Dead End's Virtual Private Network

[Dead End]

Dead End is not a communication expert; setting up a private, multi-person radio network might be a bit beyond his skills--but he has one useful communication resource--the Stunticon tactical frequency, which is exactly that.

To Hook and Starfighter, he sends privately: // There are things you ought to know. Switch to this frequency <binary blip of Stunticon tactical freq> and listen. //

To Demolishor, and Fleetwind, he sends a very similar private message: // There are things you ought to know. Switch to this frequency <binary blip of Stunticon tactical freq> and I'll fill you in. I might even answer your questions. //

// Demolishor, if Megatron turned up in good shape, Starscream would be the first to kiss his boots and grovel and explain how he'd been leading the Decepticons faithfully in his absence, and of course was ready to turn over command to Megatron as soon as he appeared. He's quite good at that. //

// If, on the other hand, Megatron appears in a position of weakness--such having been stomped on by Omega Supreme--Starscream will be the first to offer sorrowful goodbyes to our mortally-wounded leader. Even if he wasn't mortally wounded before Starscream showed up, if you get my drift. //

// In my history, Galvatron is the successor to Megatron, in more ways than one. I have heard that he was created from Megatron by Unicron--some of us, like Blitzwing, believe he is Megatron, just in a new body. I am not certain. There are similarities in personality, but there are differences.... and we Stunticons do not feel the same to-the-core loyalty to Galvatron that we did to Megatron. //

// The problem that might arise is that Galvatron has a great enmity for Starscream, and the Starscream of my era has an equally great enmity for Galvatron. Galvatron's rather powerful lieutenants, Cyclonus and Scourge also hate Starscream, and they know of Starscream's hatred for their master. //

// If any of those three turn up, we want to get the hell out of the line of fire immediately. Questions? //

[Fleetwind]

Fleetwind has no personal experience with Megatron and Starscream's interactions, but Dead End's descriptions fit with what he's heard. He doesn't look at Dead End physically, but he does state,

// I had heard that Galvatron killed Starscream upon his arrival. When I came here and first heard Starscream, I just shrugged it off and assumed the report I heard had been mistaken. Honestly, folks at close to his level of command and up tend to get falsely reported as dead on a pretty regular basis, and rumor travels a lot faster than fact, anyway. //

[Demolishor]

Demolishor listens quietly enough to the first bit, accepting that Starscream is essentially Thrust's mirror twin. He can deal with that if it becomes a problem, which it won't because Megatron is awesome and always punishes traitors and certainly never makes them his second in commands.

Then comes the next bit. //Hold on, so if Galvatron's Megatron's successor, where the heck did Megatron go? Did he leave a note or something and just wander off?//

[Fleetwind]

//... He just said that Galvatron was made out of Megatron. Perhaps is Megatron in a new body. He’s not certain. //

The Seeker pauses. This one's going to be difficult to deal with.

// You're having a lot of problems with this whole, 'Not the same universe, not the same Starscream, not the same Megatron' idea, aren't you, sir? // The tone is respectful and polite, despite the words, and if there's any exasperation in Fleetwind, it doesn't show in his radio voice.

[Dead End]

// Ah, that's where my knowledge of events gets a bit vague, Demolishor. In 2005 in my reality, Megatron lead a raid against Autobot City on Earth; according to Starscream, Megatron was mortally wounded by Optimus Prime when he killed Prime. The raiding force was decimated and had to retreat; several of our warriors, and Megatron were lost on the return flight. I wasn't on that raid, and those who were, don't talk about it. Who wants to talk about their worst defeats? //

// I did mention that Galvatron is probably Unicron's rebuild of Megatron, didn't I? Do pay attention, // Dead End chides.

// Unicron is the Destroyer of Worlds. He attacked Cybertron in the form of a planet-sized Transformer, ate two moons, and carved a big chunk out of Cybertron--incidentally decimating most of the Decepticon forces on Cybertron. 2005 was a very bad year for us. //

// Fleetwind--Galvatron did indeed very publically, very definitely kill Starscream very dead. He quite literally incinerated him with his fusion cannon. //

// And that leads to why killing Starscream to take over is so very Not An Option. Starscream is vindictive and stubborn to a most unnatural degree. He didn't appreciate being killed by Galvatron at all. Galvatron, for all his vast power, found that you can't kill someone who is already dead. //

[Demolishor]

//I'm having problems with the whole 'your universe makes no sense' part. I'm half inclined to think you're all from the same factory as Cyclonus.//

But he sounds as if he's seriously considering Dead End's explanation. //So Megatron got wounded by Prime, went missing somewhere on the way back and no one will talk about it, and then Galvatron shows up saying he's Megatron and everyone believes him. And in the meantime there's a giant alien thingie that no one knew about before that eats both of the moons and a good bit of the army and all of this occurs about five years before anyone back where I came from knew Earth existed. Am I getting all this right so far?//

