Transformers: Eradication

Part 26: Starscream's Bold Move

Fast forwarding to a week and a half later, just five days before the day that changed everything. Earth has changed for the worst since the invasion. Humans are either getting killed of in the streets, or subjected to some forms of torture or some other cruel game. Some Decepticons on the east coast have set up a reality game show where humans are forced into perilous obstacle courses to fight for their freedom. Various traps include hidden flame panels, spikes to be impaled on, and acid showers. Another game show has the losers die of asphyxiation. The winners also die. The Dreads and Coneheads are both prominent members of the audience.

Crank "Let them suffer!"

Crowbar: "Grind their bones!"

The humans of course die, but not all of Earth has had it this rough. The Constructicons are actually regarded as heroes because they unintentionally defeated ISIS and all other middle eastern terrorist organizations except for that one survivor, whose threat level is so low that nobody is really paying any attention to him anymore. And they replaced the Eiffel Tower with an exact replica with Cybertronian metals, which are much stronger than any Earth metals. Splicer's kindness was also noted, and the people loved him for it. It just goes to show if you are kind to people then they will happily be oppressed by you. In Detroit Fearswoop and Terradive make a cameo walking the streets together.

"Whoa they did a number on this place."

"Actually they did nothing to it."

"Good old Detroit!"

They both laugh.

New York has become the hub for most of the Decepticons. That's where the most damage has been done. The murders and shootouts are in the hundreds, and when they aren't killing humans they are either drinking, partying, or killing each other because they can. Some of the more peaceful Decepticons are simply loving their new home and have even tried to bring their culture to the humans that aren't being killed. One of Cybertron's most popular radio shows has taken over lately.

"And welcome back ladies and gentleman to the Riptide and Clash show, with your hosts Riptide and Clash on the Cybertron 69.69 CT!"

"And everyone's favorite goofball Clash."

Rip: "We're here on a beautiful day on Earth."

Clash: "And what a beautiful day for oppression!"

Rip: "It smells like blood, sweat, and ashes."

Clash: "Which means Megatron is in town!"

Rip: "We got several callers eagerly awaiting on the line. Let's get this party started!"

The first caller is brought up. Unsurprisingly it's Buzzsaw.

Buzzsaw: "Hail Megatron and all of his glory!"

Clash: "Well if it isn't our number one caller Buzzsaw."

Rip: "I totally saw that coming!"

Buzzsaw: "And hello to my fellow Megatron supporters. We need another statue to replace the one in Brazil... no ten... twenty.... fifty."

Rip: "How about they just keep making them?"

Buzzsaw: "What a brilliant idea! I'm ashamed that I didn't think of it before. We'll just keep making them until that city is covered with statues."

Clash: "Great news!"

Buzzsaw: "We'll all be paying you guys a visit in a few days. Megatron will also be going with the rest of us to New York. in fact we're preparing to do that right now."

Rip: "We'll set up the parades!"

Buzzsaw: 'Great to hear. We'll see you there."

Another caller comes on the line. It's Thundercracker.

Thunder: "Yeah this would have been nice if he didn't make me do this stupid job!"

Clash: "Well if it isn't everyone's favorite troublemaker Thundercracker. How are ya you manic?"

Thunder: "Oh you know the usual, killing dudes and getting high."

Clash: "Ah the good old days. when everything was simple."

Rip: "Yeah nostalgia for the win!"

Thunder: "Hey man I'd love to keep talking but I got a dumb job to do."

Riptide plays that "wap wap whaaaa" sound that happens in animated programs when a character messes up. Next an unheard of Decepticon voiced by DashieXP named Siren calls in.

Siren: "Yo yo what's up my B boy Eddy G!"

Clash: "Excuse me?"

Siren: "This your bot Siren coming at ya with my sick new rap album MO Homies MO Problems coming at you in 2026. Make sure to be also looking out for the official merchandise coming soon after in 2037! Word to your motherboard!"

Clash: "Somehow I doubt that's going to happen."

Finally a mysterious fourth caller comes on the line.

