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Description
Chapter 26; Uncharted history

“Hey Ratch.”
Ratchet almost knocked his helm on the underside of the ground-bridge controls; he wasn’t expecting to hear Bulkheads less-than-cheery voice coming to greet him.
Ratchet had barely managed to turn and face the larger green Autobot when he continued to speak.
“I spoke with ‘Bee, he finally got Magpie to calm down after a few helpings of liquid energon,”
“That’s, ah… Good to hear,” Ratchet furrowed his optic ridge; he had forgotten that he wasn’t the only one eager to solve this mess.
“Listen, ‘Bee didn’t wanna come and ask this, but…” Bulkhead brought a large servo up and rubbed the back of his helm nervously, “I don’t even wanna ask…”
“What is it?” Ratchet asked in his most reassuring voice, now looking straight up at Bulkhead from the floor.
“Is there even a chance that Channel will… you know…” Bulkhead shrugged, relieved of having the weight of that question lifted from his shoulders.
“Ah…” Ratchet looked away, Primus he was sick of asking himself the same thing, of course he wasn’t sure if his old friend was still alive… “Optimus wouldn’t allow me to go ahead if there wasn’t a chance,” Ratchet inhaled from the relief, quite often protocol had been a good cop-out in situations like these.
“Right,” Bulkhead nodded, “how far are we from doing this?”
“You had better get Arcee and Bumblebee on standby, this won’t take long at all and when I open this bridge, there’s no telling what could be on the other side…”
Bulkhead didn’t respond, he nodded again and turned away; leaving Ratchet to do his work on the ground-bridge alterations.

Ouzel opened his optics slowly, and he was welcomed by a white blinding haze that made him change his mind, clasping them shut; he turned his helm to the side to try opening them again.
“St… Starscream?” Ouzel, saw his sire lying beside him on the berth, his optics still shut while his face looked towards the light.
As he went to sit up, Ouzel noticed the bar across his chest, trying his arms next he realised that they too were firmly anchored to the berth, looking over at Starscream there was a similar story.
Ouzel tried to struggle, but he could barely move his torso a few inches either way.
“Dreadwing, I believe my first patient is ready…”
“M…Megatron?” Ouzel was able to crane his neck up so he could see the upside-down silhouette of Megatron approaching him. “Wha… what’s going on?” Ouzel asked, trying once again to release his arms from the berth.
“Ha-Ha, I don’t wish to make the same mistake as I did with your sire,” Megatron leaned over Ouzel, looking at the young mechs upside-down bewildered optics, “this is a psychic-patch, I will be able to dive into your thoughts, witness your wildest dreams and learn a little about you.”
Ouzels optics widened more-so, like a rabbit caught in headlights, “Wh…What do you need to know? I can tell you everything. There’s no need to…”
“Oh but there is a need to.” Megatron leaned away and moved idly towards the large screen Ouzel could just about see, “I thought I could trust your Sire’s word, and look how that turned out.”
Ouzel looked over to Starscream again, still out-cold next to him.
“I’m… I’m not like my Sire…” Ouzel stuttered, nervous now because he knew he was lying, and soon Megatron will know him all too well.
“We will see.” Megatron breathed, snapping his digits together, summoning Dreadwing from the shadows to hook up the psychic-patch terminal to the back of Ouzel’s berth where it had been linked up to his helm already.
Ouzel could now feel the wires intruding his processor, he tried to move his helm from side-to-side but he was unable to shake them off.
“No, please!” Ouzel cried, his leaking optics making a desperate dash toward Dreadwing as the larger mech stood over him.
“I warned you to get out while you had the chance, I can’t help you now…” Dreadwing hissed in Ouzels audio-receiver before rising to his full height and stepping away from the berth.
“Is everything set up?” Megatron asked over the rapid and panicked breathing of Ouzel.
“Yes, Lord Megatron, his thoughts will transmit to this screen, meaning you won’t have to step in.”
“Remind me to thank Soundwave for getting this ready for me…” Megatron nodded and as he did, Dreadwing hit the button, sending a surge through Ouzels processor that he tried to fight off, but it was useless…
Megatron watched the screen flicker Ouzels thoughts into life, he could see the surface of Kaon, red and dusty; in ruins, just how he had left it. He was seeing everything from Ouzels perspective, exactly how he saw the world.
