Out of flashback mode. This chapter is the original copy's chapter 11 and 12 combined. There will be an entirely new chapter 12.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Starscream sat up with a groan. "What…" A hand clapped him on the shoulder.

Thundercracker smiled. "I'm guessing that you had a rough day."

Starscream surveyed his surroundings to find that he was no longer in the window sill, but on the recharge bunk. "Did you move me?"

"Well, I figured the floor was less than comfortable… that and you were thrashing around like nobody's business. Bad dream?" Thundercracker looked genuinely concerned, and unless Starscream was imagining it, like he knew the truth.

I wish it was a dream. "Yeah, but I'm fine now. Where's 'Warp?" Starscream found it hard to believe that the missing wingmate would have left him if he was in that kind of condition.

Thundercracker laughed. "He got called out on a mission. I had to practically drag him out of the room."

Starscream was silent, still dwelling in the past. "I… um…"

"Look, you don't have to tell me. Unlike Skywarp, I understand the concept of 'personal'. Besides… you're already almost an hour late for your session with Soundwave."

Starscream stiffened. "Excuse me? Oh right, Asylink got shot… I still don't understand why he wouldn't have recovered enough by now."

"Well, he is a Neutral. Maybe our technology isn't fit for his specs or something." Thundercracker shrugged. "Listen… Rumble and Crow just came by a few minutes ago to see why it was taking you so long, and I really think that you should get going. You and Soundwave have never really been on the best of terms, and now he has control – although temporary – over your evaluation. Making him angry is not something I'd advise."

Starscream laughed dryly and stood. "I already have, remember? I apparently shot up two of his precious cassettes." He shook his head as he walked out the door, waving casually over his shoulder. What he needed now was discretion and his remarkable ability to act confident when he was really scared out of his wits.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Asylink surveyed his surroundings groggily. "Where the pit…?"

"You're in the medical ward. Just stay down so I don't have to knock you out again. It has become very apparent that you don't have a fetish for needles." Bonecrusher chuckled.

Asylink smiled knowingly. "It's pointy things in general, and guns, and just about everything that could cause me personal harm. Pain and I don't go well together."

Bonecrusher nodded, momentarily distracted by the readings on a datapad. "Understandable." He looked up, studying the psychologist before pulling up a chair to sit beside the recharge berth. "You didn't inform my colleagues and me that you had any medical conditions. This was stupid. We could have killed you by accident while we were trying to patch you up. Don't you have any common sense?" It was obvious that Bonecrusher was miffed, but Asylink's personality left little room for necessary tact.

"That's why I don't like being shot." Asylink answered matter-of-factly.

Bonecrusher tilted his head, unsure if the mech was being serious, and then decided he didn't care. "Whatever." He craned his neck to look in the room opposite and called out, "Hey! He's awake. You can come in now… you little miscreant," he added sourly.

Crow walked into the room with his arms crossed and paused at the foot of Asylink's recharge berth. He looked at Bonecrusher expectantly.

"Hmm? Oh, right." The Constructicon stood, stretched, and left the room with the air of someone who had all the time in the world.

Crow watched to make sure he was really gone and then leapt up onto the bed and threw his arms around Asylink's neck. He pulled back and looked at his creator accusingly.

Asylink smiled brightly. "If I'd known that I would be shot at, I wouldn't have gone. I promise. But… shouldn't you be assisting Soundwave?"

Crow's optics narrowed, in obvious contempt of working with the Decepticon telepath who he had decided was stingy and conniving.

Asylink leaned back against the frame of the berth, exasperated. "Crow, I know you don't like him, but fact is I do. And I want to help him as much as possible with Starscream's case… unless it concerns sending the air commander to Dire out of simple dislike. Give him access to the files that..." Asylink paused, considering. "On second thought, don't bother with limitations. I can backtrack his steps after the session and see if he read anything I should worry about. Give him total access. And don't," he looked at Crow in a patronizing manner, "sabotage anything."

Crow put on a look of mock offense.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

It had been minutes, minutes of simply staring at each other in distaste. Starscream felt that it had been long enough. He sneered. "Are you planning on actually doing your job, or are you going to just sit there and hope I burst into flames?"

"Eloquent as ever, Starscream." Soundwave's voice was smooth and superior.

Starscream could tell, very clearly and without a trace of doubt, that this simply wasn't going to work. "I know that you would much rather be playing sycophant to our great leader, and I assure you that I would rather be anywhere else, but fact remains that neither of us can leave until this session is over. So let's just… play nice… and hope for the better."

"Affirmative." Soundwave scrolled through Asylink's notes as they appeared on Crow's screen. In bold letters was the word he supposed was meant to consolidate the purpose of the current session: motives. "I will not dodge the subject or soften the truths as it is clear Asylink has. I do not possess the patience for such courtesy." He faced Starscream squarely. "A Doublespark exists for one purpose and one alone: a dream that will not be sacrificed no matter the cost or casualties. You and I both know what that dream is. You and I both know where your loyalties lie; you are concerned only with self-preservation and self-promotion."