?: "Yes Overload would just like everyone to know that if it wasn't for egyptian donuts then war would not have been won."

Clash: "Ugh, it's you again."

Rip: "You do this every week. Quit prank calling us!"

Clash: "How does he keep calling us? He manages to get unblocked every time."

Overload: "Oh Fernando, you're only man on this island that can take my money."

Clash: "I think it's time to go off the air."

Overload: "NOTICE OVERLOAD, SEMPAI!"

They disconnect the the call to make sure that Overload doesn't prank call them anymore.

Clash:"'Well that happened. Tune in tomorrow and we'll have Megatron, Soundwave, Buzzsaw,and Mixmaster as special guests."

Rip: "It's sure to be blast!"

Further inside the city, in a hidden bunker lies the four remaining key members of MECH. Emmett briefly opens the blinds to see all the destruction to the city.

Emmett: "Damn, this is worse than Detroit on a good day."

Attinger: "That isn't funny."

Emmett: "Sorry sir, just trying to lighten up the mood."

Savoy: "If you want to really lighten the mood why don't you got outside and say hello to our alien friends."

Emmett: "No way man I'll be toast!"

Savoy: "That's the idea."

Emmett; "At least I'm worried, you don't seem to care at all."

Savoy: "I'd care more if I didn't have to see your face."

Emmett: "Maybe when I poke a few air holes in your neck that will help!"

Emmett and Savoy are face to face only a few inches apart. Savoy has his gun on Emmett's head, and Emmett's knife is right on Savoy's neck.

Attinger: 'Knock it off, both of you! This solves nothing."

Attinger pop open a bottle of whiskey, takes a quick swig, and throws it into the wall.

Emmett: "Aw man that was a waste of good whiskey."

Attinger: "How could we have let this happen? Our people needed us the most and we failed."

Emmett: "Hey Silas, are you feeling alright?"

Silas has been silent this whole time, just looking outside at the destruction that grows with each passing moment.

Silas: "Something big is coming soon. I can feel it in the air."

Attinger: "What exactly is coming?"

Silas: "The tides are going to turn. I just know it."

Savoy: "And what makes you so sure?"

Silas: "I've been around the Autobots long enough to know when it's time to mobilize. When it happens we will only have a small window to take advantage of the situation."

Attinger: "Very well. Just let me know when the time comes."

Back in California, the situation isn't any better. People are still dying each day, and these Decepticons are pulling off nasty tricks to kill more. In Spike's neighborhood they have taken on the form of a human van that offers a false sense of security.

Decepticon: "Free candy!"

Human: "Oh sweet free candy!"

The human runs to the van and gets vaporized.

Human: (while being vaporized) "That wasn't candy at all!"

Ron: "Well that's the last of the Brown family."

Judy: (cynical) "Maybe the Decepticons can get rid of that ugly shrub they were growing on their lawn too."

Spike: "I'm just glad I'm not going to fall for that."

Another van pops up with a different ploy.

Decepticon: "I got a free copy of Shadow the Hedgehog 2!"

Spike: "Oh my god I've been waiting my whole life for this!"

Spike tries to run out the door, but Ron catches him.

Ron: "What do you think you're doing you moron??!"

Spike: "I don't know, I just wanted my game."

Ron: "Life is full of disappointment. The sooner you realize it the better off you are in the long run. Why do think I married your mom?"

Judy: (screeching) "EXCUSE ME?!!!"

Ron: "Nothing!"

On the island, Starscream is finally ready to put the rest of his plan in motion. Thanks to bugs he implanted all around the base before Soundwave could install the security system he has complete access to every word any Decepticon in the base utters at any moment. An opportunity has shown itself in the form of all Decepticons except Skywarp, the punished Thundercracker, and Astrotrain are leaving for the week to have a "vacation" in New York. Astrotrain opted out because he wanted to be high in peace, and is suffering a nasty hangover because of it.

"This may be my only chance. It's time to finally make something of myself."