From the side of the screen there came an angelic voice.
‘Ouzel…’ it was muffled, as though it were far off in the distance, but it was getting closer, ’Ouzel, there you are.’ this time there was a matured feminine chuckle before Magpies face appeared on screen, her bright red optics softened by the haze of Cybertrons sun that lit up her smile as she leaned in closer towards Ouzel.
Starscreams optics opened reluctantly at the sound of his spark-mates voice, turning to the side he could see Ouzel, his optics shut tight, gritting his denta as if in pain.
“How sentimental, can we go elsewhere?” Megatron turned to Dreadwing operating the controls; he too appeared to have been fixated with a younger Magpie. That memory must have been while Ouzel was in his first life-cycle…
Dreadwing didn’t respond, snapping his optics away from the screen he tapped on a few more keys, sending the screen blank before another memory began to appear.
Megatron frowned, seeing what resembled the insides of a derelict building coming into clearer vision before abruptly cutting out again.
“What have we here?” Megatron half-smiled and looked over to Ouzel trying to fight back against the patch, “Ouzel, it will only get worse if you fight it,” Megatron growled, looking back to the screen where the desk appeared again, showing blueprints alongside Ouzels servos moving rapidly over the drawing, gradually making amendments.
“A psychic patch?” Starscream whispered, still watching his sparkling, wondering why he had heard Magpies voice considering Ouzel claims to have no memory of his spark-giver before coming to earth. Starscream went to reach a servo out to his sparkling, but he was bound to the berth.
A mechs voice called from somewhere out of view; ’Ouzel, get in here!’
The view changed to look up from the desk, landing straight into a mirror where Ouzels face could be seen in his adolescent cycle, he looked even more like Starscream back then, but his yellow optics were somehow more haunting.
’What!?’ Thankfully his voice did not resemble his Sires. The young mech frowned at himself in the mirror, clearly frustrated.
The view turned again, this time Ouzel was looking at a doorway where a tall bulky blue and yellow mech with blue optics stood leaning against the door post.
’You’ve been talking with the prisoners again, Ouzel…’ he had a stern tone, clearly time had not aged him well as his voice was almost as rusty as his paint.
’I was bored,’ Ouzels voice was heard as the memory on screen twitched with each word. The blue mech scowled.
’I won’t tell you again…’
‘Fine, then don’t.’
The computer screen was now looking back to the blue prints and the memory went hazy.
“Stop fighting it,” Megatron warned.
The image returned on screen again.
Ouzel appeared to be running down a narrow corridor, there were bars either side and there was an echoed jeer roaring from each cell. Occasionally an arm would flail out to grab at Ouzel, but he dodged it expertly, he had done this run many times before.
Megatron could see the end of the corridor approaching, a small yellow light at the end of the tunnel. As Ouzel ran closer in his memory, a purple framed mech appeared behind the bard, standing up to green the younger flustered Ouzel.
’Ouzel’
This was a voice Megatron knew well…
’Shockwave.’ Ouzels voice was full of glee and endearment as he said the name out loud.
“It can’t be…” Megatron breathed, leaning closer to the screen, seeing one of his closest officers behind the bars in Ouzels memory.
’Did you bring me anything?’ Shockwaves voice was hopeful as his antenna perked up.
’Sorry, not this time’ Ouzels voice was defeated. The antenna sank back below Shockwaves helm.
’So, to what do I owe the pleasure?’ His calm voice sounding somewhat sceptical, Shockwave lowered his aft to the floor and Ouzel did the same.
’I’ve been hearing it again, Shockwave… The voice’
‘I see…’
‘You’re a scientist, tell me what to do.’ Ouzel looked down at his servos making shapes in the damp floor.
‘What is the voice telling you to do?’
‘You know what it tells me to do…’ Ouzels helm snapped up.
‘If you do as it says, it will stop,’ Shockwave shrugged casually.
‘You really think so?’
‘Yes.’ His single yellow optic narrowed as he answered.
‘But I will get into so much trouble…’ Ouzel whined
‘What’s worse, the mech who keeps us prisoner or the voice haunting you? Which one do you want to go away more?’
