Sweet Child of Mine.
"(…)She's got eyes of the bluest skies
As if they thought of rain
I hate to look into those eyes
And see an ounce of pain
Her hair reminds me
of a warm safe place
Where as a child I'd hide
And pray for the thunder
And the rain
To quietly pass me by
Sweet child o' mine
Sweet love of mine(…)"– Guns'n'Roses"Sweet Child of Mine".
Warnings: Human-Cybertronian relationship.
Timing: Post season 2 finale, in my very own Beauty of the Beast Prime timeline.
Rating: K/T
Pairings: June Darby and Megatron, Lugnut and Strika.
Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.
oOo
June 30th. Nemesis.
June was nervous. This was a big day. This was the Big Day. She was so nervous that she couldn't eat anything since the yesterday. On one hand she couldn't wait for this day, on the other she wanted to cancel the whole thing and hide under some large rock for the nearest… oh, say forever.
Megatron insisted on postponing the whole ordeal until she was recovered so she could participate and she agreed. Oh how she regretted that decision now – if she was still under convalescence after her caesarean section she'd have a valid excuse to simply bail out. No such luck now. And she didn't want to say 'no' to her extra-terrestrial significant other, she knew that it was important for him not only on personal level, but also as a head of a faction.
She realised that she wasn't that nervous even on the day of her own wedding, or her own divorce for that matter. She sighed heavily, she hoped that perhaps something would happen but she also knew that the chance was slim and that it was important. And it wasn't like she could just turn on her heel and run away without a single word – she was on Nemesis' bridge, sitting in Megatron's palm.
Speaking of the devil, the mech was talking with Shockwave about some political issues but she couldn't focus enough to actually pay attention to what was said. She was now glaring at the wall of screens showing nothing but cold void of open space – they have reached the orbit to avoid any interference from atmosphere.
At that moment the door opened and Knockout sauntered in with all the swagger of a movie star on an Oscar night after party. All optics focused on the Medic who looked as if squadron of nurses buffed him for the past 12 hours… and had a smirk of someone who just knew how shiny they were.
The reaction would probably deflate him a bit, if he paid enough attention, but he just focused on looking fabulous.
"How is my daughter?" Megatron asked and brought Knockout back to the world of ordinary looking folk (at least for Cybertronian standards).
"She is in pristine condition, Lord Megatron." Knockout replied in his most self-pleased tone. "For a bitlet of her size that is." He added under Megatron's not amused glare. "Her development is undisturbed and proceeds according to my predictions."
"Everything is in order then." Megatron summed up. "Starscream?"
"Yes Master?" The Seeker stepped forth looking suspiciously servile. He was either planning something – which hasn't happen in some time; or he didn't want to get in trouble – which meant that he was keeping a low profile (which he did ever since he has returned to Nemesis after being rouge).
"Twins?"
"Docked to Soundwave and ordered to stay there until told otherwise.' Starscream reported.
Megatron looked at his Spymaster and indeed, the two deployers were present, posing as the mech's armour plate elements.
"Skywarp?"
"Instructed to behave." Starscream confirmed. He knew his younger sibling enough to know that the mech knew when to be serious even though he was bully and a troll. But he had a serious talk with him anyway, if only to be able to tell Megatron that he did (and not lie in the process).
"Blitzwing?" Megatron narrowed his optics.
"Locked in the brig.' Starscream announced with pride.
"What he did?" Megatron asked with slight surprise. He didn't expect to hear that.
"Preventative detention." Starscream explained. "Just in case." That earned him a glare from the Tyrant. "He wasn't happy about it, but it's better than having him arguing with himself in the background."
"True." Megatron admitted. That was a sad statement about the kind of mechs he had to work with. "Soundwave?" He turned to his trusted Communication Officer.
The mech turned from the console he was working on and looked at his Leader, waiting for orders.
"Begin when ready." Megatron spoke calmly.
Soundwave nodded and connected both of his tentacles to the console, there was some graphs showing on his visor and then he nodded.
