A/N: Post TF:P season one; Spoiler, do not read on if you have not yet watched the season one finale! But if you have watched said finale...This is meant to take place right after the events of said finale and was an attempt at an exploration into Megatron's thoughts and feelings now that Orion is on their side. We tried as much as we possibly could to keep it in TFP cannon, though it does, admittedly, assume much on the bond of brotherhood that once existed between Megatron and Orion. And, again, this was meant to dabble into the implications that Megatron has regained that connection to Orion he once had.
A quick note on the title (De Cinis Cineris Novus Vita), while neither of us speak Latin it was a feeble attempt to do so, and is intended to roughly translate as "From Ashes, New Life."
[EDIT] As you can tell, the title is no longer spelled "De Cinis Cineris Novus Vita." Thanks to the wonderful Lacerta Caliginis, we've been fortunate enough to learn that the correct spelling is "De Cinere, Nova Vita." Our apologies Lacerta for not giving you a shout out or a word of thanks sooner! But your help was greatly appreciated!)
Also, there will be more chapters forth-coming, which will involve a run in with the Autobots ;)
Please R&R! It makes writers ever so happy!
Disclaimer: We, lamentably, own nothing nor have any rights to anything belonging to the Transformers: Prime franchise.
~~~Epsilon Pax & Bumbee
This was how it was supposed to be.
No longer pitted against each other, fighting to the death over ideologies, but rather united, as brothers in arms, as Cybertronians struggling to save their race from extinction, as allies, as brothers.
"Megatronus."
That voice, somehow softer now, somehow diminished and no longer as commanding, though it still resonated with a familiar velvet timber. Megatron allowed his scarlet optics to flicker shut, just for a moment, as that voice rolled through his memory banks just as efficiently as it echoed in his audio receptors. There was no anger, no wariness in that voice now: nothing but the unassuming greeting of one brother to another.
"Orion." Megatron replied as the other moved to stand beside him. Those softer blue optics flitted from first Megatron's and then to the impressive view that stretched before them.
Aboard the Nemesis, they stood at its prow and through the high, arching windows looked down at the emerald and blue globe far beneath them that lay suspended in an ocean of starlight. It really was an attractive world. Even while it boasted of such a teeming population of fleshy natives, Megatron could not overlook or casually dismiss the latent potential that Earth could afford his—their, he mentally stumbled, correcting himself with a quick renewed glance in Orion's direction—dying race. And while he longed to rebuild all that they had lost, Megatron could never deny that essential facet of his spark that pulsed with a hunger for power, for control. Such untapped stores of energy just waiting for him to reach out and claim! All in the name of Cybertron, of course; or at least, that was what he would have to convince Orion of.
"This world…" Orion began thoughtfully, "How did you find it?"
By chasing you. But Megatron was no fool; if he wanted any chance of preserving Orion, of preventing Orion from being tainted or perverted by the misguided ideals of Optimus, he could not allow such truths to slip. Of one thing, Megatron was sure: he wanted nothing more than for Optimus Prime to have been at last, irrevocably wiped from existence on that fateful day they had destroyed Unicron. Just as he had throughout the long centuries, Megatron thirsted for the final death of Optimus Prime. Not merely because it was Optimus who had always been there, stymieing any progress, inhibiting the Decepticons and their glorious cause, but rather for another more personal reason. The leader of the Deceptions had always held that Optimus had destroyed Orion, had murdered him the moment the Council had bestowed him with the rank of Prime. It was under such a mantle, Megatron was sure, that Orion had been crushed. All that Megatron had ever valued in Orion—that unwavering faith and belief in both Megatron and their cause, that ability to remain unbiased and untainted by the corruption of the Council, but most of all, the bond between them as brothers—had been lost the very moment Orion Pax had evolved into Optimus Prime.
