Misgel: Putting my biomedical degree to good use in this chapter. Never knew I could relate to a mad scientist. I would also like to add that I hope everyone is being safe out there. This year keeps getting crazier and crazier.
Rian: Please keep safe everyone.
The state of New Mexico, as it was apparently called, was not much different than Nevada. Flat, desert sands stretched in all directions, occasionally interrupted by brown vegetation. The scorching sun burned from above, hovering at its highest point in the clear, blue sky.
It was odd that the Decepticons chose to attack in broad daylight. The Decepticons rarely chose to show themselves so boldly, preferring stealth when it came to stealing from human facilities. However, after the invasion of Las Vegas, revealing their secret to the world, Megatron likely no longer cared about discreteness. Or, he was that desperate to obtain something that he did not have.
But what could a nuclear power facility possess? Optimus was aware it was a rarer, yet powerful source of energy that the humans used. Cybertronians had even dabbled into the science, but they found it was too unstable, for too little of a reward. Human history shared similar mistakes, but they were learning.
The plant was located far from the closest city, Los Alamos. Great concrete silos towered over the large complex of buildings, massive columns of steam rising into the atmosphere, mixing with black smoke.
Several of the buildings lay in ruins, either reduced to piles of rubble or filled with crimson fire. Gunfire echoed like claps of thunder, along with terrified and pained screams. There were the high-pitched sounds of superheated energon, accompanied by familiar growls and clanking of metal. The deadly orchestra of battle was almost drowned out by the long, ghost-like siren that blared throughout the facility.
"The 'Cons aren't holding anything back, are they?" Bulkhead commented.
"What are they after?" Arcee asked.
"Who knows," Smokescreen replied. "But it can't be good."
"Speaking of which-"
Arcee altered her course at her words. Optimus followed her line of sight, noticing a section of the surrounding fence had been torn down. Forcing their way through was a group of Vehicons, appearing as if they were fleeing the chaotic scene. Two pairs of Decepticons carried a steel crate between them, likely the prize of their plunder. Their comrades formed a tight formation around them, blasters primed and raised while crimson visors scanned their surroundings.
One of the thieves noticed the charging Autobots almost immediately, one yelling in alarm. He leveled his weapon, the rest of the guarding Decepticons following suit. A volley of crimson energon flew through the air, assaulting the Autobots' armor. At Optimus's order, the vehicles broke up their tight formation, moving in different directions. The Decepticons could not concentrate their fire on them all. Sure enough, the drones broke their line, each one staying locked on their own target. Giving Optimus the opening to attack.
With a roar of his engine, the mighty truck charging forward, bracing to barrel into the enemy. Only for energon to rain down from the sky, striking the ground before him and sending pillars of fire and debris into the air. There was a screech of tires as Optimus slammed on the brakes, so violently that smoke rose from his wheels.
Over the grating sound, he heard the roar of thrusters echoing through the air. A dark shadow flew over him, moving on to assault the other Autobots. The vehicles scattered, avoiding the oncoming bolts of energon from above.
"Soundwave..." Optimus growled, watching as the Decepticon surveillance chief arched through the air to make another pass.
"What is he doing here?!" Smokescreen gasped.
"Does it matter?" Wheeljack retorted. "Let's wreck him!"
Suddenly a groundbridge came into existence beside the Vehicons, no doubt summoned by Soundwave. Sure enough, the panicking drones did not hesitate to slip through, stilling firing at their pursuers. Optimus launched towards the retreating Decepticons at full speed, but it was too late.
The groundbridge snapped close.
The Prime raced over the spot where it had once been, his engine growling in frustration. The Decepticons had escaped. But not all of them.
Still driving at full speed, Optimus Prime transformed, using the momentum to kick himself into the air. Wings extended and thrusters roared to life as he took to the skies.
The Guardian Knight had been a grounder as long as he could remember. Even Orion Pax before him had chosen a vehicle mode over a flyer. Yet the sensation of soaring felt natural. Like it was a piece of his existence, and always had been. Perhaps as it was, as the Matrix of Leadership pulsed warmly in Optimus's chest. Was it the Knowledge of the Primes that had come before him?
Soundwave was already behind him, hot on his tail. As if the drone was expecting him. Soundwave opened fire, but Optimus was ready. The Autobot leader corkscrewed through the air, bolts of energon whizzing by him. He weaved back and forth, trying to lose his pursuer, but Soundwave kept pace. The pair of flyers danced through the skies, each one trying to outmaneuver the other.
Soon Optimus had had enough.
