"Now I have to ask Scion, why is HE here, of all bots? Couldn't there be anyone else you could fill in the seats?!" Onslaught asked, apparently unpleased with Starscream's appearance.

"He is here because he is important to the next viewing. Especially in regards to one of the Predacons."

"What do you-"

"Enough Onslaught. Back to your seat." Megatron ordered.

"Yes, Megatron." he said slumping back to his seat with the Combaticons like a neglected child, while Starscream smirks.

"I must say I thank you for considering me important. I cannot wait till I see the Maximals grinded to scrap beneath the might of the Predacons."

"Do not look into this too highly, Starscream. You may not have a second chance to plague the Autobots again... so long as you ARE in under my direct command!"

"As you say, master..."

"And get off my foot. Take a seat if you must."

Starscream complied taking a seat as the viewing prepares another of the future...

Up on the sky, a certain spark flies in the dark reaches of space and into the planet.

"A Spark? In outer space?" Megatron asks intrigued.

Under a heavy thunderstorm, the Axalon struggles strong, but it's shields began fading. It knocked Cheetor off his feet.

"Talk about a light-show!" the young Maximal quipped.

"It's a shame you missed it, kiddo." Knockout joked.

[Warning! Sentinel's shield have been damaged.] announced the Axalon's systems.

"One more direct hit, and we could be the grand finale." Rhinox pointed out.

The Autobots blinkered. Environmental conditions in battle were often ones to look out for and which to gain advantage over.

Same with the former Decepticons, though Starscream himself smirked with pride, he often took advantage of Energon storms to get the jump over the Aerialbots in Iacon's skies when the conditions were unfavorable in their side. The aformentioned latter frowned, Silverbolt mostly, considering that the Lightning Strike Coalition lost 3/4s of their men to Starscream that day.

"Yes." Primal ordered "Better stow the spare weapons and ammo in the hold underneath the armored flooring."

Even the Darksyde was not spared of the storm overcasting them, and thus, while Waspinator was working on the computer, a thunder strike, plus the spark hovering nearby, shocked him to his Spark and core, knocking him off his post.

"Ha! Pathetic!" Starscream spouted.

'Ironic.' thought everyone, but Omega Scion.

"Quickly, damage report!" Megatron demanded.

"Moderate. Waspinator in pain, but still functional." Waspinator replied.

"Not you, imbecile, the computer!" Megatron pressed, but he pressed on a button as it flickered light on his seat.

"Megatron! Electrical fire on the lower deck!"

In the Axalon, as Primal and Rhinox were storing their weapons and ammo in a compartment below deck...

"That's th' last of it." Rhinox reported.

"Yo! Audio up, fellas, this is yer rodent robot reporter." Rattrap hailed. "Ya want the bad news, or the worse news?"

Meanwhile, Waspinator tries to get the computer working, but it does not respond.

"What IS this? Program will not respond. Waspinator does not understand." he complained. Until the computer began flashing white before his eyes.

"I'll bet Waspinator seldom does. But try not to let it depress you, bugface." a mysterious voice spoke out to him.

Everyone was intrigued. They looked at Starscream as they seem to recognize that voice elsewhere, but the Seeker commander doesn't share their glares as he was as confused as they are.

Said voice began to embrace Waspinator in a covering veil of light, with Terrorsaur witnessing before he left.

In the Axalon, the Maximals assessed the damage the storm had caused the ship itself.

"The last hit breached the outer wall in Vector Seven." Rattrap reported.

"And this was only the bad news?" Rhinox asked.

"Yeah, the worse news is, it knocked out all the surveillance sensors along the southwest perimeter. We might as well put up a sign sayin', 'Welcome Predacons, Enter Here.'" Rattrap concluded jokingly.

"This doesn't sound good at all. Without surveillance, the Maxies are blind. No way to find out where the Preds are going to take them in." Sideswipe asked.

"Surely, they can try to repair the damages." Starscream suggested.

"With what? The Maximals have fewer resources to sufficiently repair the Axalon!" Shockwave reiumbursed.

"I'm surprised you acted out of emotion, despite your disregard for emotions." the Seeker taunted.

Shockwave didn't argue, because he knew Starscream was right.

"With any luck, they're having problems of their own." Primal spoke out, hoping the Predacons wouldn't attack in the middle of the storm.

