Transformers Prime: Broken Sparks (AU)

       One of the great Cybertronian cities — Vos. Or, as many called it, the cradle of Seekers, for it was home mostly to flying mechs. The city stood on the dark side of the planet, where night was eternal, and so it was always aglow with countless sources of light. It resembled a nighttime New York — only more perfect, larger, and with almost no roads for ground vehicles. Massive banner-screens in the central districts and beyond broadcast news from Iacon.       Iacon — a city at Cybertron’s northern pole, where a soft pink-and-blue sunrise lingered eternally. That was where the Council resided, and where the flame of hatred had ignited between two former friends. Some time had passed since Orion Pax had been formally appointed Prime, yet the unrest still refused to settle. The opposition led by Megatron, calling themselves the Decepticons, began to employ aggressive — one might say terrorist — methods. They had been pushed out of Iacon, but Megatron found a new place for his base. Kaon — the place of his activation, the place where he had fought in the arena, the place he named his capital. Kaon lay at Cybertron’s southern pole, and unlike Iacon, it was eternally drowned in the blood-red glow of sunset.       The world was divided. The Autobots — an organization formed to oppose the Decepticons — strengthened their hold on Iacon, preparing to repel Megatron should he choose to strike. But the situation turned out to be much worse. After taking full control of Kaon, the Decepticon leader did not immediately march toward his enemy; instead he began recruiting and seizing nearby cities, expanding his power and spreading Decepticon beliefs and the doctrine of “equality” like a plague. The violet faction grew in geometric progression, and their arrival in Vos became only a matter of time…       A large mech stood on the balcony of the Citadel of Vos — the central administrative building where all political officials worked, including the elected Lord of the city. He gazed down at the glowing cityscape, his blue eyes with cross-shaped pupils following the flights of local residents. His expression seemed thoughtful, though his faceplate displayed no emotions at all. Nightfly had always been restrained — a useful quality for a General, especially when working under a very hot-tempered and emotional superior.       Night had been a military officer long before Starscream began his political career, but it was Starscream who made this honest and reliable mech not just the Commander-in-Chief of the army and defense, but also his second-in-command. They had known each other long enough to work comfortably together, though even so, disagreements still arose between them.       Exhaling heavily through his ventilation systems, the jet turned and released the balcony railing with a metallic scrape. He had been thinking the entire time about another difficult conversation ahead, but before heading into the main hall, he decided to stop by the server room.       Inside the vast chamber full of electronics, computers, and databases, a small femme-bot sat behind a control panel. Yes, Transformers had no concept of gender, yet some sources said that, to increase the Second Class population, certain mechs were created with chassis shapes that differed from the standard — and these naturally drew more interest.       The femme was far smaller than the jet; her light armor and exposed endoskeletal sections practically screamed that she was no soldier, merely a server-room technician.       Night approached from behind her and glanced at the data displayed on the monitor. There was still a great deal of work ahead, and the General was… concerned?       — Deya, your work day ended long ago. You can go home.       Amusingly, the femme didn’t even flinch at the sudden voice behind her. She only turned her head slightly and rested her hands on her knees.       — If I told you the same, would you listen to me?.. — she replied, slowly turning in her chair to face the mech.       Night only lowered his gaze at her words, but the seeker-femme caught the fleeting hint of a smirk on his face. She was one of the very few who could detect the General’s subtle expressions and read his emotions. And the reason for that was simple — he was her brother. Deya and Night came from the same family; yes, they were connected only through their mother, but even so, they were inseparable.       — Even so… This can wait until tomorrow. — Nightfly gestured toward the screen.       — Maybe… — Deya covered her face with her hand and rubbed her optics with her fingers. They were already tired, and she didn’t deny it. — And you? Aren’t you going home? You look… tense. You're going to try convincing Starscream to evacuate Vos again, aren’t you? Last time your conversation was rather…       — Yes, I am. — the General cut her off, walking slowly toward the exit.       — Mgh… Well then… good luck. Maybe this time you’ll get through to him. — Deya watched her brother leave and powered down the panel screen.       The server room went dark, save for the lights of running equipment and her golden neon glow.       Night stepped out into the corridor and soon stopped before massive doors stretching nearly to the ceiling. Without hesitation, he pushed one of the panels and entered. The Citadel was one of the few buildings still using non-automated systems — including its doors.       