The Guardian Knight turned abruptly, taking hold of his rotary minigun. The multi-barreled weapon began to spin with a deadly hum, the only warning before it unleashed a volley of energon. Soundwave swerved to avoid the barrage, effortlessly spinning and twisting in dizzying, graceful motions.
The drone was a skilled flyer, Optimus respected that much, but as a Prime, he was more skilled in combat. Anticipating the Decepticon's movement, he fired at the air in front of Soundwave's path-and was rewarded when a superheated bolt collided with the drone's wing. It exploded with the awful sound of shattering metal.
The reaction was instant―Soundwave fell from the skies in a spiral, smoke and fire trailing behind him. Trapped in freefall, the Decepticon could not stop his descent into an array of power lines. There was a brilliant flash of light, quickly followed by an eruption of smoke with a powerful thud.
"Whoa!" Bulkhead gasped as the ground shook beneath his wheels.
The Autobots spun around at the event, skidding to a halt. With a roar of thrusters, Optimus slowly descended to the ground, landing gracefully as the others drove up to him. One by one, they transformed out of their vehicle modes, staring wide-eyed at the crash site before them.
The smoke cleared to reveal Soundwave at the center of a crater, but something was wrong. Black wires tangled around him like snakes, alive with sparking electricity. The surveillance chief twitched and spasmed under the assault. He seemed like he was still conscious, his helm raising as the Autobots cautiously approached.
Soundwave reached out, as if to attack, but it was too late. There was a hum as his systems were forced into stasis lock, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Did that just-" a wide-eyed Smokescreen murmured. He stared at unconscious Decepticon in shock and disbelief, as if he could not fathom what he just saw. Optimus merely looked down upon Soundwave with a solemn gaze.
"Ratchet, open the groundbridge," Optimus hailed. "But keep the humans at a safe distance. For we will be returning with a Decepticon prisoner."
Jack let out a vicious cry as he charged toward Megatron, one blade pulled back to drive it into the warlord's flank. Only when the tip was about to pierce a vulnerable gap of armor, a broad sword came down and clashed against his. Sparks flew into the air with a horrible metal on metal noise. Jack instinctively dug his heels into the ground, but the smooth floor offered no purchase. He was forced back with ease, skidding several feet before coming to a stop.
"You rely too much on strength," Megatron chided. "Move faster!"
Jack didn't dignify it with a response, merely gritting his denta as he forced his trembling frame to straighten. They had been training for hours. Numerous scrapes and dents littered his body and his system alerted him that his energon reserves were deficient. When Jack had asked for a cube, Megatron denied his request, saying he could fuel when he showed "improvement".
Jack had yet to land a single blow on the warlord. He had come close―so close―to striking Megatron several times, but the Decepticon leader always managed to block him. Every. Single. Time. What did Megatron want from him? Did he really expect Jack to hurt him?
The mech widened his stance and raised his twin blades. Megatron mimicked him, pedes pressed against the floor and sword glinting in the alien fluorescent light. They stared at each other for a long moment, silently challenging the other. Jack broke the stalemate by dashing forward. But Megatron was already ahead of him.
The titan's sword moved in a flicker of an optic, meeting Jack's blades and parrying them to the side. The maneuver left Jack's middle completely exposed, allowing Megatron to send a powerful kick to the youngling's chest. Jack gasped as he was shoved back to his original spot.
But Megatron was not done. The warlord chased after him, clearing the distance between them with a single bound. Before Jack had the chance to defend himself, the former gladiator slashed at him. Jack let out a yelp as the tip of his sword slashed across his face, and the force of the blow sent him to the ground with a loud thud.
"Pathetic," Megatron sneered, casually removing the energon off the edge of his sword with a flick of his wrist. He glared down at Jack as the former human shakily rose to all fours, cupping the fresh wound with a pained hiss. "It seems you haven't learned much from your recent ventures."
Jack flinched at that. This was his first sparring match since his battle against the Predacons. Knock Out had discharged him from the medbay, but not without giving him a strict routine of physical therapy. Yet Megatron, being impatient as always, only humored a few sessions before practically dragging him back to the training arena.
Whatever gentleness the Decepticon showed before vanished as soon as they stepped into the ring. Megatron had not let up even once, and Jack's recovering frame had struggled to keep up. But how could he defeat the Lord of the Decepticons, if he could not even defeat beasts?
"I'm trying!" Jack growled as he climbed back to his pedes. He felt the wound grow warm as the dark energon had already begun to heal the gash.
