Transformers: Prime: Smokescreen's Destiny

Chapter 23: Unexpected Encounter

The moon hung low in the ink-dark sky, casting elongated shadows across the desert sands. Smokescreen and Knockout streaked through the night, their sleek forms blending seamlessly with the desolation. The hum of engines merged with the distant howl of the wind.

Over commlinks, Knockout's voice crackled with a touch of nervous energy.

"Lord Megatron's gonna kill me if he finds out that I was street racing among the humans again."

Smokescreen's reply was steady, laced with a touch of assurance. "Don't worry, Knockout. Your secret's safe with me. Just steer clear out of trouble in the future."

"I promise," Knockout vowed. "The last time I messed up a mission, I had my paint job scraped by Starscream himself!"

"You don't have to worry about Starscream anymore...wherever he may be. By the way, I've been curious about Starscream's clone. Did Megatron craft him from Starscream's CNA to replace the original?"

Knockout delved into the tale, recounting the clash of clones and the emergence of the Insecticons' allegiance. "No, not at all. When Starscream sent his clones to assassinate Megatron, chaos erupted. After Megatron defended himself and extinguished Starscream's duplicates, the Insecticons pledged their loyalty to him. One of Starscream's clones survived, and Megatron ordered me to mend him. After pledging allegiance, we kept a watchful eye on him, ensuring he didn't harbor thoughts of betrayal. When Starscream's clone met his end at the hands of those shadow creatures, we disposed of the remains. Thank the stars it wasn't the real Starscream; his arrogance and treachery far surpassed that of his copies."

"So, with the real Starscream missing, who'll step into his shoes as Megatron's second-in-command? Dreadwing, his first lieutenant?" Knockout's words held an air of certainty. "I believe Megatron has already chosen you, adopted you as his own, anointed you his heir." Smokescreen's voice wavered with uncertainty. "I'm not sure if I'm worthy of being Megatron's successor. I can't even fly."

"Flight is not a prerequisite," Knockout reassured. "You'd be surprised to know that Megatron once transformed into a tank before his alternate mode shifted to a fighter jet."

"Really?" Smokescreen marveled, the revelation a shimmering thread in the tapestry of their shared history. "I had no idea. The past holds so many secrets." Knockout's chuckle carried over the commlink, a fleeting echo in the vast expanse of the night. "Indeed it does, my friend. And we, in our own ways, are but fragments of that grand narrative."

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Meanwhile...

The moon hung high in the ink-black sky, casting long, ghostly shadows across the quiet town of Jasper, Nevada. The only sounds that broke the stillness were the distant hum of cicadas and the soft whisper of the wind. In the heart of this tranquil night, a dark, menacing silhouette soared through the heavens, cutting through the silence with a low, ominous growl. The air seemed to ripple around the powerful form, revealing hints of sleek, malevolent metal beneath the shroud of night.

Megatron, the Decepticon leader, had come.

With a graceful shift, he transformed, folding his colossal frame into the sleek contours of a fighter jet, a beast of war ready to strike. His crimson optics glowed with an eerie intensity, reflecting the cold determination that coursed through his circuits. Silently, he descended upon the unsuspecting town, seeking his quarry with predatory precision. His scanners scanned the streets below, hunting for the scent of his enemy, Optimus Prime, and the Autobots. Then, a flicker of movement caught his attention—a lone figure, a female human, moving purposefully through the night. The nurse walked steady, her heart unaware of the looming threat. Recognition sparked in Megatron's optics. It was June Darby—the human who dared to stand with the Autobots, who had tended to her son, Jack Darby, at their hidden base. The connection between them had been etched into the Decepticon leader's memory.