fics I read

Cybertron, Kaon, Lower City

126 Stellar cycles since Cold Construction

Terrorvolt

Unlike most days where I spent my spare time working under the arena, this time I was walking through the undercity of Kaon. My work has also changed quite a bit now that I think about it. I'm no longer tinkering with any gadgets or weapons, but rather looking at city plans, transport shuttles, communication networks and all the other things you would need for a guerrilla campaign and or insurrection.

I know for a fact that Megatron was incredibly intelligent, but he also had a growing ego. One that could easily and very quickly mess things up. I have no doubt in my mind that he could easily wage this war without me. But that isn't really my focus. I am here to make sure that things go smoothly, quickly and with minimal bloodshed. Something that is becoming increasingly more difficult.

Decepticon sentiment was being dragged through the mud by the senate and their control of the media. We are being blamed for the death of a planet's spiritual leader, Nominus Prime. Sentinel Prime has taken over his position and is cracking down hard on the planet's population. Back as a human, imagining a planet locked down with martial law was practically unimaginable…But now? Ironically though, the senate's decisions have caused support for our movement to increase exponentially now…

Yeah… Things have gotten… A whole lot more complex.

At least I quit my job. I have that at the very least. I had to dedicate myself to this cause completely, and spending most of my day slaving away in the mines really isn't the best path forward.

The only real hiccup there was… Well.

The fact that I was leaving, would be quite an issue for both the mine and myself. I was legally required to work for them, and me leaving? That essentially made me a criminal and made them complicit in allowing me to do so. I cared nothing for the mine itself, but I didn't want to make it an issue for the workers and foremen.

So I did a little… Trick of sorts. Prorex was all in on the plan, I was quite happy to hear that he wanted to stay with me even with all that was going on. Funny…how close we've grown to one another even though we couldn't properly communicate.

But yeah, leaving the mines. To put it simply, I ruptured an Energon vein on purpose and installed a small explosive with a timer about a day before. It was surprising how much I could smuggle into the mine. Especially the fact that I was lugging around the corpse of another Cybertronian in a mine cart with only bits and pieces of rubble covering them.

It was a…it was a macabre situation. Mainly because the corpse in question was that of another FO model of the same line-up as myself. I got the body with the help of a few scavengers, paid with 50 Shanix.

50 God damn Shanix.… That's the worth given to my "sister"...

I removed her head, of course, and for quite some time I considered getting the help required to replace it with my own. It was a… A tough decision in all honesty. My new head, as ugly and "inhuman" as it is, was still my own. It was something that made me unique, as twisted as it sounds.

I also admit that…It's become a good shield against others. You can't tell my emotions or reactions from it…it felt like wearing a mask or helmet really. It did unsettle me when I was alone in privacy, but it didn't bother me too much.

I did consider the future of course, and I know that one day my opinion on it may very well change. So I kept the head, and I wouldn't be able to replace mine even if I wanted to right now. There was simply no one here with the expertise to do it.

But back to what happened. Getting a discarded Empurata head was also easier than expected, and attaching it to the corpse was child's play. It was shoddy work and would have killed the Cybertronian if she was still alive…but that obviously wasn't an issue or priority. I didn't bother replacing the arm as it would be holding the charge, ensuring that it would be destroyed in the blast.

After that, it was only a matter of finding the right moment of blowing it all up, and doing just that.

And that is how I quit my job! Presumed dead and legally no longer in any systems and registries!

I couldn't help but chuckle at the memory. Now then, back to more important issues.

Creating the first stages of the Decepticon army. One of the biggest problems I quickly came across was our lack of weaponry. Sure, what we had was okay, but it wasn't the best. We always had dealings with the black market to get our stuff, but Energon Assault pistols, Neutron assault rifles or Scatter Blasters simply wouldn't cut it any more.

Really goes to show that Cybertron in its final days was being fought over with weapons that barely cut it in the initial stages.… But I'm getting distracted. The point was that we need weapons.

And that is why I was here. Megatron had been contacted through a few backdoor channels with a proposition of sorts. Someone was interested in the arena fights and the money that could be earned there. Someone… Powerful and influential.

They were offering us weapons and equipment in return for a cut of the arena's earnings. It sounded like a great deal and considering that they only wanted 2% for weapons that could have cost us 50 years income at the very least, there was no doubt that it would be fantastic for us. All we had to do, or rather what the owner of the arena had to do, was meet them in private within Kaon's undercity.

Obviously, the issue is that we couldn't trust them and the fact that they may very well be up to something else. The only good aspect detected of this deal was the fact that they asked for the "owner" of the arena. This meant that whoever we were dealing with didn't know who was now running the operation.… So I volunteered to go! And I am even going on my own!

Now, in any other situation, one might think me an idiot for trying this. But, I really needed to get outside again, and I really didn't want to be shadowed by a few goons. Of course, It's also due to the fact that Megatron doesn't even know about this… Because I intercepted the transmission as soon as it reached the arena.

But then there's a big question, why? Why would I do this? Why would I do any of this?

Well, it's because I have a plan… One that included a exotic cape made from organic fibres imported from one of the colony planets, and a rig filled with Energon cylinders set to blow strapped around my torso. The Cape was to hide the explosives, obviously.

You see, if one brings a dozen goons to a supposedly "private" meeting, then you are just begging for trouble. This way, I come alone and also promise mutually assured destruction. People are less likely to open fire If they absolutely know they are going to die after all.

I received some odd stares here and there for covering up like this, but it wasn't too distracting. The twists and turns of Kaon's undercity are something I've grown to know over the century I've lived here. I know my way around by now and have no issues on my way to the location of the meeting …well no, that's a lie.

Because the dear old "police force" was out in droves. The increased Autobot patrols wandering about were quite the nuisance these days. They weren't as active in the undercity, but you could be assured that they will check you for just walking by.

So I "stuck to the shadows" in the proverbial sense. And I had the reassurance that I will be able to avoid detection.

You see, I came prepared.

