Title: Cruel Devices
Author: Eiseedoesit
Rating: PG13
Summary: The caste system is abolished and Megatron rules as Emperor with Orion at his side. In spite of the power and conquest, Orion wonders what could have been. Alpha Trion lets him know. AU. Slash. Mpreg
Warnings: Violence (surprise, surprise huh?); mpreg; and some characters being…well, out of character. For instance, a scheming, demanding, and threatening Orion with a more compassionate Megatron. AU to the max. This is really horrible of me, turning Orion into a bitch…but I wanted angst so here we go…
A/N: When reading exodus two quotes really grabbed my imagination and refused to let go. Those two quotes combined with the Megatron/Optimus(Orion) vibes I get from TFPrime gave birth to this ficlet. Completely unrelated to anything I previously wrote. Enjoy! Megatron/Orion; Megatron/Starscream mentioned ; Ratchet/Orion very briefly mentioned
I know robots don't cry but let's pretend they can
Bold italics = communication via bond, sparkmate to sparkmate and creator to creation
"With Megatron in the lead as Prime, Cybertronians would find the galaxy theirs for the taking. And they would take it."—p.168
"And if there has been war, perhaps it is because the alternative would have been worse. What if you had gone along with Megatron and then realized his tyrannical inclinations after it was too late to do anything about them? How much more costly and terrible would this war have been…"-Alpha Trion to Optimus, Transformers: Exodus (p.161)
"You haven't sought my presence in many vorns," The old Archivist turned from the dark shadows. He was sickly. His joints groaned and his frame hunched from years of toil. His optics were dim, defeated, the once vibrant light flickering like a poor candle, "Not so long ago you couldn't stay a cycle away from my side. Much has changed indeed, Orion."
The ruins of Iacon cast deep, long shadows over them. The former jewel of Cybertron wasn't even spoken of anymore, save for how far it fell from glory or how the victorious Decepticons butchered the corrupt mechs who once ruled from it. The proud towers, the citadel, the dome, even the Hall of Records…were just fragments of scrap and debris now. The Decepticons didn't bother to clear the rumble, leaving the ruins as a permanent reminder of their wrath and power. All the grand and beautiful things that gave fame to the city had long been erased. There was no beauty left to see. Only a broken land for criminals, scavengers, and rebels.
"Where are your bodyguards?" Alpha Trion asked, his voice coarse and weary, "Or has Megatron loosened his grip?"
"I sent them away," Orion said, "What I've come for must stay between us." He didn't know what to expect, returning to the place he once loved and called home. He still remembered how the city was ransacked and destroyed. Coming back, it felt as visceral and desolate as the day it was torn down. The sight made the guilt within him heavier. He never wished to come back, dreading to see the disappointment on his mentor's face. And for many years he managed to avoid returning to this place, choosing to ignore the horrible consequences of his choices. But not anymore. There was no other way.
"Have you come here to finish what you've started?" The Archivist limped towards his former student, "Have you come to kill the rest?"
"No." Orion said, "I will bring no harm to those who take shelter here. You have my word old friend."
It was strange and pitiful to see the Archivist barely able to function. To Orion, Alpha Trion always seemed invincible and strong, perhaps not in the way strength was usually seen, but in his own quiet and constant way. He remembered being a little sparkling running to his guardian and hiding behind one of the Archivist's legs to escape from the other students who would tease him. But the years had changed them both. The Archivist was now just a forgotten, broken relic. The clerk was now the second-most powerful mech in the Decepticon Empire, and he bore no trace of his humble beginnings. The simple, modest clerk was gone, replaced by a beautiful and fearsome ruler.
"Forgive me for this offense," Alpha Trion replied, "But the promise of a Con is not well trusted here. Especially promises coming from the sparkmate of their Prime."
"And what if it's the promise of a former student….or of a carrier?"
Orion's blue optics shone brightly in the darkness as he spoke. There was very little in the universe that still frightened him, but in that moment his remaining vulnerability was clear.
"Veryl-Luna."
The silence of the hallowed halls seemed to amplify the urgent rumble of his engine, the nervous clicking of his fingers, pedals, and servos as his last resolve to appear strong broke down.