Shocwave then did something on screen that shocked Megatron, the purple mech reached a large servo out from the bars of his cell and cupped hold of Ouzels shoulder.
“Primus… he’s good,” Megatron smiled again, knowing Shokwave was using his incredible manipulation skills and watching as Ouzel fell for it.
‘The voice.’
‘Then do what it says...’ Shockwave urged hopefully.
On screen Megatron saw the view turn away from Shockwave and to a handle on the wall, it was a release, the kind used in an emergency to release the prisoners from their cells, of course nobody had ever built it with an intention to use it…
“No, Ouzel,” Starscream had managed to watch half of the screen from the corner of his optic, shocked at his sparklings recollection.
“Yes…” Megatron urged, sinking into the memory on screen like he were watching a movie, watching as Ouzels servo appeared on screen, grabbing hold of the handle. Then he heard the purple mechs voice appear again.
’Yes, Ouzel… Well done’

Magpie took hold of Ratchets large servo, the tears continuing to well up in her optics in anticipation of what was about to happen.
Arcee and Bulkhead were both standing directly in front of the ground bride bracket, ready to charge in and keep any surprises back on Cybertron.
Bumblebee has his arm cannon ready as back-up, he had been uncomfortable with the idea of returning to Cybertron and had chosen this position.
Optimus was standing by behind Bumblebee, prepared for if or when he is needed. Of course Knockout remained in his shadow, mainly for professional curiosity.
“Here we go,” Ratchet used the servo that Magpie wasn’t holding to pull the leaver to power up the ground bride.
The blue and purple haze built up, naturally taking longer than usual to find its destination elsewhere in the universe.
Magpie chewed on her bottom lip, luckily the controls sounded a ringing bell announcing the bridge had been successful before she had managed to chew her lip off.
“You’re ready?” Ratchet asked, looking at Arcee and Bulkhead as the ground bridge illuminated them.
“Ready,” Arcee said. Bulkhead nodded.
“Go ahead,” Ratchet urged them.
Slowly, Arcee and Bulkhead stepped into the bridge; Arcee had her arm cannon ready.
Before the bridge had begun to consume them, they could see a silhouette slowly approaching them.
“Are you seeing this?” Bulkhead asked Arcee, not daring to take his optics away from the possible threat.
“Optimus, get in here,”Arcee turned her helm briefly to the side to call back to Optimus, but her optics darted straight back into the ground bridge.
Optimus marched forwards, seemingly un-phased as he walked past Arcee and Bulkhead.
“Stop right there,” he said as he revealed a single weapon.
In the distance, the large silhouette stopped and raised it’s arms above it’s helm.
“Wait, it’s me; Channel…” there was a pause as Optimus contemplated the voice and if it could be recognised, but it was difficult to decide, the message had been destroyed with static, “you got my message?” it called back.
“Optimus, it’s him,” Ratchet appeared behind Optimus, his voice was confident and clearly touched.
“Come forwards soldier,” Optimus demanded, not willing to lower his weapons just yet, waiting for the shadow in the distance to become someone he could recognise.
The figure kept its arms in the air as it slowly walked forwards, but Arcee noticed another moving figure behind it.
“Optimus…”
“I see it,” Optimus responded before raising his voice, “you have someone with you? Who?”
“My prisoner, the one in my message, I believe he is valuable…” the figure stopped moving.
Optimus noticed the chains and nodded to Arcee and Bulkhead, the two of them stepped back out of the ground bridge, allowing Optimus to move to one side.
“Come quickly,” Optimus ordered, suddenly conscious that something else on Cybertron may be aware of the bridge and attempt to hitch a ride.
“Thank you…” The gruff voice sounded relieved.

Channel started walking, tugging on his smaller prisoners chains, hurrying along as much as his old and tired legs would allow, seeing bodies appear up ahead and the darkness at the end of the blinding tunnel was almost too good to be true.
“Finally,” he breathed, picking up the pace, yanking at his prisoners chains…
Obediently, Skywarp followed, awaiting the humiliation of being seen as a prisoner by other Autobots, hanging his helm low as his own bound legs struggled to keep up with his captors.