Now, fate had dealt Megatron a second chance, not just for a formidable ally, but also to regain that bond of brotherhood that he had never shared with another since Orion. The day that Orion had been slain under the misguided notions of Optimus, Megatron's ability to trust completely and fully again, had died with him. Every Decepticon, while outwardly loyal, was ultimately serving Megatron for personal gain. He had always known this, and, accordingly, had always been able to accept as much because their conditional service had in turn served his own ends. Megatron could not trust Decepticons such as Knockout and Breakdown as far as he could throw them, and would keep them around only so long as it suited his pursuits. They, like so many others, were expendable. Even his second in command, Starscream, had never merited his trust and neither could the faithful Soundwave, for he kept his own council. But Orion had never been so reserved, so calculating. On Cybertron, before the monstrosities of war had fallen down around them, both Orion and Megatronus had confided everything to the other; there had been no personal agendas, only the singular goal to liberate all Cybertronians from the oppressive reign of the Council and of the Primes. They had been united under one banner, one cause and had fought side by side.
It surprised Megatron that a part of him had indeed missed that connection that was not galvanized by any machinations of malcontent. Studying his companion's profile, that countenance that was and was not Optimus Prime, Megatron found himself stumbling on unfamiliar territory. It was unmistakably Optimus Prime's frame, but every movement, his every look was that of Orion; it was an unsettling dichotomy to be sure. But if Optimus was indeed no more, and if it was truly Orion who stood with him now, Megatron knew that nothing would be able to stop them. Together they could and, indeed would, achieve all of Megatron's wildest dreams; they would be a triumphant and terrifying force to be reckoned with. Together they would pick up where they had left off, now that Optimus Prime no longer stood between them, now that there was no council to interfere, they would be able to forge a new and glorious future for their race.
With such pleasing thoughts surging in his spark, Megatron impulsively clapped one hand upon the other's shoulder. "Old friend, " the worlds tumbled from his vocal processor unbidden, stirring the dust on a bond that had lain dormant for millennia now, and all but slain, "that is a long tale indeed, perhaps one that would be best told at another time." Unintentionally, his gaze fell upon the vivid Decepticon symbol—still raw and tender no doubt—that had been etched into Orion's shoulder. Orion nodded once, automatically yielding, accepting Megatron's statement. It was simultaneously immensely offsetting and yet gratifying to find no challenge, no demand for answers from him.
"This world, "Orion began again, "Soundwave informed me, is rich with untapped Energon deposits; enough to begin building anew all that was lost in the war."
Once again, Megatron yielded to impulse and tightened his grip upon the other's shoulder, not painfully, but rather in reassuring agreement. If only Optimus had not been so blinded by his illogical need to defend, to protect all life—all life, at least it seemed, except their own species. Oh, if only Optimus could have taken a step back and understood how insignificant the human race was and how much greater their own was in comparison as clearly Orion was now. This is precisely what Megatron had missed, what he had mourned with Orion's loss before.
"All that stands in our way from claiming this planet as our new home, as the new and glorious capitol for all Cybertronians, are but two obstacles."
Orion bowed his head, his ever-agile mind searching through the wealth of information that Megatron had provided to him. "You are speaking of the natives of this planet and the rogue faction of Cybertronians that call themselves the Autobots." That invaluable data was all that Orion had to cling to at the moment, for there was still a disconcerting feeling of emptiness within him. It was as though there was a faintly perceivable barrier stretched throughout his very processors, immovable it stood between him and all that he had been, and perhaps still was. It was truly maddening to feel as though a very large part of himself was somehow lost. But it was all the more reason for Orion to trust and depend upon Megatronus; after all, he had never led him astray.
"Yes, but once we eliminate them both, this world will be free for the taking, free for us to begin again without the oppression of the Council."
"Must we eliminate them? These humans, this is their home world as Cybertron was ours. What right have we to take Earth from them?"
Every servo in Megatron tensed, coiled in preparation for attack as he dropped his hand from Orion's shoulder. Those words, spoken in that timber, resonated with too much of Optimus for his taste. If Orion once more fell under the sway of Optimus, Megatron at least promised himself that he would give Orion a quick and painless end; for the sake of all that had once existed between them, Megatron owed the memory of Orion that much.
"Is there no other way, no other option through which we may co-exist with these beings peacefully?"