An enormous hall opened before the jet. Columns lined the sides, holding up the semi-circular vault of the ceiling. In the center stood a long table where all the city’s officials and high-ranking leaders usually held their meetings. But now, only the console at the central seat was lit. Behind the Lord’s usual chair stood a vast panoramic window overlooking the city. The hall lights were off, and so, when the General closed the door behind him, the only illumination came from the computer panel.       — Lord Starscream… — Night called, and the distinct clicking of claws on a keyboard ceased. — We need to talk.       Starscream leaned back in his chair and shifted his crimson optics to Night as the General approached.       — I thought we’d already discussed everything, didn’t we? — the seeker said, tension in his voice, his over-lens shields narrowing.       — I can’t accept your decision, Starscream. You can’t decide everything for the people — you must give them a choice. Everyone deserves to choose which side they will fight for.       Starscream dragged a hand down his face, sinking into his seat in sheer exhaustion. Instead of answering, he let out a frustrated, worn-out groan…       — You again with this… Night, I understand that you personally despise the Decepticon faction’s aims. I’m not exactly thrilled with Megatron and his methods myself… — Screamer straightened up and gave his second-in-command a weary look. — I know you don’t want to become a tool in the hands of the Kaon gladiator, and I dare say you don’t want any citizen of Vos to become a weapon, either.       — You’re right, but more than anything I don’t want YOU to become Megatron’s puppet. If he even decides to spare your life at all. Starscream, you’re a representative of the old order, you were created by the Spark just like all of us, and you voted against giving freedom to the third class. I wouldn’t count on Megatron letting you live. — The jet still wouldn’t let up in his attempts to reason with his leader. — Have you thought about your family? What will happen to Thunder and Warp when you’re gone? Seekers are bound in their triads, and losing one is a collapse…       — Agh, Night! — Starscream cut off his monologue, clearly struck in a sore spot again. — I don’t want to argue with you all over again, but you’re forcing me to! How can I think only of myself when I’m risking losing every citizen?! I’ve studied the current balance of power… and now I’ll explain why we have no other choice but to surrender Vos to Megatron.       Starscream rose from his seat and activated a hologram of their planet in place of the console panel. Cybertron hovered as if in his palm, its cities marked with triangular symbols. The Seeker circled around the projection so Night could see everything he was pointing out.       — So… look. Iacon, the current capital of the Autobots, is located at Cybertron’s North Pole. Kaon — the Decepticon capital — lies at the South Pole. The distance between them is enormous, but according to the latest reports, Tarn has begun supplying Megatron with weapons, and most of the city has joined the Decepticons. — As he spoke, Starscream pointed his clawed finger at the hologram symbols and activated displays showing distances between cities and how long it would take each faction to reach certain points using wheels, wings, or ships. It was all very… illustrative. But Screamer continued. — Yes, Yuss is on the Autobots’ side, but it’s on Cybertron’s sunny side, almost mirroring Vos. Praxus and Simfur are maintaining neutrality for now, and Polyhex is being torn apart by a war for control, with 60% of its territory already in Decepticon hands! Night, we’re surrounded by Decepticons from the south, west, and east. It won’t be hard for Polyhex to cut off Iaconian support if we choose the “wrong” side.       Starscream ended his explanation and looked at his second-in-command, as if waiting for him to draw the proper conclusion. But Night remained silent. He wanted… he needed the Seeker to say it himself — because the jet still didn’t want to believe they were trapped in a pincer, that everything had already been predetermined.       Nightfly’s silence grated on Screamer’s nerves. He bared his denta with their sharp points and raised his voice, as if trying to punch his words directly into his old friend’s mind.       — If I don’t give Megatron an answer tomorrow, he will send his entire force to capture Vos and obliterate everyone and everything that doesn’t fall on their knees before him! The Autobots won’t reach us in time, because 90% of them are fragging wheelers! And if you’ve forgotten — teleportation technology was lost centuries ago! Vos will fall under siege. Thanks to our cannons and fortifications, we’ll hold for a while, but if Megatron realizes he cannot take the city, he’ll just wipe it off the map.       Listening to Screamer, the jet remained silent, but suddenly he averted his gaze, looking aside. A sigh escaped the vents, and the mech clenched his hands into fists.       And this time, without waiting for a response, Screamer continued, circling around Night and forcing the jet to look at his superior.       — If I offer anyone a choice, if I announce it… Megatron will find out immediately. Somehow he knows everything, everywhere, about everyone. I don’t know how he does it, but these past months of negotiations — that bucket-headed bastard has always been two steps ahead, countering every argument I made! I’m out of ideas, Night. Time’s up… I have no other choice… — Starscream dropped onto his chair with a loud thud and pressed a hand to his forehead. The Seeker looked so exhausted and worn… When was the last time he’d even gone offline? — If you have another option, another plan, then go on, tell me! I’m listening!       — No. I have no alternatives. — The general finally spoke. — The situation is truly complicated, and your side of it is understandable… But right now you’re choosing between life and freedom, giving priority to the first. And you… you’re ready to help Megatron achieve victory with your own hands, to hand him the power he craves… With all due respect, and with all my loyalty to you…       Night closed his optics, furrowed his over-lens shields, then simply turned away.The jet headed toward the exit.       — …I refuse to take part in any of this.        Lord of Vos watched Nightfly leave in silence and shut off the planetary projection of Cybertron. The console returned to its place, its screen full of data once again becoming the only source of light in the room. Nightfly stepped outside, closed the doors behind him and… leaned his back against them. The jet tipped his head back and vented heavily. Primus, how difficult and exhausting this was. It twisted him inside out just thinking that he might end up among Decepticons; his processor hummed, and sometimes his thoughts wandered so far that he had to snap himself out of it. Drop everything, leave everyone… Take only his sister and fly to Iacon while the skies above them were still open. He had been thinking about this for a long time, yet could never bring himself to act. He had sworn his loyalty to Screamer many vorns ago, and he was not the kind of bot who threw his words to the wind.       He had imagined their escape countless times, and every time he would discard the thought the moment he remembered whom he would be leaving behind. What mattered more—loyalty to an oath, or his own will? But… it wasn’t just about loyalty either. Night and Screamer had known each other for an incredibly long time; the general had witnessed his political rise and was proud—truly proud—to serve under this four-winged jet. No… even that wasn’t the whole truth. Something made his spark burn brighter whenever he watched that sleek silver seeker. He didn’t need to talk to him, didn’t need to do anything together; it was enough just to see him smiling among his family and friends, hear him laugh—genuinely, wholeheartedly—or ramble nonstop, or get angry at some nonsense or at an unlucky object…       Shaking his head, Night tried to pull himself together. He had said he didn’t want to take part in any of this, meaning he was going to walk away. But… how could he abandon the bots closest to his spark? After standing there for a moment, Night headed down the corridor toward the balcony, intending to jump off and fly home from there.       Starscream had no idea Night was still behind the doors, thinking and deciding something for himself. The seeker sat there, scowling at the running lines of data. Suddenly he heard the click of light steps. Oh… that walk—he would recognize it anywhere. Without even turning his head, Screamer asked the bot approaching him from behind:       — Are you alone? Where’s Thundercracker?       — He’ll be here soon, lead one~ — Skywarp drawled lazily as he wandered closer.       Reaching Screamer’s side, the subordinate leaned his hands on the table and glanced briefly at the screen, then at his brother. Star rubbed his face and squeezed his optics shut.       — Did you two finish the scouting? — the Lord asked, his voice sounding drained and defeated.       — Yeah, and… everything’s just the way you expected. Megatron is planning to surround Vos with his forces. If you give him the wrong answer, he’ll begin the assault. According to our intel, the first thing he wants to blow up is the spaceport—if it won’t belong to him, then no one else should have it.       — Tch… slag-hauler bastard… He knows exactly where to strike first… ugh… — Starscream rested his head on the console and closed his optics. — This is the end, ’Warp… I don’t know what happens next. I worked so hard to earn this post, and now I’m forced to surrender the city. They’ll hate me for it…       — Hatred and protest are only half the trouble. Once he gets what he wants, Megatron might kill you, Screamer, you’re…       — A representative of the old order, — the jet cut him off. — Blah, blah, blah. Sky, you’re not the first to remind me of that—I know it myself. I… I’ll have to find a way out somehow. I’ll think of something. As always.       After a moment of silence, Skywarp placed a hand on Star’s shoulder and gave it a gentle shake, urging him to sit up. With an annoyed expression, the bot straightened in his seat—only for the purple-and-black seeker to suddenly wrap his arms around him. The lead one froze, stunned, but slowly returned the embrace.       — Starscream… — Skywarp began softly, — no matter what happens, know that we’ll follow you anyway. We’re with you until the end…       — Until our sparks become one… — Screamer finished with a faint smile. ’Warp smiled back into his crimson optics and hugged him tighter.       They sat like that for a while longer, until finally the last console flicked off and silence settled over the hall. The quiet night descended on their city.       The last quiet night…       