Megatron scoffed derisively. "You do not try! You either succeed or you fail. You should know better. I expected more from one blessed by both Primus and Unicron."
Blessed? It felt more like a curse. Primus had given Jack a body he didn't even want and Unicron had locked away his free will. Was this even their doing? Were there even gods?
"Your very existence is proof," Megatron rumbled. Jack gritted his denta in frustration. He was thinking too loud over the bond again. "You were born from the dust of Unicron. Touched by the light of Primus."
"And now I'm a freak," Jack retorted bitterly. Megatron merely cocked an optic ridge as the boy vented, "You said it yourself-I'm not a human anymore. But I will never be like you."
"That is true. You will not be one of us."
Jack balled his servos at the cold words. He was tired. Angry. Nothing he ever did was good enough. He was never strong enough.
"You will be greater than anyone that has ever come before you. You will be revered by all that serve you. Your enemies will tremble before you. You will be worshipped as a god."
Megatron's deep growl became filled with zealous passion, fangs flashing in a wide smirk and optics gleaming brightly. Jack did not share his sentiment.
"I'm nobody," the former human huffed.
"No. You are something far more," Megatron stomped forward, grabbing hold of Jack's chin to force him to meet his optics. "You are my heir. You will rule my empire. Entire worlds will bow before you."
What?
Jack froze at the proclamation. His processor reeled, trying to understand the words. His spark hammered against its chamber. He stumbled back, away from Megatron's touch, optics wide and bright as moons. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came, only intelligible noises.
H-heir? How could he be an heir to anything? Or did Megatron just want to keep him as a trophy? Did Megatron not just scold him for being too weak? Jack didn't understand how the Decepticon leader could flip between moods so quickly.
Suddenly Jack's racing thoughts were interrupted by the swoosh of the door opening and hurried pedes. The pair turned at the sound to be greeted by Starscream, wings fluttering in distress and his optics glowing brightly.
"Starscream, what is it?" Megatron demanded, optics narrowing. Once again his countenance had completely switched again to a stern warlord.
"I'm afraid I have some...bad news," the Sky Commander said cautiously, visibly tense under his master's scrutiny. "It concerns Soundwave, my liege. It appears he has been captured."
"A Decepticon prisoner?" Lennox blinked, brows raised.
"Haha! We finally snatched one of the suckers," Epps only laughed, pumping his fist in triumph.
"Don't pull out the party balloons just yet," Fowler retorted. "We have to see what we're dealing with first."
"W-who is it?" Raf asked as he limped over to stand beside the old medic.
The youngling's spark hammered in his chest at the thought that one of their mortal enemies would be in the base. The last time such a thing occurred was during the Unicron incident, when Megatron made a truce with the Autobots. Although the Decepticon leader had been invited, the experience was tense, to say the least. But Raf had a feeling this guest would be far less willing.
"We'll find out soon enough," Ratchet replied grimly, typing the activation sequence into the groundbridge. His optics narrowed as he turned to the figures walking back through the groundbridge. And there, being half-carried, half-dragged between Wheeljack and Bulkhead was-
"Is that… is that Soundwave?!" Raf exclaimed in shock, hardly daring to believe his own optics.
"By the Allspark!" Ratchet gasped. "How in the name of Primus did you manage-"
"Save the questions for later, Doc," Wheeljack interrupted with a grunt. "We need to get this 'Con secured before he comes to."
Ratchet just gawked at the sight a moment more, until finally he blinked out of his trance and replaced it with a solemn mask.
"Put him over here," he ordered, gesturing to a medical berth.
Without hesitation, the pair of Wreckers moved over as they hoisted Soundwave on to the metal slab. Ratchet came over and fiddled with a console of controls next to the berth. In a flicker of an optic, bright blue energon restraints appeared with a buzz. They pinned down each of the Decepticon's limbs, ensuring Soundwave wouldn't be able to move once he came back online. Then Ratchet saw a flash of orange in the corner of his optic, moving closer.
"Keep your distance, Rafael."
The youngling flinched back at the stern warning, though his wide blue optics remained focused on Soundwave. It seemed that Raf's initial shock had worn off, replaced by curiosity and fascination. Ratchet supposed he couldn't blame the poor thing. It was the closest he had ever been to the elusive third-in-command, and it was his nature after all. But Soundwave was no ordinary Cybertronian.
By now, all the Autobots had gathered around, wearing mixed expressions of awe and apprehension. The humans had retreated to the upper level of the warehouse, leaning over the railing to get a good look at their prisoner. Ratchet ignored them for the most part, already skimming over Soundwave's lithe frame. He was a medic, after all, even if the patient was the enemy.
