops from coming after us. We don't know if he was captured or killed," said Orion. "But he did give us a task."
"And that is," said Shockwave.
Activating the beacon on his wrist, bringing up an image of Sentinel bowing to the Quintessons, taking the initiative, Orion said "To deliver and show this to the people of Iacon so that they know the truth about Sentinel. Once that happens, we can unite and bring down Sentinel with joint cooperation."
"The idea of a unified Cybertron is a myth," said Starscream, long disenchanted with that idea as are his forces, proving to be heavy opposition to that approach, refusing to comply. "Even if you manage to get in there and show everyone that data there's no guarantee the populous will turn on Sentinel. Too much time has passed as Iacon is too used to the way things are now. All that counts is the strength of one bot over another!"
The High Guard bellows and cheers.
Speaking to Elita-1, nervously, B-127 said "Okay, so these guys are a little intense."
Elita-1 nods in agreement, choosing to remain silent.
"Hey, what are you doing," demanded Starscream, rising from his throne, having noticed that D-16 was trying to exit the chamber.
Two soldiers block D-16's path and bring him to a halt.
"I'll tell you what I'm not doing. I'm not cowering inside some busted ship playing king of the throne. I'm not pretending like I'm making a difference by throwing one punch and then running away to hide. I found out that Sentinel is rotten today, and I'm going to make him pay for it. Today," said D-16, scowling defiantly.
The whole time D-16 had been ranting, Starscream slowly came down from his throne to confront him.
In everyone else's eyes all D-16 is doing is digging an even bigger grave for himself. Starscream isn't the leader of the High Guard for no reason.
Siren grabs D-16's forearm to try and get him to stop and calm down, but he just shakes off her grip.
"You think you can insult me and just walk away. No one leaves here unless I say so," said, Starscream, posturing over Starscream to intimidate him.
Laughing mockingly, D-16 said "Is that right? Well, how can you say so? With my head in your teeth."
D-16 headbutts Starscream in the mouth.
"D," said Orion in alarm.
Siren covers her eyes.
D-16 threw the first punch. All bets are off.
D-16 and Starscream engage in combat.
Possessing far more combat experience and having the advantage of flight on his side, at the beginning, Starscream has the upper hand. That is until D-16 manages to get Starscream on his back and he presses the advantage. D-16 is unrelenting as he pounds a fist into Starscream again, again, and again.
The entire High Guard is wound up, watching this fight play out. It's obvious they haven't seen a fight as good as this one for a while.
It does not help that this seems to be amping up D-16 even more. He appears to be feeding off it.
Pumping one fist in the air, using the other servo to pin Starscream down by the throat, D-16 yelled "You want to see the strength of one bot over another?"
D-16 then proceeds to punch Starscream in the face repeatedly with the seeker goading and mocking his strength all the while. Calling D-16's bluff that he's actually going to kill him. This just infuriates D-16, causing him to punch and squeeze Starscream's neck harder. This makes Starscream's voice sound warped and distorted as a result of some of the inner workings messed with.
As D-16 pulls his arm back for another punch his arm suddenly morphs into a devastating canon, stunning everyone into a shocked silence and leaving them staggered.
For a few tense and ominous seconds D-16 stares at the cannon in contemplation. Then a hard and cold expression comes onto his faceplates. Dead set on using it, D-16 presses the barrel of the massive arm cannon straight into Starscream's face, the seeker now pleading for his life having not expected that.
"Orion, stop him," cried Siren, petrified he'll go through with it.
"Stop! D, he's not the enemy," exclaimed Orion, pushing through the crowd to where D-16 could see him.
Orion's interference is enough to get D-16 to pause, which may very well have saved Starscream's life.
Releasing Starscream, raising the arm with the fusion cannon on it, and addressing the mob, fiercely, D-16 said "Bear witness! This is the last time I show mercy! Decide, right now! You can stay here in hiding, bowing before your pathetic leader, or follow me as we march on Iacon, and I take down Sentinel once and for all!"
The entire High Guard roar their approval, crowding around D-16 and chanting his name.
