Chapter Text
The top of the golden tower has already been crashed into by Orion Pax and his team, and the captives saw the broadcast of Sentinel’s treachery. All of Iacon saw it.
Starscream and D-16 however, weren’t focused on the loss of faith in the false Prime. They were silently moving behind the mech, ready to kill.
D-16 snatched the mech towards the back of his throne, the least visible part of the crumbling tower.
With a loud screech from the golden-clad mech, Starscream tore his shining wings from the back of his chassis, the jet cackling at the cry of agony.
D-16 held his cannon at Sentinel Prime’s spark.
Sentinel made one last desperate plea for his spark, begging while Energon covered his attackers servos, “Please-D-16, we can rule with one another! You don’t know the high guards treachery!”
He rolled his optics at the thought. A traitor to all Cybertronians, knowing something about being a traitor.
And he fired.
The mech’s gleaming blue optics faded into a dull gray with his frame.
Starscream raised his gaze from his the fallen mech towards the miner bot, chassis rising and falling with wicked glee.
Starscream quietly began pulling at the offline mech’s chest, where his T-cog was located, “Listen, D-16, I know this is your first offlining, and a must justified one, but…just use it wisely.”
D-16 was too relieved to spit back an angry retort, but he began to steel himself as the seeker kept tearing off plating.
His processor instead of relishing in his enemy’s sweet defeat, wandered towards his other half.
Orion would never approve of Sentinel’s death, especially in this manner.
But maybe it didn’t have to be in this manner.
D-16 cleared his vocalizer, and as Starscream pulled out the cog, he spoke lowly, “Starscream, I have a proposition for you. One I think, that it would be wise to take.”
Starscream placed the cog into D-16’s servos, dripping in fresh Energon, replying, “Oh, and what could be of interest for me now?”
“The credit for Sentinel Prime’s offlining.”
The seeker looked genuinely surprised-which quickly hardened into suspicion.
“Is this some kinda sick gag to get me offlined too? Get all the mechs to blame me for killing their god?!”
D-16 laughed coldly as he put the fallen angelic bot’s cog into his port.
“No, it’s something of a personal interest for me. As my first in command, no mech will get to trial you for this justified slaughter.”
Starscream’s optics curled into a devious expression, and he made an extravagant bow towards the now tall, intimidating, Megatron. The warframes spoke low and fast, no mech in the tower could hear them.
——
Orion Pax, B-127, and Elita-1 all were desperately searching for D-16, the most panicked of them all being Orion.
Orion’s EM field was buzzing with despair, and in between shouting D-16’s name, he chattered “Oh Primus-what if Sentinel finds him or alread-“
The gray mech spotted his dear from across the tower, behind the fallen rubble Starscream and him used as a cover.
“I’m over here!”
Orion ran towards D-16 faster than his pedes had ever gone before, and it still felt too slow.
The two held each other in a strong embrace, with Orion being held tightly towards D-16’s new frame, Megatron. The pair had never been separated since they met, and Megatron wouldn’t allow it now.
Orion tried to squirm back for a nanoclick, and Megatron tightened his grip. He wasn’t going to lose him. No matter what.
“Dee, I can’t believe it…”
“Megatron, but yes, I agree.”
Orion snickered at the new title, but nodded in agreement. His optics looked away from Megatron’s gaze, so he held up a servo to turn his helm back to him.
Orion quietly asked, adjusting the hold Megatron had on him so they were at equal height, despite Megatron being much taller. “Is Sentinel…”
Megatron dryly laughed, “We’re standing in his spilled Energon.”
“Oh-Primus-did you? What hap-“
Megatron held a servo gently up to Orion’s derma, and cooly spoke, “Starscream defended me while Sentinel held us captive.”
Starscream emerged, holding the wings of the false Prime. Starscream’s blazing optics looked burning with emotion, but a sense of restraint followed the seeker. “He did what had to be done, in self defense. We can’t fault him for that, can we Orion?”
“I-I guess Dee…but please, if we’re going to start a new era of Cybertron, we can’t have unordered, out-of-control, executions. We can’t be like Sentinel.” His digits intertwined with tanks, his voice riddled with purpose and concern.
“Don’t worry, Orion. In our new world, you only will have one concern. Studying the archives, like you have always dreamed of.” He looked deep into the red mech, hoping his words would sway his beloved. “We can have a future. Not bound by any class or the mines. Our own.”
Orion stopped squirming completely, his optics searching deep into Megatron’s optics into his very spark.
“I…would love that.”
Megatron was greatly pleased by his response, and lowered Orion to the ground, but didn’t release his servo. Orion didn’t seem to want to let go either.
Starscream turned to the duo, and kneeled, a twinge of joy in the Energon’s splatter under his pede.
“Lord Megatron, as your humble servant, I ask for your…forgiveness, or at least mercy.”
Orion replied before Megatron could open his derma, “You need to understand, this new Iacon can’t be one of violence.”
Megatron was mildly displeased at Starscream and Orion even interacting, but he knew he didn’t control the mech. No bot could control Orion Pax. But Megatron wanted Orion to be almost carefree, ready to spend time with predominantly Megatron himself, indulge his love of archiving, and be safe. It would be like the mines, just…better. Because the two could always go to the same berth. No stolen kisses between dangerous shifts. No false Primes slaughtering their community for lies and deceit.
“He saved me, Orion…please, for us, understand.”
“I do, I just…whatever you decide Dee, I will be there to support you. Let’s put the past behind us, behind Iacon.”
“Then he is pardoned, as the new leader of Iacon City, we will bring Cybertron back to a place for all mechs!”
The white lie would never need to be uncovered, the truth is as good as mechs say. And if all the witnesses, cameras, and officials agree, there would never be harm in the archivist’s pursuit of the truth. Because to the world, the death was pardoned. The truth was pardoned with it.