One of the flyer's wing-blade arms was badly damaged, entire portions missing and covered in energon. There were fried circuits throughout his body, likely caused by severe electrocution. Ratchet quietly began to work. Optimus did not protest.
"So… what now?" Smokescreen asked hesitantly.
"This is probably our only chance to get some intel on the Decepticons," Arcee announced, stepping forward as she glared at Soundwave, optics intense with unbridled fury. "Maybe we can get him to tell where they're keeping Jack and Miko."
"We Wreckers have ways of making 'Cons talk," Wheeljack declared, slamming one fist into an open palm.
"That is not how we operate, soldier," Ultra Magnus scolded, fixing Wheeljack with a stern look.
The white mech only rolled his optics. "Yeah, well, desperate times call for desperate measures."
"Optimus?" Bumblebee turned to their leader, as did the rest of them as they waited for his orders.
Optimus was quiet for a long moment, and Raf could see the gears turning in the Guardian Knight's helm. Considering every option he had, and weighing which would be the safest for his team.
"Ratchet, can you pull him from stasis?"
"Uh, are you sure that's a good idea, Prime?" interrupted Fowler from above, tie dangling from where he doubled over the railing. "How do we know he won't just call his buddies once he wakes up?"
"Because we had the foresight to shield our new base, our captive will be unable to transmit his coordinates to the Decepticon warship," Ratchet explained.
"Still, he is quite the handful," Lennox muttered, glaring down at their captive. "He's been sabotaging our operations for years."
"The 'Cons surveillance chief," Epps mused as he leaned his arms against the railing. "That must mean he knows a lot, right?"
"Soundwave isn't called the eyes and ears of the Decepticons for nothing," Ratchet said, frowning deeply now.
"But… he doesn't speak… does he?" Fowler asked, almost curious.
"I don't think he has a face," Raf hissed, eyeing the Decepticon's eerily blank visor.
"Proceed, Ratchet," Optimus nodded, telling that his word was final.
The medic nodded, and jacked into Soundwave's systems, manually overriding the Decepticon's stasis lock.
There was a mechanical whirr as cooling fans clicked on, followed by the quiet rumble of an engine. Fingers twitched and then limbs shifted, only to be held in place. It seemed to only make the odd movements more violent, as awareness slowly returned to Soundwave.
Yet his visor remained black and expressionless even as the Decepticon raised his helm, tilting it back and forth as he seemed to observe his surroundings. Plating flared once Soundwave noticed his captors looming over him, and Raf swore he heard a faint, cat-like hiss.
Optimus did not give him a moment to recuperate, stepping forward to fill the surveillance chief's vision. The Autobot leader assaulted his prisoner with his field, filled with powerful authority-the Cybertronian way of showing dominance.
"Why is Megatron stealing human technology? What is he attempting to build?" he demanded, his tone filled with iron.
The Autobots braced, waiting for a reply, if there would even be one. But it wasn't what he expected.
Rather than a cold, emotionless tone, Optimus's voice came from Soundwave. But it was warped and distorted, played with random beats, like a song remix by a DJ. The burst of noise sent the Prime reeling back, optics going wide and jaw gaping.
Raf could only stare. He had never seen Optimus shocked. Then again, everyone in the room was left in the same dumbfounded state, trying to process what had happened. Did… did Soundwave just mock Optimus Prime?
Suddenly the Decepticon's visor brightened, a smiling emoji appearing at its center.
"Oh, yeah?" Bulkhead's voice lowered as his hand transformed into a mace. "Why don't I wipe that smile right off your face?"
Optimus subtly waved at his subordinate, an order to stand down. The Wrecker scowled, but reluctantly obeyed. Recollecting himself, the Prime returned his attention to his prisoner.
"Soundwave, we have treated you fairly," Optimus continued, gesturing to the Decepticon's patched armor, courtesy of Ratchet. "for the sake of the natives of this planet, tell us what Megatron is planning to build." His optics narrowed and the robust mech towered over Soundwave, his tone darkening as he added, "Before we are forced to resort to less civil methods of interrogation."
It was then an ear-splitting, egregious uproar tore through the air. Cries and shouts were drowned out as it assaulted both receptors and ears alike. Everyone tried to block out the explosion of sound, flailing helplessly and several falling to their knees. Then as quickly as the attack started, blissful silence embraced the hangar once again, but the damage had been done. Audio receptors attempted to recalibrate from the sudden change and a sharp ring filled the humans ears.
