Chapter 9 Highlight: Blackout
Every military needs a backbone support unit and in the Decepticon ranks, that soldier was Blackout. In a sense, he was in command over the entire military; all Decepticons had to respect him and listen to his every order. Aside from Soundwave, Blackout was the second most important key for Megatron to continue his war, although none took notice of this. His undertakings included observing and evaluating every training session and skirmish that occurred, maintaining disciplinary control, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Decepticons. Those were his tasks as an officer. As a soldier, he functioned as Megatron's unquestioning first-strike soldier or in simpler terms, the Hound of Megatron.
Many would argue that the Communications Officer was the most faithful to Megatron, but Blackout was, by far, Megatron's primary staunchest supporter. If an act potentially proved too dangerous for the more cowardly Decepticons, he would be the first to rush in with a fierce determination and complete it successfully before his Master could appoint someone else for the task. No task has ever hindered this immensely strong and large soldier who towered well over the competition. He maintained himself and his weapons always in pristine condition, despite how damaged he appeared after a battle. A myriad of Decepticons would take the easy path, gathering mere scratches and dents on their armour, but Blackout knows that discipline is the prerequisite to power and victory.
His loyalty and his service led him to become the 3IC of the Decepticons and left him always at the top of Megatron's "good list", having never defied a given command ever. The task may seem suicidal or utterly impractical, but he never defied a direction whether it was direct or not. Although he was highly intelligent, when it came to orders, it was always command over logic. Shockwave systematically "complained" whenever he felt a directive was illogical, but Blackout knew that Megatron's command was his life. To defy Megatron meant certain death for most Decepticons but unless they had a favourable excuse, to object often meant immediate termination.
The only instruction of Megatron that Blackout had ever despised was mentoring Starscream and having him under his wing. It was not the task he loathed but rather the character of focus itself: Starscream. With a fierce hatred for the humble second-in-command, the large Decepticon carried out his orders to the letter, observing and evaluating the Seeker's performance at all times. As soon as defiance loomed, Blackout would immediately berate, punish, and humiliate his pupil until such thoughts were discarded and obedience, honour, and integrity were established in its place. If there was anything he abhorred more than anything it was a self-serving, patronizing, and recklessness mentality. It seemed that Starscream wielded all three of these hated states of mind, and the more the 2IC engaged in them… the more he received hatred from his mentor.
Blackout would never argue the fact that Starscream was strong and outright callous, but he felt that his Master has appointed such a weakling to command the Decepticon forces. Never once did he reveal his true emotions to Megatron, although growling and rumbling at times, but anything that could be viewed as defiance in any shape or form was censored. Although Blackout was not a mech for words and only spoke when he felt it necessary to, he maintained a good relationship with his Master up to the point in which he would literally commit suicide if he ever accidentally disregarded a command. Pure loyalty or termination, it was either one or the other… no in-betweens were acceptable.
Retaining himself to exceedingly high standards, Blackout could easily pass as the most disciplined soldier under Megatron's command or the most "perfect" Decepticon. It was true; none of the other lowly Decepticons or Megatron could reject this truth. He was an ideal soldier, bred for the harshest of combat and to serve the Decepticon leader utterly with no faults. There was none to compare him to and yet some chose to do so with Grindor and Soundwave. Grindor was a little shorter and preferred to do tasks in his own creative way, while Soundwave did not trust anyone. Blackout did not trust anyone either than his symbiotic partner, Scorponok, and the Decepticon leader, Megatron.
And there were the certain Decepticons he wished would just be terminated or removed from their position as an officer. One was Starscream, the gaseous sycophant and inferior superior who was placed as second-in-command out of all the Decepticons; he hated Starscream to no ends. Another was the pet mad scientist Shockwave; he was a whiny, scientific, single-armed, cyclopic freak who always looked at every issue as if it were a mathematical equation. Blackout also held thick hatred against Brawl, the one and only Decepticon who could pass for a mental condition for being too obsessed with weaponry. Out of all the Decepticon officers the only two he did not mind working alongside were Soundwave- he liked how he too shared a symbiotic relationship with smaller Cybertronians- and Barricade; the fastest out of their ranks who acted out in an obnoxious sarcastic, violent manner.