I look to the side of my cloak and see a little satellite dish poking through. I have been alive for quite some time, so it was only natural that I would try to improve upon my Minicon as well.

Upgrading a Minicon was no easy task, and in all honesty, I am not quite happy with the final result. Prorex was now equipped with various improvements to his sensory array. He was capable of picking up most if not all electromagnetic rays known to Cybertron as well as optical and auditory input in an incredibly large range. As long as my target isn't actively cloaking themselves, I will be able to see them coming without any issue. Prorex is just that good….

I looked down at the small satellite dish, and I'm certain my face would have shown quite a saddened expression. The biggest issue at first was overcoming the sensory overload he suffered from the new enhancements. I had to develop an independent subroutine that would draw from my own computing power to help him with the issue, but he had to be connected to me for it to work.

In all honesty, I thought he might reject the idea of being so dependent on me. Of course, there is a security measure that automatically disables his sensory equipment when detached from myself. The issue here is that that meant that his sensors, when he was away from me, would be those of an average Minicon.

This is why it was such an issue, but he was… He was okay with it. That actually did move me quite a bit. While he wasn't exactly capable of vocalising his thoughts, the raw data signals he sent to me were something one grew used to… And I wanna think I can somewhat read the little guy by now.

I continue to move through the corroded and grimy alleys of Kaon until reaching one of the many canyons running beneath the City. Kaon was full of these, remnants of old mining operations that have completely moved out, leaving no equipment behind.

The meeting point was beneath a bridge that crossed the gap and I was unsure of who would be expecting me. Sadly, there was no large open space that would be suitable for long-range reconnaissance. Even with a giant crack in the very planet we stood upon, it didn't stop Cybertron from building to the very edge. A small security barrier at the cliffside was all one got to protect the population from falling to their death. Some Cybertronians were littered about the canyon, most were rusted but a few bodies were looking younger. They were either bots thrown over for convenient body disposal or young bots that got too curious and fell off. It would be quite suitable to dispose of me should this meeting be more than meets the eye… I can't believe Iactually just thought that.

I can't help but chuckle. I forgot that I am in a fictional setting from where I was from originally… It's been quite some time since I've thought of that.

As Icontinue moving forward, I keep looking ahead toward the roundabout are of the meeting point. It was all alleys and buildings, and only grew more and more cluttered the closer I got.

Prorex was still trying his best with echolocation and radiation signatures, so we were able to analyse the bot meeting us.

It was a forged Cybertronian. We based this on the fact that their signature does not correspond with any cold constructions in the grand Cybertronian taxonomy. That did not exactly narrow things down, but the other signatures with them did pique my curiosity.

They were Minicons and based on their signatures, they were cold constructions on the other hand. This paints a very different picture of who this Bot might be.

I prepare my scatter blaster in my prosthetic arm and continue hiding it beneath the cloak. I approached an old and rusty door, behind which our contact was at the moment.

I swing open the door and step inside, only to suddenly be greeted by a wolflike robot rushing towards me. "I thought I smelled something familiar…Whoa!" The Minicon freezes upon seeing my face. I myself hesitated to aim my weapon at him. The Minicon growled in a saddened voice, "Ahh crap, you got the worst makeover…they really did you dirty, didn't they?."

I recognised this Minicon, "If you are here… Then the bot with you has to be…". My words fade as I stare at the armoured face of a certain Cybertronian I had found in the streets so long ago.

The blue body of Soundwave steps forward. "Ravage… Are you certain? It's true that I cannot hear her thoughts but… Are you certain it is her?" The auto-tuned voice of the future Decepticon asks.

Ravage, the Minicon who greeted me only nods, and I lift my cloak to reveal my serial number.

His body both freezes up and relaxes at the same time. It's as if he was no longer concerned with why he was here, but more with the fact that he was meeting me again.

I step into the room and let the door close behind me. I remove my cloak, revealing the explosive rig set up on my chest. Soundwave visibly tenses, but still does not raise his weapon. Rather, he speaks out, "Explosives rather than guards. To prevent battle from breaking out?"

I nod in return before saying, "I am who you are meeting…and before we talk about our respective goals for this meeting.… I wish to ask how you have been."

He processes my words before looking at his Minicons. Ravage was the one I'd spotted first, but I soon found Laserbeak and Buzzsaw sitting in the high corners of the room. He does eventually decide to answer my question.

"… The money you gave me… Prevented termination… Found work in mine before automation… Was later recruited for unique sensory ability… by senator Ratbat…my current employer."

My lone eye flares up in surprise. I ponder the implication and consider asking him about this, but before I could he asks, "You were subjected to Empurata?"

The question is understandable and I'm rather glad to hear that he doesn't want to pry further. I do give him the courtesy and tell him more or less what happened to me. He doesn't show his reactions, but his Minicons are visibly angered… He did his ball his fist however, and a few shivers here and there indicated his displeasure with it all.

After standing in silence for a bit, Prorex detaches from a shoulder to interact with the other Minicon. It was rather amusing to see, but it also reminded me that I was here for something else.

I look at Soundwave once more and ask, "I think it's time we got business. Senator Ratbat has more than enough money, so 2% of an arena's profits would be nothing for him… Is he out for more or something else?"

Soundwave stills, "I was not meant to reveal his name…"

Tension grows in the room and I eventually ask, "...I understand… And what happens now?"

He stares to and fro, from myself and the various Minicons present. He looks to them for affirmation before saying, "I owe you… Being honest is the least I can do."

He leans his body against a nearby wall before beginning to explain, "Ratbat is offering weapons and equipment and is pretending to want a cut of the profits. His true intention is to supply the Decepticon movement as he believes the arena to be connected to them."

The light of my eye dims in suspicion as I quickly ask, "Senator Ratbat has always been a public defender of functionism… I cannot understand why he would support our cause."

Soundwave's head twitches towards me as he quickly asks, "'Our cause'?"

I shrug my shoulders before saying, "Yes… Our cause…I joined the Decepticon movement when it was formally established not too long ago…Technically even before that… Will you answer my question?"