Megatron glared directly into the camera with all the ferocity he was renewed for. His frown wasn't just a habit though – he was expressing his dominance as the fierce Decepticon Tyrant that everyone knew him to be. Showing his hawkish and powerful qualities was so much more important for the statement he was about to make (that would be controversial to some without a doubt). Decepticons were an army and they followed orders like soldiers should2), but they were also a political faction and that was where Megatron was aiming his scowls. He had to show that he will deal with any political uproar with the violence and firepower that he usually reserved for the Autobots.
"Decepticons!" Megatron started. The screen wall showed that the camera zoomed on his face mostly, keeping June out of the sight for now. "Two quartexes3) ago the joyous news of my offspring's successful separation from its carrier was presented to you." He announced solemnly. "You were promised official introduction – this time has come." The Decepticon Tyrant continued and paused for a second to allow everyone to properly focus on the transmission.
This was an official Decepticon announcement and there was no doubt that any and all Decepticons who were in range and alive, would watch it or at very least listen to it. These kind of transmission included official Decepticon pronouncements. This is how the cease fire was declared for the Decepticons at large.
oOo
Peaceful Tyranny.
The Decepticon Justice Division gathered around the receiver on the ship's bridge. They never missed any transmission from Nemesis. They, of course, were well aware of June's status but they never shared that information with anyone, assuming that it was not yet a public knowledge and that when the time would come Megatron would inform the faction about his matrimonial status. Same was with the news of Megatron's progeny. But now it was to become official and they wanted to hear and see it.
oOo
Constancy, the War Victims' Clinic.
The TV room was one of the favourite rooms in the Clinic which was obvious. It was used to display films, usually warm, happy, family comedies – the sort of cinematography that was agreeable with the kind of patients the Clinic had. And sometimes there was a romantic comedy or a cartoon, but only the kind for smaller children (Primus only knew how violent kids' movies could be).
At the moment the room was almost empty – safe for Thundercracker as a patient and Rossum as staff member. They weren't the only Decepticons in the Clinic, but they were the only who watched the news in the TV room. Some of the Autobot patients couldn't watch Megatron's face; other couldn't watch Decepticon transmissions altogether and some simply didn't want to.
oOo
Clemency's orbit, Kol system.
Lugnut and his consort, Strika, were focusing on the transmission receiver in the cockpit of their ship. The screen wasn't large but they didn't need anything larger.
All five of Lugnut's optics was focused solemnly on the screen, he wasn't just listening to Megatron. No. He was absorbing his words with his entire self, he was not only listening, he was watching, drinking and inhaling everything that Megatron said. He practically adored the transmission.
Strika rolled her optics discreetly – her Conjunx Endura was a hopeless case of a fanboy and there was nothing she could do about it. She was a loyal Decepticon femme, a strong warrior and a competent general, but she wasn't as crazy about Megatron's authority as her dearest mate. She respected the Decepticon Leader but she wasn't about to worship his image. The same couldn't be said about Lugnut though.
Perhaps she should feel jealous, after all her significant other should express more reverence to her than to Megatron – someone might think that Lugnut was in love with that mech – but she was sort of okay with it. She was an attractive femme in her own right. Sure, she was not one of those light, lithe frames that one usually had in mind when a 'femme' was mentioned. She was tall, she was heavy but she was shapely too. She was a tank-former so there was no way she could have the frame of a two-wheeler, but she had epic shape4). She learned to accept the fact that her mech treated Megatron as his ultimate role-model and idol.
oOo
Empty space near Betelgeuse.
Overlord sat in his pilot seat and observed the transmission. He was mildly amused, but mostly he was curious.
oOo
Free-floating pirate space station's docks.
Airachnid glared at the screen, she came to this station due to a business trade – she had a nice loot to trade for resources and she was about to strike a deal with local pirate lord. She returned to her ship to prepare the items for the exchange and by sheer luck her array was set on the proper frequency. She turned it on just to see what they were broadcasting but instead she found official communicate. This was certainly worth of her attention… the pirate lord could wait a little bit, she could always smile and say something about being fashionably late.
oOo
Nemesis.