"Your little femmling," Alpha Trion said, "Yes. I remember when she was born. The seekers flew overhead for cycles. Some swore they could hear the revelry and rejoicing all the way from Kaon."
The words brought no comfort to Orion. He stood before the Archivist, bowing his helm in humility. Alpha Trion couldn't ignore how impeccably polished and refined his former student appeared, his armor meticulously cared for and his frame undamaged by battle or hunger. Such an elegant, regal, and untouchable creature he appeared. Yet he stood as if the weight of a dead mech was cast upon his shoulders.
"She's dying." Orion said, "I beg of you. Help me."
It was ages since Orion last begged for anything. He had no reason to before. But his daughter's anguished cries and unceasing pleas brought pain unmatched.
The image of her, bleeding out from her wounds, strapped down to a med-berth with wires and lines streaming out of her as her arms stretched out to reach him…it was more than his spark could stand. The way her optics would flare, dim, and flicker out. The way her body arched off the restraints trying to keep her from falling apart. The way her fear struck him through their creator bond... All of it sent him back to the mentor he abandoned long ago.
"Megatron and I were visiting the colonies when it happened. A handful of rebels breeched the security of the palace. They…they were enraged to find that we weren't there. They attacked Veryl instead. Killed her guards. Nearly severed her in half." Orion said, "Soundwave was able to rescue her. Her spark was so close to off-lining so many times. And I felt her terror each time she wept for us."
If Alpha Trion felt any sympathy he hid it well. Orion's display of grief didn't seem to move him.
"What was done with the rebels who attacked her?" The ancient mech asked.
"They were kept alive long enough for us to return." Orion's hatred for them poured out in his answer, "Megatron butchered them before the entire court. Their limbs hang from the gates of Kaon."
"And you did nothing to stop him?"
"I watched. That was the kindness I gave them." Orion answered, the gentleness gone from him, "If I laid my servos on them there would be nothing…nothing left for Megatron to destroy or display."
Alpha Trion turned away, ready to retreat once more into the darkness of his ruined home. The earth beneath him crumbled as he limped through the dust that never seemed to clear.
"You can't turn away from her!" Orion strove closer to his teacher, reaching out and grabbing his arm to keep him from going further, "She drew life from my spark….from the light of the Dynasty. She is a true descendant of the ancient line. That has to mean something to you."
"It did,"
The Archivist pulled away from Orion's touch.
"Protecting the light of our Dynasty meant more to me than my own life. You know that more than anyone else. I sacrificed greatly for you to receive the title you were born to carry," Alpha Trion whispered, his voice deep, the emotions cold, "You answered by betraying me and giving that sacred title to a tyrant. Whatever has come to pass, for good or evil, has steamed from your choice. There is nothing left I can do for you or Luna."
"No. I don't believe you. You were the Archivist of Iacon and before that a ruling Prime. You must know something, anything to save her. You must!"
"And what answers do I have that the great medics in Kaon can't provide? Or resources your empire can't supply?" Alpha Trion remained calm and unwavering, "Return to your daughter. Stay beside her to ease her pain. I have no power to change her fate."
"You do," Orion said, refusing to accept the answers given to him "Do not lie to me."
"I am not Primus. I do not hold her fate."
"Impossible. You have the Quill and the Covenant." Orion urged. Desperation destroyed his pride and tampered with his sanity, "Use them."
Alpha Trion shook his helm. His resentment was deep, but his regret over what Orion had become pained him even more. Wearily, he looked straight into the face of his former student. The bright innocence and hope Orion once had long ago was gone, in its place a countenance of furious agony and despair. It was the sort of grief that can only be felt by a carrier unable to save the child dearest to him.
"Please," Orion's words were low and hushed. The pain was too familiar, too deep and unforgiving, "I cannot lose another creation. I will not endure another severed bond. Megatron—he is inconsolable. Each cycle that goes by without her recovering, the more violent he becomes. I need the Quill. Use it to save her and the courts from Megatron's wrath.