Starscream smiled pleasantly. "Just like any other self-respecting Decepticon."

"Ah, yes… but you, my comrade, are insane." Soundwave put it bluntly with barely a pause in his speech. "I know what possesses you; I know what dwells inside your mind. In case you have forgotten, I have been inside it."

Starscream winced.

"You are, and forever will be, a traitor. The only causes you have ever believed in are the ones that bolstered you through the ranks and eventually granted you the position you fill now." Soundwave spread his arms in a motion of sarcastic grandeur. "Second in command of the Decepticon forces, the Empire of all empires… And still, you are not satisfied. You are cursed with a thirst for power that overrules all other desires in your circuitry."

He's wanted to get this out for a long time, Starscream thought bitterly. But amidst the sarcasm was resentment. There was fear for the words that effortlessly left Soundwave's mouth. It was a truth. A truth he had long since accepted, but now felt would bring his fragilely erected world crashing around him. "I don't want to hear your slagging judgments Soundwave." The seeker's voice was quiet at first, but rising. "I don't know what you're trying to prove, but I swear to you, if I −"

Soundwave cut across him, voice steady and acerbic with an icy unfeeling precision. "You are being literally possessed by your ambition. And it will kill you if you do not control it. Starscream… Starscream, are you listening to me?"

Starscream felt heat build in his systems. Anger played murder in his voice as he spoke. "Leave. Me. The. Slag. Alone. You don't know what you are talking about."

Soundwave laughed, a deep and hollow sound. "I am a telepath, air commander. I know the mind. I know your mind. And it is a suicidal mass of illogical chaos. I should have realized the potential for this to happen. I should have recommended your execution the moment I knew your past… the moment you stood before Megatron for the first time." Starscream could imagine the cold ire behind Soundwave's mask as he said those words, "But I did not. And it is too late for such action. So I must now deal with the fallout."

Kill him, kill him now. He is the only piece blocking the destruction of the hated one. Kill him now! "I'm leaving." Starscream stood, faltering under the weight of the voice's… of his ambitions. A blood lust filled him to the brim, threatening to rip him apart from the inside if he did not act upon it. He staggered towards the door and somehow, with the grace of Primus, made it through.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Why?! Why didn't you act when I commanded it?!

Why hadn't he indeed? What was there to have stopped him? Why shouldn't he have taken the vengeance he deserved now more than ever? Starscream struggled briefly with the voice's logic in a sort of mental grapple. I… I have many reasons, but I believe only two of them would matter to you: one, Soundwave was armed, I was not; two, once Soundwave knew I was trying to deactivate him, he would have sent a transmission to Megatron warning him of my hostility. Megatron would have been on guard, WAITING for my treachery… not that that's really different than normal, the seeker added bitterly. If we are going to take the two of them out, it will have to be at the same time. Starscream didn't add that Soundwave was probably the only one who could help him get rid of the voice; Asylink simply was not getting results. Besides… Soundwave's telepathy made Asylink's look like an etch-a-sketch.

Possessed by ambition…

Hadn't he always been? Hadn't ambition always been his driving force? No, he supposed that wasn't true. He hadn't had dreams of power until he met Megatron. Perhaps his induction into the Decepticon army had been the 'drastic change in personality' Asylink said was needed in order to be Doublesparked. But then why hadn't the hatred he had felt for Dunamis done the same thing? Starscream brought his hands up to either side of his head, as if maybe the pressure could drive away the onslaught of confusion. He entered his rooms intent on lying down, but found that Thundercracker and Skywarp were there waiting for him.

"Hey Screamer! How'd it… Screamer?" Skywarp stood warily. "Are you okay?"

Thundercracker took one look at his wingmate and knew the answer to that question. He strode forward, placing both hands on the air commander's shoulders. "What did he say to you? What the slag did he say?"

Starscream looked away. "Am … Ambition. The voice is my ambition."

Thundercracker's optics narrowed. "That isn't what's wrong. You told us yourself that you'd guessed ambition was the answer. There's something else."

"No." Starscream said flatly. "There isn't."

Thundercracker studied his wingmate carefully. "Fine. If you don't want to tell us," Starscream averted his eyes again, "then I'll find out on my own." He sidestepped Starscream and left the room, the door hissing shut behind him.

"Thundercracker! Wait!" Starscream let the hand he had outstretched drop feebly. Let him. It is of no importance. Starscream shook his head and felt his mind drift to consider something he had been thinking of steadily for the past few days, always in the time when the voice was least active. But now that he was sure of the voice's purpose, there were no reasons to conceal it. He felt the voice hum slightly, as if it knew where Starscream's thoughts would end up. Earlier you said you were looking for a memory we had lost. You said you had plans. I believe I know what they are. Yes…

Starscream abruptly turned to face the still standing Skywarp. "I need you to remember something…" This is not necessary! I already have collected the data. Starscream continued. "When… after I… after Dunamis died…"

Skywarp stiffened visibly.

