Wow, the response from the last chapter was stunning.
This here is the last official chapter of this fic and I hope it doesn't disappoint.
It was always my intention to never focus too much attention on the aftermath of everything that had happened and to keep the focus on Megatron and his story. Just as a warning, I know some people were eagerly anticipating epic interactions between the Autobots and Decepticons but this is Megatrons story and I felt focusing too much on the other characters would be too much of a tone change after all this time.
Having said that, I hope you guys enjoy. And once again, thank you so much. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Transformers fans are the best.
They left The Pit by ground bridge and went straight to the Autobot base where the Autobots and their humans were waiting. Also present were Knockout, Breakdown and Soundwave.
Megatron and Optimus entered into a room that was shockingly not burning to the ground or otherwise in chaos.
The Autobots were on one side of the room keeping a wary optic on their unwanted guests and the Decepticons were, for the most part, acting like they didn't even see the Autobots. Megatron was sure that before they walked in Knockout must have been saying something annoying because some of the Autobots and all of the humans had the look of someone who was desperately trying not to throw a punch.
The moment they entered all optics went to Megatron.
Megatrons optics went to Orion who was sleeping in Ratchets servos.
Nobody spoke but their silence was louder than words.
The Auotbots had a look of impending doom in their optics, no doubt under the impression that Megatrons arrival at their base under the assumption of peace talks was all a cover for their inevitable destruction.
It was actually quite heartening that he could inspire such fear even after all that had happened. Not that they knew the details, if they did their expressions might be somewhat different.
"Autobots," Optimus began. "I ask you to welcome our guest."
Ratchet was the first to step forward. "Megatron," he greeted.
"Ratchet," he replied with barely a nod of acknowledgement, his attention was solely on the small, pearl grey frame in Ratchets servos. " I am pleased that our meeting is under less ... harrowing circumstances." Once assured that Orion looked well he turned to address the larger crowd. "Autobots. My Decepticons. Humans. Today you witness history. This marks the start of an official ceasefire that will take place while myself and the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime, begin peace negotiations."
"I am sure you all have questions," Optimus said before any protests or questions could be voiced. "However let any fears and concerns be laid to rest. For the moment nothing will change as far as our respective factions and freedoms. Indeed, the only thing that will have changed is our mutual cooperation in establishing peace. There has been much energon spilt between our two sides and any negotiations and legal documents are sure to be many years in the making so you need not fear radical changes. Our aim is to be as inclusive and transparent as possible in establishing peace."
Optimus looked to Megatron to continue. The assembled audience murmured uncomfortably at the unusual sight of the two leaders sharing the floor instead of their usual interactions of trying to blow each other sky high with increasingly bigger guns.
Megatron would have smirked if the mood wasn't so sombre.
"These peace negotiations are our last chance," he said. "I hope you all understand how necessary it is that these negotiation not only succeed but are strongly enforced. This is our last chance as a species. We number in the thousands and in another millennia, if these negotiations fail, we will all be dead. Our race, our planet, our culture, nothing will remain. I cannot say enough to impress upon you the direness of our situation. As such no threat to this ceasefire will be tolerated, not from any or you, or even myself. To prove this, Optimus Prime and myself have taken the first step in binding our two factions together."
Several optics widened. Others looked wary. The humans looked confused and it was the black haired human male that spoke first.
"Optimus, what does he mean?"
"What he is saying is that the two of us have entered into a bond."
Gasps and shouts of surprise filled the room. Both Megatron and Optimus were silent, allowing their respective allies to voice their opinions, majority of which were negative. As was expected.
"What does that mean," the human asked.
"It is much like the human concept of marriage," Optimus explained gently.
The human went pale and looked at Megatron, then back at Optimus.
"Oh. Wow."
Optimus smiled slightly at the humans expression and then turned to address the rest. He held up a servo and all went quiet. This was the part he had been most dreading. "There is another matter that needs discussing. These negotiations are a beginning but one that is ultimately useless without a way to propagate our species. Through a series of events that I will not discuss at this moment, Megatron, Ratchet and myself have discovered a way to create new Cybertronians. I am sure you all have questions regarding young Orions sudden appearance and I will admit I have lied to you, my Autobots, about the true nature of his being here today." He looked at Megatron before going on. Megatron gave a short not of assent. "We have discovered how to achieve a method of physical reproduction within in our species using a long forgotten code and a contribution of genetic materials from two separate 'bots. Orion has come into being through this, er, ... organic based union between myself and Megatron."