Orion, Siren, Elit-1, and B-127 are roughly pushed and shoved around as the High Guard moves to welcome their new leader.
Where before the High Guard didn't want anything to do with helping them in their endeavor, now they're more than ready to fall into line.
Orion, Siren, Elita-1, and B-127 don't share in the jubilation around them.
As D-16 turns their way, Siren gasped.
"Orion," said Siren, trembling.
"I see it," said Orion, deeply unnerved.
D-16's optics…there are specks of red in them.
To the contrary of the rest of the group, D-16 is thrilled by the accomplishment he just had for himself.
D-16 looked to his friends full of pride, but in Orion and Siren's faces, he saw only horror. Orion has an arm around Siren's waist, holding her close to him protectively.
D-16 can tell that he is losing Siren to Orion. He's going to have to put a stop to that.
Following that duel that D-16 won over Starscream, he has essentially become the newly established leader of the renegade High Guard. He's integrated himself with them quite well.
That's what seriously scares Siren.
Yes, Orion, D-16, Siren, Elita-1, and B-127 now have troops to back them up when they set out to depose Sentinel, but at what cost?
What D-16 may have been viewed as necessary, but it was, also, highly immoral.
Siren despairs at how he's achieved this. She's happy that he seems to have found a new purpose to put his spark into, but the questionable methods he's using. Siren has no words to describe how sickened she is over it.
D-16 is the one that has been the most affected by everything they've learned. His behavior is morphing rapidly into something unrecognizable, and she doesn't like it.
Watching all these changes come upon D-16…Siren doesn't know how much longer she can bear it.
As the High Guard convenes in an emergency meeting with Orion, Elita-1, D-16, and B-127 on their plan of attack, Siren slips away needing some time to herself to fully process all of this.
Ducking away from everyone else, Siren finds a secluded yet safe spot where she can look out at the sky and landscape without risk of being spotted by an enemy patrol underneath a crudely constructed bridge in the outpost.
So many thoughts and emotions are running through Siren that it's all becoming too much to handle.
All this disharmony amongst their close-knit trio has turned Siren dispirited.
Siren's spark is hurting so badly. She so terribly wishes for guidance on what to do. To help her and her friends get through this troubled time.
Siren would rather die than let the nightmare of them tearing apart come to be, her greatest fear.
If Alpha Trion had come with them. His presence would've given them all a seasoned and true Prime to follow without question.
Now all they have is uncertainty.
Things have gotten so bad.
Looking up at the glistening stars, Siren wishes with all her spark for them to find a way to make it through this without bloodshed and for those trapped in darkness to reach the light.
They mustn't falter now.
Approaching footsteps from off to the side makes Siren tense.
But it's only D-16, having found her hiding place.
As Siren watches him come closer, she is relieved to see the partial scarlet sheen absent from his optics. But that doesn't lessen the unease she had after seeing his brutal attack on Starscream and the aggressive vehemence he had displayed before the High Guard.
"D, what are you doing here," said Siren, tiredly.
"I was worried for you. You left rather quickly without telling anyone where you went," said D-16.
"Do you really think after what I saw you do that, I'd want anything to do with that awful crowd," said Siren, wryly.
"It had to be done," said D-16, sordidly, seeing it all as a necessity.
"No, it didn't. You deliberately provoked that fight. You resorted to violence when there was no need for it," said Siren, guardedly.
"There was no other way to get them on our side," strained D-16, point-blank.
"Yes, there was. All we had to do was simply mentioned Alpha Trion's name and show them the recording we'd be using to expose Sentinel. Yes, many of them were unconvinced because of their distrust, but with a little more time, we could've persuaded them to see things our way. Instead, you had dived headfirst into a fight you started. And what's worse, you enjoyed it. Don't bother denying it. I saw that gleam in your eyes," said Siren, disappointedly.
"I won't deny it. That fool had it coming. As does Sentinel when I get ahold of him," said D-16, ominously foreboding.
"D, you're forgetting the plan we already have in place. All we have to do is sneak inside the communications station and broadcast the recording so all of Iacon can see the truth," said Siren, in heated sternness, desperate for him to see reason.
