Chapter 9
Over the following weeks, the Decepticons made Kolkular their new base of operations. The construction robots, who had since selected a name for themselves as a tribute to their new allegiance – Constructicons – helped redesign and enhance much of the headquarters to suit their new factions' needs. They proved to be highly skilled in their work, and had very quickly earned the respect and admiration of the warriors.
Neither the Liege, nor Jhiaxus, had made an appearance since the takeover, and this had increasingly bothered Starscream. Then, just before he was about to suggest that they put together a small team to track them down, Sentinel Prime had contacted them, requesting to speak with the Decepticon leader. Apparently, he was pleased to hear that the Liege had been removed from power, and as a token of gratitude had offered Megatron and his group immunity from the Autobot directive, and the promise of a peace accord between his Autobots and the Decepticons.
"I don't trust him," Starscream immediately proposed.
"Neither do I, Starscream. Nevertheless, let's hear what he has to say," Megatron replied, and indicated towards the main view screen in their newly upgraded control room. "Soundwave, put him through."
The image of Sentinel Prime appeared instantly on the main screen. He had recovered from their last encounter and appeared to be in fine form. A requiem blaster had replaced the fusion cannon that had previously occupied its place upon his shoulder. "You have done well, Megatron," he began in greeting. "I must commend you for your achievements. It was a mistake to have underestimated you, a mistake that I will not make again."
Megatron stood in front of the view screen, his arms crossed in front of him. Starscream stood to his left. "That is not the reason for your request to speak with me, Sentinel Prime. Why don't you get straight to the point?" the Decepticon leader replied, completely unamused by the Prime's attempts at flattery. Starscream gave the Autobot leader a smirk.
Sentinel did his best to ignore the Air Commander. "Very well," he said, smiling graciously. "I simply wanted to extend the offer of a peace treaty between the Autobots, and your… Decepticons," he said the last word in emphasis, as if it were the first time he had uttered it. "I think that it would be of mutual benefit, particularly considering that the Liege has made it known to me of his intentions to reclaim his territory."
This was news to the Decepticons. If Sentinel had spoken the truth, it would be an offer worth accepting. There was no doubt that the Liege planned to retake Kaon, or at least attempt to annihilate his former headquarters and, along with it, every Decepticon within it. Megatron considered what Sentinel had just told him, and walked closer to the view screen. "What guarantee do I have that this isn't… some sort of trick?"
Sentinel looked at him quizzically from the other side of the communications link, and then gave him a soft chuckle. "You are so very predictable. Very well," he said, and then signalled for some of his guards off screen to step forwards. As Sentinel stepped aside, Prowl and another Autobot came into view. A Destron was being held between them, and he appeared to be off-line. He was in restraints, and he looked like he had suffered a severe beating; his face and armour looked rough and he was covered in abrasions. "Does this help put your concerns at ease?" Sentinel said, reappearing on screen.
Starscream stepped closer towards the view screen, his optics widened in shock. "Jhiaxus…"
"Yes. He was captured by the Autobots during a recent confrontation in Iacon. We have… interrogated him, but he would not divulge the Liege's location," Sentinel said. "Such a shame, don't you think?" When he received no response, he continued. "Allow me to make myself clear. The Autobots won't stop until every Destron is captured. If you want your Decepticons to avoid a similar fate," he said, indicating Jhiaxus, "then… I would strongly suggest you take up our peace offer."
Starscream turned towards Megatron and the other Decepticons present in the room. "He's hiding something," he said. "I can sense it; he's lying." But he couldn't explain it.
Megatron nodded in agreement. "There's certainly no denying it," he replied in a low voice, away from the main view screen. "However, it seems that if we refuse his offer, the Autobots will relentlessly drive us out of Kaon, particularly if they enlist the Liege's help; I wouldn't put it past Sentinel." The room was quiet, as Megatron considered their options. Finally, he turned back towards the Prime, who had been waiting patiently. "Then, we have an agreement… and the Autobots will leave us be," he said.
Sentinel grinned in approval. "I knew you would make the right choice, Megatron," he said, and was just about to deactivate the link, when he stopped short, as if he had just remembered something. "Oh… just one more thing," he said, and paused as the Decepticons waited apprehensively to hear what he had to say. "You will come to Iacon unaccompanied. Just as a precautionary measure, you understand?" he finally said, before the screen went blank.
"That conniving, two-faced aft port," Starscream said, exasperated. "Surely you're not going to do as he says, Megatron?"
"What other choice do I have?" the Decepticon leader replied, turning away discontentedly, and then exited the control room without another word.
Autobot guards awaited Megatron's arrival in Iacon; they were under instructions to escort him directly to the Command Center. Sentinel seemed eager to welcome him, beckoning the Decepticon leader to follow him until they arrived at the observation deck of the command complex.
