Disclaimers: Transformers are owned by Hasbro.
I make no monetary profit from my fanfic/fanart.
Summary: A new Decepticon joins the ranks. Xylene created by Seawave. Printed in AusTrans Fanclub Newsletter, August 1997
Rating - PG
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LOYALTY
KNOWS NO BOUNDS
No one knew where she had come from or why. She was clearly very different from any other Decepticon. She was a one-woman army with more weapons on her than a wartime weapon/ammunition facility. She never let her guard down - not even for a nanosecond. She had explained to them she was a wanderer. She had left the war, feeling she could better serve the Decepticon cause by her own code of ethics.
She was no fool and she did not take kindly to males - or other females ogling her, as physically she was quite attractive white, subtle grey - tall and slender. She was quite individual as she wore a shimmering grey cape, which was the focus of quite a lot of gossip, which she ignored. Xylene was used to others rejecting her, branding her as 'weird,' 'strange....' the list went on. She no longer cared what others thought of her. She prided herself on being an individual with a flare for the dramatic, flamboyant and unexpected. She was loyal to the death to the Decepticon cause, which was all that mattered to her - and she served the cause to the best of her ability, with her own style and individuality.
She had intrigued Megatron somewhat. He wasn't entirely sure what to make of her and she never gave anyone any hints about herself. The only other woman Megatron had been intrigued by was an Earth robot, a Ninja called Nightbird, who the Decepticons had rescued although the Autobots would argue that she was kidnapped, which was of no relevance to Megatron. What would they know? But Nightbird had been deactivated, much to Megatron's dismay. But Xylene was very different from Nightbird. Megatron had no interest in her sexually, but still she intrigued him - she was so different from any other Decepticon - any Transformer for that matter. He wondered how she became that way, and when he asked her, she had snapped in her gruff voice that that's the way she was - she wanted to be that way and it wasn't any of his damn business. True, Megatron thought, although angry at been spoken to so rudely by a subordinate. But hadn't said anything to her.
Xylene was both graceful and manoeuvrable in battle and not to mention a formidable fighter. Although her differences still alienated her from the other Decepticons, they respected her skill and were wise not to get under her metal alloy. Patience was not one of her virtues, unless she was in the mood.
Xylene liked to operate on her own and do her own things, which angered Megatron. She would not follow orders unless they suited her. She refused to stay at the Decepticon headquarters, claiming that it was too stuffy and crowded, and despite his numerous attempts he could not locate her hide out. Xylene never hid her feelings - if she had something to say, she said it to the person's face, which made her even more unpopular, especially with Starscream.
Starscream eagerly took the opportunity and niggled Megatron over her.
"Getting to you, isn't she?" he asked in that annoying suggestive tone of his.
"What would you know?"
"Apparently more than you."
Megatron glared at Starscream. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Starscream laughed, shook his head and walked off.
Megatron grunted at being caught off guard like that, but the annoying red and blue jet had a point.
Xylene's individuality served to further alienate her from the Decepticons. Even the Autobots thought she was a few diodes short, but it never seemed to bother her.
After one particularly grueling battle with the Autobots - the Decepticons had their butts kicked - hard, and they retreated, many nursing painful wounds and needing repairs. Xylene was hurt badly in the battle thank to a stray missile careered into her back. She lay in pain on a rock ledge, unnoticed by most. She was too hurt to retreat with the others and remained there long after the battle site had been deserted by both Autobots and Decepticons. Her automatic repair systems began to work slowly on her wounds. Xylene cursed herself for being careless, but knowing that everyone made mistakes and she was no exception.
Late that night, she had regained enough strength and stood slowly, groaned, and gave herself a few moments to recover, then flew with her cape in tatters to the Decepticon base.
"Well that was a good butt licking, we got" Starscream said, rubbing his right arm, his voice dripping with accusation toward Megatron.
"Who are you to talk!?" Megatron snapped, whirling around. "The Autobots are no fools - and you were the first to flee with your afterburner up your ass!"
"Fuck you!"
"Well ... well..." came a gruff voice. A little weak, but there was no mistaking its owner. "One would think you two were best friends."
Starscream grunted.
