Air Superiority

Chapter 1

Owww, my eyes! Is it 8am in the morning already? Ughhh!

I hate it when someone opened the curtains of my window with the bright light shining to my face.

It happens every time after I overslept!

Not a morning person myself, I have need to stretch my everything and go for a walk to shrug off the drowsiness in me! Not to mention, the sudden rush of energy flowing through me as if someone injected a huge glass filled with coffee into my body all in one go. Aw man, I feel so stiff all over my body. Like I hadn't moved for a long time an-.

Wait a minute, why is my vision looking a lot better than it should be? I had glasses to wear all the time. And who's that giant lanky robot with red optics, jet fighter wings, two missiles on top of the forearms, and high heels standing in front of me?

And the outside looks like we are in some desert canyon.

He looks awfully familiar though.

Wait...

Oh no...

"Awaken my warrior! Rise and serve your new master!", he bombastically declared to me with a deep throaty tone.

Ah, scrapbaskets! It's Starscream! The treacherous backstabbing second in command of Megatron and current leader of the Decepticons if I recall correctly. Megatron recently got blown up with the Space Bridge detonating, courtesy of Team Prime, which completely wiped out legions of Terrorcons that were raised by a huge chunk of Dark Energon thrown upon Cybertron filled with numerous dead bots.

And it almost killed him if it weren't for the Dark Energon shard directly added into his own spark. But it had left him severely wounded and on the brink of dying as his body is currently floating among the space debris.

With Starscream now in charge, he must be seeking out Skyquake. The body of this powerful Seeker I somehow woke up in, and he wants me to join him as an example to motivate the Decepticon forces, who are obviously not impressed with his arrogant empty speeches and utterly terrible track record that he accumulated in his whole career.

As if I'd throw my lot in with that backstabbing bastard!

And that I rather not let the Decepticons, including Soundwave the resident creepy-as-hell spymaster, eventually discover I was a human inhabiting a Cybertronian in mind and soul if they noticed something is really off with me. Especially when I don't want to attack humans and refuse to commit evil acts in the name of Megatron.

Worst case scenario, I might end up in the dissection table of Knock Out like what happened to Silas who had his grievously injured body installed within the dead body of Breakdown by MECH. Not only that, the Cons have the Cortical Psychic Patch, which is at their Nemesis warship, who also probably happens to be Trypticon under permanent alt-mode stasis, and they won't be afraid to use it on me.

Then there's also Dreadwing, the twin brother of the original Skyquake, who might probably sense something off from the Spark I now share with him after waking up in this body. At some point, he might even come to Earth and investigate what happened to his brother because of this.

Good thing that we can only sense each other by the shared Spark, not read each other's minds.

Either way, I don't want to take any chances if I choose to remain a Decepticon.

Better play the part of a big scary-looking Seeker toward Starscream until Optimus Prime shows up and offers me a spot in Team Prime. Unlike the original Skyquake who had outright refused and died on the same day, I'm going to accept it and live.

It is preferable safer option to avoid Skyquake's canon fate and I know the Autobots are the winning team in the end as Knock Out would say. As such, I'm going to pull my weight upon joining them by being their dependable air support bot!

Besides with this body and deep intimidating voice of Skyquake I now possess, this shouldn't be hard to pull off.

Emerging from the stasis pod and my new Cybertronian body felt really heavy and powerful in my first steps on the ground, I smashed up my metallic fists above me to show off and and said with a simple strong statement, "Skyquake serves only one master!"

Wow, that's a really deep voice when I spoke as Skyquake and I'm liking it already!

Starscream smirked with satisfaction as if he had won the jackpot, "Excellent. Your loyalty and devotion will set a fine example for the troops. No need to be timid, Skyquake. You may bow."

Oh my Primus, the utter delusion of this idiot. Time to burst his fragile bubble as I retorted with a grip of my servo, "You fail to grasp what I'm talking about. I am here on a mission assigned to me by my one true master Megatron."

The original Skyquake's mission was to guard the Energon deposits on Earth and if I join the Autobots, I can offer them the coordinates to their locations, found within the memories of my Cybertronian head. As a generous gift they cannot refuse even if they have strong reservations at me being an ex-Decepticon. Team Prime is always having problems with their constantly short Energon supply after all.

Including that infamous Synthetic Energon fiasco with Ratchet and the incomplete formula he drugged himself into his systems.

Not to mention their heavy dependence on human technology provided to them, which is incompatible with Cybertronian programs albeit mitigated with Rafael Equisvel's invaluable help.

On the other hand, note to self: help the Autobots find the crash site of Harbinger ship and claim it for themselves to bolster their war effort. The resources and Cybertronian technology found within would prove very beneficial to them in the long run. Including the Immobilizer prototype weapon and also the five Protoforms stored inside the laboratory too as well.

Starscream looked really irritated, trying to futilely win me over. "Yes... Him... Sadly, Megatron is no longer with us."

