Hammerhead.
Warnings: Violence, bad language, gore and possibly some sex.
"Through this doorway what's on the other side, never knowing exactly what I'll find, locked and loaded, voices screaming: let's go, come on do it, here we go!" – Hammerhead, the Offspring.
Timing: Post season 2 finale, set few weeks after Beauty of the Beast in my very own BotB Prime Timeline (due to the fact that season 3 – The Beast Hunters is about to be aired at the end of March).
Rating: M (alternative – if there will be any – or extended chapters will go MA and will be available on my Tumblr account, the address is available on my profile page).
Pairings: Megatron and June, Bumblebee and Miko, maybe some Shockwave and Arcee.
Disclaimer: Transformers Prime © Hasbro. Story's plot and OC's © me. There may be some OC's that aren't mine – they belong to their respective creators.
Alive and Breathing.
Twirling round with this familiar parable.
Spinning, weaving round each new experience.
Recognize this as a holy gift and celebrate this chance to be alive and breathing.
This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality.
Embrace this moment. Remember. We are eternal.
All this pain is an illusion. – "Parabol" Tool
Bulkhead and Wheeljack lowered their blasters, the area was clear. All they found were Vehicon pede prints, lots of them. Their owners were gone; they just left their load and went back to their base.
The load was quite a lot of cubes. At first sight it looked like normal energon, but the Wreckers knew better. Wheeljack produced scanner and checked out the energon. Just as Starscream said, it contained small but noticeable amount of Dark Energon, just enough to damage any normal Cybertronian's tanks but not enough to kill instantly. Megatron was immune; he stabbed his own spark with the dark substance. Ratchet estimated that the Decepticon Warlord had fifty per cent chances of surviving such an act. The fact that he spent prolonged time in close proximity of the substance could help. The fact that Starscream repeated the action and survived was a prof that the seeker had more luck than common sense. Ratchet suspected that spark that was stabbed with the Dark Energon had to mutate, even if it was just for a short moment.
On top of everything was single, shiny T-Cog. It was placed in sealed plastic bag.
Wheeljack gave the pile of energon mix hostile glance as if it offended him. Bulkhead only shrugged, he wasn't about to consume it, and the Dark Energon was thin enough to not influence him so if Megatron needed that, then it wasn't his problem. He would gladly rip Megatron's head clean off, but it was political now and he decided long time ago that he didn't want to have anything to do with politics. It was dirty job.
"Bulkhead to base." He tapped his comm link. "We have it."
There was silence for a moment, then Ratchet's voice boomed with relief ::Good. I'm sending you the Groundbridge.::
Wheeljack looked at Bulkhead and then at the energon. "So, now we have twelve hours of safe scouting for energon. In theory. Do you really think Screamer will keep his word?"
"No. But I think Shockwave will." Bulkhead started to set energon in easy to pick piles.
"We'll see."
The moment they had all energon set the Groundbridge opened and Smokescreen with Bumblebee came through to help two Wreckers to move the cubes.
xXx
Ratchet stared at the pile of energon for a moment, it was a large pile, but it was to sustain Megatron for the duration of his treatment and post-operation period. The old Medic performed some calculations and everything was in order, Knockout had to do the same.
"Everything seems to be in order." Ratchet glanced at Optimus. "We have now eleven Decepticon-free hours."
"Understood." Prime nodded once and looked at the rest of Autobots. "Bumblebee, Bulkhead and Smokescreen, you're the first team; Ratchet will send you to the first localisation. Arcee, Wheeljack, you're the second team, you will go to the second localisation."
"Aww, can't I be paired with Bulkhead and Wheeljack?" Smokescreen moaned like a child. "No offence 'Bee."
"No." It was Arcee who answered. "You will not be in one team with two Wreckers. You and Wheeljack are too much of daredevils to be ever let loose on your own."
"Awww…"
"No whining. Bulk, 'Bee and you will be getting energon from the old stash we hid. Wheeljack and I will be scouting for more."
"Yes carrier." Smokescreen looked like kicked puppy. It was clear that he hoped for some action. Arcee gave him an angry glare, but said nothing as Ratchet in accompaniment of silent curses opened the Groundbridge.
"Off you go. Contact me when you'll be ready to get back."
