~Knocked-Out~

Pledge

"Darkshade. Report to the bridge immediately." 

The voice echoed, slicing into Darkshade's dreamless recharge. Her optics shot open, and she looked around disoriented at her berth. The gothic gray and dark blue of the walls gave her a sense of darkness, not one of evil, but one that compelled her to snuggle up in her berth, and embrace the warmth. Her optic lids were dropping, and she just about to fall back into recharge when...

"Commander Darkshade, didn't you hear me? Megatron requests your presence at the bridge." 

"Huh? Wha..?" 

"Commander, are you ok?" Darkshade shot up, her helm spinning. She groaned, rubbing her helm as she did, and looked around, her optics adjusting. A vehicon stood there, head cocked to the side in confusion and worry. Darkshade flushed in embarrassment. 

"Yes, I'm fine. Now what was it that you wanted to tell me?" 

"You are needed at the bridge." 

"Thank you...Do you have a designation?" 

"Uh, no ma'am. We are not allowed to have them." 

" How about..." Darkshade racked her head for a suitable name as she struggled to get up. "How about... Cullen?" 

"Cuh...Len?" The trooper repeated the name, pronouncing each syllable carefully. "I...I like it, but Commander, we are not allowed to have designations."

"Well, you did call me Commander, which technically gives me a high authority. I say you can have a designation, as long as you keep it between us." Darkshade winked at the vehicon, who simply stared back. 

"Ok." He said finally, and walked out repeating "Cullen, Cullen, Cullen, Cullen..." Darkshade followed out, and turned towards the bridge. Having only been on the ship for a few days, or had been fairly easy to memorize her way around. Approaching the large doors of the bridge, Cullen waved his servo in front of a scanner, and they slid open slowly. Megatron stood there, his back to them, observing something on a data pad. Cullen stayed behind as Darkshade walked in, then closed the doors. 

"Ah, Darkshade. How are you this morning?" 

"Murky, a little stiff, but otherwise fine." 

"And your shoulder?" 

"Painful. I have trouble even standing up." 

"Hmm. I'll have Shockwave fix that." Darkshade only nodded, as Megatron turned around. 

"Come, walk with me." He gestured towards a door in the corner she hadn't noticed until now, and started towards it. Darkshade half ran to catch up, wincing as each step brought pain. Through the door, there was nothing but a long dark narrow hallway. She stepped through, Megatron following behind. 

"As I believe you are aware, one of our... soldiers is no longer with us.
Darkshade groaned. "Please don't tell me we're talking about the mad doctor, traitorous wretch. Oh, how I would love to pluck his spark right out of his pathetic little chassis." Megatron glared down at her, and she added "My apologies, Lord Megatron, continue."

"I was referring to my ex second in command." 

"Starscream? I haven't seen him around, where is he?" Megatron blinked in surprise.
"He... has betrayed us, departed our ranks without a second thought, and joined our common foe." 

"Starscream betrayed us? How could he?!"

"I did not believe he made this decision on his own, so I checked the security video of that day, in the medical bay." He growled the last part. "When he was watching you".  he said with venom. Then, with one swift motion, he grasped his servo around her neck, and slammed her into the wall. She cried out in pain, and stared up at her master with tears in her optics. Fear flooded into Darkstreak, and caused her to shiver uncontrollably.