Arisen

6

Bee's the one to exclaim first, " This is how miners have been living?", looking at all the bots, all the makeshift weapons, before rushing to catch up with the others.

Pax's also taking it in, but he's more interested in the group waiting for them as they party to let the cogless miner lead them through.

But absolutely nothing could've prepared him for who's waiting at the end.

"D-16. Back at last."

"Hello, Starscream." D replies dully, refusing to look at him or feign politeness.

Next to Pax, Bee whispers, "I thought he and the High Guard were wiped out by the Quintessons."

Starscream looks over at them, so Pax whispers back, "So did I.", before walking right past Starscream.

No way is Bee about to be left behind, so he follows as well.

The table is dead silent as they all stare at each other.

Finally, Pax can't take it anymore, and leans forward, "Someone better start talking, right fragging now."

For a second, it looks like no one's going to, then Starscream starts, "D-16 here made himself into Sentinel's punching bag so he'd leave the other miners alone. We knew it was only a matter of time before Sentinel began to wonder if we were still alive, so we took a chance coming down here, and D helped hide us and got himself in even more trouble to hide us. For all intents and purposes, D-16 was just a pain in Sentinel's aft."

"And you didn't think to help him as a thank you for saving yours?" Pax snaps.

"We were once the High Guard, D was a cogless miner." Starscream snaps back. "Who would you bet on? But we kept tabs on him. We need him on our side if we want to win our fight against Sentinel."

"There's a joke for you." D says with a mirthless laugh.

"D-16, believe it or not, you have power here." Starscream appeals.

"The only power I'm interested in is the one that Sentinel stole from all of us." D snaps. "I found out the truth when I joined the Wreckers. And no one thought to do anything about it. But I did. Now you expect me to believe you're ready to join my side?"

"Why's that so hard to believe?" Pax asks.

"Because the High Guard has always been about one thing, and one thing only: taking all the power and glory for themselves." D says.

"All of it?" Bee asks.

"We're ready to end Sentinel's reign once and for all." Starscream says.

"No, you're ready to turn Iacon and anyone that gets in your way into rubble." D snaps.

"Did you forget you're part of that too?" Starscream reminds him. "Every klik that Sentinel stays in power is another klik bots go not understanding what they're missing. The surface may be uninhabitable, but it doesn't have to be for much longer."

"Isn't there a less violent option?" Bee says desperately. "Just because people's skills fit best in one faction over another doesn't make it a bad thing."

"Enforcer?" Starscream guesses.

"Originally, before joining the Wreckers." Bee admits.

"But you're going to be the ones to execute Sentinel?" Pax asks.

"With pleasure." Starscream promises. "We were loyal to the Primes and were there the day Sentinel betrayed them. If Sentinel was willing to do all of that just to take over Iacon, I don't need to tell you how much worse it's going to get when he takes over Cybertron."