I feigned my outrage in response, "Impossible! Megatron can never be defeated!"

Which it is actually very true because Megatron never really stays dead for long in a nutshell and it shows.

If I had an Energon cube every time Megatron was killed but later comes back alive, I have two Energon cubes. Which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice. Or was it three Energon cubes since Megatron got his ass pounded down by Metroplex as hard as he can, which Soundwave later had to rebuild and revive him after that back on Cybertron?

Even then, it is really, really, reaaaalllly difficult to take down the former gladiator-turned-supreme leader of the Decepticons who was quite well known for his savage might, combat experience and cunning that had slain countless Autobots in his path for conquest and iron fisted tyranny.

"Why is this so difficult for everyone to accept?...", Starscream comments in frustration of being on the receiving end of the skepticism before raising his voice at me. "Skyquake, I located you! I awakened you! Thus, I, Lord Starscream, am now your new master!"

He conveniently forgot that it was Soundwave who found Skyquake's stasis pod and provided the Energon cube to wake him up, or rather me in the Seeker's body. And he took the credit for himself. Not that Soundwave seemed to mind at all and preferred actions speaking louder than words for him.

In response, I gave Starscream a scare by growling at him menacingly and getting too close on his personal space with intention to grab him with my servos, much to his growing panic. "Oh really? I'd rather side with a Prime than bow to a treacherous backstabber like you. At least he has Courage and Honor and is a worthy opponent Megatron respects. Compared to him, you have none of those!"

Damn, Starscream looked like he is about to angrily choke an Energon cube shoved down his throat for that well-deserved jab at him.

"It's been a while, Skyquake."

I turn to the right to see the Robot Space Jesus himself in his red and blue truck-like glory as he called out to me with a deep dignified baritone. Honestly, it feels quite comforting and fatherly when I hear it.

Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots with the Matrix of Leadership stored within him, and he is approaching me and Starscream by his lonesome to negotiate. I already figured that Bumblebee is staying behind from a safe distance by his orders. It doesn't take a genius to know he's obviously worried for Optimus coming towards the two Decepticons, both dangerous in their own right.

Pushing away the Decepticon leader wannabe from me, I called out to him, "Optimus Prime! I haven't seen you since the Battle of Technahar. Megatron ordered me to annihilate you."

Accessing those memories of that specific event, I saw that the mission had failed miserably because no one can really take down Optimus Prime at all in battle regardless if you are formidable in your own right and/or have the numbers on your side. Even Megatron himself knew it's a fool's errand as he specifically warned Dreadwing not to attempt it and later on, rubbed it in his face when that backfired on him.

Oh, and the order the original Skyquake had claimed that it still stands? He said that out of pride after failing Megatron and intended to try it again upon meeting the Autobot leader once more.

Good thing that I won't carry it out anymore and it's a stupid ass order I elected to ignore it.

"That was a long time ago.", Optimus pointed out, not having fond memories of the war that ravaged Cybertron and its people.

I nodded in agreement with him, "That may be, Prime. Because of your fighting skills, tactical prowess and strength, you are truly Megatron's equal! Only he can match you on even terms where no one else could!"

Oh scrap, that made Prime feel somber after being reminded of his former brother back when they were close allies prior to everything falling apart during the Great War. I must have hit a sore spot on Optimus after he believed that Megatron had completely perished at the Space Bridge's colossal explosion from his point of view.

It really weighs heavily on him and his emotional state.

Optimus then made his compelling speech to Starscream and I, "Is this ancient war still worth fighting? When so many comrades have been lost and worlds destroyed. If you want to be a true leader Starscream, then stray from Megatron's path and lead the Decepticons toward peace!"

Like that's ever going to happen as I roll my red optics and waited for his ever predictable response.

"I would be... willing to consider a truce. ... If you would be willing to bow before me, Optimus Prime.", the de facto Decepticon commander responded with an amused smirk at the offer.

Yup, there it is and that's my cue.

"Again?! Bow to this!", I yelled and backhanded Starscream so hard he went crashing hard into the canyon behind him.

Getting up in agony from the blow I gave him, Starscream immediately transformed into his F-16 Fighting Falcon alt-mode and flew away from me, back to where Soundwave is observing from the high ground. Leaving me alone with Optimus Prime.

The Autobot leader then turned to me, "Skyquake, this is a new era on another world! Side with the Autobots and help me end this conflict forever!"

"I see... Tell me. Is it true, Prime? That Megatron is gone. Starscream claimed it so when he awakened me, but that's coming from a liar like him. So I would like to hear it from you...", I demanded while looking like a serious skeptic to him and knowing that Optimus is a terrible liar anyway.

This is the same bot who gave Jack Darby the key to Vector Sigma and claimed that it's for the Ground Bridge's Energon supply line while not in eye contact with him and blinking his optics many times.