"…We were going to teleport ourselves out immediately, but you suggested we take some energon with us just in case… you went off to take some from the mess hall, so… I was left in the room alone. Wasn't I?"

"Y- Yeah, I guess. Why…?"

Starscream felt his spark sink. "Can you leave? I need to think some things through, and I do that best when I'm alone."

"But…" Skywarp looked uncomfortable, and Starscream knew that leaving was the last thing he wanted to do. Still looking slightly confused and uneasy, Skywarp nodded. "Yeah. Sure." He walked forward, pausing for a moment when he drew even with Starscream, and then left the room.

That's what you needed the memory device for… you couldn't remember it all. You needed to see the sequence a second time. Starscream crossed the room to sit at his desk. He stared at the computer in front of him in slight trepidation of what he was about to do. Yes… this is where it starts. The voice's tone was riddled with expectancy. Starscream's fingers hovered above the key board, unsure if he really wanted to continue. The results, of course, would be wondrous, but the means of getting that far… was he really that twisted?

Yes.

The screen in front of him now showed Dire's schematics, complete with a list of inmates and their respective cells. Personal information was not included. Starscream's spark pulsed irregularly. Take what is yours. The last traces of doubt and self-control left him. What did he care as long as his dreams of power were achieved? What did he care who was sacrificed as long as he had supremacy? In an instant the decision was made. Starscream typed in Dunamis' newly acquired access codes.

Security feature after security feature was shot down in an instant, leaving Dire and all of its inhabitants completely in the hands of the Decepticon Empire's second-in-command. And now, it is time to awaken your new army. How will I control them? Leave that to the precautions taken by your dear departed creator. They will follow you, don't fret. Some kind of command mechanism? For all intents and purposes, yes. The personnel will have to be taken care of, of course. Starting with that fool Asylink. Starscream nodded briskly, and got down to the matter at hand. He had always enjoyed hacking… although with Dunamis' access codes, the only place he would need that skill was when it came to Asylink's files. Starscream smiled. This was going to be easy.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Soundwave pondered the intelligence behind his earlier outburst. Setting the traitorous seeker off was not something he particularly wanted to do. It was simply so aggravating that this could have all been avoided with a little foresight. And not just this one incident… what of all Starscream's betrayals? How different would this war be without the constant treachery?

There would have been less stress on Soundwave's part that was for sure. But then again, Starscream hadn't always been a power-hungry conspirator. When he had first joined the ranks, he had been different… determined, loyal, clever, eager to develop his skills…

… Eager to impress Megatron…

He had, in those early years, looked to the conqueror with something akin to hero-worship. Where had it all gone wrong? Soundwave knew the answer to that question before the question was through being turned into a thought. In truth there were many answers, but the main ones, the ones that caused the lasting damage were the most easily spoken of… Megatron had paid close attention to the soldier who was tearing his way through the ranks with an enthusiasm that was unexpected, Soundwave could even go so far as to say he had taken a personal interest. Then two things happened: one, Starscream reached the post of second-in-command, therefore hitting the proverbial glass wall… he could go no further; two, the ideals and philosophies Megatron had drilled into the seeker over the years told him that he wanted more. More power, more control, ultimate supremacy. The position held by the mech he had idolized for so long.

Admiration turned to Jealousy. Jealousy turned to Hurt. Hurt turned to Resentment. Resentment turned to Rivalry… and Rivalry turned to Hatred.

The result? A power-hungry, treacherous, conniving, and altogether murderous seeker by the name of Starscream. I forgot insane, Soundwave thought bemused. Truth be told, I probably could have handled this whole ordeal differently. Was I perhaps too hasty in my judgment? Soundwave paused in his incessant typing. No, ridiculous! I would not make such a grievous mistake. Then again, if something does happen… something that could allow Starscream to make good on his ambitions… who would he go after first? Me, of course. He can't reach Megatron without getting rid of me. More often than not, I am the downfall to his schemes. He forgets the abilities of a telepath!

"Soundwave?"

The communications officer looked up from the computer screen. "Yes Thundercracker?" The seeker was standing in the doorway looking upright and stern. Soundwave smirked underneath his mask. "If this is about your wingmate's session…"

"What in Primus' name did you say to him?"

Soundwave's tone became offhand. "The truth, in its infinite entirety." He trailed off.

Thundercracker strode forwards and slammed him fists down on the desk. "I swear if I find out you are trying to sabotage him…"

Soundwave laughed coolly. "I never thought I'd here a threat from you, Thundercracker. Your wingmate must be off his guard indeed."

Thundercracker's face softened. "I want him to back to the way he was… without a raving voice in his head, without having to fight to be in control of his own damn body." Thundercracker straightened, hands back at his sides. "I am personally amazed he didn't kill you." With that sentence hanging in the air, Thundercracker left, heading in the direction of the nearest strong drink.