Eons ago, Blackout had emerged out of the Well of AllSparks a few cycles after Megatron without a name and as the largest of the Sparklings. Before they could be named by their caretakers, the fearsome Phantoka had captured him and taken him far out of range of any civilized city… the Badlands. There they were treated brutally and enslaved to work for their new masters. No task was difficult for the large Sparkling though- he was as strong as ten Sparklings without using much strength. Eventually he began to make friends with the Sparkling known as Delta 16- he got his name from his area of work- and the two became closer than brothers. When he finally received a name- Beta 13- he and Delta 16 were sent to the gladiator pits for they were the strongest out of all the Sparklings they emerged with.
Beta 13 and Delta 16 quickly became feared in the pits, as they started becoming exceedingly violent even outside the match rings. Due to his dark armour and size, the cheering fans eventually changed his name to Black the Giant and marveled at the speed and power associated in every brawl he held with another opponent. After Blackout killed an opponent two times his size, the crowd started chanting "BLACK OUSTS ANOTHER ONE!" and soon were calling him Blackoust. While training with smaller opponents, Blackoust soon discovered that the fastest way to take out an opponent was attacking their processor and began applying this new tactic. Most opponents were knocked senseless before they could evade his powerful fists and his adoring fans changed his name to the respectful "Blackout" and he carried the name ever since.
Blackout began serving a brutal mech known as Megaton who was the most feared gladiator in the pits; his power remained unmatched. Despite being a powerful brute, Megatron was highly intelligent and his intellect even left their bosses stupefied. His delusions of grandeur seemed pleasing to Blackout and thus he quickly sided with the powerful gladiator. A free Cybertron, the Phantoka eradicated, the long-termed Magnus council overthrown… yes, this was what many Cybertronians wanted and it was what he wanted too. But Megatron was not planning on stopping with a freed Cybertron; he wanted to show the entire Universe that Cybertronians were the master race amongst it.
"Sir?" A Decepticon soldier interrupted Blackout's thoughts, "Your presence has been requested in the Silence Room."
"What is our current location, soldier?"
"The Ostarice System, sir."
The large Decepticon officer nodded his response to his subordinate and turned his head to his Master, "Lord Megatron. Permission to leave my post for a time?"
A nod was the only answer Blackout had received and the Decepticon got up and hurried to the Silent Room; he knew who had requested his presence and his Spark was aching with pleasure.
"You requested my presence, Starcatcher?" he asked as soon as he entered the room, four millicycles later, "I see that your transfer appeal to the Nemesis was accepted…"
A short Seeker femme walked over to the large Cybertronian, and anointed his faceplate with a kiss, "I missed you, Blackout. Where have you been for the past ninety metacycles?"
"Serving our Master," he wrapped his large, strong arms around her and pulled her close, "Where else would I be?"
"Teaching that moron, Starscream." Her voice was filled with disgust, "His flirting is irritating."
"He FLIRTS with you? If only I can pummel him with Megatron's consent…"
Starcatcher giggled as she felt his Spark reacting in rage; his anger was always pleasing to her. And the way Blackout was so possessive over her, caused her to be true to her mech. If a mech was not true to their femme, she would not be true to him… often.
A low purr-like sound escaped his orifice as she placed a hand over his Spark, indicating that her touch was very pleasing to him. He rested his chin on top of her helmet and continued to "purr" as she snuggled into his chest.
"I suppose that you cannot be here for long," she sighed.
Blackout answered her with an "injured-puppy" whimper.
Gazing up at him, the Seeker femme knew that Megatron would summon his Loyal Hound very soon, "Once the Decepticon cause is fulfilled, we can be together for as long as time permits us to function."