"You do not understand the nature of the artifacts. You cannot simply will them to do as you please like a sword or forge. They are cruel devices; they show realities that haunt you, glimpses of victories and defeats yet to be. But their complete properties are a mystery even to me. There are pages of the Covenant that even I cannot decipher. The Quill has powers over reality that I will not bend for fear of the consequences. And even if I did there is no guarantee it would save her."
"But she is all I have left!"
"Telling words coming from the Emperor's consort."
"Do not punish her for our wrongs against you," Orion pleaded, "She is innocent—"
"An innocent causality of your choice," Alpha Trion replied, "I never held her fate. You did. The fate of every sentient being in this world depended on you to make the right choice."
"And I did! I spared our planet of war!" Orion said, holding his helm high, refusing to be spoken down to after all he had endured, "Of genocide, famine, exile and eternal darkness. I kept this world from tearing itself apart."
"And at what price? The freedom of countless other planets?" Alpha Trion countered. He swept his arm over the wreckage around them. He pointed his finger at Orion's chest, his optics blazing at the Decepticon emblem, "Of your own freedom? Your own dignity? You were the last light of the Primes! And you bound yourself to that cruel monster."
"I saved Megatron from his insanity! I gave reason to his madness—"
It was only Orion's remaining respect for the old mech that kept him from lashing out in violence to accompany his words.
"You fueled it," Alpha Trion said. He walked past Orion, unafraid of what his former student might do, "You showed him nothing meant more to you than appeasing him, not even the honor of your own destiny. Now you are far…so pitifully far from who you were meant to be."
"And how do you know this?" Orion demanded, "Did you see it on the Covenant? Did it tell you of how Megatron destroyed the old order to resurrect Cybertron into a new golden age, one greater and grander than the last? Does it speak of the Empire he and I built? Of the son I lost?"
Alpha Trion watched as Orion's strength crumbled before him. All the glory and power he gained through years of conquest was not enough to surpass the sorrows that accompanied it.
"You still have a son," Alpha Trion said. He was careful and gentle, daring to draw closer to Orion.
"Do not insult the memory of my first heir," Orion said, more out of grief than raw anger. His first son with Megatron never lived beyond sparklinghood, his spark the price of their conquest, "He died long ago, before he could even form memories of me. I will not lose Luna as well."
"You have another son. Even you couldn't forget that,"
Orion was immediately silenced.
"He is so much like you were before Megatron corrupted you." Alpha Trion walked around Orion, watching his reaction carefully, "He finds the good everything, even in this wreckage you abandoned him in. He has a spirit that doesn't' know how to hold on to sorrow. For him everything is light, joyous, every danger a chance for discovery and adventure. You were like that once."
Silence fell between them. Orion backed away. He leaned against a broken pillar, resting his helm upon his servos, his optics downcast.
"It is not the same," Orion whispered.
"Indeed," Alpha Trion replied. He stood before Orion, his presence heavy and daunting, his words brutal in their honesty, "I have read glimpses from the Covenant, passages that spoke of the mech you were destined to be had you only made a different choice. All that you know, the Empire, your children, your bond with Megatron…all of it would have never existed."
"Do not torment me with these silly fantasies." Orion said, "It is by my mercy you still function. If I revealed to Megatron all that I knew about you, your relics, and how you continue to defy him your spark would have been terminated long ago. Do not test my patience."
Alpha Trion's optics closed. There were many things he wanted to say, things he wished Orion would try to understand. He couldn't comfort his former student without lying. Nor could he speak the truth without hurting him. The Archivist, surprisingly, felt no offense or hatred for the mech before him. Instead he felt great pity and regret.
"The worst change is you," Alpha Trion said, "The greatest downfall of our world is the loss of never seeing who you were meant to become….the Prime it sorely needed."
"There is no use telling me this," Orion said, "It will change nothing."
"Then why should you fear hearing it?" Alpha Trion continued, "I know now that I should have stopped your descent as soon as you heard Megatron's promises. From the first day you saw him speaking of freedom and justice there was a change in you. His influence drowned you and killed the Orion I raised and loved, leaving only a mech who would betray everything for the sake of a gladiator's ambitions."
Orion gave no reply. His silence spoke enough.
"What was it that drove you to turn against your own convictions? Were you frightened of him?" Alpha Trion was far from done, "Or was it the power he offered to share?"