Soundwave stares at me with a certain unease before eventually continuing,"The Senator cares not for your cause. He believes the unrest caused by the Decepticons will ensure his ability to exploit market shares and the stock market in the near future.…"

I couldn't fucking believe it. To think this guy wanted to play us like this. It's also depressing to realise that a Senator of all things would supply those he would consider to be terrorists, just so he can make a profit.

It was disgusting, something that most Decepticons will agree with and with luck… Soundwave thinks so as well.

"And what do you think of this, your "employer's" little plan?" I ask him with a steady tone.

Soundwave stares towards his Minicons before answering, "Ratbat supports functionism… Decepticons oppose functionism… There is no place in the Senate's world for my friends." he gestures towards his Minicons.

Silence fills the room before Soundwave looks towards me once more, "...Do you vouch… For the Decepticon cause?" he asks with an unsure tone.

I get into a more comfortable position for the hand against my hip and nod my head, "Considering I am one of its ringleaders… I would confidently say so."

He nods in understanding and communicates with his Minicons. A few seconds passed before I eventually asked, "Have you come to a decision?

He turned back towards me, his body hinting only at the determination within, and he answered with a steady voice, "The Senate and Ratbat is… Inferior…. Decepticons… Superior."

If I had a mouth, I would be grinning ear to ear.

Suddenly, his head twitches about and his Minicons also react in a strange manner. Ravage approaches Prorex, and communicates with him in some manner before Prorex rushes away and jumps towards my shoulder before attaching.

Before I could properly ask him what was going on, I noticed through our shared connection what Soundwave had noticed seconds before. Someone was spying on us… They weren't the best at it, but without my Minicon, I wouldn't have been able to notice them.

My first idea is to open a communications channel with soundwave and found myself pleasantly surprised that he has the same idea. The digital connection is established and I quickly message, 'I've got a lock on both of them, do you know how long they've been here?'

Soundwave nods before informing me that they had just arrived seconds ago and were still getting into position.

Before I would do anything else, I quickly unslung the makeshift bomb vest and place it on the ground next to me. I don't want a stray shot to blow us all up after all.

Soundwaves Minicons head towards the back door and quickly begin to race around the district in order to flank the two spies. Whoever they were, I guessed they were watching us through optical reconnaissance because if they were listening in, they would have known by now that we are onto them.

I move closer towards one of the only windows in the room and make sure the cloak conceals my limbs once more. That way I can equip the Energon battle pistol without those two noticing. Soundwave himself was taking position right in front of me in order to make it seem as if we were still talking.

His Minicons were still preparing for the ambush, so we couldn't move just yet. As I ponder our situation, I also realised something very important.

'You know… We have never even exchanged our names…' I slowly send the message.

Soundwave was also quite perturbed by this detail, and Let out a synthetic tone mimicking laughter. After a while he eventually says, using his actual voice, "I am Soundwave…and you?"

He holds out his left hand which I quickly take in one of my own, "I used to have some crappy serial number, but today I go as Terrorvolt."

'Strange name' he messages me as he now gets into position to shoot through the window.

'Well, I didn't choose it. I got it from the arena fights. I made a habit of electrocuting my enemies and that name eventually stuck.'

He lets out another chuckle. Our banter now officially stops as the Minicons are now in position to attack. Soundwave sent me the visual reconnaissance data from Laserbeak, which shows that our unwanted third party was two Autobots sitting on a fixture for one of the many abandoned buildings.

Our plan was to shoot out whatever is keeping it in place in order to get them to fall into the alley below. Ravage can get one of them and the other would be in range for either of us.

I give Soundwave one last look and the two of us nod to each other before ripping around with weapons aimed high. We both start blasting the fixtures of the platforms in question and the Autobots barely have time to react as the ground beneath them gives away as they fall towards the street floor.

Ravage doesn't miss a beat and bites one of them in the waist before he even hits the ground.

The other was a bit luckier and got up in order to try and help his partner out of his predicament…which distracted him from the Tank Class Femme rapidly sprinting towards him.

I hadn't gotten any proper melee weapons yet, mainly because I usually stick to ranged combat. I would have used my little electrolaser in this situation as well were it not for the beastly Minicon and his prey standing right behind my target. So I decided upon the simpler approach.

My left hand clenched into a fist, and just as the considerably smaller Autobot finally realises the approaching threat and turns to look at me, half of the plating on his skull is punched away. I didn't bother to stop my momentum and instead crashed into the smaller Cybertronian as the both of us slammed into the ground.

'Soundwave, I have this one!'

I don't need to turn my head to realise he immediately sprung to action himself. He was using a sonic weapon of sorts that promptly overloaded the other bot's sensory systems and left him dazed.

It didn't take long for Ravager to rush the stunned Autobot and claw into his torso. The bot currently struggling beneath my weight and the damage I had done to him wasn't faring any better really. Once I see his arm changing into a weapon, I quickly roll off of him and kick him away in quick motion. He skids around, completely losing his aim as I change my own arm into the Energon battle pistol. The long-range weapon buzzes to life and his torso is promptly riddled with bullet holes.

His rigid body falls to the floor.

With the combatants both down and with Laserbeak not sending reports of anyone else in the area, we finally calmed down and let our weapons vanish. I begin inspecting the body in front of me and ensure to destroy any tracking beacons or SOS signals.

Their designations were Bumper and Fastback…They report to Sentinel Prime…This might complicate things later.

Looking over to my friend, I see Soundwave hoist the body onto his shoulder before nodding towards me to do the same.

"Autobot spies…It would lead to further complications if their bodies were found."

Nodding in return, I carry the other body and we make preparations to transport them discreetly back to the arena. I retrieve the Energon bomb and secure it under my cloak once more while also unarming the trigger mechanism.

We take the back alleys and underground pathways to end up at the now heavily fortified fortress that is the Arena before being approached by guards. They lowered their weapons upon recognizing me and escorted us inside.

My new compatriot and his little friends quickly began following my lead as I walked further underground into the complex. A lot of the things he could see were supposed to be confidential…But I vouch for Soundwave. And it's not as if he wasn't one of the most loyal Cybertronians in existence.