"As you are aware, roughly two Meta-Cycles3) ago a cease fire was declared between us and the Autobots in order to manage certain difficulties that had negative influence on both sides and, regrettably remain unsolved. It was back then that I have entered relationship that recently have had resulted in creation of my sparkling." At that moment the camera began to slowly zoom out. "This is June, my official consort." He said in dangerously low, raspy voice as the camera zoomed out fully, revealing June sitting in his servo. "The offspring that June bore me will be introduced to you in person in appropriate time. As of today I declare my firstborn, Sigma, to be my heir and the official heir to the Decepticons." Megatron finished in grave, growling voice, clearly meant to allow no complains.
The tone of his voice had an air of finality in it. It was severe enough in fact, that the only way for the Decepticon Warlord to drive the point home any more categorically would probably be to unsheathe his blade or activate his fusion cannon, aim it at the camera and outright threaten anyone who'd to as much as half-whined in mildest suggestion of semi-protest.
June paid that no heed though, she was simply grateful to any force in the universe that she didn't have to say anything. She had no idea what could she possibly say to an entire army of robotic aliens, she was a nurse (soon to start her MD career), not an orator.
At the moment Megatron stopped speaking, the transmission ended.
oOo
Peaceful Tyranny.
[Megatron, your leader has spoken!] The transmission speaker exclaimed. [Now, back to the galactic news and the fresh…]
Vos turned the receiver off. The DJD sat there in silence for a short moment.
"I expected this to be more… eloquent." Kaon finally huffed.
"I liked it." Tesarus disagreed. "At least it wasn't boring."
"Everything's boring to you." Helex sighed. Tesarus had a boredom threshold so low it was on the floor's level.
"Regardless of our own tastes in speeches, one has to admit it was straight to the point." Tarn cut the argument before it could start for good. "And left little for imagination of what would happen if someone would oppose Lord Megatron's will."
"That'll probably be us." Tesaurus cackled. And he was right.
"Et sic licite." Vos nodded. "Habet quod lex constituit principem earum nudabit.6)."
"That is true." Tarn agreed. "Though while Decepticon Law states clearly that choice of a significant other and possibility of producing offspring is Decepticon's personal choice, and our Leader is no exception from that; appointing a sparkling is not." Tarn reminded. "As you all should remember."
"I remember, there's something about Conclave." Helex scratched his helm. That earned him a stern look from Tarn. "What?" He huffed. "The succession and inheritance regulations aren't exactly our business; don't expect me to cite the paragraphs on demand."
"That is true." Kaon nodded. "But in case of succession you should be more knowledgeable, if only for theoretical purposes." He pointed out. "In order to appoint an heir, Lord Megatron would have to gain approval of the Conclave."
"Maioritas Conclavis6)." Vos corrected his team mate.
"Yes. At least in theory, in practice three members would be enough for that, provided that there would be quorum, which in case of Conclave is five, including Lord Megatron himself." Tarn elaborated.
"He'd have to have both 'Waves' support." Tesarus furrowed his optic brows.
"Et habere tres votes." Vos corrected. "Non reputans suam6)."
"Assuming there would be voting in the first place." Kaon bespoke.
"They would have to agree to it by acclamation." Tarn noticed.
"Let's see. He'd have Soundwave's support." Helex started to count on his digits. "Megatron and 'Wave go back to the Gladiatorial Arena."
"That is true. And then he'd have Ravage, who always votes the same as Soundwave." Kaon mentioned the cat-former and Helex straightened another digit.
"D'uh! I always forget about him." Tesarus winced. "When was he nominated?"
"He's a founder member." Vos said plainly. "He was with Soundwave since before the Arena, back in the C-12.5)"
"That makes two. And add Shockwave." Helex held three digits.
"If Shockwave supported Megatron then Starscream wouldn't protest, not wanting to put himself in opposition to the rest of them." Kaon summarised.
"But I wonder why Shockwave would support Megatron? Wouldn't he rather prefer to see himself as the next in line?" Helex asked.