"Do you think that was all I saw in him?" Orion arose, his words sharp and harsh.
"What did you hope to gain by joining him? What drove you to abandon your own destiny? What was it Orion Pax? What ruined you?"
"I believed every word he said and I couldn't pull away!"
There was a wildness about Orion, a certain fury in his motions that he never would have displayed as a mere data clerk. His calm manners, careful speech, and rare grace had vanished. His face had the look of someone finally found after hiding for so long, of someone seeing light for the same time.
"I loved him..."
"Blindly and selfishly." Alpha Trion said, though there was no hatred for his student. He pitied him greatly, even more than those who died from his choices, "You are no Prime. Not in this reality."
"No. But my sparkmate is. I've made my choice." Orion replied, "And I will be nothing less than faithful to him."
"Were you so adamant in your loyalty before or after you left your bastard son to my care?"
The darkness was pierced by the sudden activation of Orion's energon sword.
"Put your sword away," Alpha Trion said, "I do not fear it. You will not kill me. There will be no one left to care for your son if you do. As cruel as you are, even you still have a carrier's spark."
Orion did not obey. His servo kept a tight grip on the sword. Power, not love, had become his security.
"Does he know of me?" Orion asked. His face was grim, the aura about him cold.
"He knows you as the others in these ruins know you," Alpha Trion answered, "As the consort of the Prime Emperor and traitor of Iacon."
"He despises me then,"
"No. On the contrary he admires you greatly. It's fascinating how the child refuses to hate anyone. He does not have a cruel spark. He does not know how to hate."
"He will learn how to hate if you ever tell him of his creators," Orion said, "And for that reason he must never know. I can afford him the kindness of ignorance."
Alpha Trion looked up, a flicker of hope in his optics as Orion's countenance changed. It was true then, that a carrier could not truly abandon a spark born from their own light.
"At last we agree then, that he shall never hear how his sire was killed and how his carrier all but banished him to his wasteland."
"Or how it pained his carrier to do so," Orion's patience was quickly waning. His systems flared at the slight against him, "He may be my son but he is not of my sparkmate. Megatron would have him killed."
"From what I can gather, news tells of a sparkling in Vos that your dear Emperor sired upon their commander. How is it that you can bear to leave your son here while Starscream's own son prances through the courts of Vos like a little Emperor himself."
"Starscream's joke of a bastard will never outshine or even match my daughter." And Orion was more than determined to keep it that way, "She is Megatron's only heir. That pretentious little mistake of Megatron's will never take power in the courts. Not while I still function. And I will ensure that Luna understands that."
"Your daughter has a tender, gentle spark," Alpha Trion said, "She wasn't born to harm anyone. Neither were you. But she will learn, as you did, how to be as vicious as her sire. That is unless you can save her from his venomous influence."
"I can't keep them away from each other any more than I can keep myself away from my mate," Orion said, "She is the great light of his world, one of the few things that keeps goodness alive in him."
"Yet you know deep within that this isn't right. No matter how many excuses you make or chances you give."
"What else can I do? Whatever choices I've made, I have to see it through."
"Take your children. Leave." Alpha Trion said. Orion may be beyond saving, but there was still a slim chance that his children would be spared, at least for a little while longer, "There are still a few who remain neutral. Others who've fled to distant worlds. Go to them. Ask for sanctuary."
"I can't leave Megatron. He will never allow Luna to be separated from him. He will hunt us through the galaxies. And no enemy of his would ever take in Luna or I, except to kill us for his actions against them." Orion shook his helm, "That is not the life I want her to know."
His love for the child was Orion's great joy in life, and for her he would defy anyone. But Megatron…Megatron was untouchable. The femmling adored her sire. No matter what Megatron did to oppress countless worlds, Orion could not speak against him. Not while their daughter revered him with complete adoration and love. Luna's happiness was paramount to all-else, even if it was attained by his submissive silence to his mate.
"I see now that you have not only given Megatron an heir," The old mech said, "You've given him a weapon you will always yield to. That child is his savior and your undoing."
"Alpha Trion…If I made a different choice….If I abandoned Megatron and fought against him…would I have spared her this pain?" Orion asked, "Would she be safe?"