Starscream activates his ground bridge and successfully makes his way into the Decepticon's base. He instantly pulls out a massive EMP that he built to disable the security system. The lights briefly go off, and everyone there is on high alert, including the Autobots.

Jolt: "What was that?"

Tomahawk: "Looks like something is wrong with the power."

Ratchet: "But with the Decepticons? I don't think this is just an ordinary power outage.'

Blaster: "I'm feeling a bad groove coming our way."

Mirage: "Be ready for anything."

Skywarp is instantly suspicious and begins scouting the area. He checks the prisoners first and foremost.

Skywarp: "Oh good, you're still there."

Wheel: "You don't look so good there buddy. You almost look like you're afraid we're going to get free."

Skywarp: "It's not you I'm worried about. Those barriers run on a power source independent from the base. Besides the only way you can be freed is if someone pressed the off switch, and I know nobody here is crazy enough to do that."

Road: "Tell ya what, if you free us all right now we'll only break one of your limbs. We'll even let you choose!"

Skywarp: "Tempting, but no."

Skywarp further investigates the rest of the base to leave the Autobots own devices. Of course this doesn't last long when Starscream comes to pay them a visit.

Scream: (taunting) "Oh how the mighty have fallen. It looks like you're stuck."

Mirage: "Starscream, I should have known you were behind this."

Blaster: "Wherever you go, trouble seems to follow you like some clingy woman."

The look on Starscream's face heavily implies that he was about to explode from that comment. Luckily he regains his composure and continues.

Scream: "How would you like to be freed?"

Perce: "I do believe that would be quite nice."

Side: 'I don't know man, that whole Stockholm Syndrome thing is starting to get to me."

Grimlock: 'But seriously, do us a solid and get us out of here."

Scream: "Very well, I will gladly free you."

Ratchet: "What's the catch Starscream? I know you wouldn't do something so noble without wanting a favor in return."

Scream: (crafty) "I suppose there is a small request that we can discuss."

Silver: "I knew it was too good to be true."

Sling: "We can't trust him, he's Megatron's puppet!"

Scream: "I no longer serve Megatron."

Topspin: "Like that will last long."

Scream: "He nearly killed me and I want payback. He's gone too far."

Mirage: "What are your demands?"

Scream: "All I ask is that you not bother me while I make my plan to stop Megatron. He's mine to deal with."

Snarl: "So you just want us to let you do your own thing? That's not bad."

Scream: "Correct. Do what you want to the other Decepticons, but leave Megatron to me."

Mirage: "I agree with these terms. You have a deal."

Scream: "Very well, I shall free you with haste."

Starscream leaves to find the control panel. Airraid is very upset about making a deal with Starscream.

Airraid: "What is wrong with you guys? You just made a deal with that punk!"

Mirage: "We had no other option available.'

Airaid: "You guys all suck, when I get free I'm going to beat that punk down!"

Silver: "We don't have time for that. Let's just worry about getting out of here alive."

Starscream is searching for the control panel, but finds something equally valuable instead. He finds his T-Cog on a shelf displayed like a trophy. He takes it and is confronted by Astrotrain, who is still recovering from his hangover.

"Don't make me kill you, Astrotrain."

(groggy) "I'm not going to stop you."

"You aren't?"

"Look man, I don't care what you do as long as you don't kill me. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Have fun."

Skywarp walks in on them, and seeing his supposedly dead friend elicits emotions he wasn't ready for.

Skywarp: (shaking) "You're alive."

Scream: "You seem surprised."

Skywarp: "You should have stayed dead."

Scream: "That's a nice thing to say to your friend."

Skywarp: "Why didn't you stop him?"

Astro: "Look, I'm just here to get wasted. You figure it out."

Astrotrain leaves Starscream and Skywarp alone to settle their confrontation.

"You should have stayed dead. You wouldn't have suffered anymore."

"Well I'm not dead, and I have a plan to carry out."

"Your anger and hatred is justified, but Megatron is my friend."

(angrily) "Are you trying to tell me if roles were reversed you would do nothing?"

(looking away) "I... I don't know. I don't even want to think about it."

