Transformers Dawn: Chapter One

Transformers Dawn

Loss

Predaking looked down upon Starscream's mutilated body, it was scorched and covered with bite marks and scratches that were slowly trickling down energon, inflicted by Predaking's razor sharp claws. One of Starscream's wings had been severed in half, while the other was severely dented.

Once he was satisfied that there was not a single sign of life left in Starscream's chassis, Predaking announced, "Retribution has finally been served."

Predaking then kicked Starscream's prone form aside and he Darksteel and Skylynx left Starscream to rust and departed from Darkmount.

But what the three Predacons did not know is that Starscream was one of the most tenacious bots on Cybertron and what appeared to be a lifeless shell was Starscream barely online, fighting desperately for his spark with the last shred of strength he possessed.

Vision blurry and energon oozing copiously from his wounds, Starscream raised his arm feebly to his head and turned on his com-link with his energon stained fingers.

"Knockout… need a medic." Starscream barely managed to utter before letting his arm drop and falling into recharge.

Near the well of All Sparks the Autobots watched the magnificent light show that was the hundreds of multi-coloured sparks streaming out of the well of All Sparks.

The sparks rushed out of the well in many different directions, ready to infuse the still forms of protoforms on Cybertron with life.

But the momentous event was interrupted for Knockout as he heard Starscream's raspy voice via his com-link.

"Starscream where are you?" Knockout asked.

He received no answer from his com-link.

"Starscream can you hear me? Where are you?" Knockout repeated, voice slightly raised out of worry for his fellow Decepticon.

"…Darkmount." Starscream whispered.

The pain in Starscream's voice was evident. The Autobots watched as Knockout quickly transformed into his vehicle mode and raced towards the Decepticon's former base of operations.

"You better go after him Ratchet. He might need your help." Arcee told Ratchet.

Ratchet nodded and transformed into his vehicle mode and took off into the direction Knockout was heading.

After a short, high speed drive the two bots arrived at Darkmount.

"I'm perfectly capable of handling this myse—"Knockout began, before he was interrupted by a bad tempered Ratchet.

"Where exactly in Darkmount did he say he was?"

Ratchet knew that it was his duty to help anyone who needed medical attention, but he had just lost his oldest and most beloved friend and the last thing he wanted to do at the moment was to look all over Darkmount to find and treat a Decepticon that had caused him and his friends so much grief.

Knockout looked up at the tower to see how many potential floors Starscream could be located on. While he was looking up, Knockout could make out three faint figures flying away from the direction of the tower.

"I think the Predacons got to him." Knockout said, making Ratchet's mouth widen a little. The news horrifying to the two medics as they imagined its outcome.

After they had reached the top floor and found Starscream, Ratchet and Knockout brought him back to the Nemesis for medical treatment. They did all they could to repair his injuries, but despite their combined medical knowledge, could not repair the one thing that mattered the most to Starscream.

Starscream opened his eyes slowly, his vision fuzzy but slowly coming into focus. He eventually noticed that he was in Knockout's laboratory and in his mind was relieved that he was in a safe place. But then reality sunk in and Starscream realised, if he was safe, why was he in Knockout's laboratory?

Starscream looked down at his arm and saw that a medical tube was inserted into his arm. But it wasn't what he saw that was troubling him, it was what he couldn't feel.

"Knockout!" Starscream hollered.

"Yes Starscream?' Knockout who was standing close by, came up to Starscream to see what the matter was.

"What's happened to my wings, I can barely feel them!" Starscream with a panicked voice.

Starscream's wings were one of his most precious assets and he couldn't bear to live without them.

"I'm sorry Starscream, we couldn't save your wings. One of them was severed and the other—"

"WHAT?! You incompetent fool!" Starscream screeched making Knockout back away. Starscream tried to get up from the medical berth, but the effort proved to be too painful and he groaned with pain and lowered himself back onto the berth.

"You should consider yourself lucky to have escaped with your life Starscream." Ratchet said in a serious tone. Someone very precious to him had lost his life that day and Ratchet could not tolerate such ungratefulness.

"You call this lucky?!" Starscream gestured to his damaged wings. The gesture making him wince with pain.

"I've seen worse." Ratchet said a little unsympathetically.

"But I'll never be able to fly again!" Starscream whined, making Ratchet roll his optics. Starscream's high pitched whines were beginning to get on Ratchet's nerves.

"You better get used to it, because those Predacons are going to find you eventually." Ratchet reminded Starscream

"What?!" Starscream exclaimed.

"Once they realise that you're not off-line, they will find you again." Ratchet explained.

"What am I going to do?!" Starscream asked anxiously.

"Leave this planet and find somewhere else to live." Ratchet advised.

"I can't leave Cybertron, I have nowhere else to go to!" Starscream protested.

"It's either that or you become Predacon chow." Knockout joked.

Starscream glared at Knockout. This was a serious matter and Starscream did not appreciate that Knockout was treating it lightly.

"Can't you protect me if I join your team?" Starscream asked desperately. This was his last resort, there was no other solution. If he couldn't find someone to defend him, he would helpless against the Predacons.

"HA!" Ratchet exclaimed. Ratchet knew of Starscream's back-stabbing tendencies and found his attempt to switch sides very amusing.

Starscream frowned and opened his mouth wide in outrage.

"You would leave me to the mercy of those beasts?!" Starscream asked angrily.

"Yes." Ratchet answered him bluntly.

What little was left of Starscream's wings drooped down in disappointment.

"But… Bulkhead could use the extra labour to reconstruct the buildings. You may be of some use to us." Ratchet thought carefully and offered a proposition to Starscream.

"THANK YOU Autobot!" Starscream thanked Ratchet gratefully.

"Don't mention it and my name is Ratchet. You're going to have to bother to use our names if you want to be on our team." Ratchet reminded him.

"Yes, yes of course Ratchet." Starscream quickly replied.

It wasn't much of a future, but Starscream was happy that he could look forward to another day, without fearing for his life and that he still had a purpose on Cybertron without serving his former leader Megatron.