The archivist sighed. The darkness thickened around them. In the far distance, the sound of starving cries lifted up to the sky.
"I did not see her when the Covenant revealed your first destiny. Her spark never existed there. Instead I saw a long bloody war with horrors unequaled." Alpha Trion replied. "There was no Cybertronian Empire. There was no Cybertron. Our home, dead, empty. Our people cast out into the vast, desolate space. You and Megatron forever at war. No joy for either of you. No sparklings to rejoice or grieve over. I saw a different mate at Megatron's side, one who knew nothing of love but desired only power."
"And I?" Orion asked.
"Alone." Alpha Trion answered, "In exile. Traveling through the universe with a small, faithful team that love you. Yet within still so very, very alone. And in that reality you wonder…every single day you wonder…what if a different choice was made? The thoughts of it consume you. And you curse your spark for the agony it carries and the love it cannot share. But you never regretted your choice."
Orion did not speak. He looked up into the darkness of the sky, imaging the solitude of space, of never knowing the heat of Megatron's spark devouring his or the joy of holding Luna in their arms as worlds bowed before them. How could such a reality exist? He could not comprehend it…
"There is still a chance to amend the wrongs done. But it will cost far more than this universe can afford."
"Then let me never know the price." Orion said, "That life of loneliness, that life devoid of power and love is another mech's grief to carry. Not mine."
Alpha Trion bowed his helm in defeat.
"Then there is nothing left I can say to save you."
Orion understood. He rose up and quietly alerted his guards to meet him at the Iaconian boundaries. The emperor's consort did not know how else to respond or even how to say farewell to his old mentor. To his own surprise, he asked a question.
"In that different reality was I Prime yet still…me?"
"No," Alpha Trion answered, "In that different reality you were brave, selfless, patience, and strong. You weren't even known by the name Orion Pax. You were called...Optimus Prime."
"And did I—did Optimus devote himself to the choice he made?
"He never regretted it."
"Then that is one thing that hasn't changed," There was a sharp chill in the air, killing the last bit of warmth that remained, "Neither have I."
A soft glow shone from a hill not too far from them. Light laughter, so very soft yet very bright echoed through the ruins. Before Alpha Trion could stop him, Orion's optics immediately darted to take in the sight, his spark pounding as it sensed the presence of one long lost from him.
A tiny sparkling crawled atop that distant hill, unafraid of being seen or falling from the heights. In his tiny servos he carried a glowing sphere of light, the brightness casting away the dark from him. He was small, far too small for his age, his growth stunted by limited resources. The silver grey armor was thin, his body malnourished, his door wings slightly bent and his shoulders hunched. But his optics…oh those optics…they were just as brilliant as the moment Orion first saw them looking up at him, reaching for his embrace. And the red crest upon the child's helm…in the play of light and dark the mechling was the living shadow of Ratchet…
"You must leave at once." Alpha Trion said quickly, "For Smokescreen's sake."
Orion kept watching the mechling playing on the hill, fighting the pull of his spark.
"If you have any love left for him you must leave," Alpha Trion assured him, "Now, before your guards reach this place."
Orion looked at his mentor one last time, conveying the worries and thanks no words could express with a single glance. Orion left as fast as he could, never turning back to see the son he sent into exile. He could not afford to entertain the threat of their bond re-opening.
Yet he could not unsee the image of the mechling. Smokescreen….a fitting name for someone who must always be hidden and never been seen.
Orion opened his bond with Luna, if anything to try to keep him from thinking of the child he would never truly know.
"Luna…."
His spark turned cold when he realized there was no feedback, no pulse or greeting returning to him from her side of the bond.
"Luna…Luna! Answer me. Luna!"
The connection was silent. No pain. No fear.
"Primus no. No. No. No. Luna!"
Only emptiness answered him.
"They will all answer for this."
Orion couldn't speak. His face was buried against his mate's chest, his servos gripping the emperor in a fierce embrace. Megatron held him up, stroking him with a gentleness known to no one else.
"There will be nothing left of their rebellion. And Luna…Luna will return." Megatron continued to whisper. His lips brushed against Orion's audios, kissing his distraught mate gently, "I promise my love."