Soundwave and I dumped the bodies on two hover carts to make it easier when we need to dispose of them later. My friend was looking around with a certain interest. We may not be an organisation capable of taking on the government yet…but we are getting there. And if we handled the situation with the senator properly, then we might be able to make this work…I believe Soundwave could see that as well.

"TERRORVOLT!" A booming voice filled with anger yells out. It honestly scared me a bit because I never actually heard him that angry. I turn to the source and see a furious Megatron quickly stomping towards us. "Please explain to me why you are reported to have died in an Energon explosion in your mining sector!? And by Primus, why are you bringing two dead Autobots into our main base!"

To my surprise, Soundwave steps forward, "It was due to me. I defined the place we met without continuing security sweeps of the area."

Megatron visible raises a metallic brow, "And who exactly might you be? Why did you set up a meeting with her?"

I finally wanted to take control of the conversation but Soundwave was faster, "I was meant to meet with the Decepticon leader on behalf of a secret supporter to establish an agreement to supply your organisation with weapons and equipment. The truth of the matter is that Senator Ratbat sent me to do this so he can abuse the Decepticon movement to exploit market prices and the Stock Exchange…"

I audibly smash my palm against my face as Megatron adopts an unreadable expression. He eventually looks towards the three Minicons before looking back towards me, "A bit direct isnt he? Mind giving me a bit more context on this?"

I was honestly surprised. To think that he trusted me to such a degree as to not jump the gun and well…Gun Soundwave down…

I step forward, "I'll give you a proper explanation later, but to keep things short. I faked my death in order to quit my job without gaining too much attention. Full-time Decepticon now. Then I intercepted the request sent by Soundwave here. As they requested the Decepticon leader to come alone, I decided to go instead rather than risk you on a possible trap. That turned out to only be partially true, but due to having a prior acquaintance with Soundwave, he told me the truth of the offer. Once we settled on what would happen, We noticed the presence of the two Autobots who had been spying on us and quickly moved to eliminate them. After that, we came here…" I eventually finish.

Megatron visibly ponders what I've told him, "What do you mean with, 'Prior Acquaintance'?"

"She prevented my Termination many cycles ago. It was an act of Selfless kindness that will never be forgotten. I owe her a debt that can never be rapid in full…As I hold no true Loyalty to the Senator due to being nothing but a pawn to him, I held no issue in revealing everything to Terrorvolt." Soundwave explained.

He now gives Megatron a proper look, "I take it, you are the true leader?...I wish to dedicate myself to the Decepticon cause." He says as he lowers his head in a bow.

Megatron is a bit startled by the sudden action and as he looks towards me, I display on my Optic visor, "I vouch for him".

The Decepticon leader gives me a small nod in return before stretching out his arm so it would be in front of Soundwave's face.

"Rise brother…you are not a minion or a mere pawn any longer. You shall be an honoured member of our creed. Raise your head…and dedicate your spark." He says with inspirational dogma. That is more or less what it is at the end of the day…but it doesn't make it any less effective.

Soundwave raised his head before standing up straight once more. Eventually, he took the large bots hand and I couldn't help but grin (Inwardly of course) of seeing my friend join the cause.

Cybertron, Kaon, Decepticon HQ

3 Orbital (Months) cycles later

Terrorvolt

After that, things started moving along…much faster. With me working for the organization full time and with Soundwave now essentially being a double agent under Ratbat, we were making more process than we had made in the last 20 years.

Soundwave used his unique little ability a while back to read Megatron's mind a while ago, and he himself confided in me that he was surprised to find our leader's intentions and motivations without any flaw….. It made me glad when I heard it…but I couldn't help but dread the day when this would no longer be the case. When the corruption of power begins to rot at Megatron's ideals… I just hope that I can do something against it when the time eventually comes.

Back to our more current issues. Worrying about the far future can wait.

With the recent changes, we were gaining gear and weaponry that could allow us to take and hold the entire city if need be. Ratbat was none the wiser and only drooled at the prospect of making Shanix. It made him blind to what we were planning.

By the time we already had a proper stockpile of weapons, I noticed some oddities. Megatron was sneaking off on occasion and had designated one of our warehouses as occupied when nothing was actually being brought or stored there…

It is expected for him to keep secrets, but still…it's a bit strange to say the least.

But rather than sneaking around him to investigate, I decided to approach him directly. After one of the usual matches, I asked to speak to him in his private chambers. It was the office of the fool who ran the Arena before him.

"Terrorvolt. A pleasure as always. You and Soundwave have been doing excellent work of supplying our newest members. What is it you need of me?" He says as he looks up from his chair.

I had a lot of things on my mind. He probably wanted to pick my brain on the seeker squadron that joined us recently. Usually I should be ecstatic at the thought of gaining Arial units. They were cold forged as well, which ensured dome dedication to the cause by default… Everyone was rather glad to have them…I would have been as well…But they are led by Starscream.

That was the main issue really. Starscream has been…varied in his many iterations. Spineless, or treasonous…those are his usual characteristics. There are some differences, such as in Armada where he actually grew some backbone and fought against Megatron due to genuinely good reasons without wanting to grab power for himself.

So far, he doesn't seem to be that version, but he also has been on his best behaviour. His position isn't set in stone after all, so he won't give any lip anytime soon…but that does not change his character. At his core, Starscream is more trouble than he is worth.

But as I mentioned, that is not important right now.

"Megatron… Do you trust me." I slowly ask him. My lack of a face probably made it harder for him to properly assess what kind of mood I was in or what I was getting at. But I'm glad to see he isn't someone who doesn't know how to handle that.

"I do. Unconditionally even. You have been part of this since the beginning. I do not doubt you." He finally answers me. I'm frankly relieved and also a bit happy at the sheer amount of trust in me. It is something Iearned, yes, but it still means a lot.