"During the times we are apart, you'll be in my Spark," he replied, "As you will be always."
"And you'll be in mine,"
Suddenly a transmission came to the Decepticon officer, beckoning him to return to the bridge. A light, low growl informed her that he had to leave. Reluctantly the femme released her mech and he started away towards the room entrance.
"Say the words, Blackout." Starcatcher begged, "Say the words I long to hear."
Blackout paused and turned around so his red optics met with her purple optics, "My Spark is yours."
And he left her, knowing that duty came before self; how he longed to have been given an allocated period to be with only his femme. Megatron was unaware of the special relationship he shared with this precious Seeker of his… if they were discovered, they would be court-martialed for a superior officer and a subordinate fraternizing with one another. This was perhaps the only secret he harboured from his Master but sooner or later, the Decepticon leader would expose it.
"Master," he bowed deeply when he arrived at the bridge.
"Rise, my faithful hound." Megatron acknowledged the officer, "It appears that we have met up with the rest of the Fleet quicker than I had anticipated. We are preparing to head for parts unknown to us…"
"And the Decepticon cause goes with us."
"It shall reach every star system and every planet out in the cosmos…" He paused briefly, "I need you to prepare the Nemesis for such a journey. We make berth down on Klatos VII in a few millicycles. You have no longer than a solar-decacycle."
"Yes Lord Megatron. It will be complete beyond your standards within five solar-cycles."
"Excellent. You are dismissed, Blackout."
Blackout returned to his post, feeling emptiness in his Spark; a portion of it went with Starcatcher as a result for telling her that his Spark was hers.
Think Blackout, he scolded himself, now is not the time to be taken off duty for being emotionally compromised. There are bigger undertakings afoot.
He had actually a very limited time to have the vessel even up to Megatron's standards but failure would never be an option. If Megatron wanted a task done in three solar-cycles, it would be completed within two. Service or termination… only this thought mattered.
The Nemesis landed on an enormous landing pad that covered a portion of land the size of the Hydrax Military Centre in Polyhex. Megatron was the first to leave the vessel and after Starscream was off, Blackout came. A number of workers would be needed to continue the work progress that he had been tasked with; this required an audience with the callous Carnage.
Originally Klatos VII was a peaceful world home to a myriad of creatures that resembled any member of the feline species. Then the Decepticons invaded… and enslaved the planet for their own will. All slave operations were left under the rule of the Decepticon Carnage. Carnage was a twisted Cybertronian; he cared not for Megatron nor the Decepticon cause… all what mattered to him was pain and suffering. With an entire database dedicated purely to brutal forms of execution and torture methods, he went about torturing, slaughtering, and creating as much carnage as possible. Whenever he heard screams of pain or anguish, he reveled in it. Megatron hated Carnage's non-quenching thirst for suffering, and almost every Decepticon shunned him. Except for a fellow 'Con named Bludgeon who was a dumb as he looks but as strong as Brawl.
When Blackout found the slave mill in which Carnage himself resided in, it was almost tragic… even to a Decepticon such as Blackout… to see how the slaves were treated. Most of them looked weak and ill, others had signs of discipline all over their bodies in the form of abrasions. Although the Cybertronian race was superior in his view, the Hound of Megatron would not agree to the suffering that the creatures of Klatos VII faced. If he were in charge, they would be nurtured up to the point of normal functioning and punished for good reason only. And if they were to be executed, it would be quick and as painless as possible. There was no honour in the methods of Carnage.
"Bludgeon," Blackout growled as he watched the Decepticon tank transform and start whipping the slaves for no apparent reason, "Where is Carnage?"
"Torturing a couple of slaves for no reason… where else?" Bludgeon shot a slave for the fun of it, "This is entertaining me… I felt like punishing them for no reason at all."
"Hmph! By the time you're done, you won't have any slaves left."
The tank Cybertronian shrugged and Blackout punched him in the face, "What the Pit was that for?"