There was silence.
Dead, uncomfortable silence.
Everyone present looked horrified.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me," Knockout said loudly.
A serious of outbursts followed that ranged from highly amusing ("Wait, which ones the girl," Miko demanded to know, staring at the large mechs as though seeing them with new eyes. She looked disturbingly intrigued. "How can they be girls?") to highly offended ("Optimus, how could you?" Ultra Magnus asked. "Fraternizing with the enemy? Creating unauthorized new life during wartime? I can't even begin to tell you how many laws and regulations you've broken. I'm going to have to submit this in an official report, I hope you know that.").
Megatron did his best to look unaffected by the scrutiny and words.
"Oh the Pentagon is not going to like this," Fowler shouted, amid the chaos. "Robots having babies? And let me guess, Megatron is the proud mommy?"
"As a matter of fact yes," Megatron rumbled, crossing his arms over his broad chestplate and glaring down at the human. "Do you have a problem with that?"
"Er ... no?"
"Good. See that it stays that way."
"This new code, of course, is not ready for mass distribution." Ratchet yelled over everyone, commanding the rooms attention and waiting until the noise had died down to continue. "I'll need help. Starscream and Soundwave are the most versed in scientific studies, I would be honoured to make this into a joint effort between our two factions."
"I have no objections," Megatron said. "Soundwave and Starscream are at your disposal. I will brief them on the specifics later." Both Ratchet and Soundwave were privy to the darker side of this coding but Starscream would need to be informed. He intended to keep a very close watch on the seeker. He would not risk the larger populace discovering what had been done to him those many months ago.
Ratchet nodded and stepped forward, holding out his sleeping Creation out to him.
All eyes were on them.
Megatron gently plucked Orion from the medics servos, bringing the small frame to his chestplates.
"Orion will naturally be dividing his time between the Nemesis and the Autobot base as he is neither Autobot nor Decepticon. He is the first of a new line of Cybertronians to be created without allegiances. He will not be the last."
Over the next few months an exhaustive series of meetings were held between the two factions and even the humans.
Peace, as it turned out, was more of a battlefield than war ever was, it was simply the mode of battle had changed from weapons to paper. Endless new laws had to be written up, negotiations between sides, a slow disarmament treaty as well as rules governing the co-mingling of factions and the limitations of Decepticon interaction with humans.
It was tedious and repetitive and maddeningly detail oriented.
Megatron took to the debating aspect of it well enough but, as suspected he was not a mech well suited to sitting still and going over legalese documents with a fine tooth comb while Orion flailed around on his lap.
He wasn't unhappy though. Far from it.
For all his original fears very few of them had materialised and, to his surprise, he found himself being valued more now than ever before. Where once his ship ran as a near self functioning entity to the point where he could disappear for years at a time and come back to find everything more or less where he left it, he was now in a state of constant demand on and off his ship.
His Decepticons needed him to stand as their leader in a way that meant more than being at the front lines of battle with them. They looked to him to lead the way in interacting with Autobots and the few humans they now came into regular contact with. He was respected. No, that was wrong. He had always commanded respect. This was something else. His crew looked to him for guidance and now, rather than barking orders or delegating the task, he answered. He was no longer in a position to act as an arrogant, impatient warrior. Megatron would always be a warrior, it was in his spark, but he had added new facets to himself in those months.
In time he believe he could learn to love this new role of his almost as much as did the battlefield.
Diplomacy was its own sort of battlefield.
Megatron pondered these thoughts while watching a scene take place that had become commonplace during the past year.
His Creation was playing with one of the Autobots human allies. Something that he only allowed under his supervision, not trusting the humans around his mechling, Despite their assurances that they wanted peace he knew those creatures would be all too eager to have a young, defenceless and impressionable young mech at their grubby little fingertips.
Today's interactions, however, were doing little to worry him.
Orion, with the help of the human Rafael, was attempting to stand up by himself.
"I don't get it, why doesn't he just crawl," Raf asked.
"Crawl," Megatron said, indignant. "My Creation will not be crawling through the mess of this organic mudball."
Rafael winced slightly, worried he had insulted Megatron, and a few of the Autobots present watched them warily, still not comfortable with one of their fragile humans within striking distance of their former enemy.
"I just meant that all babies crawl. It's like, baby steps. You learn to crawl before you learn to walk," Raf explained.