"Unless such move wouldn't be in his personal best interest." Tarn shook his head. "There are factors that are obvious and logical to Shockwave that we do not see."
"Refert usquam?" Vos pondered. "In fine manet idem quantum ad convenientiam quam6)."
"That much is true." Tarn agreed. "It makes me curious though. The heir is techno-organic, and I wonder, how Sigma will be."
"The heir will have human form until their T-cog will be fully functional." Kaon stated.
"No, I mean personality-wise." Tarn cleared up.
"That we will see." The blind mech smiled.
oOo
Constancy.
Thundercracker's crimson red optics were round. That was not what he expected to hear. Sure, he knew that Megatron was about to make a statement today, and he was aware what was to be the topic, but he did not expect to hear THAT!
He was well aware what the Decepticon Code said about taking a mate and it went somewhere near: 'it's your private business and make sure to keep it as such'. Somehow he assumed that Megatron would never have a spouse, and if he did, it'd be someone… larger and less… fleshy. Probably a carrier mech (somehow he couldn't and wouldn't imagine Megatron with a femme of any kind, it felt weird).
"Are you all right?" Rossum's voice pulled him out of his mind's less agreeable corner. "You look shell shocked."
"You blame me?" TC asked looking at the other Decepticon.
"Do you need something for your nerves?"
"No, thanks Doc, I'm fine." The Vosian sighed. He was calm if surprised. But it wasn't any violent reaction, just something closer to 'WTF' feeling. "Just need to digest this."
"Shocked that Megatron has a mate and a sparkling, or that she is organic?" Rossum half-smiled.
"Neither. Long time ago I've learned that Megatron makes his own decisions and there's no discussion about it whether we like it or not."
"Don't I know it?" Rossum sighed and glared at the ceiling, remembering how he wasn't sure about rigging Overlord with that ununtrinium. And boy, was he right.
"If he took an organic mate, then she is his mate and Primus helps whoever dares to question his choice.' Thundercracker shrugged. "Not my business."
"But the heir is everyone's."
"Once I'm good enough to leave, and I pray it will be later than sooner, it will be mine too. For now I'm out of the circulation, I won't get disturbed. If I will like the heir then it's neat. If I won't, then I'll get a relapse and come back here."
That made Rossum laugh. He knew that when Thundercracker was admitted, he really was PTSD victim, but he wondered just how much of that was still there and just how much was TC's plain will to just stay away from the war.
oOo
Clemency's orbit.
"That was certainly unexpected." Strika commented. She wasn't sure what to think. It wasn't that she couldn't accept what was said. It was simply that it took her by surprise.
"The Great and GLORIOUS Megatron expressed his will clearly!" Lugnut boomed with zeal.7) "Our leader has SPOKEN!"
"Yes, I've heard him as clearly as you did." Strika ignored the ardour in her mate's voice. It was a thing about him that sometimes he sounded like an excited and awed youngling. "What makes it so out of the blue is that if ever, I'd expect him to enter a relationship with another Decepticon. This organic femme certainly comes as a stun."
"It is our Lord's wisdom that he has chosen a puny organic to be his consort and it is not our place to question Mighty Megatron's reasons or qualities he finds in his chosen mate!" Lugnut stated with determination to make a point.
"I do not doubt that she does hold qualities that Megatron appreciates." Strika agreed with her Conjunx Endura. "And then proclaiming the sparkling that their union produced an heir to Decepticons is dynamite too."
"The heir of Megatron will bring GLORY to the name of DECEPTICONS!" Lugnut stated without even a hint of doubt in his voice. "The joyous day when we have been graced with the greatest gift of new Spark will forever mark our SUPREMACY over puny Autobots!" He cheered with exult.
"Oh yes. This certainly gives us an edge, at least politically." Strika nodded. It was true that creation of the first sparkling ever since ejection of the Allspark, by none other than Optimus Prime, worked in their favour.