"Scrap this!" Ratchet snapped, rushing towards their supposed captive. "We're getting nowhere. I suggest opening him up, so we can have a firsthand look on the information recorded on his drives!"
There was an exchange of uneasy glances, fields filled with uncertainty. The removal of a Cybertronian's drive was only used as an interrogation tactic of a last resort, when it was certain the prisoner was no longer of physical use. Because once all of their data―the core of their personality and their mind―was gone, there would be nothing but an empty shell.
Ratchet looked expectantly at Optimus, who only wore a deep frown. After a long moment, the Autobot leader opened his intake to announce his decision. He never got the chance to speak.
Suddenly Soundwave's visor lit up once more, red lines of coding scrolling across the screen. While Raf stared, baffled, Bulkhead let out a laugh of triumph.
"Ha! He's downloading data!"
"No!" Ratchet gasped, eyes going wide. "Soundwave is erasing data!"
Soundwave's fans kicked on to full blast, desperately trying to cool his frame even as he sent commands to terminate basic functions. Sure enough, the fans came to a halt with a horrible grinding noise and the Decepticon's fields were filled with raw heat. Raf realized with horror what Soundwave was doing.
"Ratchet!" he shouted, but the medic was already moving.
"Scrap!" the war veteran cursed, pulling out a wire and forcing it into Soundwave's medical port.
Only when he did, there was a zap of electricity and Ratchet let out a pained shout. The medic fell over from unexpected shock, Bumblebee rushing forward to help him up. Meanwhile, Soundwave's frame grew hotter and hotter until Raf felt a wave of scorching heat hit his armor like a slap to the face. Then the room stood still as a new voice filled the silence when Soundwave moved up as much as his restraints would allow.
"Soundwave: Superior. Autobots: Inferior."
There was a final, terrible groan of a ruined engine. Then the Decepticon collapsed. Soundwaves helm fell back onto the slab with a dull thud, his visor black once more. His frame was motionless and deathly silent.
"Is… Is he...?" Smokescreen began to ask, but could not find the courage to finish the sentence.
Bumblebee pulled Ratchet to his pedes, the old 'Bot letting out a grunt of effort at the action. He snatched a scanner and a beam of light washed over Soundwave's frame. Only when the scanner beeped with results, the medic's expression hardened.
"It seems he has severed all communication…by crashing his own drives."
"Warpdrive, bring me another sample."
Miko scowled at the command, still in the middle of the last task Shockwave had given her. Something about CNA and thermo-cycle-thing-of-a-miggy. She had just finished placing the tubes in the massive machine when the scientist was already barking the next order at her.
They had not stopped working since Shockwave was cleared from the medbay. Knock Out insisted the chief scientist to rest, as his body needed time to recuperate from his extensive trauma and multiple surgeries. Shockwave refused to entertain the idea. He had not stopped, obsessing from one test to the next, muttering under his breath the entire time. Like he had not come back from the brink of death. Like nothing had happened, actually.
Of course, he had made Miko his personal assistant. As the Decepticon scientist still didn't trust her running an entire experiment, or rather touching anything she could "contaminate." Instead, Shockwave used his pet to fetch, running from one side of the lab to another. Like a good little slave, Miko snatched one of the vials of CNA from storage and hurried over to Shockwave. The Decepticon didn't even spare her a glance.
"Is the polymerase chain reaction complete?" he asked, optics still focused on the vials before him.
"Uh…."
Before Miko could offer a clueless reply, the doors of the laboratory opened with a hiss. Thundering pedes reverberating through the air told the identity of the visitor before the femme even had to look. Still, she couldn't hide her look of distaste as Megatron stalked through, looking grumpier than usual. Jack was in his shadow like always, but his wings twitched restlessly and his optics were bright.
Something had happened.
"Lord Megatron," Shockwave greeted, turning from his work to face his master. Megatron strode over to Shockwave, practically ignoring Miko's presence. She was just fine with that, her deadly glare still locked on him and her lips pulled back in a feral snarl.
"I find myself in dire need of good news, Shockwave," Megatron looked down at the vials of green energon, optics narrowed. "How fares your progress with the Omega Lock?"
Both human-turned-Cybertronians winced at the mention of the very thing that had started this entire mess.
"It is proving far more difficult than I originally anticipated." Shockwave reached over, tapping a key on the console. Suddenly the screen came to life, filled with a schematic of the Omega Lock. "Not only do we not have a sufficient energy source to power the mechanism, but I lack the means to produce a functional form of cybermatter."
