Deux Claret: How We Came To Be

Okay, first order of business here (because I just KNOW people are gonna ask about it): "Pandora" is on hold purely for, well, real-life issues that have taken quite a toll on me. Ask me via PM, and you might get an answer in regards to the above. But suffice to say, I WILL have the third chapter of that unholy fiend out by…um…crap. I dunno. *gulp* Anyhow…

This here's my first foray into the Transformers universe, though thankfully I've done a wee bit o' research beforehand. How We Came To Be is, as the title implies, set in 's "Deux Claret"-verse (who, by the way, was very kind in giving her permission for this little project, and to whom I apologise profusely for taking so damned long to get this off the ground) and will give a bit of background into why everyone's favorite Decepticon Air Commander – sorry, former Decepticon Air Commander (heehee) – is such a cold-sparked slagger by the time of "How We Seared The Sky". Time-wise, it's set pre-to-early/mid-war (though it opens just as he and Skyfire take to the air with the human Air Forces in "The Day We Hailed The Heavens"). Might even stretch to the jettisoning of the AllSpark, haven't decided yet. We'll see how it goes. Tyger Pax…oy. -_-

And now, the disclaimer: Anything you recognise is property of their respective owners. Shame, 'cause I wouldn't mind having my own personal Seeker from time to time. Only thing that's mine is the general storyline, the second part of the title, and the computer on which this is being written.

Disclaimer 2nd: No bananas were consumed during the writing of this fic. Lots of Twix bars and cheese sandwiches, though. And one or two M&Ms…

---

What Now Is

When had it happened? When had the great Starscream – the mighty Decepticon Air Commander; Second-in-Command to Megatron himself and heir to the title of Decepticon Leader – gotten into the mindset that found him – him, the very mech who had unmade more sparks than the Prime himself – leading the humans – squishy, idiotic, organic, and generally pathetic fleshlings – into battle against the Lord of Darkness himself, Unicron?

And when the Primus-forbidden frag had he ever been so distracted by thoughts and hopes of another's survival during battle? Not just any other, though: a human, one of the same obnoxiously loud, crass, and annoying meat-bags he happened to be escorting toward their certain collective demise.

Except…she wasn't. She wasn't just another human, another fragile native to this beautiful organic planet. Not in his optics, at any rate. No, Alexis Paxton was something far more to him; something closer and more intimate, more precious to him than his own well-being.

He'd never envisioned ever having a spark-mate, much less a bonded one, not even since…since…then.

Book I: Genesis

Prologue

What Once Was

It's in here, it has to be. It's definitely in here because I SAW the damned thing not two cycles ago...Starscream's internal mantra was more of an aside to himself as he dug, hunched over a workbench sitting under an over-hanging glowpanel, through the toolbox which he was certain held what he was looking for. Gotcha –

[Hey, 'Screamer?] His comm. went off, startling him out of his search and causing him to whack his cranial unit on the aforementioned panel. A litany of curses, followed by an irate [WHAT?!] was his reply. He caught himself and forced his vents to cycle, running a rarely-used calming subroutine before he continued. [I mean, yes, Skywarp?]

If his assistant felt any emotion regarding Starscream's outburst, it was overshadowed by the excitement in his voice. [You're going to want to see this, boss. Tune your vidscreen to Twelve Six Alpha Three.] The scientist's optics took on a gleam of their own, interruption forgotten. [The coronation,] he mused. [Thank you, Skywarp. Alert the rest of the department.] With an audible grin in his voice, his assistant replied. [Way ahead of you,] and with that the link fell silent.

This was what he had waited for; what he'd saved his inactive duty allotment for, and he would be damned to the Pit if he were to miss it purely because Sentinel Prime himself had ordered all Science heads to their offices to expedite work on "The Project". Swivelling, he uplinked with his wall-mounted vidscreen and made the necessary frequency adjustments as it snapped to life, portraying a wide pan shot of the Senate Hall in Iacon.

Two mechs could be seen kneeling near the front of the room, where Chief Senator Ultra Magnus was conducting the ceremony so long awaited by all of Cybertron. Behind him sat Sentinel Prime, awaiting his cue to step forward and bestow the Matrix Of Leadership upon his chosen successor.