[Dead End]

// That's a rough summary, yes. Only it wasn't a matter of Galvatron claiming to be Megatron. It went something like this: Starscream declared himself Leader after returning without Megatron, Galvatron fell out of the sky with Cyclonus--who is a starfighter in his other mode--and disintegrated Starscream. Then he asked if anyone else wanted to claim leadership of the Decepticons--while standing on Starscream's ashes, mind you. There was a remarkable lack of argument with Galvatron; we all hailed him as the new leader. //

// Galvatron is power incarnate, // Dead End adds somberly. // Not even Trypticon could seriously harm him. He is also a bit less than sane, even by my standards. //

// The Starscream we have with us now is from before all that happens, based on the date he gave. //

[Fleetwind]

Fleetwind works hard to suppress a shiver, as he still doesn't want to give outward indication of his conversation. He's fairly certain he should have died to Unicron's attack, and the idea that the Decepticons were serving under his creation, no matter whom he was created from was... unnerving. It would seem he was pulled out just in time but the whole 'not dead' thing makes that obvioius.

// Dead End, what was that about not being able to kill someone who's already dead? And about Starscream not appreciating being killed? Generally, most people don't have much to say about the matter after the fact. //

[Dead End]

// Starscream, as always, is the loud, obnoxious exception to the rules. Oh, he stayed dead as far as I know, but he didn't stay quiet and peaceful about it. He taught a lot of skeptics to believe in ghosts--starting at the top with Rodimus Prime and Galvatron. //

// It's the sort of thing I can't know the details of, but I spent some time ferreting out the actual witnesses behind the second- and third-hand rumors and talking to them. Sorry, it's this little obsession with death that I get. //

// You remember the Decepticon Crypt, Fleetwind? They say Cyclonus managed to stir him up down there--and that Cyclonus came back from the Crypt with a whole new personality and a much higher, screechier voice. There was a great deal of chaos and mayhem after that-- dead, Starscream was ten times more dangerous than he ever had been alive, and very vindictive. He could take over mechs--control their bodies, use them against his targets. //

// Even I noticed him taking Trypticon out for a joyride; that was rather hard to miss. //

[Fleetwind]

//A ghost?// Fleetwind's radio voice sounds envious. Dead End isn't the only one obsessed with death! So is Fleetwind, after a fashion. He's just obsessed avoiding it. But coming back after it is also a handy trick. //Niiiiiiiiiiice.//

//So, don't kill him because he gets more powerful, really pissed, and doesn't stay down. Not that I had any particular plans after that fashion, anyway. Ghosts aren't even the strangest concept I've run up against these past few days, anyw-//

There is a pause as Starscream barks out orders, and then an incredulous, //Bodyguard?//

[Demolishor]

//Ghosts now? You're giving me a headache. And so if this Galvatron guy just randomly pops up and starts leading, why didn't anyone ask where in space Megatron actually floated off to or send out a search party? Don't you people have any loyalty?

...wait, Rodimus Prime? When did that happen? I thought he died off years ago.//

[Fleetwind]

Fleetwind is no longer in sight, but his radio still works!

//I've never even heard of a Rodimus Prime, but just like our Starscream isn't your Starscream and our Megatron isn't your Megatron, our Rodimus Prime would probably not be your Rodimus Prime.//

Or maybe it would be. Might as well keep the option open.

//But speaking as someone who was pulled from only a few hours after the whole business, I can tell you we haven't yet had time to send a search party, not even for Megatron. And... in all honestly, there is a fairly prevalent belief among our Decepticons that a leader deserves to lead for just as long as they're capable of holding onto their position. Simply being the leader is often thought as the best proof available that a person deserves to be the leader.//

In other words? If Megatron ain't leader no more, he don't deserve being leader no more, and Fleetwind isn't going to shed any robo-tears over the matter.

[Demolishor]

//I was talking to Dead End on that one. Hmph. So there's not any of you who actually give a flying Mini-con aft about Megatron, at all?

We don't have a Rodimus Prime, just a plain Rodimus. He used to be close buddies with Prime before he went running off into space about eight thousand eons back.//

[Dead End]

// You've got that pegged just right, Fleetwind. Bodyguard? Oh dear. That means you get shot to pieces by anyone going after Starscream. I hope it's not too painful.//

// Demolishor, what part of "we're pretty sure Galvatron is Megatron re-formatted" did you miss? In any case, one does not argue with Galvatron, or question his worthiness to lead. We all saw what happened to Starscream. Galvatron did not 'randomly pop up', he crashed Starscream's coronation ceremony. It was all caught on video, and broadcasted on every available channel. //

// Our Rodimus Prime was the Autobot Hot Rod, before he got the Matrix.

[Demolishor]

//Pretty sure is a ways away from knowing. What's Galvatron look like, then?

...Hot Rod? Never heard of him. Must be a different guy, then.//