"In that case… There is an old warehouse of ours being used in the northeast undercity quadrant. The only mech listed to have been near it for some time was you… There is also an interesting amount of Signal traffic going to Iacon from this location… If others learned of this...certain worries might develop." I slowly inform him.

His face visibly constricts as he clasps his hands together before asking, "Have you told anyone else of this?"

Shaking my head in return, I promptly answered, "I wouldn't go behind your back like that to gossip with no context. I wanted to ask you directly first…"

It seemed as if he wanted to show me honesty of a similar degree before a light smirk forms on his face, "And what if your worst predictions come to be the truth? That I am perhaps working for our enemies?"

…I know for a fact that this is impossible… Reality breaking even…My presence in this reality could never have caused such a change….No, he probably was just evaluating what exactly I would do in such a case. A test or reaffirmation of my character.

I let out a small sigh as I think that I may as well be honest then. "As unlikely as it is, we would have to incapacitate you and reverse the mnenosurgery you clearly were subjected to. If that proves fruitless, and you did in fact betray us of your own free will, then we will silently dispose of you, make you a martyr to the cause and continue the struggle."

As more or less expected, his deep metallic voice lets out a few chuckles before saying, "I am glad to have you at my side, Terrovolt. You are devoted to the ideals, but not blindly following dogma related to me or anything else… It is good that I have you as my second in command…"

I give him a curt nod in thanks. It was good to be acknowledged, especially as my position wasn't quite official. Hell, nothing of our hierarchy was truly official. Megatron was in charge, even if he delegated most of the tasks to me and Soundwave.

"I won't waste your time. During my first arrest, I was probably meant to be killed off by the Autobot dogs around me. One of them was actively trying to rile me up into defending myself. Another stopped him though. The Police Captain Orion Pax, he aided me… I have remained in contact with him for quite some time to discuss theory and ideology. He was…one of the few that actually upholds the values the Autobots are meant to stand for."

He pauses for a brief moment as he turns around to stare out at the view of Kaon's dark skyline, "For quite some time, especially after the Assassination of Nominus Prime was blamed on us, he had cut contact with me… But as you know, he has been up to…some interesting things."

With interesting things, Megatron means that Orion Pax and his entire squadron is currently wanted dead or alive. Yeah, that was a fucking shock to hear. The official story is that he attempted to steal the Matrix of Leadership while also planting a bomb during Nominus Prime's funeral and co-conspired with Senator Shockwave, who was harbouring 'fugitives from the state'. The truth is probably very different, but I admit I have not researched the matter.

"I know the official stories and know to doubt them. Mind filling in the rest? Especially with how he has ended up under your care? I'm assuming that is what this is about. And it makes me question the truth of the senate's statements even more."

"Indeed. He initially contacted me in order to ask if I would shelter an artefact entrusted to him…The events concerning Nominus Prime and Senator Shockwave however have changed this. The other precincts among Iacon and even the new Prime, Sentinel Prime, who was already in charge of the senate's military forces are gunning for him…. I offered to harbour Pax and his men here in Kaon in order for them to plan their next move. I consider it repayment of an old debt if anything.…He was also able to share some vital information which I am currently preparing to announce to our men."

I crane my neck in apprehension, "A new motivating speech is at hand?"

He couldn't help but chuckle, "Not quite my friend. Obviously, I need you to be discreet about this."

I nodded understanding as I get myself comfortable in one of the chairs meant for visitors.

Megatron activates a holographic terminal depicting the funeral of the supposed bombing. "The Senate has been quite busy since the death of Nominus Prime. By the way, both shockwave and Orion testify that the initial assassination was in fact orchestrated by the Senate as they wished to claim the matrix of leadership and control its successor…they were quite successful in this, and abused the orchestrated act of terrorism to issue the clampdown."

He pauses for a while to gather his thoughts. Giving me a look of hesitance before shaking his head. I guess he was unsure if he should tell me the full story just yet. I understand his hesitation, as this was technically information entrusted to him by Orion pax.

"The attempted bombing, for which they have now framed Orion, was a plot made by Sentinel Prime to further blame us for these events…All so he would have legal justification to employ the full military might of Cybertron against us…"

Now that… That is dangerous. I knew for a fact that Sentinel probably held a grudge due to the death of those two Autobots a few months ago… To think that he would go this far? I can't be sure how much was affected by his decision and how much came from the Senate.… But in the end, I still hold some blame for this-

"Do not dare believed to think that this might be influenced by your and Soundwave's actions. Sentinel has wanted us gone for quite some time and he won't be convinced otherwise. And now that Orion has gotten into his crosshairs, he will want to solve his growing problems as soon as possible." he finishes.

I nod and return and consider this information, "I guess this means we should plan our next move, and plan it quickly. Strike first before they can ramp up…what of Orion though? Does he plan on joining us?"

Megatron shakes his head, "Not quite. He plans to regroup with another Ally of Shockwave and has stated his team will be working on retrieving the matrix of leadership and giving it to someone worthy of it… and as much as I would love for Orion to join us, he still fundamentally believes in the order and structure of Cybertron's governing body. He only wishes to remove the corrupt and unjust aspects of our society."

I lift my hand towards my Optic and realize the issue, "And that might be a solution for now and maybe even for generations to come, but it's not Justice... And it's not even a proper solution. It just takes one or two senators to bring back our oppression, to force us back into the mines. I'd rather not settle with freedom that can be overturned in a single day."

Megatron allows himself to show a small smile, "I'm glad to see that you understand this conundrum. As much as Orion tries to show sympathy for our cause, he cannot truly embrace it as he never felt the same injustice. And that is why our support to him will only be temporary. While I wish not to be his enemy, I do consider us crossing blades a valid possibility in the future." he pauses for a bit after that. Only the noises of the city outside could be heard.

Orion Pax is a friend to Megatron which is why he is a bit split on the issue. For me, I'm more concerned with his future. As much as I'm a fan of Optimus Prime, I cannot assume that we might be able to make peace with them and still achieve our goals.

"But enough of that for now. Let us discuss Strategy." Megatron states.