Description
Chapter 26; Uncharted history

“Hey Ratch.”
Ratchet almost knocked his helm on the underside of the ground-bridge controls; he wasn’t expecting to hear Bulkheads less-than-cheery voice coming to greet him.
Ratchet had barely managed to turn and face the larger green Autobot when he continued to speak.
“I spoke with ‘Bee, he finally got Magpie to calm down after a few helpings of liquid energon,”
“That’s, ah… Good to hear,” Ratchet furrowed his optic ridge; he had forgotten that he wasn’t the only one eager to solve this mess.
“Listen, ‘Bee didn’t wanna come and ask this, but…” Bulkhead brought a large servo up and rubbed the back of his helm nervously, “I don’t even wanna ask…”
“What is it?” Ratchet asked in his most reassuring voice, now looking straight up at Bulkhead from the floor.
“Is there even a chance that Channel will… you know…” Bulkhead shrugged, relieved of having the weight of that question lifted from his shoulders.
“Ah…” Ratchet looked away, Primus he was sick of asking himself the same thing, of course he wasn’t sure if his old friend was still alive… “Optimus wouldn’t allow me to go ahead if there wasn’t a chance,” Ratchet inhaled from the relief, quite often protocol had been a good cop-out in situations like these.
“Right,” Bulkhead nodded, “how far are we from doing this?”
“You had better get Arcee and Bumblebee on standby, this won’t take long at all and when I open this bridge, there’s no telling what could be on the other side…”
Bulkhead didn’t respond, he nodded again and turned away; leaving Ratchet to do his work on the ground-bridge alterations.

Ouzel opened his optics slowly, and he was welcomed by a white blinding haze that made him change his mind, clasping them shut; he turned his helm to the side to try opening them again.
“St… Starscream?” Ouzel, saw his sire lying beside him on the berth, his optics still shut while his face looked towards the light.
As he went to sit up, Ouzel noticed the bar across his chest, trying his arms next he realised that they too were firmly anchored to the berth, looking over at Starscream there was a similar story.
Ouzel tried to struggle, but he could barely move his torso a few inches either way.
“Dreadwing, I believe my first patient is ready…”
“M…Megatron?” Ouzel was able to crane his neck up so he could see the upside-down silhouette of Megatron approaching him. “Wha… what’s going on?” Ouzel asked, trying once again to release his arms from the berth.
“Ha-Ha, I don’t wish to make the same mistake as I did with your sire,” Megatron leaned over Ouzel, looking at the young mechs upside-down bewildered optics, “this is a psychic-patch, I will be able to dive into your thoughts, witness your wildest dreams and learn a little about you.”
Ouzels optics widened more-so, like a rabbit caught in headlights, “Wh…What do you need to know? I can tell you everything. There’s no need to…”
“Oh but there is a need to.” Megatron leaned away and moved idly towards the large screen Ouzel could just about see, “I thought I could trust your Sire’s word, and look how that turned out.”
Ouzel looked over to Starscream again, still out-cold next to him.
“I’m… I’m not like my Sire…” Ouzel stuttered, nervous now because he knew he was lying, and soon Megatron will know him all too well.
“We will see.” Megatron breathed, snapping his digits together, summoning Dreadwing from the shadows to hook up the psychic-patch terminal to the back of Ouzel’s berth where it had been linked up to his helm already.
Ouzel could now feel the wires intruding his processor, he tried to move his helm from side-to-side but he was unable to shake them off.
“No, please!” Ouzel cried, his leaking optics making a desperate dash toward Dreadwing as the larger mech stood over him.
“I warned you to get out while you had the chance, I can’t help you now…” Dreadwing hissed in Ouzels audio-receiver before rising to his full height and stepping away from the berth.
“Is everything set up?” Megatron asked over the rapid and panicked breathing of Ouzel.
“Yes, Lord Megatron, his thoughts will transmit to this screen, meaning you won’t have to step in.”
“Remind me to thank Soundwave for getting this ready for me…” Megatron nodded and as he did, Dreadwing hit the button, sending a surge through Ouzels processor that he tried to fight off, but it was useless…
Megatron watched the screen flicker Ouzels thoughts into life, he could see the surface of Kaon, red and dusty; in ruins, just how he had left it. He was seeing everything from Ouzels perspective, exactly how he saw the world.