True to his word, they were having problems, especially when Waspinator began acting strangely. After clearing out the fire and repelling smoke in their deck, Megatron ordered to Scorponok "Go find out what's keeping Waspinator."

But Waspinator suddenly appeared before the Predacon leadership.

"So there you are." Scorponok spoke out

"Yes, here I am. At very long last." Waspinator said in a strange voice not atypical to his cowering personality.

"What in all of Primus' name?" Predaking asked, surprised.

"What happened to your voice?" Megatron asked, confused by Waspinator's new tone.

"Allow me to present myself. Air Commander Starscream, of the Decepticon Battle Fleet."

Thunder flashes, revealing a glimpse of Starscream's Prime form in Waspinator.

Prime, Megatron, Predaking and Ratchet were shocked. They realized why Omega Scion deemed Starscream important for the viewing.

Because he had been there when the Beast Wars was ongoing.

Starscream, while not understanding this at first, denies this. He had no knowledge of being there during the Beast Wars. But not everyone believes him.

In an assembly with every of the Predacons grouped up together like a council, they were standing in silence of the revelation.

"I saw it myself, the entity came out of the computer!" Terrorsaur squawked.

"But you're ancient history!" Blackarachnia claimed.

"Ancient, yes. History, no." Starscream pointed out.

"What's he talking about?" Scorponok asked.

"Oh, did you not learn of our history, you moron?!" Starscream shouted.

"The Decepticons were our ancestors. For centuries they warred with the Autobots ..the ancient ancestors of the Maximals." Blackarachnia clarified in the Predacon assembly.

Everyone grimly held a silence for the friends and men they had lost in the war. Not even Warpath had dared say anything about the friends and brothers and sisters in arms he lost in the war.

"That war was lost, alas." Starscream pointed out in a mortified tone.

"And you were destroyed... it's written in the Chronicles of Cybertron." Blackarachnia concluded.

"Uh, so it was believed. I fell defending my leader Galvatron against the most powerful enemy of all, the giant transformer Unicron." Starscream stated, remembering his very demise at the hands of the living planet that is Unicron himself.

Everyone, mostly the Autobots in the time after Earth, had bad memories remembering Unicron, the Cybertronian ancient who had tried to defile the Earth and tried to consume the All Spark so that the Cybertronians would depend on him for survival. As so remembered Bumblebee the most.

Prime, Megatron, Predaking fell grimly silent the most of their subordinates. They knew Unicron the most of all.

"My exostructure was destroyed, but miraculously my spark endured drifting helplessly through the depths of space, beyond the reach of Time itself." he finished along.

"And now that you're here, Air Commander, what do you want?" Megatron asked.

"Uh, why, to pledge allegiance to the glorious Megatron, and fight as your loyal lieutenant." Starscream offered.

The Predacons, oblivious to their history, were reluctant in accepting this.

"Well..." Megatron spoke in a cautious tone. "You'll forgive the glorious Megatron for not melting into a puddle of gratitude." but pushed into an interrogative as he was as unsure as his minions about the offer. "Tell me Why should I trust you?"

"Because I can show you how to crush the Maximals, and win the Beast Wars." Starscream pointed out. This perked up the interest of the Predacons. "Once and for all!"

"You are a fool to accept that offer. The minute you succeed, the minute Starscream will plunge a dagger in your back when you turn on him." Megatron spat out in distaste to his 'descendant'.

Outside the Axalon, Cheetor assessed the damages caused by the storm. 

"That's one thing about an Energon storm, it doesn't do much for the view." he mused.

"That I'm gonna agree with, Cheetor." Bumblebee commented.

"And speaking of views, someone's gettin' a scanner full right now." Having spotted a cyber-bee scouting around his position, he transformed "Cheetor--MAXIMIZE!" and prepared his weapon at the scouting construct which he then fired at immediately.

Prime had a mirth of nostalgia. Usually, Bumblebee was like that; impulsive and reckless, concluding first and attacking without regard of his safety.

In the damaged interior of the Axalon, Rhinox and Primal assessed the damages caused by the storm.

"We can repair it, but it's going to take time." Rhinox stated.

"As do all things, Rhinox." Ratchet commented.