"-have been fighting this war for a long while, but due to the actions of Megar Pax," here, Magnus gestured to one of the kneeling mechs; heavily-armored silver plating covering a powerfully-built protoform, "our enemies have gone into full retreat. Indeed, it was his own brother Orion," and Magnus gestured to the other form; a vibrant cobalt frame wrapped around a high-ranking dock worker barely half a head shorter than Megar, "who denied the Quintessons use of the northern gate of our greatest city." Magnus paused as the crowd in attendance cheered madly, the identities of two war heroes now uncovered. "It is due to these actions," he continued, once the crowd had become silent, "that we are here this day; to honor these two mechs as befits one who has done Cybertron and her people a great service."

It was then that Sentinel stood, as Magnus bowed and backed away respectfully. "Citizens of Cybertron," he began in his typical deep bass "this-is-the-will-of-Primus" (as Starscream and many of his fellows had jokingly termed it) rumble, "My time as a Prime has been one of strife. Whilst we have built a mighty empire on our beloved homeworld, it has been at the cost of our colonies elsewhere. Tyger Pax dissolved into anarchy, and was thus the first to fall to our foes. You all know the statistics; roughly ninety percent of our off-world projects have been claimed by the enemy swarm, Naltir Seven the latest among them." He hesitated to let the last sink in, then continued. "Even in these darkest of days, however, Primus shines his light upon us. For here before us we have two mechs who have defended their home with a ferocity that belies their core programming. Indeed, it is these two that have cost the Quintessons so much as to pull their forces into retreat. That is why they were listed in the candidacy for the next Prime. However as you know from the ancient texts, there can be only one Prime."

Confusion promptly spread throughout the Hall, and was mirrored by those watching the ceremony's broadcast. I still don't get it, thought Starscream. Why have the two of them there when only one can ascend? His thoughts were cut off as the current Prime continued. "While there can only be one Prime, we the Council have agreed upon the necessity for a separate post; one who would answer only to the Prime himself. Therefore," here he turned to address the two figures before him, "one of you will succeed me in my post, and the other will be granted the title of Lord High Protector. Though subordinate to the Prime, you will command Cybertron's military and, indeed, Cybertron herself."

Sentinel's hands moved to his chest as he inwardly initiated the release program for the specially-protected chamber for the precious cargo he had carried at all times. As he gently pried loose the glowing metallic orb, his chest slid shut with a click that echoed throughout the Hall in a sort of finality. He held it aloft and spoke. "As it was passed to me by Nova Prime, so too shall I pass the Matrix...to you." He turned to the blue form and extended it to the visibly shocked mech, though his faceplates betrayed nothing.

Ohhh, Sky's not going to be happy, Starscream cackled inwardly to himself. He and the Field Director, a long-time friend named Skyfire, had wagered against one another as to the identity of the next Prime. Skyfire (along with nearly half of Starscream's own staff) had believed Megar Pax to be next in line for leadership, based on his work on the campaign against the Quintessons. Starscream, however, had put his credits on Orion Pax. A dock worker who, in just a single engagement, takes out more of the enemy in melee combat alone than the Council's favoured soldier? I'd be a fool to bet against a statistic like that, he'd said.

"Through your courage you have shown you are worthy of the mantle of Prime. Thus, your life as Orion Pax ends this day. Rise...Optimus Prime." The blue mech did so to thunderous applause as Sentinel turned to the second figure. "You have caused more damage to the enemy than any other of our forces save for my chosen successor. Your command has been absolute and instrumental in ensuring our survival. Thus I grant you the title of the Cybertron's first Lord High Protector. You are Megar Pax no more. Arise...Megatron." The silver mech followed his brother's example, and as one they turned to face the now-roaring crowd.

As the noise of the crowd ebbed away, Sentinel intoned his final words as Prime. "With these appointments, we sow the seeds of peace for a new era. Let Cybertron now surge forward into a golden age! Go forth, children of Primus. Until all are one!" His last four words echoing around the chamber, he made his exit as the newly-titled Optimus Prime and Megatron headed for the main exit in tandem, several guards clearing the path before them. Starscream shut off the vidscreen and turned back to the previously abandoned workbench, internally composing a quick memo to Skyfire gloating on the outcome of the ceremony.

---

So ends the prologue. Next time: Tensions arise between 'Screamer, 'Warp, and TC; Prime and Megatron's first day in office; and the introduction of some familiar faces...