"Still no word?"
The Decepticon who was manning the communication center shook his head.
"It has only been a short while, commander. They are probably on their way back now."
"Let me know as soon as you hear anything."
"As you command."
Lumen left the communication center and returned to her quarters. She hadn't recharged well. Something wasn't right.
She had felt something inside. Almost like her spark had short circuited inside her chest. She was dreading the return of the other Decepticons. She knew it would only bring bad news.
"Commander! Astrotrain is returning!"
She joined the others as they flocked to the landing pad. Soundwave was the first to leave the beaten up Decepticon, much to the loud dismay of Starscream. Soundwave wasted no time, but hurried over to the femme and dragged her with him. It wasn't until they reached her quarters that he finally was willing to speak.
"Soundwave, where is my father?" she asked, knowing the answer to the question already.
"Lord Megatron fought the Autobot leader. He was badly damaged, but alive when I carried him into Astrotrain."
"What happened!" She demanded.
"They had to unload dead weight…"
Lumen felt her chest tightening up. She couldn't breathe, but still managed to comment.
"And he was determined to be dead weight…"
"I didn't realize Starscream had thrown him out… Not until he proclaimed himself leader of the Decepticons. I tried to throw him off track and start a fight, but in the end, it was futile…"
Lumen was about to say something when the door opened and Starscream entered.
"You are missing my coronation ceremony. I do hope you have an excellent excuse."
Lumen cleared her throat.
"Soundwave was reporting the demise of our leader. We will be with you shortly… Lord Starscream."
Starscream seemed pleased with her tone and left them alone. Soundwave looked at her.
"You are taking this too well…"
She looked back to him.
"Starscream's reign will be short. My father was alive when he was tossed out, was he not?"
"Affirmative."
"Good…"
Lumen eyed Soundwave.
"There is something you're not telling me…"
Soundwave nodded.
"Tell me what it is."
Soundwave nodded slowly.
"The Autobot leader was badly damaged… We got word on the way that Optimus Prime perished from the injuries he sustained while fighting Megatron."
Lumen took a step back, turned around and locked her optics on a spot on the wall. She remained silent for a few moments.
"Lumen?"
"I would like to be alone for a few minutes… tell the others that I will join the…" She felt nauseated by the word. "…coronation, as soon as I can."
"As you command."
When Lumen heard the door shut behind her, she took another couple of steps and sat down on the chair. She hadn't expected that the Autobot leader would perish as a result of her planning. She had expected the plan for Autobot City to fail, but not like that.
She bit down her desire to weep and got up from her seat. When she came out of her quarters, Soundwave was waiting for her.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes… Let's get this over with."
As they joined the others, Starscream was getting ready on the plateau.
"Before we celebrate the joyous occasion that is my rise to leadership. I would like to tell you that I have made some changes in our ranks."
He looked at Lumen, who was standing near the back of the ranks.
"Because of the recent failures in the plans for finding ways to supply our ranks with energon, and the horrible planning that cost our former leader his life, I will strip Lumen of her rank as tactical commander!"
Murmurs went through the crowd. Soundwave was about to protest, but Lumen put her hand on his arm.
"No… Remember what I told you."
Soundwave stepped back, still fuming. They all watched as the ceremony started. Starscream had gone all out. Adorning a ridiculous cape, that would most likely constrict him from transforming properly. Astrotrain crowned the Seeker with a head ornament that Lumen could only describe as comical.
Suddenly, everyone was jumping for their lives as a jet flew in through the crowd and ejected a transformer they hadn't seen before.
"Coronation, Starscream? This is bad comedy."
"Megatron, is that you?"
"Here's a hint!"
With that, the stranger transformed and shot Starscream. Everyone watched in shock as the seeker crumbled before their eyes.
The stranger transformed and turned to the others.
"Will anyone else attempt to fill his shoes?"
Rumble looked at Soundwave.
"What did he say his name was?"
Acknowledging the comment as an acceptance of his supremacy, the stranger finally gave his name.
"Galvatron…"
It felt like a sigh of relief. The Decepticons had averted the obviously painful leadership of the Seeker commander, and been gifted a new, stronger, leader.
Soundwave and Lumen joined the new Leader as he marched toward Megatron's quarters.
Soundwave was the first to speak.
"Starscream did manage a single command in his short-lived reign… He absolved Lumen from her rank of tactical commander."
"Good. At least the idiot managed to do something useful in my absence."
Lumen was a bit taken aback by the comment.
"Excuse me?"
Galvatron turned and looked at the femme.
"Your plans still haven't gotten us any closer to destroy the Autobots and achieve domination!"
"That was never my intention, and you know this."
"I will not discuss this any further."
He, and his new entourage shut the door behind them, leaving Soundwave and Lumen in the hallway.
Lumen stared at the door for a few moments.
"Soundwave… I have a very bad feeling about this."
Soundwave looked at her.
"Maybe it will take some time… We do not know what happened to them out there."
"Yes… Of course. I shall speak with him in private later."
Lumen knocked on Galvatron's door. She was intent on speaking to him about what had happened before their return. What had sparked their, for a lack of better word, transformation.
"Enter."
Lumen watched the door slide open. She took two steps in and felt the door closing and locking behind her.
"Why have you come?"
"I wish to speak with you. The others may not ask openly, but I know everyone is wondering about your change in design, if I may call it that."
Galvatron didn't turn away from the window, but she guessed he was watching her reflection in the glass.
"The others are wise. What makes you think I will tell you?"
Lumen felt uneasy. She was starting to doubt who this impersonator was. Of course he was honest about his name. But was he really the one who used to be Megatron?
"I had hoped you would be honest with me."
He laughed. Not a fatherly, nor a friendly one. It sounded devoid of any real feeling. It felt like chills were going through her neural system. He turned around and moved in on her.
"Why would I want to let you in on any of my thoughts? You are merely a runaway. And whatever games we used to play, consider them a thing of the past."
"Papa? What is…"
He slapped her across the face hard enough for her to fall.
"Do not get smart with me. I have no use for your pet names. Megatron was weak willed. I will not make the same mistakes as him."
He grabbed her by the neck and pulled her up.
"You can't even fight… You may think you are some kind of prodigy. That your master plans will save us all and deliver us to some kind of paradise. You will soon realize, the only thing you are useful as, is someone's plaything. You are lucky that you are already bonded. I might have forced a bond with you, if only to keep myself entertained when I am here. Do not get any thoughts of grandeur, that is the only thing you will ever be good for."
He tossed her toward the door. Lumen got up from the floor and hurried out as soon as Galvatron opened the door.
As much as she felt ashamed and frightened, she had a completely new sense of enlightenment. Whatever he professed, he was not Megatron.