I gesture towards a hologram asking for his permission to interface with the system. He granted it and we start talking about a few plans. I had been planning something to take out the Senate for quite some time now. I had different plans and different approaches, but the main objective was to either take the entire Senate hostage or just kill them entirely. The obvious issue here would be Sentinel Prime and his military forces, But with the right guerrilla tactics, we should be able to take care of that.

The issue is really… Making plans and talking about it is one thing, But getting the information, the schedules, finding loopholes in security measures? This needed more time, time that we were rapidly running out of. Sentinel Prime was making his way to Kaon and his forces were soon to follow.

We needed an edge somehow… I look back towards Megatron and recall Something he said earlier, "You mentioned that Orion gave you an artefact? One that originally belonged to Shockwave?"

He looks at me with a curious expression, "yes… I'm not sure on its nature myself. Seem to be a minuscule Energon cube at first but apparently it is something more…you think might be an asset to our efforts?"

I solemnly nod in response. Megatron seems to ponder it a bit more before reaching behind his desk and lifting a cubicle container onto the surface. He opens it up and turns around to show it towards me. "Do you think this could be something of use? I'd rather not abuse Orions trust for mere trinkets or science experiments of no value."

I was about to tell him not to worry, but as soon as I saw the shining blue Qube within the Container, those words froze in my voicebox.…What the hell was actually going on in this setting? Hearing about the Klyntar is one thing… But just… Just getting the Tesseract like this?!

This has to be some absurd and crazy Luck. What is even the background behind this? Asgard and the nine realms might exist, but their civilisations, hell, the species inhabiting them don't even exist yet. Does this make the Tesseract a Cybertronian artefact?

Are the other infinity stones also in possession of Cybertron? I mean just what are the implications behind-

"Mind telling me why the blue cube has sent you so deeply into thought?" a deep voice of Megatron suddenly pulls me out of my mind.

I quickly focus on him before staring at the Tesseract once more.… Ignoring the implications for a second, I do realise that this can help us massively. Staring at Megatron once more I say, "Megatron… This is….this is big. This could help us massively… I mean, by Primus with this we could eliminate all the Senators and even the Functionist council members at the same time. Logistic are a non issue if we manage to figure this out. The shee-"

"Okay Terrorvolt." he interrupts me, making it clear that he rather not hear any rants I was about to continue.

"I want you to ensure that we can actually use this before putting our hopes on it. I also want you to work together with soundwave and see what methods we could use to get this conflict going. I… On one hand, I don't believe killing the senators and councilman in their homes to be the right choice… But I don't think we have that privilege of choosing any more.

Sentinel is moving in and it's only a matter of time until he finds us…get on top of this situation, Terrorvolt. I will rally the troops, and I will discuss things with the others, but at the end of the day I value your opinion the most.

…So please don't let me down."

Cybertron, Kaon, Autobot citadel

1.2 orbital cycles(months) later

Terrorvolt

"You scrapheaps are dead!" the booming voice of a furious Sentinel Prime yelled out as his array of weapons tore into our cover.

The Prime was completely surrounded by Deception forces, with the dead remains of his "Elite" Task force lying at his feet. Some well-placed shots, long range tasing, and chaff grenades did wonders for an ambush. They dropped like god-damned flies.

Hell, getting them here was also just perfect.

In all honesty, the Tesseract was probably to thank for our honestly astounding success today. Analysing the energy signatures of the tesseract was…ridiculously easy, actually. Making devices to harness the Cube's energy worked for HYDRA who was working with 40s Human Technology. There was honestly no reason it shouldn't work for us.

Ironically, the tech we use for Energon conversion and compression actually worked rather well. Repurposing old Energon cylinders to hold compressed energy from the space stone essentially worked as batteries for a personalized teleportation mechanism.

I won't deny. It also helped that we started a correspondence with Shockwave…He is… Like me, he underwent Empurata, but he also suffered from Mnenosurgery that rendered his emotions non-existent. We offered to repair his arms to a more…usable state again in return for any assistance he could give us. He was on the other end of the planet and under House Arrest, but he was still able to encrypt transmissions to talk with us.

He seemed…rather open to helping us. Even with him knowing that we want to kill off the entire governing body of Cybertron, he was no issue with it. He is obviously no longer on the list but still. It's rather interesting how much he has changed now. From what I heard of the old Shockwave, he was someone driven by compassion and believed in second chances. I am not complaining. I was unsure if we ever got the mad genius I remembered from the franchise, so I'm rather happy in seeing that he might end up on our side with time.

It also helped that we literally had a teleporter on our side we could use as a basis. Skywarp, one of the seekers that joined with Starscream, had the natural ability of short range teleportation. We don't know why, and I'm unsure if it was ever revealed in canon, but that's just how it is. Who am I to ignore such a good source of Data. It also helped that he aided me completely voluntarily and complied with every request I made.

Analysing spatial data from his readings gave me a framework to work with. Coupling that with a navigation antenna to connect to the global navigation systems meant for logistics, using the Tesseract batteries for long range teleportation became easy as fuck.

The question obviously is, why the hell wasn't this done before? The tesseract makes the current state of teleportation or FTL travel look like an absolute joke. Hell, Space Bridge technology is literally lost in modern times and the only equivalent is with the use of Quantum generators… And that's more akin to a Spaceship Hyperdrive.

Looking at what limited records I had access too, I came to two conclusions.

First: The Cybertronians working on the tesseract in the past lacked the imagination and drive to properly use the space stone to aid Cybertron. The second: Political implications and military expansions hampered the research…or you know. They just used it as an energy source or something…like a bunch of idiots. I guess without foreknowledge that it is magic rock with conceptual power over Space, thinking it is just a power source is not that far off.

Anyway. Our most competent fighters were equipped with the teleporters. I was able to make about 20 in the first day and after copying the blueprints to some of our technicians, they helped increase the production even more.

Almost everyone involved in the grand "Uprising" was equipped with a teleporter. They had enough energy for 3 jumps. One to get to their destination, one to get back to their rendezvous point and one for emergencies….And also, if we would make it any larger, than they wouldn't be able to carry it properly any more.

