𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 [𝚃𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝙿𝚛𝚒𝚖𝚎]

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐

When Stormrunner and Atlas arrived back on the ship, she immediately started to head towards the brig, ready to tell Megatron of what she had found. But then Stormrunner faltered.

'Will he even care?' She wondered. 'These are just vehicon troopers after all...'

'No, I have to tell him. Someone did that, someone killed those troopers. It was most likely done by whoever was in that pod. A rouge Decepticon maybe? Or an Autobot who somehow ended up in a Decepticon pod. But how...'

"Stormrunner?" A voice said from behind her, and the lieutenant turned, facing Dreadwing. "Are you alright?" He asked. "You were just standing there, not moving. Thought you were in stasis lock."

Stormrunner shifted slightly. "I'm fine."

Dreadwing looked skeptical, and Stormrunner gestured at Atlas, signaling to continue heading to the bridge.

~

[Location: The bridge of the Nemesis]

And?" Megatron asked. She had just recounted her findings to the leader of the Decepticons, with Atlas standing next to her legs, at attention, with his tail swishing.

Stormrunner managed to keep her face blank. "I believe that this was caused by a rogue Decepticon, or maybe even an Autobot. Either way, we should hunt them down, they're obviously dangerous!"

"Taking down a few mere vehicons does not constitute them as a threat."

"But-"

Megatron growled, narrowing his ruby red optics and Stormrunner's confidence crumbled. Soundwave, who was on the monitors near them twisted around to face them, his dark visor like a mirror.

"If they show up again, then you can kill them," Megatron said, turning. "But I will not send out a group looking for them."

She bowed her helm, before walking away, glaring at Soundwave as she passed.

~

The next few cycles went by uneventfully. Stormrunner wanted to leave the ship, in search of the newly arrived rouge Decepticon or Autobot, but she couldn't.

Things got so boring that she started to drift in and out of recharge mode, reliving past memories. Even Atlas was curled up at her peds, its crimson optics dim.

Stormrunner knelt and petted the loyal cyberdog. "If only Paradox and Saberstrike were here," she said quietly, closing her ruby red optics. "If only..."

~

Stormrunner gazed down at the new Decepticon emblem on her shoulder, smiling proudly. It felt great to have the symbol of the cause she has supported, and been a part of for so long there.