Orion trembled as he looked down on the broken body cradled in his arms. His spark was relieved when rushed into the medbay and saw the light still functioning in Luna's optics. The relief was quickly torn away when he realized his precious daughter no longer returned the call of his spark. He demanded answers from the medics, the coldness of their bond breaking him faster than any war ever could. The best answer they could give him was that the incident of her brutal attack left her with severe trauma. Not trauma only of the body, but of the spark and mind. She cried to her parents during the attack but they weren't there to save her. Even in her recovery phrase, they could not be continually by her side to give reassurance and comfort. But her reaction to Orion's absence was the worst. Her beloved carrier's absence during those times was too much for her to handle, and she closed off the bond she shared him. The feeling was the closest thing Orion could imagine to death.
Now where there was once great light and joy, there was nothing but silence. The child he held was a mere shadow of his greatest pride and happiness. The sparkling's eyes were transfixed, staring at something in the distance. Her face was hollow and dull, the bruises from the failed assassination attempt still fresh in the harsh light.
"Luna…please, open your bond again." Orion whispered, tracing her face, "I won't leave you. Your carrier will never leave you."
Luna's eyes grew wide, angry, and scared. She screamed and struggled to be rid of him. Her sweet voice was gone, replaced by a gurgle of terrible noises.
Her furious display made Orion cry out, fearful that she would injure herself further. To his horror, he found that nothing he did could calm her. By the time Megatron mercifully took her from him, Orion's face was wet with tears.
Luna's whimpers eased as Megatron cradled her. The Emperor brought her close, letting her rest against his chest. Megatron whispered something to her, coaxing her to look at the distraught carrier. Orion watched helplessly as his daughter took one look at him before turning away, seeking comfort in her father's embrace.
Megatron continued to whisper to the sparkling, and from time to time she would chirp in response. The warlord smiled a bit, carrying his daughter over to a console. In a matter of moments a hologram appeared displaying a map for their vast empire. The screen shifted through the galaxies and planets, and little Luna stared up at the images with fascination. Finally, an image of a sphere appeared. Megatron reached out, taking the floating hologram into his hand. He held it close for Luna to see.
"Do you see this, my little one?" The Prime Emperor said. He twirled the hologram of the little planet with his fingers. Luna reached out and touched it, the light flaring as she did.
"This is the latest property acquired by our armies,"
The sparkling smiled a little. The planet was very small compared to the countless others. But this one was rather pretty. It appeared to be of varying shades of blue with white swirls wrapped all around. On closer inspection there were large land masses broken and scattered upon the blue surface.
"Your carrier and I conquered this planet to secure it for you." Megatron said, "This was to be our gift to you when we returned."
Orion stepped closer to them. Megatron reached out and drew his mate into the embrace. Luna didn't spare Orion a glance, her attention was fixed on the bright speck of a planet in her hands.
"But now you must recover before seeing it yourself."
"And when you recover we will be there with you," Orion whispered, "We will teach you how to rule them."
"Parasites that they are," Megatron said with some disgust, "But completely harmless. Perfect training ground for you."
Luna smiled at her sire. And that's where Orion again saw the hint of mischief returning to her. It was far from her reopening the bond with him, but it was a start….
Megatron smiled as Luna fell asleep. He placed her in Orion's waiting arms. Orion rocked her gently, the weight of her frail body comforting his fears.
"What if the rebels try to liberate the planet?" Orion asked Megatron through their bond, "What if they threaten her again? Megatron I—"
"Won't see her suffer again,"
"If the rebels attack—"
"Then we kill them," Megatron's lips brushed against his shoulder, breathing against the metal, traveling up the sensitive neck cables. Orion leaned into his kiss, moaning softly as their lips met.
"We will kill them all."
And just as before, Orion surrendered to his will.
/THE END/
A/N: Dramatic yes, but then again that's my taste lol. I wanted to try a hand at making Orion(Opt) kinda…selfish and wicked.
For this little story I wanted to focus more on how siding with Megatron affected and changed Orion. The way Cybertron itself changed might be explored in a later companion piece. Maybe.