"Then don't. Just get out of my way."

"I can't let you do that."

"Let's see you try."

(pleading) "Please.... don't do this. I can't lose you again."

"Then let me pass."

"I can't..... I won't."

"Try and stop me."

"I'm afraid you leave me no choice."

Skywarp for once gets aggressive and tackles Starscream. He has him pinned down until Starscream overpowers him and they start rolling around on the floor.

"I thought you of all people would understand my pain, my suffering!"

"I do understand! I just don't want either of you to get hurt, not anymore!"

"It's far too late for that!"

Starscream kicks Skywarp off and gets up just to see Skywarp recover and start swinging punches at him. Starscream dodges the first two but gets a left jab straight in his face. Skywarp makes a right hook that Starscream easily evades and gets behind Skywarp, kicking him in the back and making him stagger forward. Skywarp grabs and pins Starscream to one of the support beams, but Starscream stabs him in the foot with his stiletto and headbutts him. He picks up the scientist and throws him into his lab. Skywarp get up and throws an acid vial at Starscream, who slides under it. Starscream ends the fight by grabbing Skywarp and slamming his face on his operating table, knocking him out instantly.

"Your spark was in the right place, but your morals are not."


Starscream opens up the back of Skywarp's head and fiddles around with it for a few seconds before activating the control panel to free the Autobots, much to their surprise.

Wheel: "He actually kept his word."

Mirage: "There may be hope for him yet."

Rachet: "Let's not get too carried away just yet."

Swoop flies out of the pit the Dinobots were stuck in and starts kissing the ground.

Swoop: "Oh baby I've missed you!"

Tailgate: "What an odd custom."

Tomahawk: "I never thought I'd be this happy to see the ground."

Jetfire: "If he wasn't doing it I would."

Snarl: "Um, what about the rest of us?"

Grimlock: "Think you might be able to lift us out, Swoop?"

Swoop: "I'll try."

Swoop first lifts up Slag, then Snarl, and finally Grimlock. Sludge is far too heavy for Swoop to carry.

Swoop: "Sorry big guy, but it looks like you're going to find your own way out."

Sludge: "No problem."

Sludge transforms and swings his tail into the wall and a giant hole gives him a way out.

Grimlock: "You mean you could have done that this whole time and you never said anything?"

Snarl: "We could have all been free even earlier?"

Sludge: "You didn't ask."

Grimlock: "...You know what ..the only one to blame here is myself."

Road; "Well if all you ladies are done standing around we got some stuff to smash!"

Mirage: "Agreed, let's move!"

The Autobots all run down the hall, and Sludge rejoins them by making his own tunnel system to the main hall. They come across Astrotrain, who slowly turns around to see the inevitable beating.

Astro: "....Crap."

The Wreckers jump him and kick him while he's down.

Astro: "I just wanted to messed up in peace!"

Leadfoot: "Fine with us, but we need the head start!"

Leadfoot knocks him out and the team meets Starscream at the ground bridge.

Scream: "I suppose this is where we say goodbye for now."

Mirage: "I suppose, but what did you do to Skywarp?"

Scream: "I recalibrated his brain unit, he won't remember anything that happened in the last 24 hours."

Bee: "I know this is weird to say, but thanks Starscream."

Scream: "The pleasure was all mine."

Ratchet: "Where will you go?"

Scream: "I need to go to the spacebridge. I have someone who owes me a favor there."

Mirage: "Then good luck with your mission. Perhaps next time we meet it could be as friends."

Airraid: (under his breath) "I doubt it."

Scream: "I'd like that. Anyway farewell for now."

Starscream leaves through the portal and now Perceptor is working the bridge to take themselves back to their base.

Sludge: "What a nice lady."

Slag: "Me Slag want to smash stuff already. Been far too long!"

Grimlock: "Oh yeah I'm with you. I know we're going to have plenty of that real soon."

Silver: "And we're all with you until the end."

Wreckers: "Let's kick some ass!"

Mirage: "Hurry up on that ground bridge, Perceptor. We have a planet to save."