"Yo, Big Bot." Cheetor hailed to Primal "we were starrin' in someone's home video. Three guesses who was watchin' the movie." while swinging the destroyed cyber-bee.

In the Darksyde, the computer revealed the footage of the damaged Axalon.

"That cyber-bee must have been a decoy to distract Cheetor. The real one must have been dispatched to assess the Axalon's breached state."

"Thanks for that, Doctor Obvious."

Ratchet fumed at Knockout's quip, but decided not to do anything about it.

"My Spark saw the damage before entering this body. It's the perfect opportunity to attack."

"But that's what they'll be waiting for." Megatron countered.

"Exactly." 

Megatron asessed. "Starscream, perhaps the centuries of weightlessness have taken a toll on your neurological circuitry." He then gave off coordination to his subordinates...

"While they're busy guarding the southwest, we strike here. Right through the gunports on the northeast wall." Starscream pointed out.

Starscream could not help but feel a sense of self-satisfaction attuning to his strategy.

Megatron and Onslaught were surprised. Usually, Starscream's tactics were terrible, but this was rather unexpected of their Seeker commander to perform a seemingly viable and coordinated strategy.

A missile struck at the north-east hull of the Axalon, taking the Maximals by surprise.

"WHAT!?" Primal shouted, unprepared.

"They're attackin' the other side!" Rattrap announced, just as Waspinator as they saw, carrying Blackarachnia flying directly towards them.

"Hello, boys!" Waspinator appeared in a much braver yet strangely jovial tone"Just happened to be in the neighborhood...so we thought we'd drop in!" the last sentence finished by Blackarachnia.

"Darn, he makes a heck of a phrase better than Warpath. I'm taking that in case I get to drop into battle!" Wheeljack stated.

"Hey!" Warpath pouted.

"Optimus, MAXIMIZE!" Primal transformed after dodging Blackarachnia's blast then descended down to meet them in flight mode. "Taken unawares, I'm a fool!"

Prime understood. Many a times, an inexperienced officer such as he back in his first hour as a Prime meant that he was not aware of whatever surprises the Decepticons would have for him.

"At long last, Primal, we agree on something." Megatron then fired blasts around the Axalon's interior. Prompting Dinobot and Cheetor to come down as well to meet the Predacon assault.

"Doncha know that gate-crashing is just plain' rude? Next time, try knockin'!" Cheetor quipped and fired, but Waspinator was flying too fast for him that he could not get an accurate shot off him. But it wasn't just him, it was the rest of the Maximals, considering that they couldn't even track where Waspinator really is.

"Scrap, he's moving too fast, I can't even track him!" Knockout gasped.

Starscream smirked. Speed was always his most powerful weapon, second to his silver tongue, of course.

"Since when did buzzbrain learn that move?" Cheetor asked, confused and intrigued; Waspinator never performed such a manuever that dodged his shooting.

"Since his exostructure was commandeered by the spark of Air Commander Starscream!" Waspinator, now voiced by Starscream preached, firing a barrage that damaged the interior of the Axalon further.

"Starscream? Impossible!" Dinobot screamed, in shock of the revelation. Before he was blasted off by Megatron.

"We must pay attention, Dinobot." Megatron dramatically prosed "Otherwise, deary-me, look what happens!" and continued firing at the Axalon's interior.

The damages prove to be so substancial that Sentinel's core was unable to take more than it can chew.

"We've got to get out of here, regroup and recover." Primal ordered to Rattrap.

"And leave th' place to the Preds?" Rattrap asked, shocked at the idea of abandoning the Axalon to the Predacons.

"There's no choice, Rattrap. On my signal!" Primal caught Dinobot and continued firing at the Predacons.

"Yeah right!" Rattrap groused in disobedience. "Like this rat needs instructions on leaving a sinkin' ship!" and immediately fled the scene as Rhinox witnesses.

"Maximals, full retreat!" Prime then attempted to boost out but saw Terrorsaur obstructing his flight path. He yelled "Maximum burn!" and smashed through Terrorsaur.

The Maximals were in effective retreat from their base as Airazor notices from afar.

"Somethin' tells me this isn't just a fire drill." and witnesses her routing comrades.

The Autobots were grim. Without their base, the Maximals are scattered, and thus the Predacons have taken over.