"Xylene!" Megatron said. "I surmised the Autobots either taken you prisoner or you had been destroyed."
Xylene grunted. "No thanks to you. Do you know how hard it is to get this sort material -especially in this color." Xylene held up the tattered remains of her cape.
At first anger welled up Megatron - a Decepticon warrior fussing about making a fashion statement - even if the cape did look stunning on her - but then Megatron sensed an underlying meaning to her words, but still his anger flared. "It's everyone for him... er themselves in a battle."
"I wasn't expecting a miraculous rescue, Megatron - but if I were leader, I would take better care of my troops."
Starscream's head turned to Xylene, and his mouth curved up into a smirk. He began to hold her in better regard now.
"Are you challenging me?" Megatron asked Xylene in disbelief, staring at her.
"I hate people who take what I say the wrong way," she said, irritation in her voice. "You lead your troops in the best way you can - I meant for you to take a hint - the more warriors we have, the more force we have against the Autobots - and I also came back here to tell you that I'm leaving."
"So soon after you got here?" Skywarp teased. "Us boys too rough for ya?"
Xylene leapt into the air and came down in a martial art style kick, knocking the black jet hard onto to the floor, before he had time to teleport away, then she leapt on top of him, held him down, took out a light sabre, ignited it and held it threateningly at Skywarp's throat, to which he was petrified.
"What's amatter, baby, I play too rough for you?" Then Xylene disengaged her weapon, leapt off a dazed Skywarp to face Megatron.
"I forbid you to leave," he said.
"Since when did I become a prisoner?"
"You are not a prisoner."
"Then I wish to leave."
"No."
Xylene pursed her lips. "You can't make me stay here."
"I'm your leader and you're staying - That's an order!"
"You should know by now following orders isn't exactly my forte."
"You claim to be a Decepticon, yet you have no code of conduct - why did you come here in the first place?"
"At first I felt I needed a change - to work with other Decepticons, but it didn't work out - and I do have a code of conduct - mine - I can best serve our cause on my own."
"You will obey your leader."
"I am my own leader."
"I, Megatron formed the Decepticons - our cause and you will do as I command!" Megatron gave himself a moment's pause. He wasn't sure if he'd meant to shout.
"What you say is true," Xylene said evenly. "I'm not above our cause, Megatron," Xylene glared into his eyes. "And don't think for one moment that you are either."
Megatron felt as if he'd been hit by a physical blow from Metroplex. It'd never crossed his mind that he may not be around forever to lead the Decepticons, but what Xylene said to him was true, despite the bitter taste. No one was above the Decepticon cause, not personal feelings, not anyone - not even himself, but all the while, Megatron's face remained professionally emotionless. "Very well," he said, evenly. "You may leave. You have earned Megatron's respect."
"I'm honored," Xylene said, and became airborne.
"Open the outer hatch," he commanded Soundwave.
It took Soundwave's trained eye and ear to notice how moved Megatron had been, and through his many millennia of friendship with the Decepticon leader, he knew that did not happen often. Soundwave did as Megatron commanded without saying a word. Perhaps Megatron would talk to him about it later. Soundwave hoped he would. In many ways he was his leader's counselor, although Megatron would never admit that he needed counseling in a blue fit. Megatron had told Soundwave things he'd never tell another soul and Soundwave deeply respected that. In many ways his relationship with Megatron went beyond friendship, and if another came into Megatron's life, like Nightbird and Xylene had done, Soundwave would never do anything to hurt Megatron's happiness and Megatron was grateful for that.
The Decepticon leader wondered if his and Xylene's paths would ever cross again - perhaps someday after, or even during the war. She was indeed her own person and Megatron cursed himself for trying to restrain her freedom, but everyone made mistakes - yes, even the Mighty Megatron - and he could not change the past. He smiled privately as he found himself hoping she would get herself a new cape. It really did suit her well. She had such a profound effect on him and even although he said absolutely nothing and his face showed no emotion, it was fairly obvious to the others around him.
Megatron watched Xylene fly far off into the distance, the remnants of her cape gracefully flapping and glistening in the bright white moonlight against the dark starlit sky.
*