A second diagram appeared on the screen, this one representing a complex molecule, several of its oddly bent branches flashing. Miko didn't understand any of it, but the scientist went on anyway. "Without the complete formula, I am unable to stabilize the chemical nature of the synthetic energon. As long as it remains in this state, it will not be able to react appropriately to create an efficient configuration of cybermatter. "
Megatron squinted that screen, recalling, "Knock Out first procured this unfinished shamble from the Autobot medic, did he not?"
Miko remembered that fiasco all too well. A data cylinder, apparently containing the ancient formula, had been downloaded into Bulkhead's processor. Rather than giving him an upgrade, the data spread through his systems like a virus. It nearly replaced all of his basic motor functions until there would have been nothing left but the mindless husk of her best friend cycling the formula over and over. Yet the Decepticons wanted that knowledge to themselves, going so far to corner a deranged Bulkhead and Miko at a monster truck ring, just to take the Wrecker's helm. It was only when she had accidentally hit him during the chaos that a stream of data was ejected from his processor, and disappeared into space.
But not all of it.
Ratchet had managed to piece together some of the formula and tried to replicate it. It was fun for a while, to see a stronger, faster, and studlier Autobot medic. That was until synthetic energon began to infect his processor, too, turning him into a radical beast. Miko heard he was almost killed because of it.
"That is my understanding," Shockwave replied.
"Then the most efficient means to an end may very well be to recruit that medic," Megatron decided, his voice laced with confidence.
Jack and Miko only exchanged bewildered gazes. Ratchet was Optimus Prime's most loyal follower, and hated the Decepticons more than anyone. He would never serve Megatron.
Miko snorted contemptuously, "Fat chance. Doc 'Bot would never work for you. He's too cranky for that."
"And he hardly ever leaves the base, either," Jack added.
"You forget we already have an agent already within the Autobot base," Megatron announced, turning to the mech.
Miko's optics widened at that. Did she miss something?
"Wait, who are you talking about?" she demanded.
"Soundwave was captured by the Autobots," Jack explained quickly.
"What?" The femme's optics went wide and bright at that. The Autobots managed to capture one of the most powerful Decepticons in history, and yet- "I missed it?!"
Jack rolled his optics at her outburst, deciding to ignore her as he shifted his attention back to Megatron.
"Aren't you worried that the Autobots could make him talk?"
"Of one thing I'm certain," Megatron rumbled. "Soundwave knows when to impart information, and when to withhold it."
"Laserbeak could reconnect with Soundwave and upload his directive to him," informed Shockwave.
"You would still need to know where it is," Jack pointed out.
It was then Megatron's lips widened into a wide, twisted grin, his optics gleaming with satisfaction. Miko's armor crawled at the sight, and it took all her willpower not to step away from the demented warlord. She knew that look all too well, and knew nothing good came from it.
"Ah, but we do know the location of the Autobot base," the Decepticon leader purred.
"What?" Miko stared up at the tyrant. "Since when-"
The former humans flinched when a shrill shriek filled the air and a small figure emerged from the shadows of the room. Megatron outstretched his arm, allowing Laserbeak to perch upon it. The silver titan raised a talon, stroking along the underside of the symbiote's beak with a smug smirk. The little flyer made a purr-like sound, leaning into the touch. Jack and Miko just stared at the bizarre sight, optics wide and bright as moons.
"What the-" Jack gasped.
"Where did he come from?!" Miko cried. "I thought you said the 'Bots took Soundwave!"
"Indeed they did, little one," Megatron replied, not even looking in her direction as he continued to pet Laserbeak. "As in accordance to my plans."
"Your what?" Jack stammered out, staring up at the warlord incredulously. "But he's your third-in-command!"
"Precisely why I only trusted Soundwave to complete the mission."
With that, Megatron suddenly raised his arm supporting Laserbeak. Jostled from his perch, the flyer flew up into the air with a squawk.
"Soon you will have your completed formula, Shockwave," the warlord announced. "For I will not only require enough cybermatter for one world, but two."
Without further explanation, Megatron turned away, already stalking towards the exit. Jack did not follow, not even when the doors opened. The warlord only paused when Shockwave hesitantly hailed him.
"Master, forgive my impudence, but what is the logic in ruling two worlds?"
The Decepticon leader turned back towards his audience at his question, optics gleaming brilliantly.
"It has taken me quite some time to fully comprehend that Earth and Cybertron have always been linked. Two halves of one whole. Primus and Unicron. And to rule only one... would mean to never truly rule either."