"I felt like it."
Without a second glance at the brutal 'Con, the large Decepticon walked away to find the twisted mech. And he found him… torturing a slave who was nailed to a wall upside-down. Blood was pouring down the poor creature's body and screams reverberated off the walls. Where was the honour in this kind of torture? Blackout loathed Cybertronians who lost their honour by practicing and committing appalling acts against the Decepticon Code. If Shockwave was "mad", Carnage had to be insane. But what could he do? Rank structure had no meaning to this Decepticon; all what mattered was pure suffering.
Blackout hoped the poor creature would die quickly so it would not have to suffer much longer… although Carnage probably did everything in his mortal power to keep his victim alive. Ultimately, the large Decepticon could not take it no more, and shot the cat-like creature in the forehead, killing it instantly. He may have taken its life, but it was all a mercy.
An enraged Carnage scowled, putting away a scalpel he was using to tear off the very flesh from the hapless creature. He turned to face Blackout.
"You ruined my fun…"
"Fun? YOU THINK THAT'S FUN?"
"Naturally, you disgusting robot…"
"It defies the Decepticon Code and thus you have lost your honour…"
"Whatever. Honour is meaningless. Pain and ssssssuffering… yessssssssssss… is fun."
"Megatron has demanded a workforce to prep the Nemesis for a mission. You hold the key to all the slaves of this planet." Blackout crossed his arms, unimpressed.
"You can have all the slaves you need…"
A strange insignia was in the place of Carnage's former Decepticon logo, causing one of the large mech's optics to lift. The twisted robot noticed the strange look and smirked.
"I no longer serve your pathetic master, Megatron. There is another who I serve who lavishes in my addiction to suffering… he allows me to tear apart whoever I so please."
Blackout ignored the Decepticon and left without another word. Although hatred for Carnage tore through his Spark, he refused to show it. Besides, if that 'Con had planned on deserting the Decepticon ranks, then it would be worth informing Megatron and having a warrant for execution placed on his head; that would be enough to satisfy Blackout.
"So Blackout, did you talk with Carnage?" Barricade approached from behind the large Decepticon with caution, "I hear he's being a dumbaft as usual."
"Hmph. Dumbaft would not even be the term. I prefer 'mentally unstable' or even 'treacherous'…"
"Oh?"
"I need an audience with Megatron, Barricade. Do you know his exact position?"
His companion shrugged, "Beats me. Last time I checked though, Megatron was being followed by that Icewing femme… AGAIN."
"Again? If I were him, I would terminate her! I would HATE having an annoying fan-femme following in my wake wherever I go."
"Yeah, and it seems that Starcatcher is pretty taken with you, Blackout…"
"We can have as many slaves as we need," the subject was suddenly changed, "You know what you are told, Barricade; carry out the will of Megatron."
"Sir!" the Decepticon Interrogation Officer saluted and walked off.
It did not take the Hound long before he found his Master; the Decepticon leader was conferring with Starscream and being annoyed by Icewing, a Decepticon Seeker femme.
"If you VALUE your life, Icewing, you will leave NOW," Megatron threatened the femme.
"Yes sir… but that doesn't change the fact that you're the love of my Spark!" she called back.
"OUT!"
Immediately she was gone.
"Idiot…" he turned his head over to his Loyal Hound, "Report!"
"I successfully established communication with Carnage, sir. He has offered us as many slaves as we need but he also claims that he does not serve you, Master… someone else who is perhaps as mad as that 'Con himself."
"Interesting. I'll deal with it myself," Megatron flexed his sword-wielding hand, and stood up, "In the meantime, do what you must, Blackout."
"At once, my lord!" Blackout bowed and walked off, a little confused and intrigued by the sudden change of affiliation within Carnage. Who else would start a faction and include Cybertronians? And be psychotic enough to allow that mech to indulge in his craving for pain and suffering? Unbeknownst to him, his questions would be answered soon enough…