It was important, at least when it came to their PR image among other Cybertronians, especially NAILs8); to show that Decepticons were the ones who brought hope to the people of Cybertron. It was the Prime who ejected the Allspark leaving Well of Sparks barren, it didn't matter that the Well didn't produce any new Cybertronians in some time due to energon shortage – as long as the Allspark was in Cybertron there was always possibility that it would ignite, no matter when, just that it would bring new Cybertronians to be. In the military terms the ejection of the Allspark was a trick; it was meant to render the Allspark unusable in the power play between factions. But in the social, in the demographic terms it was almost a death sentence to their entire species. There was, of course, the second way of reproduction but no one sane would risk gestation during a fuel shortage in the midst of an open, raging conflict. And even when the war reached it cold stage, the energon was still in far too short supply.
Now a new spark was ignited, new Cybertronian was created and the hope was returned. It was important for them as Decepticons that it was in their faction that produced the new Cybertronian, granted techno-organic, but Cybertronian none than less. Or course from the objective point of view the creation of new spark would be just as significant if it happened into any other group. But from their own, subjective perspective it was preponderant to be the ones associated with this paramount event.
Strika rose from her seat and headed out of the cockpit of the ship.
"Where are you going?" Lugnut asked in voice much more quiet and calm than when he was raving zestfully.
"To get myself some energon." She answered. "You want some too?"
"Yes."
oOo
Empty space near Betelgeuse.
Overlord turned his receiver off and leaned back in his pilot's seat. That was something he didn't expect when he heard that Megatron had a sparkling. He wasn't about to make guesses about who would it be but he would rather expect it to be someone from Nemesis… or at very least a Decepticon. The carrier being an organic was something… new.
Overlord wasn't some sort of Cybertronian supremacist and held no prejudices against organics as such, he treated them the same way he treated his fellow Cybertronians: they were material for tearing, mashing and generally massacre.
Not to mention that Decepticons' famous dislike of organics was exaggerated, if they would hate them, they'd never had dealings with them and Overlord would be the first to attest that Decepticons enjoyed dealing with organics, especially attractive and willing ones. And it seems that it didn't change since the times before his desertion.
The massacres and genocides that led to Decepticons' fame as organics haters didn't came from hatred for the meatbags as most thought. The truth was that 'Cons only attacked organic planets that held value (mostly strategic) or posed a threat, and as it happened most of the habitable planets were organic in nature. But that didn't meant that non-organic planets weren't attacked, they've simply been isolated cases and Galaxy focused on the majority.
In that way Overlord was no different than his former faction's majority. Of course there were also cases of Decepticons who hated organics with passion, but such individuals happened in both Decepticons and Autobots. Only that Decepticon infamous superior attitude didn't help.
But that wasn't Overlord's problem, at least not any more. All he wanted to do was to fight and defeat Megatron, his consort and offspring were on no consequence to him… there was however someone who was interested in them.
Speaking of which, Overlord was pulled out of his musings and dreams, by a call. A quick glance at the caller's ID made him smirk. It was to be expected that she would contact him. He reached to answer the call; he was curious what was so urgent for her to call so quickly after the transmission.
oOo
Private space station.
This was priceless! Airachnid stared at the screen with her face frozen in half-smirk. Of all the things in this Galaxy, she would never imagine THAT! This was perfect! Her smirk widened. It was as if someone would give her large energon lolly!
The lovely June, her Jack's mother, was now Megatron's precious mate and they have spawned little techno-organic together! Her Jack had a half-sibling! And she had yet another target. Of course Megatron's spawn would be her target anyway, but now… Oh, now it would be just so very much sweeter.
If she could reach them that is. Her great mood was instantly ruined when she recalled that she had the DJD on her tail. But she had time; she only had to outmanoeuvre Tarn and his team machismo.
Speaking of large tank-formers, she recalled another mech, this time one that she had to talk to. She dialled. She just had to talk to Overlord.
[Do you miss me yet, or is this something else?] Overlord purred cockily.
"Do not flatter yourself. Have you heard?" She started to regret making the call.
[How could I not?] He replied. [Assuming you speak of Megatron, that is.]
"Who else?" She sighed. "That organic femme of his, you would never believe, but I know her."
