"TestingTesting123."
Transformers Fan Fiction by ToniTheTerror / dark--romance.
Title: TestingTesting123: Chapter Four - Final.
Beta: None. Sometimes Emi C:
Warnings: Death. :U
AN: Final chapter. I really don't like this story. I hope you enjoy! Reviews aren't necessary, but greatly appreciated, and I would love you lots. –Toni.
DISCLAIMER; I do not, no matter how frequently I wish it to be so, own Transformers and I do not make any money from writing this story.
Megatron observed his second with a steely expression as he stepped inside. Starscream looked at the other, not as he usually would; but with a defeated air, almost as if he hadn't the energy to argue, complain, or even insult the warlord, and he hadn't. His spinal cord was aching horribly, and strained more-so each time he shifted his weight.
The seeker crossed the empty hall, over to where Megatron sat in his throne, and stayed before the foot of the humongous chair. He didn't move over to the left of the throne as he would have usually done. He stayed resolutely before Megatron, head dipped toward the floor. He looked up only after a few moments of the continuing silence, and saw the Lord looking angrily at the empty space over Starscream's shoulders.
"So you see the rumours are correct," Starscream said quietly. His grating voice, somewhat softer now, was filled with hopelessness and regret that, had it been a typical situation, Starscream would have hidden from his leader. Megatron seemed to notice the emotion he was graced with also, as he sat forward a little, narrowing his optics as he surveyed his SIC.
"I had no doubts that they were anything other than fact," Megatron answered slowly. "Hook informed me the moment he left you alone with your trine..." The warlord informed, and Starscream nodded to show he had heard and understood, but giving no other opinion on the matter. His optics were dim, and he could feel his systems whining at him to recharge, but he ignored them completely.
"I realise that I am no longer your second in command," Starscream said quickly, with the air of someone trying to get the worst over quickly, perhaps for hope that it would hurt less. "And for that reason, I realise you will also be in need of a new Air Commander and a new Third in command when Soundwave is promoted. I suggest Skywarp to you. My opinion to you, I know, means slag. But for the simple hope that you may struggle with finding replacements, Skywarp and Thundercracker are both fantastic flyers with brilliant ideas. They could be of valuable importance if upgraded. Skywarp is capable of being a flattering replacement to me in both areas." Starscream said, optics beginning to flicker closed as his spark complained in pain at giving up his very life in a matter of clicks. Megatron's optics, however, brightened with surprise. For Starscream to show him emotion so easily was one thing, but to willingly release his titles to others, even his brothers, was a different matter completely.
"Are you certain that your life will be bearable by seeing your brothers excel while you are left behind?" Megatron asked slowly, the tips of his servos meeting as he spoke. Starscream did not answer and merely looked out of the large window at the head of the hall.
"I think - had I known that I would never fly again - I would have made my last day somewhat... memorable." Starscream rumbled quietly. "I would have much liked to fly alongside my brothers."
Megatron stood now, only because he recognised sentiment in Starscream, something he had never witnessed in his jet before. Starscream did not turn for he did not wish the ex-gladiator to see the slow tears cascading down his facial plates.
"You speak as if your spark died with your connections, Starscream. Life does not end when one looses their wings." Megatron said sternly.
"It does if you are a seeker!" Starscream retaliated acidically, still not turning. "A seekers whole life is devoted to his wings. I am nothing but a mere ground launcher. I cannot transform, I cannot jet into the air, I cannot raise myself into the air-" he stopped here a moment as he thought of the last time he had flown...
Starscream loved his job. As he continued to stress; it was his life. To a seeker, the ground is a mere second home to their true bearings in the sky. Starscream had been in the sky from a very early age, even for a natural seeker. He had surpassed all the other flyers, he surpassed his peers, and he surpassed the expectations pressed upon him. But still he wanted more. He wanted to be the best because he knew could be so. Starscream flew every day, improving with each cycle, and only confirmed the suspicion that he was destined for greatness.
Of course, the seeker wasn't completely big-headed. He was good at what he did and he knew it. He could prove it to those who had little faith, and could stun them into regretful silence. To Starscream, the air was his way of being the best. Second in Command always reminded him that there was someone to beat him, and he hated to be beaten. In the air, no-one could beat him, not even his brothers. Starscream could fly to any height, and no-one would ever be higher than him. He could fly as fast, as far and for as long as he wished without giving it a second thought. No-one would beat him. In the air, Starscream was happy.
To have his wings stricken from him, to be told he would never fly again; tore the seeker apart. He couldn't bear the thought of being surveillance, or to travel in another Decepticon to be their eyes. He couldn't stand the fact that he could be flown into the air- but he would never fly there himself ever again. Starscream felt like he had lost his home..
"I know I can never be repaired..." Starscream said boldly, willing himself to maintain composure. "I know I shall never fly again. And for this reason, I wish to ask a single favour of you, Megatron." Starscream said slowly. His servos were shaking violently as he spoke. Thinking of his past had brought back memories of his life that made his spark ache with longing. The first time he had ever took to the sky, getting his wings branded, commanding his fleet in mid-air, shooting the Autobots down when they least expected it so... He willed his optics not to leak as he continued.
