The Cast (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
random_xtras) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
randomplaces2008-10-13 12:56 pm
random_xtras) wrote in randomplaces2008-10-13 12:56 pm
Entry tags:
Fusion-'verse. Various locations. Reformat ((Warnings: character death))
Megatron frowned deeply as he listened to Rodimus Prime's report, his arms crossed over his chest where he and Oriana Pax's combined sparks ached at the words of the young Autobot leader.
"Soundwave and his recorders were found dead, with no marks on them. Skywarp and Thundercracker are missing." Rodimus' jaw clenched. "The bodies were left where they lay, and the security footage was wiped. It's the same MO as for the attack at the rebel base, except that no one disappeared there."
Megatron glanced at where Ultra-Magnus sat with bowed head next to him at the table, then looked over at Jazz, who was leaning against the door frame and staring blankly out into the Cybertronian dawn.
Rumbling, he bowed his own head, fists clenching. Soundwave... faithful retainer. And Starscream... I carried her through the bowels of Unicron to save her life, and then carried her through the bowels of Primus to try and get her life restored... and she's gone too now.... I will never be able to right the wrongs that I did to her.
-Primus has her.- Oriana's thought was a soft caress.
His optics flickered, and then he nodded. -That... doesn't ease the pain, Optimus.-
-I know.-
He shut his optics off, trying to lose himself in her spark snuggle, but then leaped to his feet and sent the table crashing onto its side as Jazz fell with a strangled cry.
"No!" Rodimus vaulted the fallen furniture and rushed the figure who stepped inside over the black and white mech's body.
As Megatron, Oriana, and Ultra-Magnus watched in startled horror the intruder punched a hand through the young Prime's chest, then shot him at point blank range as she wrenched the Matrix free and held it up with a triumphant cackle.
It was a Seeker, yet not a Seeker. Slender. Black as the death of hope. She swept the room with a crimson gaze that was pitiless, scornful, and mad.
"What... Starscream?" Megatron took a step toward her, but then stopped as she pointed that fatal weapon at his chest.
"Starscream was a weak fool," she said, her voice cold as the void of space. "She threw her life away for naught. Look on me and despair, for I am Deathscream!"
He frowned at the feeling of wrongness that came from her. "What do you want?"
She smirked and kicked Hot-Rod aside, then sauntered closer, not looking around at the two other Transformers who followed her inside. "It's not a matter of what I want. You want this trinket, and Unicron wants a word with you. You know what to do."
Her smirk widened as she pointed her gun at Ultra-Magnus' head without taking those fiery cold optics from Megatron's.
"My lady," said the femme who had followed her. "There's a squadron of Seekers coming."
"Oh really?" Deathscream stood poised for a moment, but then transformed and shot skyward, going through the ceiling and roof as though they had been paper. "Cyclonus! Scourge! To me as we hunt!"
"No!" shouted Megatron, launching himself after her, only to fall with a clatter and a grunt as Ultra-Magnus flying tackled him to the ground.
"Seeker squadron, abandon attack!" shouted the Autobot over his communicator. "I repeat, abandon attack and disperse! Get the slag out of here NOW!"
"Let go of me!" Megatron wrenched an arm free, only to sputter and see static as Ultra-Magnus punched him in the face.
"You go out there now, and you die! Just like Jazz and Rodimus did...."
Oriana's rage, which had been as hot as his own, faltered and tumbled toward grief. Megatron winced and stopped fighting. "Let me go."
"No stupid stuff?" Ultra-Magnus looked at him, wincing slightly as the sound of a fuselage hitting the ground came from outside.
"No... stupid stuff." Megatron's voice was resigned. "Let go."
The Autobot did so, eying him warily the whole way. "They're gone. Some kind of warp gate."
"That explains how they came and went at the other sites," said Oriana as her mate pushed himself up and turned toward Hot Rod's crumpled shell. "Though, if that was Starscream... she must have been changed days ago. And Soundwave...."
"I don't want to think about it." Megatron hunkered down and gently turned Hot Rod over, his optics switching off for a moment as he saw the peace on the young mech's dead face. "Primus...."
-He's with Arcee, and Springer,- murmured Oriana brokenly, her affection and grief for the two murdered mechs flooding her senses.
Megatron stared, trying to understand the feelings and how to deal with them, then just cradled Hot Rod's broken shell and wept.
"Soundwave and his recorders were found dead, with no marks on them. Skywarp and Thundercracker are missing." Rodimus' jaw clenched. "The bodies were left where they lay, and the security footage was wiped. It's the same MO as for the attack at the rebel base, except that no one disappeared there."
Megatron glanced at where Ultra-Magnus sat with bowed head next to him at the table, then looked over at Jazz, who was leaning against the door frame and staring blankly out into the Cybertronian dawn.