"I am afraid not, brother." Megatron hung his head as if in sadness, though all the while keeping his weaponry systems at the ready as he motioned for Breakdown—who had thus far sought to linger unobtrusively near one of the command consuls—to come forward. "Look at what they did to Breakdown, unprovoked. They tortured him, tried to pull him apart merely out of curiosity. Do not be fooled, these beings, though they may look harmless, have declared war upon us. We must strike back, the future of our race depends upon it."
Breakdown regarded Megatron warily—much as he always did—surprised at the lack of disgust within the Decepticon leader's tone as he related Breakdown's incident with MECH for Orion. A master manipulator to the last, he recognized that Megatron was using him, using the events of that night to lure Orion in. What Megatron had once sneered at as weakness on Breakdown's part, now became a harrowing tale of brutal and unprovoked torture, and judging from the open expression on Orion's face, Breakdown realized that it was working. Step by delicate step, Megatron was indeed pulling Orion further into the web of artfully constructed 'truths'.
While Megatron spoke, Orion regarded Breakdown thoughtfully, and under that gaze Breakdown felt pinned. Here was a enemy in their midst, no matter what Megatron had sought to convince them of. In Breakdown's opinion, if it looked like Optimus Prime, if he spoke like Optimus Prime, it was Optimus Prime. Unbidden, Breakdown remembered with trepidation Knockout relating how Prime, with minimal effort, had literally torn the armor platting clean off Knockout's arm; the thought still made him shudder. True, that brilliant blue gaze did not smolder with cruelty and self righteous egotism that Megatron's did, but that did nothing to diminish the intensity of those optics. In that moment, Breakdown was surprised at himself when he realized that he was actually thankful that they now had Optimus—or Orion, or whatever he called himself now—on their side. Without their precious Prime, Breakdown was confident, just as Megatron was, that the remaining Autobots would be undone. It seemed that at last, things were beginning to turn in favor of the Decepticons. And just because he wouldn't trust Orion, let alone turn his back on the former leader of the Autobots for a moment, did not mean that Breakdown wasn't savvy enough to recognize the benefits of having Orion side with them. How he hoped that Megatron would be able to jog Orion's memory banks enough to wrest the location of the Autobot base from him; Breakdown would have liked nothing more than to smash through their enemies' base, catching his loathsome rival Bulkhead unawares.
Breakdown met Orion's gaze squarely: the Autobots didn't have a ghost of a chance now.
"If the situation is truly as dire as you say it is, then I trust your judgment Megatronus." Orion at last conceded, allowing Megatron to once again relax, his fear of that whatever vestiges of Optimus remained within Orion were once again passing away. "Though I would prefer if we continued to pursue any means through which we could obtain a peaceable co-existence with this planet's natives. Violence will only beget violence, Megatronus. My spark tells me that if we could avoid an outright conflict altogether, then there is a chance that such a co-existence could indeed be achieved."
Megatron shifted his frame, ever so slightly; still uncomfortable with the ring of Orion's tone. But at least it was a step in the right direction. That is to say, at least Orion was, just like the Orion of old, willing to let Megatron take the reins of leadership.
"After all, you say that the have no need or use of Energon as we do?"
"Yes, you see old friend, all that we need from their planet they have no use for, and so long as they do not inhibit us, I see no reason why our presence need inhibit their species." It was not entirely true, but what mattered at the moment was that Orion continued to form a solid loyalty to the Decepticons, to Megatron. "I would leave their planet in peace, but I am afraid that their world is the last chance our race has for survival."
"Lord Megatron," Breakdown spoke up for the first time, and with just a brief pause of hesitation, continued, "and Orion…Knockout has reported that he has discovered another exposed vein of Energon. I believe it would be best to act immediately before the Autobots have a chance to find it; we wouldn't want them to get there first."
Orion's optics flitted from one countenance to the other before breaking the silence, "Shall we begin then, Megatronus?"
A sharp edged grin bloomed across Megatron's features; this, indeed, was how it was supposed to be.