Matter of time
Warning: spoilers for MTMTE 51. Also, fourth wall.
0,
The sun was high up in the sky; only a very experienced mech could tell it had stopped moving. Megatron had experience like no other mechanism currently on the Necroworld, maybe except for Ravage. Yes, Ravage certainly had also noticed this to be one of those 'no action, no interaction' times. It was a rare phenomenon, but when it had occurred, it had lasted exactly four weeks.
Hesitantly, Tarn touched his mask. To his surprise, however, it seemed to have got stuck on his face.
"It won't move now," Megatron smiled. It was an unnatural, friendly, compassionate gesture, completely alien to his real self. "It's a time-stop. I knew it would happen. I have to admit I'm glad to have arrived before it struck."
"I should be free of its effect," Tarn seethed. "I have gone through most of the List without it ever holding me back. Why now?"
"Because I'm here," Megatron replied. This time, his proud grin was a lot more familiar. "Whatever happens between us, I won't let it happen off-screen."
"I cannot even talk?" Tarn tested. Apparently, his voice had no effect on Megatron's spark, despite him perfectly catching the green orb's rhythm.
"It seems obvious."
(Real Life date: March 30th, 2016)
1,
Megatron rested his back comfortably against the projector of his own statue, taking in the blue glow of the flowers all around him. So beautiful. So many beautiful lives...
Familiar music registered to his audials. Another tankformer, currently on the other side of the stand, was playing a well-known and popular melody from the grand Empyrean Suite.
"No," he demanded. "Play the whole. The entire and complete. To finish, from start."
"But it'd take a week."
Megatron made a quick calculation. They still had three weeks, well, maybe only two... He could not yet tell.
"And don't talk meanwhile, Tarn!"
(Real Life date: cca. April 6th, 2016)
2,
Megatron scanned his huge field of blue petals. Residual energy of twelve sparks would power a blue flower, or so he had been told. But what about point one percenters? By the logic of energy persistence, there should be green flowers too, each representing one powerful mech whose death he was responsible for.
"When you went back to scavenge the quantum drives, have you seen the decapitated body of Overlord we both left behind? Quantum physics of the total body count don't match."
"How do you know?" Tarn asked.
"Well, you have to know things when you're co-captain, you know."
(Real Life date: cca. April 13th, 2016)
3,
Tarn woke to his leader lifting him up by the neck. Half asleep, he babbled something about the value of a good recharge between mining shifts. Megatron shook him awake, untouched by the quote from his own autobiography.
"Sun's moving," the now-Autobot announced.
"Can't I sleep just three pages more?..."
(Real Life date: April 15th, 2016)
4,
Megatron stared into the afternoon sun. Both he and Tarn could hear the distant noise of shooting, then the tremble in the air only a spaceship's engines could cause.
"Worktime. And don't forget to thank Ravage. You got an extra four pages of preparation time."
"Noted. Now, you were... Surrendering?"
(Real Life date: April 23rd, 2016)