She would definitely be late for that deal of hers, but the pirate lord could wait a little bit more.
oOo
Nemesis. The brig.
Blitzwing wasn't pleased with being thrown into the cell. He was told that it was for his own good, and good of everyone else. He didn't care anyway.
At first it was his Hothead side that dominated, shouting, cursing and threatening. Then his Icy personality dominated and he cooled enough to sit down and the Radom took over. It was then when the insanity began. Or perhaps not insanity as such, more like jail time cliché 'expressed in songs'.
At the moment of the end of the transmission, Random was running out of songs, notably earthen songs that he knew and could sing. At the moment he was into spiritual ones.
"Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, nobody knows my sorrow, nobody knows the trouble I've seen, glory hallelujah9)." The Vehicons that were sent to release the triple-changer after the transmission ended were surprised when they approached the cell. "Although you see me going 'long so, oh, yes, Lord, I have my trials here below, oh, yes, Lord…" But what was the biggest surprise was that while his accent was as prominent as always, he had surprisingly nice signing voice. Though a bit too light for that song.
"Get up, you're out." The leading Vehicon announced despite that he'd like to hear some more of the song. "Lord Megatron has finished and Commander Starscream orders your release."
"If you get there before I do, oh, yes, Lord, tell all-a my friends I'm coming to Heaven! Oh, yes, Lord!" Blitzwing finished while jumping to his pedes. And then he exploded into maniacal laughter. All was back in order.
The End.
The title song refers to June naturally. But it is obviously not so much a romance story, as it is just a little thing to connect to Sugar. The song itself was dedicated to Axel Rose's then girlfriend and is very cute.
Also, I want to dedicate this story to CrescentBlue - it features Lugnut. The Lugnut scene is heavily based in Animated Lugnut and she is great fan of Animated, so this is for her.
1) Struts – cybertronian equivalent of bones that their protoform containing and that all the internal mechanisms surround.
2) There is no democracy in army – that's just how military works. This is true for Decepticons, Autobots and any Human, Earthen army that exists in reality – military is not republic; it does not work when soldiers vote and decide what to do. An army is only efficient when it follows orders, otherwise each soldier would do what they like and they'd never get the job done.
Of course Megatron is also a Tyrant (in the ancient meaning of the word) and he hold the political power in his faction as well, and that's where the power-plays originate from.
3) 1 Quartex = roughly 1 month. The transmission in question took place on May 1st (in Sugar, chapter 17th). This takes place on June 30th.
1 Meta-Cycle = 13 months. Megatron is using approximate measurement though; it is not exactly 26 months, but more or less 2 years.
4) Think of Valkyrie – or at least the stereotypical Valkyrie: tall, massive, buxom, armoured and galloping on an impressive stallion to the battle ground (minus singing in mezzosoprano).
5) That's the mining outpost that Megatron worked, and that's when I made Soundwave work in my fics (not a miner, he was working in shipping department as a technician). Ravage is one of the original Decepticons back since the early comics (in IDW others are with Soundwave since the first days as well, minus Frenzy and Rumble, who in Megatron: Origin were miners like Megatron).
6) Translation. "And rightfully so." "Law has it that the ruler appoints their heir." "Majority of the Conclave." "He would have three votes." "Not counting his own." "Does it matter anyway?" "The end result remains the same no matter how they have reached their agreement."
7) I just had to make him like that, based on his Animated version; I just can't imagine him any other way anymore.
8) Non-Aligned Indigenous Life-forms, Cybertronian equivalent of civilians, the Cybertronians who chose not to affiliate with any of the factions and just steer clear from the war. Autobots mostly leave them but would love to have them on their side. Decepticons consider them cowards and even deserters who refuse to struggle for Cybertron's sake. I esteem them to be quite numerous, but they're not unified in their attitude.
9) Blitzwing is singing a very old song "Nobody Knows". The Animated Blitzwing couldn't sing well to save his life (if you recall the 'Itsy bitsy spider' you will understand) but this is Prime, so… thing differ.