Rumbling, he bowed his own head, fists clenching. Soundwave... faithful retainer. And Starscream... I carried her through the bowels of Unicron to save her life, and then carried her through the bowels of Primus to try and get her life restored... and she's gone too now.... I will never be able to right the wrongs that I did to her.
-Primus has her.- Oriana's thought was a soft caress.
His optics flickered, and then he nodded. -That... doesn't ease the pain, Optimus.-
-I know.-
He shut his optics off, trying to lose himself in her spark snuggle, but then leaped to his feet and sent the table crashing onto its side as Jazz fell with a strangled cry.
"No!" Rodimus vaulted the fallen furniture and rushed the figure who stepped inside over the black and white mech's body.
As Megatron, Oriana, and Ultra-Magnus watched in startled horror the intruder punched a hand through the young Prime's chest, then shot him at point blank range as she wrenched the Matrix free and held it up with a triumphant cackle.
It was a Seeker, yet not a Seeker. Slender. Black as the death of hope. She swept the room with a crimson gaze that was pitiless, scornful, and mad.
"What... Starscream?" Megatron took a step toward her, but then stopped as she pointed that fatal weapon at his chest.
"Starscream was a weak fool," she said, her voice cold as the void of space. "She threw her life away for naught. Look on me and despair, for I am Deathscream!"
He frowned at the feeling of wrongness that came from her. "What do you want?"
She smirked and kicked Hot-Rod aside, then sauntered closer, not looking around at the two other Transformers who followed her inside. "It's not a matter of what I want. You want this trinket, and Unicron wants a word with you. You know what to do."
Her smirk widened as she pointed her gun at Ultra-Magnus' head without taking those fiery cold optics from Megatron's.
"My lady," said the femme who had followed her. "There's a squadron of Seekers coming."
"Oh really?" Deathscream stood poised for a moment, but then transformed and shot skyward, going through the ceiling and roof as though they had been paper. "Cyclonus! Scourge! To me as we hunt!"
"No!" shouted Megatron, launching himself after her, only to fall with a clatter and a grunt as Ultra-Magnus flying tackled him to the ground.
"Seeker squadron, abandon attack!" shouted the Autobot over his communicator. "I repeat, abandon attack and disperse! Get the slag out of here NOW!"
"Let go of me!" Megatron wrenched an arm free, only to sputter and see static as Ultra-Magnus punched him in the face.
"You go out there now, and you die! Just like Jazz and Rodimus did...."
Oriana's rage, which had been as hot as his own, faltered and tumbled toward grief. Megatron winced and stopped fighting. "Let me go."
"No stupid stuff?" Ultra-Magnus looked at him, wincing slightly as the sound of a fuselage hitting the ground came from outside.
"No... stupid stuff." Megatron's voice was resigned. "Let go."
The Autobot did so, eying him warily the whole way. "They're gone. Some kind of warp gate."
"That explains how they came and went at the other sites," said Oriana as her mate pushed himself up and turned toward Hot Rod's crumpled shell. "Though, if that was Starscream... she must have been changed days ago. And Soundwave...."
"I don't want to think about it." Megatron hunkered down and gently turned Hot Rod over, his optics switching off for a moment as he saw the peace on the young mech's dead face. "Primus...."
-He's with Arcee, and Springer,- murmured Oriana brokenly, her affection and grief for the two murdered mechs flooding her senses.
Megatron stared, trying to understand the feelings and how to deal with them, then just cradled Hot Rod's broken shell and wept.
Chapter 8
"You shouldn't be up yet." Kup scowled at him. "You took a lot of damage out there."
"Can't... just lay around... while... good mechs die." The red, white, and blue mech hid his hands to try and keep his old friend from seeing how badly they were shaking.
"With respect," said Mirage, resting his elbow on the table and leaning toward him. "What good is your killing yourself going to do anyone? I think the invaders have that covered quite well enough."
"Easy, kid." Kup patted the spy on the shoulder, then jumped to his feet as Bumblebee clipped the doorframe on the way in. "Which way are they coming from this time?"
"No!" cried the yellow Minibot, flailing excitedly. "Tetra squad is back!"
"What?" Kup sent his chair flying and nearly followed it as he headed for the door.
"It's a trap!" said Ultra-Magnus fearfully.
Mirage just faded out of sight and followed Kup, leaving Bumblebee to help their leader as he could.
It appeared that the little scout was right. As the assembled mechs watched six of the missing and presumed dead Seeker squad overflew and then circled widely to bleed off speed before landing.
"Who's that with them?" Kup frowned, his hand already reaching for his gun.
"It looks like an invader!" Ultra-Magnus tried to keep a firm grip on his own as he leaned against the wall.
It did, indeed, look like the same kind of mech that had been causing the widespread mayhem and slaughter throughout Alliance space. Tall, and with an elaborately crowned helm, he gleamed a fresh-minted purple in the light of the noonday sun as he flew at the center of the Seeker formation.
"Wait!" said Bumblebee. "He's not wearing the same mark!"