"Perhaps for humans. We have more dignity than to shuffle around on our knees, even as mechlings. Orion will learn to stand and then he will walk. I will not have you encouraging any of this crawling nonsense. It is bad enough he enjoys playing in the dirt."
Rafael smiled at his tone and dared to ask, "It's fun. Didn't you do it when you were a kid?"
That startled a laugh out of him. "A human asking me about my youth? You are a bold one to ask such questions of me, considering I am older than your entire species. Older than your planet."
"He will never stop reminding us of his age," Optimus observed as he walked up to them. "A sure sign that one is growing senile."
"Prime," Megatron greeted, ignoring the jab at his age. "Rafael was attempting to teach Orion the finer points of crawling about in the dirt. A hobby, he assures me, is quite popular among his species."
"I didn't say that," Rafael protested as Orion grabbed his shirt curiously.
"Poor memory is another sure sign of senility. You should not argue with the infirm, Rafael, it is best just to humour him," Optimus advised sagely.
"I'll, er, keep that in mind?"
"I see the great Optimus Prime has nothing better to do with his time than harass his elders." Megatron shook his helm, a look of deep regret on his faceplates. "Orion, Rafael, I hope you will take Primes example as a model of how the feeble of mind find sport in preying on those unable to defend themselves in their old age. One would expect better of a Prime but what can you expect from someone who chooses to willingly associate with the likes of Ultra Magnus?"
Optimus snorted. "Still angry about the report?"
Megatron sneered. "A great many things were said in that report that did not need to be said."
"Yes," Optimus mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully, "he did use the word 'degenerate' far more than was necessary."
"And 'scoundrel'."
"I believe I saw the word 'dastardly' as well."
"Your friend does have in impressive vocabulary when it comes to polite insults, I'll give him that."
Rafael looked back and forth between the two in amazement. It was hard to believe these were the same mechs they had been only a year ago. A part of him was still trying to get over his shock.
"Megatron look," Optimus whispered.
Optimus pointed in Rafs direction. Megatrons face did something that may have been a smile on another mech but on him was more of a self satisfied smirk.
"What did I say, Rafael," Megatron said proudly.
Raf looked around for what they were talking about only to find himself eye to optic with Orion.
"You're standing," Raf crowed.
Orion chirped back at him before wobbling unsteadily and falling down.
A few of the mechs and humans in the area noticed the little milestone moment and soon Orion was the centre of attention. Something the young mechling was quite used to by this point.
Megatron nodded his approval. "It's progress."
"I think the humans are more excited than you," Optimus observed.
A shrug. "Humans have a very low excitement threshold. I'll be excited when his T-cog activates for the first time. I can't tell what his alt mode is likely to be."
"The leanness of his limbs suggests a flier mode."
"I would agree but look at his chestplates, when he's fully grown he's going to have very dense outer plating."
"You're a flier and your outer armour is warrior class," Optimus pointed out.
"But my original coding was for the mining caste. You met me after I had adopted the name Megatronus and been modified for the Pits. My original alt mode was a gun."
Eyebrow ridges raised in surprise. "A gun? I've never heard of such a thing."
"I never had much use for it once I acquired my fusion cannon. If Orion is a melding of our two forms I would suspect he might acquire my alt mode in addition to your own. Perhaps a tank of some sort."
"Don't get your hopes up. Alt mode speculation is bound to end in disappointment. He could turn out to be a microscope." Megatrons horror at the thought clearly showed on his face and Optimus couldn't hold back a smile. It would serve Megatron right if his only Creation turned out to be so unlike himself. "Whatever he turns out to be I'm sure we'll both be proud. But the reason I came out here was to let you know Ratchet and Starscream have isolated the reproductive code. They say it's only a matter of days before the code is ready for trials. Initial tests look promising."
Megatron was silent.
"You've saved us all."
"Your praise is premature and undeserved."
"You never were one to take praise graciously. If you won't accept my praise then accept my gratitude. I owe you so much, I fear I can never repay you."
The grey mech shifted uncomfortably. "A bondmate has no such obligations. I don't need your gratitude or for you to be indebted to me."
"Then ... what do you need?"
Megatron turned to look Optimus in the optics and placed a servo on his shoulderplate. "You by my side."
Optimus smiled gently. "Always."
Epilogue should be up very soon. Spoilers: it's about Orion.