From the side of the screen there came an angelic voice.
‘Ouzel…’ it was muffled, as though it were far off in the distance, but it was getting closer, ’Ouzel, there you are.’ this time there was a matured feminine chuckle before Magpies face appeared on screen, her bright red optics softened by the haze of Cybertrons sun that lit up her smile as she leaned in closer towards Ouzel.
Starscreams optics opened reluctantly at the sound of his spark-mates voice, turning to the side he could see Ouzel, his optics shut tight, gritting his denta as if in pain.
“How sentimental, can we go elsewhere?” Megatron turned to Dreadwing operating the controls; he too appeared to have been fixated with a younger Magpie. That memory must have been while Ouzel was in his first life-cycle…
Dreadwing didn’t respond, snapping his optics away from the screen he tapped on a few more keys, sending the screen blank before another memory began to appear.
Megatron frowned, seeing what resembled the insides of a derelict building coming into clearer vision before abruptly cutting out again.
“What have we here?” Megatron half-smiled and looked over to Ouzel trying to fight back against the patch, “Ouzel, it will only get worse if you fight it,” Megatron growled, looking back to the screen where the desk appeared again, showing blueprints alongside Ouzels servos moving rapidly over the drawing, gradually making amendments.
“A psychic patch?” Starscream whispered, still watching his sparkling, wondering why he had heard Magpies voice considering Ouzel claims to have no memory of his spark-giver before coming to earth. Starscream went to reach a servo out to his sparkling, but he was bound to the berth.
A mechs voice called from somewhere out of view; ’Ouzel, get in here!’
The view changed to look up from the desk, landing straight into a mirror where Ouzels face could be seen in his adolescent cycle, he looked even more like Starscream back then, but his yellow optics were somehow more haunting.
’What!?’ Thankfully his voice did not resemble his Sires. The young mech frowned at himself in the mirror, clearly frustrated.
The view turned again, this time Ouzel was looking at a doorway where a tall bulky blue and yellow mech with blue optics stood leaning against the door post.
’You’ve been talking with the prisoners again, Ouzel…’ he had a stern tone, clearly time had not aged him well as his voice was almost as rusty as his paint.
’I was bored,’ Ouzels voice was heard as the memory on screen twitched with each word. The blue mech scowled.
’I won’t tell you again…’
‘Fine, then don’t.’
The computer screen was now looking back to the blue prints and the memory went hazy.
“Stop fighting it,” Megatron warned.
The image returned on screen again.
Ouzel appeared to be running down a narrow corridor, there were bars either side and there was an echoed jeer roaring from each cell. Occasionally an arm would flail out to grab at Ouzel, but he dodged it expertly, he had done this run many times before.
Megatron could see the end of the corridor approaching, a small yellow light at the end of the tunnel. As Ouzel ran closer in his memory, a purple framed mech appeared behind the bard, standing up to green the younger flustered Ouzel.
’Ouzel’
This was a voice Megatron knew well…
’Shockwave.’ Ouzels voice was full of glee and endearment as he said the name out loud.
“It can’t be…” Megatron breathed, leaning closer to the screen, seeing one of his closest officers behind the bars in Ouzels memory.
’Did you bring me anything?’ Shockwaves voice was hopeful as his antenna perked up.
’Sorry, not this time’ Ouzels voice was defeated. The antenna sank back below Shockwaves helm.
’So, to what do I owe the pleasure?’ His calm voice sounding somewhat sceptical, Shockwave lowered his aft to the floor and Ouzel did the same.
’I’ve been hearing it again, Shockwave… The voice’
‘I see…’
‘You’re a scientist, tell me what to do.’ Ouzel looked down at his servos making shapes in the damp floor.
‘What is the voice telling you to do?’
‘You know what it tells me to do…’ Ouzels helm snapped up.
‘If you do as it says, it will stop,’ Shockwave shrugged casually.
‘You really think so?’
‘Yes.’ His single yellow optic narrowed as he answered.
‘But I will get into so much trouble…’ Ouzel whined
‘What’s worse, the mech who keeps us prisoner or the voice haunting you? Which one do you want to go away more?’