***

             The quiet and peaceful life of the Vosians ended with the arrival of the next morning. As soon as the capital’s clocks chimed, marking the beginning of a new cycle, a broadcast from their leader appeared on every screen. Starscream stood on the balcony of the citadel, cameras circling around him as they captured the message for transmission across the entire city. Without unnecessary words — which was extremely uncharacteristic for Scrim — he announced the complete surrender of Vos to the Decepticon faction. He called on everyone to obey without question and to give their voluntary cooperation to the purple faction.But… just as he expected, the people were far from happy with his decision. Slowly but surely, Vos was sinking into chaos. Even from a distance, the lord could hear the rumble of discontent — the citizens were shouting, but there was nothing left to argue. Starscream pressed his lips together and hurried back inside, away from the cameras. Thundercracker and Skywarp, who had been standing beside him, rushed after their leader and sealed the doors, blocking the drones.       — This is a disaster… I… I failed them… I betrayed their trust… — Starscream covered his optics with his hand. The seeker was trembling, and coolant was beginning to gather at the corners of his optics. His wings drooped, and he barely managed to stay standing, bracing himself with his other hand against the table.       — No, Scrim, that’s not true, you did everything right! — Thunder encouraged him, placing a hand on his brother’s shoulder.       — He’s right! We talked about this already — you didn’t have any other choice… Besides, you handled it amazingly! Everything’s going to be fine! — Warp also tried to convince their leader that everything was okay. But suddenly something clicked in his head, and he began looking around. — Wait. Where’s Night?..       Starscream lifted his gaze and stared into the distance.       — He’s doing… his job.       The general of security and armed forces of Vos was not supposed to babysit his lord, even though he was his second-in-command. Nightfly had more than enough work now — overflowing, even. He was forced to at least try to maintain order in a city consumed by unrest and chaos. The military and the police were preventing looting, as well as clashes between those who supported Decepticon ideology and those who didn’t. And still, Nightfly followed his own path: he didn’t shut down the spaceport immediately — quite the opposite, the general helped organize safe corridors and aid for those who wanted to leave Vos, even if it meant saying goodbye to their planet forever. As long as Megatron’s forces had not yet entered the city, the general could afford such a liberty…       Dea stood on the roof of the citadel, watching dozens of ships leaving Vos. Their glowing trails, like stars falling upward, dimmed slowly, and the starcraft disappeared into the dark blue of the night sky, vanishing somewhere among the stars. Nightfly insisted that Dea leave as well, but how could she abandon her brother? Naturally, the femme refused — choosing instead to stay by his side and help him.       The city was emptying rapidly, but not everyone was so lucky… Those who hesitated too long, who couldn’t decide or kept wavering, became doomed the moment the Decepticon army approached the borders of Vos. They seized the control center and took command of the plasma cannons — the city’s main defense complex — and now, if anyone tried to launch a ship, the cannons opened fire to destroy. A couple of destroyed ships were enough for everyone to clearly understand — time was up. Nightfly could no longer do anything. For a time, he still tried to help the opposition, but their groups were quickly eliminated by the Decepticon army. Now the symbol of the purple faction towered over the city; Starscream no longer made any decisions and simply carried out orders that arrived from Kaon. He had not yet met Megatron in person, but he was haunted by a persistent paranoia — the feeling that he was being watched. And he couldn’t shake that feeling even when he tried to go offline.       It didn’t take long before the once cradle of seekers was turned into yet another military base of Megatron. Decepticon warships launched from Vos’ spaceport, and the legions of seekers no longer belonged to Scrim — they belonged to Megatron. Starscream was forced to distribute his loyal officers and friends across departments and units. They were fully involved in the war now, and they would soon learn what it truly brought. And war brings only one thing… death.

***

      — ALARM! ALARM! WE’VE BEEN HIT! — someone shouted, standing next to the ship’s control console.       — Hit?! From where?! — a large mech ran toward the helmsman, barely keeping his balance as the ship shook.       — Impossible! We don’t even have a faction insignia! Who shot us?! — someone else from the crew yelled. — Dea! Dea, why are you just standing there?! Get to the console, now!!! DEA!

***

      Heavy footsteps echoed through the citadel corridor — unusual for Night, who normally walked lightly and almost silently despite his size. But now, his steps betrayed his state of mind.