"...That's a red Decepticon sigil." Kup frowned deeply, trying to think what it could mean.
"He's a friend!" called the first of the Seekers to land, her hands lifted in the universal sign of peace. "He saved our lives!"
The mech in question landed easily, and then lifted his own hands as he strode forward, his expression showing just a hint of uncertainty despite the latent power and grace in his every movement.
"Remind me not to pick any fights with him," murmured Bumblebee, wide-eyed. Then he blinked as the newcomer paused and looked at each of them before dropping to his knees and bowing his head.
"Who are you?" demanded Kup.
"Galvatron," came the low, gravelly reply, and all the assembled mechs started at the familiarity of the voice. "Please, don't be afraid. I come in peace, because Primus asked me to."
"Primus?" Ultra-Magnus looked up from his struggle against gravity.
"Galvatron...." Kup scowled. "You're the guy that led those raids. You're the leader of those glitches that wiped out Imperial City and Denver!"
The purple mech's head went lower. "I am."
They waited for several minutes, but then realized that he wasn't going to elaborate.
"And you expect us to believe that some mythological being from the tall tales sent you here?" Kup snorted and scowled.
"He wanted me to bring this back." Galvatron's hand slowly went to his chest and then opened it.
"The Matrix!" Ultra-Magnus lost the fight and wound up sitting in a crumpled heap as he stared.
"...And it's active." Kup gaped, then looked at the younger mech's face. "Where's Oriana?"
Galvatron's jaw worked. "Primus doesn't know."
"What about Megatron?" asked Bumblebee, stepping toward him. "You sound like him... and you kinda look like him, too."
"He was reformatted."
The little yellow scout frowned and peered into his face. "Megatron? Is that you?"
Galvatron shut off his optics. "No. I'm not Megatron. He's gone. I'm sorry."
"Well... I'd say 'no big loss', but he was kinda shaping up pretty good there at the end," muttered Kup, scowling.
Bumblebee reached out and carefully pushed Galvatron's chest shut, his own optics dim with sadness and sympathy. "Were those your friends who took Metroplex's eyes?"
"My sister and brothers." Galvatron looked at him uncertainly, wondering at the little being's standing so close to him. "We can't give them back, though... I think they were destroyed with Unicron."
"Whoa, whoa. What do you mean, 'destroyed with Unicron'?" Kup strode over to stand by Bumblebee and frown down at the kneeling mech. "Are you sure this time?"
"Primus is." Galvatron returned his gaze evenly, his crimson optics meeting the faded blue ones of the old Autobot. "I can't remember how it happened, but when I woke up there was junk floating all around me."
Kup studied his optics and expression for a long moment, considering how the purple mech had been answering their questions. "What do you and your brothers and sisters intend to do next?"
Galvatron frowned deeply with confusion. "I don't know. What Primus tells us."
"Is that why you destroyed those cities and ships? Because Primus told you?"
The younger mech's face twisted. "No, sir. Unicron told us to do that. He reformatted us."
"Well, slag," said Kup softly, then turned to look at Ultra Magnus. //He's just a kid. I don't think he had the foggiest clue that he was serving the wrong guy.//
//People still died,// returned the other sternly. //Something has to be done about that.//
//You going to go up against the Chosen of the Matrix?// asked Kup sceptically.
//That might not even be the real Matrix!// Ultra-Magnus froze, his optics widening slightly.
"What?" Kup turned back to Galvatron, expecting to see that he'd turned into something creepy, like maybe a Quintesson, but instead saw that the artifact inside the purple mech's chest was glowing so brightly that the light was leaking out through the joins of his armor.
Galvatron's optics were wide with surprise as he looked down at himself. "...Primus?"
"No. It's me." A faint outline of Rodimus Prime took form beside him, frowning irritably at Kup. "Look, guys, I know you're suspicious because he did bad things and all, but Primus forgives him, and I forgive him, and I really wanna get back to the song and the others. So can we all just forgive and forget and be a big happy family again?"
Galvatron and Ultra Magnus were both staring at the ghost blankly.
He looked around and grinned the grin that had died with Arcee and Springer, optics dancing. "Please?"
Silence greeted him, but then Bumblebee tilted his head. "Do you know where Optimus is?"
Rodimus' grin faded. "No. But I know where she was."
"...Fused with Megatron."
"Right."
Bumblebee's face fell. "So... she's gone?"
The ghost put an insubstantial hand on his shoulder. "Remember, in the end everything will work out alright."
"Right." The little scout perked, then turned to look at Kup.
"Get out of my sight, you pain in the aft punk," the old soldier growled at Rodimus. "Go do what you're supposed to be doing, for once."
Rodimus just chuckled and vanished.
Kup glanced at the Seekers, who were all giving he and Ultra-Magnus anxious frowns, then turned back to the non-plussed Galvatron. "Get up, kid, and come inside. I think we have to talk."