Summary: This story takes place 5 years after the Transformers Prime series. The Deceptions have finally gotten the upper hand, killing the Autobots, and turning Earth into a new world of their own. As Starscream and Megatron battle Shockwave for control over the city-state Solaris, a terrifying threat has emerged for the remaining humans hiding out in the Arctic and they are faced with an enormous decision: stay in the Arctic and face this new threat where they are likely to die, or take their chances and reach out to the only help available, the Decepticons.

This story is rated Mature due to violence, language and adult innuendo only, no sexual situations occur.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Tranformers characters presented in this story other than my own original characters Silvershine and Bethany.

Chapter 1

The Rise of Tricon

The world is mine and everything in it.

- - Psalm 50:12

The wind sang softly as pale clouds twisted and swirled in the night sky, the bright, round moon peeking out from them to shine down on the dark tower. An ominous shade of purple-black, the tower stood over 3,000 feet tall. Massive and brazen, it was a reminder to all that this was Tricon, the capital of New Cybertron. Sitting atop the enormous tower was a large, metal triangle that brandished the Decepticon emblem. The triangle symbolized the three rulers of Tricon: Lord Megatron, Lord Starscream and Commander Dreadwing. Megatron had once been the only ruler of the Decepticons, but two incidents had served to change that, both involved Starscream.

Starscream sat in his elaborately ornate throne chair and peered out of a near-by window at the night sky. His own residence was nearly as high as the tower itself; he designed it this way intentionally, because he loved the sky and because he enjoyed looking down from above on what was his. Starscream surveyed the Deception architecture in the landscape below, lights beaconing in the night, bringing Tricon to life. It had been quite easy to take Earth once the Autobots had fallen. The humans, without their Autobot aids, where helpless to resist the Decepticon forces. Oh they had tried, but that silly little show had been like a mouse trying to take on a lion, to put it in human terms. Most humans had been extinguished, except for a few that were part of a resistance movement, hid out somewhere in the Arctic, where they thought the Transforming aliens would not venture due to their adversion to the cold temperatures. That wasn't entirely true Starscream thought, he had sent his own air forces there to search for humans. While it was true that his kind did not like the cold, it was no threat to them.

Besides, the humans were of no consequence to him or Megatron really. They were like insects scurrying beneath their feet, trying to hide. If they didn't want to work for the Decepticons and make themselves useful, then they would eventually die of cold or starvation. They wouldn't last long hiding out in the Arctic Starscream mused.

Starscream stared up at the Tricon tower. Its three points as sharp and deadly as the three who ruled the city it represented. Starscream had assured himself a place as a ruler of Tricon with his discovery of a reliable formula for synthetic energon, one that would not harm him or his race and because of one other simple fact, he had killed Optimus Prime. He had murdered Optimus Prime so hard and so fiercely that even Megatron had been shocked. It wasn't so much that he had killed the Autobot leader, Primus knows he had killed Autobots before, but it was more in the way he carried out the execution that had other mechs adverting their eyes when they met him in the hallways.

Well, they had to see it coming Starscream contemplated. All those years of power chasing, only to have the leadership role you so strongly desired slip through your hands time and time again, well, it had to make one snap eventually. The other Autobots fell soon after their beloved leader did, making the humans an open target for the Decepticon forces. The Decepticons had rebuilt earth into a glorious New Cybertron, and its most impressive city-state was Tricon.

There was really only one other city-state that could ever challenge Tricon for superiority, Solaris. Ruled by Shockwave, it attempted to rely on solar-power for fuel and energy in place of energon, since energon had become so scarce. Tricon on the other hand had synthetic energon, as pure as the real thing, making it the wealthiest of all the city-states of New Cybertron. The synthetic energon was manufactured in Tricon and shipped to all the city-states who served Tricon and recognized its leaders as their masters.

Starscream rose from his throne chair and walked to stand in front of the large observation window looking out over Tricon. Solaris will be mine too he thought. But he didn't want another war, not really. Ready for it as he may be if it did come, he preferred a peaceful, submissive planet ready to be ruled. But Solaris was in the way and so was Shockwave. Starscream twisted his face into a dark smirk, his reflection staring back at him from the window. Solaris' solar-powered system was not stainable and Starscream knew it. The city had grown too fast and needed more power than the system could provide, its residents were beginning to experience the pangs of energy starvation. But Starscream would not go to Shockwave and offer any assistance; he would make Shockwave come to him.

He will come to me, Starscream thought, begging on his knees.

Starscream's deliberations were interrupted by an alert on his communications console. He moved to the control panel and saw that it was an incoming call from his 1st Sergeant of the air defense, Thundercracker.

"Yes?" Starscream simply stated addressing Thundercracker.

"I am sorry to disturb you Lord Starscream," Thundercracker began, nervousness showing a little in his tone. He had always been nervous around Starscream to a certain degree, but after witnessing the incident with Optimus Prime, he had all the more reason to be cautious now. He kept remembering flashes of splattered energon, Starscream's claws….. the memories haunted him.

"Go on," Starscream replied, a smile spreading across his face at Thundercracker's apprehension.

"I'm afraid…I'm afraid I don't have good news my Lord."

"What is it?" Starscream almost hissed. He tried to keep his composure intact around Thundercracker, he actually somewhat liked the bot, enjoyed his loyalty and willingness to please. The other Decepticons could learn a little from that.

"There was a break in at one of the synthetic energon production facilities. We think it is a spy, possibly sent by Shockwave to uncover the energon formula. I spotted him from the air on patrol with my unit. We wounded him and took him into custody. We await your command on how to proceed with the situation."

"The spy is alive?" Starscream questioned.

"Correct my Lord."

"Really?" Starscream purred. "Well, I think I'll just have to go greet our little guest myself."

"I will see that the prisoner is ready for questioning my Lord."

"Thank you. That will be all Thundercracker."

Thundercracker nodded, bowing his head before disappearing off screen.