But yeah…

Honestly, I was more nervous in preparation of the event compared to the time during it. Getting all our Decepticons to rally at the right locations, finding out when what senator would be where? We timed it to a meeting of the Functionist council in Iacon. A few bombs would be thrown in their hearing room before our forces would immediately flee after the deed was done.

As soon as the first bomb hits, all of our other agents would proceed to murder the Senators of every District in Cybertron with a few exceptions. The Aforementioned Shockwave, and Senator Ratbat. We wanted to save him for last, and Soundwave himself was set on taking care of him.

The plans… Went off without a hitch, really. Sure, there were some complications. The Explosions were a bit more…effective than expected. A lot of civilians in Iacon were harmed by debris and spare explosives that weren't detonated with the initial explosion. It was unplanned, but none of us had any sympathies for the people of Iacon. We wouldn't be loosing sleep over this.

Some of the assassinations almost messed up, but we had a minimum of 4 Decepticons assigned to every Senator. A bit overkill, but having literally 3 back-ups to kill them was the right way. It did end up in some rather…public executions of senators with a lot of public exposure at times…but that was still acceptable.

Killing the lawmakers and pencil pushers of the government was the first step and we completed it…But that was not the true difficulty. We also bombed most Autobot Strongholds and Barracks we could hit, but…We couldn't be sure how well the military would be crippled by our efforts.

And…Well, Sentinel Prime was unaffected by the attacks.

To our luck, he headed towards the Autobot Citadel where Soundwave was already preparing to eliminate Ratbat. Prime was going to regroup with what little men he had available and by the time he was seen again, the full force of Kaon's Decepticon Army had the structure surrounded.

We all charged. Various ringleaders from the Arena led their own squads, while I was part of the main Assault group. This doesn't mean that Sentinel Prime was a pushover though…He wore a mech suit of some sort called the Apex Armour. The sheer amount of weaponry he had equipped and the size difference was quite the shock when we first saw it.

But we didn't let that stop us. The Autobots in Kaon were on their last legs. We wouldnt back down just because of something like this.

And besides. Just because they are bigger, doesn't mean we can't fight them. We were warriors from the Pits of Kaon. We would fight a titan, the beings that formed cities and starships if they stood in our way.

And that is what we did.

I was hiding behind cover, shooting Sentinel with an interlinked Path blaster setup. As I had a bit more room in my prosthetic arm, I had been constructing alternate weapon systems for myself. I still had my electro laster, improved for more effect and efficiency, but also integrated 2 path blasters which shoot one after the other. The recoil was a bit extreme, but if I placed my shots while in cover and steadied with my other arm, it was a force to be reckoned with.

"You worthless heap of Bolts. Empurata scum!" Sentinel yelled as my attacks melted through the missile launchers attached to his shoulder. I didn't have a chance to enjoy my victory as one of his armaments, the A-4 Pulsar cannon prepared it's elemental projectile.

It was a grenade launcher and minefield layer at the same time…and if used correctly, it could invalidate any cover. Just as he did when the grenade landed right next to me and promptly detonated.

Cybertron, Kaon, Autobot citadel

The present.

Megatron

When he saw his second in command take that blast, Megatron's mind came to a screaming halt. Terrorvolt was a tanker-class Femme. She can take a hit, but that is a weapon that vaporizes others.

It took her arm, and most of her armour was shredded. Her visor was cracked and quickly flickered as the lights disappeared. He quickly sent out orders for a medic to grab her as he vaults over his cover. After that, he yells out, "Everyone! Hold your fire!"

The Deceptions are clearly confused, but as Megatron approaches the lone Prime, his intentions became clear to them.

Prime turned to the Decepticon leader and trained all of his weapons on him. "So, the waste of space responsible for this is showing spine. HERE TO SURRENDER!?" Sentinel screams as blades extend from his limb, the intention clearly shown.

Megatron stared on with a grim expression, "Enough sparks have been lost today, Sentinel…. So I say we finish this, just you and me. No one else!" he pauses for a while as he abandons his personal teleporter and tosses it aside.

"Come out Prime! Face me like a gladiator! I know you can hear from inside that rust bucket. So come out and fight me with some honour!" Megatron yells with his arms outstretched.

No one could really see Sentinels expression due to it being behind that armoured helmet. Had that not been the case, someone may have predicted his next action based on the smirk n his face. All the weapons he had prepared, the cannons and the rockets, simultaneously blasted ahead. A colossal explosion envelops Megatron, obscuring him from sight.

A crater formed within the Autobot citadel, blowing out most of the chamber and exposing it to Kaon's night sky. Sentinel stares around towards the other Decepticons looking at the scene with shock visible on their faces. Just as he was about to contact the Autobot reinforcements heading to Kaon, a metal plate is slammed into the side of his helmet and the glass shatters all over his real body.

Sentinel is startled as he realizes that Megatron still functions, and is barely able to react in time as the smaller Cybertronian slams into him. It was like a scene from a nightmare, and for the first time in a very long time, Sentinel felt fear.

Megatron's armour was shattered, his metal was burning, melting with every movement. But worst of all were his eyes glowing red with such hatred and anger…

As Megatron broke through the apex armour and began clawing towards Sentinel, he spoke, "You know Prime, I've heard it said that we only gain wisdom from suffering…" with a grin on his face, he continues, "And tonight, I plan to make you very wise!"

As he punches Sentinels face, he follows it up with a fully charged blast from his fusion cannon. The attack easily rips apart the apex armour from the inside and launches the Prime towards the ground.

Even with a sudden attack, and the loss of his armour, Sentinel quickly recovers from the attack as he retorts, "If you wanted to change things so much Megatron, why don't you just start with yourself. You have brought terror to the people you supposedly represent. You're a traitor to Cybertron! This world cannot afford someone like you to be in control!" He yells as he fixes his footing and readies his stance for melee combat.