***

             Barely keeping his balance, the jet ran up to the fembot and shook her.       — IN THE NAME OF THE SPARK, DEYA! WHY ARE YOU FROZEN?! — he shouted, trying to bring her back to her senses.       The siren screamed at full volume, the control panel flashed, and the shaking was so intense that even the most steadfast could barely stay on their feet.       

***

      The massive doors to the hall swung open, and a dark-blue mech approached the trio of Seekers who were discussing the plan to capture other cities sent from Kaon.       — Lord Starscream, permission to report… — Night coldly began, drawing the attention of the entire triad.       — Granted… — the commander replied warily. A bad premonition clung to him.       Night began his report but hesitated to get to the point, as if he didn’t want to voice it, as if he didn’t want to involve Starscream, yet he had no choice but to report.       — …and the CVC-13 ship, en route to Polyhex via Route 144, was shot down by Autobot anti-aircraft defenses…       

***

      — Guys… — Deya stood frozen, watching the approaching surface.       — OH SPARK!       It was already decided — the ship hit the ground at full speed, resulting in a massive explosion.       

***

      — …No survivors were found among the crew. — The general finished the report with stoic calm. In that moment, Starscream’s and his followers’ faces reflected shock and horror.              The entire triad knew that Deya was Night’s sister, and that the ship had been carrying Night’s subordinates, sent separately by Megatron. They were either family or very close friends, so… Starscream’s explosive reaction came immediately once the shock subsided.       — D-Deya?.. — Starscream repeated, still unable to believe what he heard, but the question required no answer. — AGH! BASTARDS!       The Seeker slammed his hand onto the keyboard panel, shattering it and sending cracks spider-webbing across the device.       — Thundercracker! Skywarp! Assemble the Seeker squad! We’re moving out! WE’LL TEAR THOSE BASTARDS TO PIECES! — he commanded, consumed by emotion.       — But…       — I SAID MARCH!!! — The commander yelled, nearly straining his voice. Warp and Thundercracker immediately obeyed, retreating to follow their leader.       But Night couldn’t hold back any longer. Always cold, calculated, keeping his emotions locked away, his neural network could no longer bear the tension. He grabbed Starscream by the shoulder and yanked him around.       — Don’t act like YOU lost EVERYONE who was dear to you! — Night snapped for the first time in years.       Starscream had already lost so much self-control that he didn’t even notice his deputy’s rare outburst.       — Deya meant just as much to me as she did to you!!! I won’t let this go! If you’re ready to sit back and do nothing, fine! But when you mourn their loss, remember — it was the AUTOBOTS who killed them! The very ideals you so passionately defended!!! And what now?! They’re not as righteous and good as you thought, attacking a NON-MILITARY SHIP! OR IS THIS AN EXCEPTION?! — the four-winged fighter was ready to tear everything apart, the stress accumulated over time finally erupting, completely losing control, blinded by vengeance.       Night pressed his lips together, averted his gaze, and clenched his fists. Inside, his Spark was ablaze, tearing at him from all the contradictions. But Starscream didn’t allow his deputy even a moment to process it, continuing to press.       — I know what you’ll say: “Revenge won’t bring our friends back.” Yes, yes, but I can’t continue living knowing that that Autobot trash is alive, walking on Cybertron, while our people are gone! I’ll destroy their AA defenses and THEM! For now, I’m deciding here — you either come with us or not…!       Starscream hadn’t finished when Night interrupted in a raised voice.       — I’M COMING WITH YOU!       Starscream was momentarily taken aback that his eternally sensible deputy agreed, but there was no time to think. Gathering their armada, the Seekers, led by Starscream, flew toward Polyhex. They were fast and agile, and the leader and his subordinates were among the best flyers of the once-prestigious Seeker academy.       As they approached the crash site, Starscream spotted AA installations and operators nearby. Giving orders, he “dived” downward, closing in to missile range for precise hits. They opened fire, but Starscream skillfully dodged the large projectiles, executing aerial maneuvers the Autobot systems couldn’t calculate.       — DIE, BASTARDS! — he yelled, launching missiles. The rockets reached their targets faster than Starscream, obliterating all equipment, operators, and nearby energon tanks. A blue cloud of the explosion rose, scattering debris and parts. A second, third, fourth explosion followed… Starscream flew through the smoke and ash, shot upward, and rejoined the group, continuing the assault.       No one would survive — they would eliminate everyone on the border, no matter the cost!