Optimus nodded to me directly without a blink, "... Yes, it is true, Skyquake. Megatron is dead. Although, he has perished not by my hand. But by his own twisted arrogance. Desecrating the dead people of Cybertron from their rest with Dark Energon as his army to ravage Earth and many other worlds had my comrades and I failed to stop him."

I winced as I remember that the original Skyquake suffered the fate of becoming a Terrorcon thanks to Starscream using the shard of Dark Energon on the body and himself albeit temporarily. Only for the said zombie Seeker end up inside the Shadowzone for eternity thanks to the two Ground Bridges appearing together at the same time.

That is a dishonorable act which is unforgivable.

Dreadwing felt the same way after he found out Starscream used Dark Energon to revive the original Skyquake's corpse, a mockery to his brother's memory through the Cortical Psychic Patch he watched from the viewscreen. As an added insult to injury, Starscream was welcomed back by Megatron as his second-in-command once again after reviewing his memories together.

Which made the Seeker captain finally disillusioned with the Decepticon cause and smuggled the Forge of Solus Prime to give it to Team Prime he contacted.

Still it's a shame that he remained a stubborn bastard to not swallow his pride and defect to the Autobots when Optimus made his offer one last time. Look where that got him, he was unceremoniously killed by Megatron for trying to kill Starscream, the perpetrator and disobeying the Decepticon leader's orders to stand down.

Had he joined, he would have gotten a shot at taking down Starscream and claim his spark in revenge or justice, or even both, for the original Skyquake when Team Prime battled Megatron and his forces for the capture of four Omega Keys to the Omega Lock for the revitalization of Cybertron.

Oh well, time to make my decision and stick to it.

"Very well, Prime. I will join you. But, I have one condition.", I declared with the raise of my left servo at Optimus.

I had to do this in order to throw off suspicion from Soundwave and Starscream who are observing our interaction from afar on the clifftop A salty Starscream would declare me a traitor for defecting to the Autobots instead of bowing to him as he expected. His short-sighted scheme of using me as a glorified poster boy for loyalty to him ruined.

The Decepticon leader wannabe would eventually go into space and find a barely alive Megatron floating there among the Space Bridge's ruins with Laserbeak following him.

On the other hand, Soundwave will see it as Skyquake pledging loyalty to the one who beat him fair and square similarly like in the gladiatorial days at the pits of Kaon. The ever silent-by-choice Decepticon was a gladiator alongside Megatron after all. He can also multi-task as well like deploying Laserbeak to keep an eye on the self-styled successor of Megatron and convince him to take their leader back to the Nemesis for immediate stasis on life support at its sick bay.

It is better safe than sorry.

And that, I also wanted to try out the abilities of Skyquake's body and get used to it now that I am more machine than man, as a Cybertronian more specifically. Along with using the cool gatling gun weapon I now carry at my and also getting an alt-mode as well as a bonus.

Agent Fowler, the human liaison to Team Prime, will be showing up with his high-tech military jet he pilots, and I intend to scan it as soon as possible when I lay my optics on it.

Besides, I really wanted to try flying in the skies! As a giant transforming jet fighter robot! It will be like a duck takes water. No one is taking that away from me! Yeesssssss!

"And what is your condition?", Optimus asked in anticipation from me.

I answered with a battle-eager grin on my faceplate, "The condition is that I face you in an honorable duel between us. Just you and me... To settle the score where we left off from the Battle of Technahar once and for all. If you win, I will pledge my loyalty to you Prime. But if I win..."

"You will remain with the Decepticons...", the Prime finished with frown but understood my meaning, clearly knowing that Dreadwing and the original Skyquake are honor-bound to the one who had bested them in a duel and they followed Megatron because of that.

"Then we are in agreement. Prepare yourself, Prime!", I stated before making a basic fighting stance and readying myself for a fight of my life against the Autobot leader who had fought in battle for countless eons.

"Bumblebee, do not interfere. I will handle this.", Optimus ordered to his teammate behind him as he too is ready to battle as he saw it as the way to gain my loyalty. He also looked relieved that he was able to reason at least one Decepticon to change his ways and join him.

"Roger that, Prime. Be careful...", the Autobot scout reluctantly complied with beeping noises, which I can hear what he's saying.

Whoa, Cybertronians really do understand what Bumblebee was talking about the whole time despite his lack of a voice box no thanks to Megatron. Meanwhile, Rafael Esquivel, the child genius, must have figured it out like it's a Morse Code to him while Jack Darby and Miko Nakadai are unable to do so, having to rely on their Autobot guardians or their friend to translate Bumblebee's beeping sounds for them.

I might have an interesting conversation with that yellow bot when this is over.

While I know I'm gonna lose to Optimus Prime in a straight up fight, I'm giving it my all! And this is where the fun begins.

And so, I charged at him with a loud bellow and throw the first punch!

Let's get ready to rumble!