"And what if that's not enough? You and Orion both have it in your heads that once people see what Sentinel then they'll all just fall into line, but that's not going to be the case. The public is too loyal to Sentinel. Susceptible to whatever he tells them. We have to take him down by force. If not, then there's no chance for us. No chance for us to succeed."
"What's happened to you, D," whispered Siren, dismally. "You used to have such faith in life and now…now I barely recognize you."
"My faith disappeared the moment Sentinel proved himself a traitor," declared D-16. "For so long, everyone thought he saved us. That he was our heroic protector. We worked ourselves to death for hours and hours on end, thinking that all our hard work meant something in helping with Sentinel's grandness. And now it's all come to nothing. The only hope we had to hold onto was with Sentinel and now since that revered image of him has been destroyed, it is gone."
Hope. For some reason, D-16 doesn't think there is any. Sentinel's betrayal seems to have destroyed all of his faith.
Siren must do something to reach D-16's spark and restore it. Otherwise, everything might just fall apart.
To bring back the true D-16 to the fold.
Optics filled with sadness and melancholy, fighting hard not to burst into tears, Siren reaches out a hand and places it over his rigid fist.
"We will make this work, D," implored Siren. "I know in my spark that we will. You just need to believe."
"How," said D-16. "Why do you have so much faith that we can succeed in this without combat?"
"Because you, Orion, and I are together. And when we work as one there's nothing we can't accomplish," said Siren, softly. "I understand that you're in pain. We all are, but don't let this change you. You're more short-tempered now. More confrontational easy to anger. If you turned…I don't know if my spark could take it. You have to promise me that after we remove Sentinel from power that things between us will go back to the way they were before all this started."
"I promise that once everything is stabilized everything will return to normal for us," said D-16, taking in a deep breath, squaring his shoulders, and staring at her intently. "With you by my side."
"D," breathed Siren, dumbfounded, optics wide and cheeks burning in a flood of color. "What-?"
"Haven't you realized by now that from the moment we met my spark is yours," said D-16, softly, closing the distance between them and gently cupping her face in his palms. "You always have. Siren, you are my hope."
Without giving her a moment to register all this and think D-16 moves in and presses his lips to hers in a passionate kiss that leaves her flustered and trembling.
So lost in the kiss, Siren's own optics closed she didn't see D-16's eyes gleaming red.
D-16 doesn't give her a chance to notice either.
With each long, deep kiss, Siren feels her spark losing itself more and more to him. She places a softer and gentler kiss upon his lips each time he pulls back only to gasp as he barely gives her a chance to breathe before he's on her again.
D-16 presses Siren against the bridge, encasing her in his broad arms., and their servos intertwining…
Authors Note:
For those who have seen Mamma Mia like myself, I'm sure we can all remember what "…" means.
The songs you see here are When You Believe from Prince Of Egypt and This Wish Reprise from the movie Wish with little changes here and there to suit our girl and the situation.
Guys, I'm not kidding around. I really do need more suggestions for weapons for Siren. I'm stuck on that. I really am. I need as many suggestions for Siren's signature weapon as possible. I don't care if it's a long list, I welcome it. I need to figure this out.
I hope you all like this one! I certainly did while writing it for your vast enjoyment! ;D
For those of you just starting out with my stuff there are other works on my profile that may catch your interest. I highly recommend you take a look as soon as the opportunity presents itself to you. Who knows, you may be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.
Stay safe everyone. Especially with all of these crazy natural disasters occurring a lot lately due to global warming and climate change everywhere for sure. I swear it's like they're getting worse and worse all the time and it's like officials are simply just ignoring it or pretending it doesn't exist entirely just to go on with their daily lives. Especially those in multi-million dollar companies that rely on certain elements of our planet that we rely on to naturally keep us safe instead of adapting and finding new safer ways to keep in business. There are so many options out there where they can adapt, but they just refuse to see it because all they care about is money. Climate change is altering so much faster than anyone can really keep track of.
So, in light of all this, it is important to live life to the fullest as much as anyone can.
I know I am. ;) See you guys next time.