Shocwave then did something on screen that shocked Megatron, the purple mech reached a large servo out from the bars of his cell and cupped hold of Ouzels shoulder.
“Primus… he’s good,” Megatron smiled again, knowing Shokwave was using his incredible manipulation skills and watching as Ouzel fell for it.
‘The voice.’
‘Then do what it says...’ Shockwave urged hopefully.
On screen Megatron saw the view turn away from Shockwave and to a handle on the wall, it was a release, the kind used in an emergency to release the prisoners from their cells, of course nobody had ever built it with an intention to use it…
“No, Ouzel,” Starscream had managed to watch half of the screen from the corner of his optic, shocked at his sparklings recollection.
“Yes…” Megatron urged, sinking into the memory on screen like he were watching a movie, watching as Ouzels servo appeared on screen, grabbing hold of the handle. Then he heard the purple mechs voice appear again.
’Yes, Ouzel… Well done’

Magpie took hold of Ratchets large servo, the tears continuing to well up in her optics in anticipation of what was about to happen.
Arcee and Bulkhead were both standing directly in front of the ground bride bracket, ready to charge in and keep any surprises back on Cybertron.
Bumblebee has his arm cannon ready as back-up, he had been uncomfortable with the idea of returning to Cybertron and had chosen this position.
Optimus was standing by behind Bumblebee, prepared for if or when he is needed. Of course Knockout remained in his shadow, mainly for professional curiosity.
“Here we go,” Ratchet used the servo that Magpie wasn’t holding to pull the leaver to power up the ground bride.
The blue and purple haze built up, naturally taking longer than usual to find its destination elsewhere in the universe.
Magpie chewed on her bottom lip, luckily the controls sounded a ringing bell announcing the bridge had been successful before she had managed to chew her lip off.
“You’re ready?” Ratchet asked, looking at Arcee and Bulkhead as the ground bridge illuminated them.
“Ready,” Arcee said. Bulkhead nodded.
“Go ahead,” Ratchet urged them.
Slowly, Arcee and Bulkhead stepped into the bridge; Arcee had her arm cannon ready.
Before the bridge had begun to consume them, they could see a silhouette slowly approaching them.
“Are you seeing this?” Bulkhead asked Arcee, not daring to take his optics away from the possible threat.
“Optimus, get in here,”Arcee turned her helm briefly to the side to call back to Optimus, but her optics darted straight back into the ground bridge.
Optimus marched forwards, seemingly un-phased as he walked past Arcee and Bulkhead.
“Stop right there,” he said as he revealed a single weapon.
In the distance, the large silhouette stopped and raised it’s arms above it’s helm.
“Wait, it’s me; Channel…” there was a pause as Optimus contemplated the voice and if it could be recognised, but it was difficult to decide, the message had been destroyed with static, “you got my message?” it called back.
“Optimus, it’s him,” Ratchet appeared behind Optimus, his voice was confident and clearly touched.
“Come forwards soldier,” Optimus demanded, not willing to lower his weapons just yet, waiting for the shadow in the distance to become someone he could recognise.
The figure kept its arms in the air as it slowly walked forwards, but Arcee noticed another moving figure behind it.
“Optimus…”
“I see it,” Optimus responded before raising his voice, “you have someone with you? Who?”
“My prisoner, the one in my message, I believe he is valuable…” the figure stopped moving.
Optimus noticed the chains and nodded to Arcee and Bulkhead, the two of them stepped back out of the ground bridge, allowing Optimus to move to one side.
“Come quickly,” Optimus ordered, suddenly conscious that something else on Cybertron may be aware of the bridge and attempt to hitch a ride.
“Thank you…” The gruff voice sounded relieved.

Channel started walking, tugging on his smaller prisoners chains, hurrying along as much as his old and tired legs would allow, seeing bodies appear up ahead and the darkness at the end of the blinding tunnel was almost too good to be true.
“Finally,” he breathed, picking up the pace, yanking at his prisoners chains…
Obediently, Skywarp followed, awaiting the humiliation of being seen as a prisoner by other Autobots, hanging his helm low as his own bound legs struggled to keep up with his captors.