"I'd better find Tigatron!" which she does alternatively.

The Predacons regrouped around the Maximal command center, appeased with their own success.

"Victory! The Maximal base is mine! Yes!" Megatron cheered.

"Yes, you have won. But you'd best keep your guard up around Starscream, you fool." Megatron groused.

"But what do we do now?" Tarantulas reminded "If we're here, then our base is unprotected."

"First we conquer, now we divide." Megatron spoke with dramatic ham. "Tarantulas, Terrorsaur you'll return with me. Scorponok and Blackarachnia will remain behind, under the command of Starscream."

"Starscream? How...how come he gets promoted?" Terrorsaur whispered. And what he got was Megatron's T-rex prosthetic slammed into his head. The latter turned to Starscream "Thus you are rewarded for your loyal service." And to Terrorsaur " And thus you are encouraged to keep your beak shut." and tossed his subordinate off his hand.

"I'm just grateful I had a chance to help." Starscream humbly stated.

"Humility, Starscream? That's very unusual of you to think that way."

"Well, master, I had learned under you."

Megatron groaned. "Point taken." while Starscream smiled like a child.

"Yeah, I'll bet." Blackarachnia pointed out. Megatron roused a sidebar with Scorponok "We are well pleased with Starscream, so far. But watch him. Closely."

Megatron raised a brow. "It seems I may have looked down on you too harshly. You're a fool for accepting the alliance, but at least you aren't in over your head to believe that Starscream would not turn on you when your guard is down."

"That I bet." Arcee bitterly agreed. She still never forgave Starscream for Cliffjumper's death, yet his presence in the viewing helped little of it. The latter of which, just frowned, remembering how Starscream killed him.

Outside and regrouped, the defeated Maximals were looking at the captured Axalon. While Primal was tending to a recovering Dinobot.

"I bet one of them's in my room right now goin' through my stuff." Cheetor spat out.

"Don't take this the wrong way, kitty-cat." Rattrap began to argue "But under the circumstances, go tell someone who cares!" he shouted.

"He'll make a full recovery. That's one less concern, at any rate." Primal assured.

Dinobot growled and argued "You should have stayed. Fought to the bitter end!"

"And it would have been bitter, Dinobot. But there's no time for this. Apparently, Waspinator is Starscream, or he thinks he is." Primal assured.

"You may not have known half of it, Primal." said his 'ancestor'.

"Either way, he's become a major problem. Especially since the files on him were classified by the Maximal Elders."

The Autobot leadership frowned. How can the 'Maximal Elders' withhold information about Starscream publicly?

"They're fools. If they don't share that knowledge, their people may never truly know who Starscream really is." Ultra Magnus spat.

"I assume it was of some foolhardy pretense to prevent the common folk to even bother about him." Megatron placed his two cents.

"Fools." Dinobot spat out "Fortunately, I have long studied military history."

"Do tell, Dino-boy." Grimlock spat out.

"Go on." Primal allowed.

"Starscream was deceitful and scheming. The most notorious traitor of all." Dinobot clarified.

"And now he's back, and pledging his loyalty to Megatron?"

"Finally, someone who understands!" Megatron spouted.

Tigatron was out in the perimeter on patrol when Airazor regrouped with him.

"News update from your spy in the sky! Half the Preds just left the base, and guess who's in charge?"

Inside the captured Axalon...

"Perhaps I'm being too oversensitive, Blackarachnia, but is there something you're not telling me?" Starscream asked.

But the black widow Predacon turned the interrogative around her way "More like something you're not telling us."

"Such as?"

"I scanned your file. You didn't get blasted to scrap metal by Unicron. You got blasted by Galvatron, after you betrayed him." Blackarachnia deduced.

Megatron frowned the most; he knew Starscream the most out of everyone else had tried to oust him of leadership many times over, and all of them failed so long as he was around.

"Galvatron was a fool! I deserved to lead!" Starscream argued.

"You couldn't even lead a parade." Megatron coldly stated.

"So you know my little secret." He looked at Blackarachnia and asked "Then the question remains: why did you not expose me to Megatron?"

Blackarachnia stated "Well, I thought you might make me a better offer."

The former Decepticons, Soundwave and Breakdown were unpleased. Remembering Starscream and Airachnid was in