Once they were alone, Sentinel turned to face him. "I must apologize for our little misunderstanding the last time we met," he began. "I was only acting in the best interests of the Autobots. I trust that Starscream has recovered from his… mistreatment at the hands of the Liege?" Megatron did not give him a reply, but remained expressionless, so Sentinel continued. "By the way, has Shockwave managed to build a working model of that… inter-dimensional portal the two of you have been working on? I'd be most interested in seeing its development… if you agree, of course?"
"How do you know about that?" Megatron questioned him. After he had defeated Sentinel and left Iacon to form the Decepticons, Shockwave had taken his research and relocated to Kaon, where they had continued with their work. In fact, the portal was almost complete; in its final stages of development, it only needed some careful fine tuning and testing.
Sentinel shrugged. "I'd taken an interest in the project before Shockwave left. I even helped him procure essential components and materials. It was no secret." He walked casually to the railing of the deck, and looked out over Iacon. The street far below was alive with activity, as Autobots went about their daily business. "I won't waste any more of your time, Megatron," he said suddenly. Turning back, his gaze fixed upon the silver and black Decepticon, and he rubbed his chin in thought. "I have a proposition for you – no, consider it… an ultimatum."
"I thought we had an agreement," Megatron said, watching the Prime warily, now on the alert.
Sentinel let out a derisive laugh. He didn't answer the question, but instead responded with another of his own. "How long have we known each other?" He paused dramatically, waiting for a reply, but he got none. "Do you remember… back in the days when Destrons would do our bidding without question? That was their purpose, the very reason they were created. We were invincible, unstoppable. The entire galaxy would have bowed before us, had things remained the way they were. Instead, however… we have conflict, war… much chaos… we struggle to hold on to the glory and prosperity that we once had." Sentinel said these words in emphasis, moving slowly closer to his adversary with each step. "Oh, there shall be peace between Destron and Autobot once again. Oh, yes… I guarantee it."
Megatron stepped back in defence, suddenly realizing what Sentinel was intending – had intended all along. "Peace through tyranny, is that it?" he said slowly, angered.
"Don't fight it, Megatron. It is your destiny – it always has been," he said. Behind him, a large, menacing robot suddenly jumped down onto the observation deck from his hiding place one level above, and took his place behind the Autobot leader. His large, incurved horns and head formed an ominous outline in the failing light, his fiery red optics piercing pin-points of light. A vengeful growl emanated from somewhere deep within the war lord.
The Decepticon leader knew that this time, he was outmatched, and Sentinel summoned his guards, who had been standing nearby. "Take this Destron away!"
The Autobots, pointing their weapons towards him, came up quickly behind him and forcibly took hold of his arms. Megatron looked towards Sentinel and the Liege, as they taunted him, the Liege mocking him, chortling maliciously. "As long as Autobots and Destrons exist, you shall never have your peace," he promised them, before he was led away.
"Something's wrong," Starscream said to Skywarp, as he and his trine mates made their way to Shockwave's recently constructed laboratory in Kolkular. "Megatron should have contacted us by now."
It had been more than a day since the Decepticon leader had departed for Iacon; he had promised to let Soundwave know as soon as his business with Sentinel was concluded, but the communications expert had not received a word from him. Starscream had inquired repeatedly, to the point of harassment, but Soundwave had remained patient with the Air Commander, all the while respecting his place as second in command of the Decepticons.
Shockwave was in his laboratory, just as Starscream had predicted. He strode into his work area without warning, and stood in front of the purple Decepticon. "Shockwave," he addressed him, but the guardian had been intensely focused on his work, and did not look up straight away. "Shockwave," he tried again.
"Yes, Starscream?" he said finally, putting down the data pad that he had been analysing.
"Have you tested that…" Starscream pointed towards the prototype of the inter-dimensional portal that Shockwave and the Decepticon leader had built together. It didn't look quite the same as the theoretical model he'd seen; to him, it looked more like a circular bridge. "...Space bridge yet?" Starscream finished.
Shockwave glanced towards the portal to their right. "No," he replied simply.
"When will it be ready?" the seeker asked, persistent.
Shockwave gave him an audible sigh, as he calculated the time frame and variables involved in the successful completion and operation of the portal. "It will require several experimental runs before it can be deemed safe enough for operation," he paused, considering the situation. "We could… begin the testing within… two days."
Starscream shook his head in frustration. "That's too long. I want you to test it now!" he demanded.
Shockwave remained motionless. "That's not recommended. Activating the portal before it's been completely calibrated may cause the containment cells to become unstable. There's no telling what might happen…" He trailed off, unsure of how to convince the seeker that what he was proposing was extremely risky.
"I know what the risks are," Starscream replied. "I order you to do it!"