Megatron can't help but chuckle, "You demand me to Change? You have no idea how much I've changed. The journey I've been on… I view things with much wiser optics now. And it is clear to me what has to be done. This is a twilight of your kind, Sentinel! Your ilk have trampled upon us for millennia based on factors we could not control. Based on how we were forged. Treated as nothing more than expendable labour, barely worth the ground we stepped on.

From today onwards, those Concepts, Those Institutions, the entire System! It will die! The dawn of the Decepticons is here!" he yells as he charges Sentinel Prime once more.

To the dread of all onlookers, The larger military Mech blocks the attack with ease. After all, Megatron was suffering from all his injuries and only remains conscious by pure force of will.

As Sentinel preps to punch the Decepticon leader, he states, "Your words are nothing more than those of a criminal. Even if you win against me, your band of thugs will never amount to anything!"

To his surprise, rather than taking the punch, Megatron quickly transformed into his tank form and blasted away into Sentinels torso, removing a sizable chunk. If he didn't receive Medical attention within the next hour, then the Prime wouldn't survive this battle either. "I will bring you desolation, bringing everyone else peace!"

Megatron changes back into his normal form and quickly hobbles forward as he attempts to smash Sentinels face with both his fists clasped together. The Prime is quick to react and slams the Decepticon with a palm strike, causing him to go stumbling towards the destroyed wall. Megatron slips on the edge and nearly falls off the building before his hand catches onto some broken debris.

As Sentinel approaches him, he charges his fusion cannon on his free amr for one last desperate attack. His vision was already fading, and he knew that he couldn't keep this fight up for much longer.

"Grand treason, Assassination, Murder…this wretched insurrection! It ends today. Your cause is dead!" Sentinel states as he aims his weapon at Megatron's face. A simple smirk was all the Decepticon in question showed as he blasted the ground underneath Sentinel and grabbed onto the larger Autobot as he lost his footing.

Both of them begin tumbling down the edge of the building, racing closer towards the streets of Kaon. Megatron angles himself in such a way that he faces the Prime directly while also using him as a meat shield for the impact, "That's right Prime! We are all those things and even more!. Because we dare to not be part of this glorious Cybertronian state!"

He ends this sentence by blasting Sentinel with his fusion cannon in order to break his fall even more. Once the dust settled, one could see that a crater formed around the prone body of Sentinel Prime and Megatron slowly limped towards the downed Autobot.

"I don't care why you fight to protect these people. This place! The old ways of Cybertron! All of it must change…no, all of it will change! The Decepticon's will make it so! I will make it so!" He says as his armoured foot slams down into the Prime's chest.

Hazy noises of static and interference were all that the broken Prime could vocalize. He knew his time had come, and with his last breaths he barely pronounced, "It doesn't matter… Others will…"

As Decepticon's gather around Megatron and round up the last remaining Autobots in the city, Megatron couldn't help but with grin as he said, "It matters when they see what remains of you." He charges his fusion cannon one last time and blasts away at the dying Autobot's torso leaving nothing but charred limbs and a molten skull.

He would ensure that these will one day arrive at Iacon and show everyone just exactly who they were messing with.

Cybertron, Kaon, Autobot citadel, Command Room

200 cycles (minutes) later

Megatron

As the sun arose on Kaon, Megatron couldn't help but smile as he now sat in the ruined chair of the very deceased Sentinel Prime. This building will be condemned, but for this very moment, it felt like one hell of a throne. A few minicons were currently mending his injuries and the random bouts of pain he would feel could not ruin this moment for him.

This was just the beginning… And they had won so much. And Megatron knows for a fact that it was not just his own effort was responsible for this.

Looking to the side, he can see his brethren in arms tend to their wounded and celebrated at their impossible victory. He doesn't know where they had gotten the drinks from, but he honestly didn't care. They deserve this rest…

He is broken from his thoughts by the light stirring of an unconscious Cybertronian lying next to him. Her wounds had been tended to and she had been placed on a gurney for the time being. She will need proper medical attention later on, but he is certain that if he had moved her away from the after battle celebrations, he would never hear the end of it.

Slowly, his second in command boots up her systems and as her lone optic lights up, he can't help but grin in response, "Perhaps you should make an effort to get some proper armour now. It should be clear about simple mining gear really doesn't cut it anymore."

The femme sits up from the gurney before slowly muttering, "I'm not exactly supposed to be a frontline fighter, so I never thought it necessary. I always go for ranged combat and cover fire. Expecting to fight a Prime who uses the most expensive grenades on the market wasn't exactly something I had in mind when I decided on it."

Megatron hummed with a smile on his face, "As a simple arena fighter, that is indeed something unimaginable." He is filled with elation when he hears her chuckle just the same.

"Well, I definitely have some work ahead of me." she says as she points to her molten and broken limb after which she knocks on her very cracked visor, "But other than that… We just won a major victory…I doubt the war itself is over sadly…Looking at the net, I'm getting reports that someone known as Zeta has taken the title of Prime and Orion Pax has joined them. They have publicly spoken against you and are assembling Autobot forces as they speak…I know he was your frie-"

"He was indeed… But I knew he would not see our ways. And he will believe our actions today to be monstrous, evil and cruel. He would never understand the necessity of it…So, let him fight us. We will meet his challenge and that of this new Prime."

A silence washes over them after she nods. They both stare at the Cybertronians around them, enjoying true freedom for the first time. They had caused this change, and they would not be stopping anytime soon.

Megatron is eventually roused from his thoughts by a sudden request by the femme next to him.

"Command us Megatron."

He looks at her with a confused expression before she quickly continues, "We all wear your badge Megatron. We will fight for you… You wield an army that will follow you into the pit itself. You control one of the strongest and largest cities on the planet… What next?"

Megatron smile grew even more as he turned around to look at the rising sun, "We are spoiled for choices, Terrorvolt. All except for one. We are all Cybertronian by Birth, but now Decepticon by choice….You ask what next?" His smirk only grew.

"I have a few ideas"

For years to come, this day was known as the great Uprising of the Decepticons. A historic event that would change Cybertron to it's core.