CHAPTER ONE
--Cybertron--
"Hmm, I don't know. I like the design and the colors, but... doesn't it look too much like Ulchtar?"
Steam exited from Flatline's vents as he sighed, adjusting the holographic image. "I can reverse the color scheme and put more emphasis on the blue...."
Starscream wrinkled his face in disgust. "Oh, that won't do. I don't want to look like Thundercracker. No one wants to look like Thundercracker."
"Would you care for a different model then? If you truly wish to branch away from the standard Seeker design, then there's always the CW-06 Aerial model. While it is mainly popular among the Aerialbots, I do know a few 'Cons who--"
"Er, Starscream?" There was a knock at the door. "It's Octane. There's someone who wants to see you."
"In a minute!" Starscream barked. "I'm busy!" He turned back to Flatline. "Go on."
As the medic changed out the hologram, Octane spoke up again. "Er, he doesn't have a minute. He wants to see you now."
"Well, that's his problem to deal with! I'm a member of the High Council; I don't have time to deal with every last citizen's petty problem!"
"Define 'petty', Starscream."
Starscream's entire frame locked up. That had definitely not been Octane. Optics widening, Flatline hastily gathered his holos and made a dash for his lab, locking himself in. Behind him, Starscream heard the door open followed by a set of approaching footsteps. Once the door had closed, Starscream turned around to face his worst nightmare.
"Hello, Starscream," Megatron said. "I need your help."
The Seeker shrieked as he threw himself over his desk and slammed his palm on a button underneath it.
"Guards! Come quick! I am under attack!"
"I've already dealt with them," Megatron said as he calmly strode over. "It'll be a few more hours before they get over that rancid engex."
"What do you want?!" Starscream screeched, pointing his null rays at his former leader. "What could you possibly want from me?!"
"Like I said, I need your help."
"Help?! You want my help?! After everything I've done to you?!"
"Yes." Megatron stopped a few paces away from Starscream's desk and folded his arms. "You see, I've been away for a while; doing some spark-searching, some self-reflection...."
"Self-reflection? You?" Starscream let out a laugh that sounded far more scared than mocking. "That's rich. What, you're starting to regret being a tyrannical overlord after a thousand years?"
Megatron did not seem to acknowledge the remark. "And upon my return," he went on, "I was greeted with something I had never in a millennia would have expected to receive: a call from Optimus Prime. A call for help."
Starscream's optic ridges shot up. Now that was indeed curious. Despite himself, Starscream lowered his null rays as he tilted his head.
"Is that right? Did he say why?"
"I am not at liberty to divulge that information to you."
Starscream scowled. "Says who? I am a High Councilor of Cybertron! I have every right to know!"
"Your fellow Councilor Elita says otherwise."
The Seeker's mouth fell open in shock as Megatron continued.
"Here is what I need: I want you to find twelve Decepticons for me to take to Earth. I would do so myself, but seeing as I've been dead for six months, you would know better than I on who's active and who's not."
Finding himself at a loss for words, Starscream simply nodded.
"Also...." Megatron glanced around the office, even though they were the only ones in the soundproof room. He then drew a datapad and slid it across the desk. Starscream reflexively recoiled from the action but Megatron did not seem to notice.
"This is yours," he said quietly.
Starscream blinked. "What is it?"
"You'll know once you've read it. But do not do so until I've left."
"And... when will that be?"
"As soon as you've gathered my team." With that, Megatron turned to exit the office. As he strode towards the door, he looked over his shoulder at the Seeker one last time. "I do hope you appreciate it, Starscream. I worked hard on it."
Starscream watched on in silence as the bot he had attempted so many times to overthrow for nearly a millennium walked out the door, shutting it behind him and leaving the Seeker to his gift.
* * *
"How is he?"
"Well, the good news is that his condition has not worsened," Remedy said as she checked the disabled Springer's readings. "Bad news is that it hasn't improved either. I'm afraid he's at zero point."
"Scrap," Elita-One muttered to herself. She glanced over at the other incapacitated Wreckers in the infirmary. "And the others?"
"Ironfist and Rotorstorm are gone. Guzzle is showing all vitals as functioning, Roadbuster is recovering, and Kup has already recuperated."
"Of course. That old timer has been through hell and back in all the years I've known him...."
Remedy looked up at her, a sad look in her orange face. "This is serious, Elita. If the creature who stole the Matrix is the same that's offlined three of our best bots... what chance do we have?"
As a leader, Elita could not confess that she had no idea on how they were going to proceed. Instead, she said, "I'm going to join Prime on Earth."
Remedy blinked. "You are? But... you're a High Councilor!"
"I know. But I feel that I am needed more there than I am here on Cybertron."
"But if you leave... and Metalhawk's already gone... that'll leave--"
"I know." Elita put a hand on the medic's shoulder. "Don't worry, I've already made the necessary precautions to make sure he doesn't do anything too crazy."
Remedy sighed. "If you say so. Are you taking anyone with you?"
Elita hesitated for a brief, if noticeable moment. "No, I'm not."
"Well, in any case, please be careful. I don't want to be standing over your deactivated body anytime soon."
Elita allowed herself a small smile. "Don't worry. You won't."
She only hoped that she would be able to keep that promise.
* * *
Thousands of light years away, somewhere off the edge of the Omni Expanse on an ancient, cobbled-together Titan, Convoy sat in his cell.
According to the tally marks on his wall, he had been here for nearly a month. Maybe more. He seemed to recall sleeping through a couple days; odds were, the tally was completely off.
He wasn't quite sure why he even bothered to wake up from recharge now. It wasn't like anyone came by to check on him or have a chat. Not that he would want one with either of the bots on the ship....
Down the hall, he could hear movement. It was either Magmatron or the Liege Maximo. As far as he knew, the two of them were only other bots on Carcer -- who was also a sentient machine, so escape was out of the question.
The footsteps were drawing nearer to his cell. Convoy started to wonder if Liege Maximo had suddenly remembered him and had come to be rid of him.
To his slight relief, it was not the ancient Prime who stood outside his cell but Magmatron. The former Beast King of Eukaris glared at him from behind the bars of the cell.
"On your feet," Magmatron growled.
"I already am," Convoy replied. "Have you come to kill me?"
"No." Grabbing the edge of the cell door, Magmatron pulled it open. "I've come to take you with me."
Convoy tilted his head. "Where to? Are we escaping?"
"From a place like this?" Magmatron snorted. "Don't be stupid. The Liege Maximo is sending us to Earth."
"Earth?" Convoy searched his databanks for that name but nothing came up. "Never heard of it."
"Neither have I." Magmatron gave a mirthless smirk. "I'm sure it'll be a learning experience for the both of us."
HELLO CRUEL WORLD
Part 3: A World of Fools
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