"You would not be my first choice, but I have used up all other options, and the only person I would allow to use my core and processor, would be you and my trine. Since either of my trine refuse to assist me, I have turned to you as my last resort."
Megatron nodded and he gradually moved to sit in his throne once more, listening to his SIC intently for what seemed like the first time since Starscream had become a Decepticon.
"I wish for you to kill me. Take me permanently offline. I no longer wish to function in this world while I am useless to the Decepticons. Even if my circuitry could be repaired in the future, I do not think I could manage the time between that, whether it be a cycle or a mega-cycle..."
"And you think that by rendering yourself permanently offline, the Decepticons will have a better chance at succeeding?" Megatron asked as he studied Starscream's expression.
"I do not think that I am a hindrance to the fleet, but neither do I think that I will be able to assist them when I am without my wings, or my titles." Starscream countered. Megatron sat back a little, stretching the silence painfully as he considered a life without his second in command.
"And your mind? I am sure that I do not need to remind you that you have the lives of many 'cons in your hands. Chivalry in one such as you is rare, but the tactics you devise, and the skills you possess cannot be replicated easily." Megatron said, picking his words carefully so that he did not sound as if he were complimenting the seeker. Starscream nodded, agreeing that perhaps his plans were intelligent and did save many from certain peril...
"Practice creates perfection, Megatron. If I had to learn then so will they. I do not wish to live like a primitive database, throwing tactics to the troops and then packed away in a corner to gather dust..."
"I must say that without you, the prospect of battle and planning seems terribly boring," Megatron commented simply. "What of your brothers? How exactly did they react?"
"Thundercracker could not bear to look at me, and Skywarp told me that whatever I chose to do, they would stand by me." Starscream said, feeling a sharp twinge in his spark as he spoke of Skywarp. Perhaps it was the bond, or perhaps it was simply the knowledge that he would never see his un-hateable sibling again. He thought for a moment, how strange it was that he was talking of the prospect of his death so very casually with Megatron. He was not even sure that the Lord would give him what he wished.
Starscream let the silence drag, in which both he and Megatron were comfortable in reminiscing acts of great courage performed in the air, either by Starscream or through his orders.
"I am ready," Starscream said finally, looking up. "If you would."
Megatron stood also and moved over to the large empty space in the hall. Starscream followed as he typically would. He had spent most of his life following Megatron around; it had become quite a habit. The warlord made his way into the centre of the space and stood looking at Starscream for a moment, admiring how the mech had grown in his time.
"I am not sure there is a way to do this without causing pain," Megatron said. His voice was still stern, but Starscream noted the tiniest hint of uneasiness. Both master and SIC had been in contact since Megatron was much younger, and to be the death of the seeker was all too coincidental. Megatron would give Starscream what he wanted if he wanted it badly enough.
"I understand that when a spark is extinguished manually, it can take some time for the form to shut down." Starscream commented, remembering there being one such rumour amongst the trine. Megatron nodded slowly, then placed a large servo over his own chest.
"It was a terrible experience to have you as my SIC, Starscream." He said slowly, watching the seeker frown and smiling to himself. "You constantly were a threat, and you constantly put me in a position of paranoia. I thank you." He said shortly, and Starscream smiled just a little.
"The pleasure was all mine, you rusting heap of self-centred cogs."
Megatron paused a moment while the seeker opened his spark chamber to the other. The glow was weaker than it should have been, the spark beating slowly in a desperate attempt to just keep the body it dwelled in going just a little longer. Starscream's optics flickered from his spark chamber, up to the warlord and he paused slightly.
"Quickly," he pleaded quietly, unable to mask the shake of fear in his vocals. Megatron nodded and reached into the confines of Starscream's chest.
His large hand closed around the spark, and it distinguished. It almost seemed relieved to be free from the painful struggle of operating..
Starscream's optics faded dimmer and his legs gave way, sending him falling for the floor, but Megatron caught him before he came close. The Lord knelt, holding the seeker in his arms.
Starscream's mouth gaped a little as his circuits began to slowly shut down. Energon trickled from the corner of his mouth as he gasped, ventilations failing. Starscream clenched his servos to Megatron's chest plating, losing all sense of where he was or even what was happening. He whined loudly with the strange experience of each of his body parts shutting down one by one. As his chest finally shut down, and he lost strength in his arms, he fell limp, held still close in the glory gladiator's arms.
The tired optics, with their last scrap of energy, looked up to Megatron, and he mouthed silent thanks to his Lord, and offlined, optics shutting black and colour slowly draining from his chassis.
Starscream was dead.
Megatron stood, holding the body of his second in command in his arms. He carried him to his brothers. He would now remain forever as he was, Lord Megatron's Second in Command.
Wings or no wings.
END.