His trine mates looked on in bewilderment at their trine leader's sudden impatience and erratic behaviour. Regardless, they respected his selfless intentions for the Decepticon leader, and wanted to help him.
"Starscream," Thundercracker spoke up from behind him, "you might want to think about what you're planning on doing…"
Starscream turned towards the blue and grey seeker. "If we don't get to Iacon soon, we might never see Megatron again; you might want to think about that. After all that's happened, I'm not about to just hand him over to Sentinel Prime and the Autobots; there's no telling what they'll do to him. I don't trust Sentinel as far as I can throw him."
As much as Thundercracker didn't like to admit it, Starscream had a point. "We could assemble a team and go to Iacon. Why do we need the space bridge?" he reasoned.
"Because, Thundercracker, the Command Center is swarming with Autobots," the Air Commander answered him, "and if Megatron has been captured, there's no way we are going to bring him back without getting captured ourselves. We need that space bridge so that we can get to wherever he is without warning them of our arrival." Then he addressed all of them. "Unless any of you have a better idea?"
When no one answered, he turned back towards Shockwave. "So, can you do it?"
The guardian looked towards the space bridge, and then back at their second in command. Finally, he sighed in resignation. "Very well, I will attempt it," he said.
Megatron had been thrown into a common cell block, where he shared the same space with other Destron prisoners. He slowly picked himself up from the floor, and looked around. The cell itself was divided in the middle by a wall of energy bars; he counted five Destrons on the other side of it, and one other captive who shared his half. He looked down at the jet, who was seated against the metallic wall, his yellow and white frame and face just as battered as Megatron remembered seeing him the previous day on the view screen.
Jhiaxus slowly turned his head to the Decepticon leader, and let out a contemptuous laugh. "So… the great Decepticon leader… captured by Autobots," he said, his voice raspy.
Megatron turned away from him, as he studied their prison. "You're one to talk."
Jhiaxus remained silent for a long while, observing his fellow inmate, before speaking again. "I must say, I immensely enjoyed turning your Air Commander over to the Liege…" When he did not get a reaction from the Decepticon leader, he tried again, pushing harder to see if he would break. "I hear the Doctor did quite a number on him. Don't be surprised… if he betrays you… at the most inopportune time… when you least expect it."
"Shut up," Megatron told him, almost a whisper.
Jhiaxus laughed at him, louder this time. He seemed to gain strength from the misery of those he despised. "You know, if I were you… I'd terminate him before he rips your spark out of your chest with his bare hands, right after he stabs you in the back–"
Megatron moved over to him and pointed his fusion cannon in his face. "I said, shut up," he repeated, "before I tear out your spark and shove it up your aft port." Megatron's optics glowed with anger, and Jhiaxus quietened down; he could see that Megatron meant what he said, and did not particularly want the Decepticon leader to make good on his promise.
Once he had regained his composure, Megatron stepped away from him, but then stopped short as he heard heavy footsteps approaching.
It was the Liege. At first, Megatron thought that he may have come for Jhiaxus, either to release him, or perhaps to punish him – he wasn't sure which. The imposing war lord deactivated the door to the cell block, and stepped inside. As the door closed behind him, Megatron understood why Starscream had been so afraid of him. The Liege's superior strength and armour was virtually impenetrable, and he literally had no need of any weapons, though he did carry a saber.
Liege Maximus turned his attention upon him, his voice a low rumble. "I've come for you," he said, and before Megatron had time to respond, the Liege grabbed a hold of him and lifted him up high above the floor. "I shall enjoy watching you writhe in anguish as I rip you to shreds," he threatened, and struck his face with a closed fist. The Liege rasped in pleasure, as he released his grip on the Decepticon leader, sending him tumbling to the floor. Then, as Megatron began to pick himself up, he was subjected to another violent blow, as the Liege exacted his revenge upon his adversary without remorse.
From the other side of the cell block, one of the Destrons spoke up in his defence. "Hey, leave him alone!" He watched the assault through the bars, his four team mates standing behind him.
The Liege turned his head slowly towards them and growled. Then, in a show of superiority and strength, he placed his hands upon two of the energy bars that divided the cell block between them, and absorbed the energy. The bars began to lose power, until they were finally deactivated.
"Oh, scrap!" one of the other Destrons commented, as they stepped back and away from the war lord, who now had free access to them.
The Liege charged at them, leaping forwards and slashing at them with his beast-like claws. Megatron, having recovered from the recent attack, was determined to stop him from making a gruesome example out of the Destrons, as the war lord was known to do with his enemies. In one way, Starscream had been rather fortunate, considering what may have happened to him. "It's me you want," he said, loud enough for the Liege to hear him. "Not them."
The Liege slowly turned back around to face him, an evil leer crossing his features. He clenched his fists in anticipation, and then rushed forwards, fully intent upon punishing the Decepticon leader for having taken over his base of operations in Kaon.