A/N: I've been toying for a while with the idea of following grayseeker and Dark Star of Chaos' lead and writing a story involving a missing scene story from a G1 episode. And while working on Pariah and watching a particular episode over and over again, I found something that would fit the bill.
This is set during the pilot episode "More than Meets the Eye, part 1", following the point where Laserbeak goes after Hound and Cliffjumper, and before the scene where Thundercracker appears with Reflector.
Silence fell over the desert as Laserbeak disappeared into the mountains, after whoever it was that fired the shot at the Decepticon leader, not a single mech among his soldiers (not even Starscream for once) wanting to be the one to draw his wrath in their direction...
And Megatron was very angry indeed.
"How is it the Autobots are still alive?!" he growled, his hands clenched into trembling fists at his side, his optics glowing a very bright red.
For there was no reason any of them to be awake and repaired as none of the Autobots had been in the way of the repair beam. He and Skywarp had made sure of this...
So how had it happened? For as Starscream had said (and it made Megatron's teeth clench to admit it), who else could have fired that shot? And who else could have come looking for them?
Skywarp stepped forward now and cleared his throat.
Megatron whirled around. "Have you something to say, Skywarp?" he hissed.
A nervous smile appeared on the Seeker's face as he was confronted with his leader's rage. "Well...right after I woke up, I felt the ground shaking. And we did notice some of that while bringing the others over to be repaired," he said, his tone as shaky as his features. "Maybe...that had something to do with it?"
Megatron's optics narrowed, and Skywarp gave a small squeak and held his hands up in surrender. "Just an idea, sir!"
"Suggestion: not impossible," Soundwave spoke up now, drawing Megatron's attention over to him. "Landmass stability: unknown to us. Possibility: perhaps commonplace."
Megatron's anger abated slightly at his chief spy's words. Skywarp might be a fool, but if Soundwave was agreeing with him, then perhaps he might be right.
If so, it would certainly be a first, he reflected.
"Is there a way to know for sure?" he asked. If this was the case, then their plans might well be affected...
Soundwave shook his head. ::Not without deep-scanning::, he sent internally.
Which they didn't have the equipment for. Not without reaching Cybertron first.
And with the Autobots awake, it was now more imperative that they got back there before their enemies did. Though with the Autobots' ship being stuck in the side of the mountain, it was more than likely the Decepticons would be returning first.
But perhaps it was best to take no chances, just in case...
Looking over where his Air Commander and the other Decepticons stood, he spoke again: "Thundercracker! Take the Reflectors and scan the perimeter for further intruders, starting with the power plant Starscream and Rumble dealt with. Feel free to deal with any Autobots you might find," he finished, a cold smirk on his face.
"Yes, Lord Megatron!" was Thundercracker's quick reply. With a sharp gesture to the spy unit, he transformed and headed off into the sky, the others following close behind.
"Soundwave, send Ravage after them," Megatron commanded, as the others disappeared from sight. While he trusted those four to carry out their orders, it was best to make certain there were no mistakes this time.
"Affirmative, Lord Megatron."
"And once you have done that, send word to Laserbeak to find us a viable energy source once he is finished dealing with the Autobot he is chasing. One we can strike quickly before the Autobots know what we are doing."
Soundwave nodded. "Affirmative."
"What about the rest of us, oh Mighty Megatron?" Starscream's sneering voice spoke up. "What are we supposed to be doing while the others are having all the fun?"
Megatron looked over at his Air Commander, optics narrowing in thought. Soundwave and Skywarp did raise a good point that it could have been one of those quakes that caused the Autobots to shift over into the repair beam. And yet, now that he thought about it, Starscream had been firing on that mountain just before they'd left the area...It was as likely that his shots could have triggered some kind of shift.
He couldn't prove it, of course...And given Starscream's past history of youngling-like behavior, even Megatron could concede Starscream wouldn't have even considered the possibility the Autobots would wake when he pulled that stunt. More than likely, he was just making one of his arrogant statements.
In any case, whether it was landmass instability or a foolish shot that had wakened the Autobots, Megatron wasn't about to put up with his Second's behavior any further today. There were bigger problems to deal with.
"You," he spoke with a low growl, "will continue your work upon the ship until further orders."
Starscream's own optics narrowed, but before he could say another word, Megatron continued, "Unless you would like to become part of the ship, Starscream, I would say nothing more if I were you."
Starscream froze briefly at the thinly veiled threat. After a moment, his fists clenched and he growled. "As you command, Mighty Megatron," he hissed, his optics glowing with a smoldering rage.
Ignoring him for now, Megatron turned his back on the Seeker, his optics gazing out onto the landscape around them.
A cold smirk appeared on his face.
You may have fired the first shot on this world, Optimus Prime.
But rest assured...I will fire the last.