The first team went away and soon after them Arcee and Wheeljack left leaving Optimus, Ratchet and Megatron.
xXx
Ratchet looked through remains of Nemesis Prime, size of its parts were just right for Optimus and they should be good for Megatron. The filter was already prepared and now the old Medic was digging in search for the tank. They were human made but in time patient's own nanites would assimilate them and they would serve just as good as Cybertronian made equivalents.
Ratchet found it strange that both Megatron and Optimus suffered life threatening injuries in such a short time after each other. Optimus' own wounds were less concentrated but they were bad. Megatron got one shot and it was pure luck that he survived, if the blast went higher Megatron would be no more. Maybe it was the 'Karma' as humans called it?
xXx
Optimus watched his greatest enemy and once best friend lay in silence on the medical berth. Megatron's face plates were calm but the old scars gave him hostile look. Optimus knew Megatron better than anyone, safe for Soundwave perhaps; he knew that the Decepticon Lord was a complicated character. A ruthless, unforgiving warmonger was what he showed the most recently. His lust for power seemed to know no boundaries. But Megatron was also an intellectualist, skilled politician and talented warrior. Optimus was first to admit that Megatron would deserve the title of a Prime better than himself if not for the bloodlust and leanings toward tyranny.
The Prime pondered for a moment if it was indeed the best thing to save Megatron. Maybe they should allow him to perish? End his cruelty? But how much of this was Megatron himself and how much was created by the caste system that they all grew in? How much of his tyrant attitude was because of Sentinel's example? How much was because of what Zeta did? Both Sentinel and Zeta showed Cybertronians the worst possible face of Primes, Optimus experienced all the mistrust the society held for anyone with title of Prime. Sentinel created military regime where everyone was to follow his orders or suffer the consequences. Zeta used Cybertronians as his personal slaves, and they were already broken by Sentinel. No one even dreamt to react when he used Vamparc Ribbons, they were too weak. Megatron knew no other examples of Primehood. And he was miner turned gladiator, all he knew was exploitation and violence, all he dreamt about was freedom. Optimus remembered how much mistrust he was showed when he became Prime, how everyone feared that he would be even worse than Zeta, because each new Prime was worse than the previous one.
Would Megatron be worse than Zeta? Or would he just return to what Sentinel was? Optimus didn't even want to think about it. Megatron wouldn't be the worse Prime ever, but he wouldn't be what the society needed. He was a revolutionist in a world that needed evolution – a slow changes to lead it to full recover after such traumatic regimes. But all it received was a civil war that destroyed what was left of it.
xXx
Ratchet prepared Megatron to operation, there was energon IV dripping slowly into Megatron's veins, feeding him with life giving substance, T-Cog, air filter and hydraulic tank were laying in a table, ready to be installed. Ratchet waited patiently for the IV to empty, Megatron had to be a bit stronger to begin the procedure.
The Medic used this time to scan the device he found in Megatron. The schematics were complicated, but Ratchet could read them easily enough to deduce that it was some sort of modifier, but what it was supposed to modify? Give Megatron additional alt mode turning him into a triplechanger? Triplechangers were large, often larger than Megatron himself, and they could modify their size to become many times bigger than in their bipedal forms. The often served as transport vessels and almost all of them joined Decepticons. Some of them were mad, some of them were cruel and all of them were barely accepted by pre-war society. There were voices (mostly from religious purists) that their existence and ability to gain two alt modes were immoral and should be removed from healthy society. Ratchet thought they were an anomaly, something that simply happened and was just as natural as spark twins (that no religious authority ever opposed to) or beast formers (barely accepted by religious freaks and seen as throwbacks that were meant to help in exploration of organic worlds).
The Medic set the device next to T-Cog; he would install it only after Megatron would tell him what it did. He would not take any chances.
xXx
Optimus observed the computer screen with no sign of boredom on his face plates. He just stared. One could think that the Prime learned how to nap with his optics powered.
June Darby walked silently into the hangar; she still lived inside of the base. Most of people from Jasper moved into other towns, the official story was that the town was contaminated by radioactive substances from dirty bomb that someone tried to construct and large areas of the town were too dangerous to live in. It was a bold lie. It was so improbable that no one questioned it. Jasper was small but not small enough that one dirty bomb could affect everything. But official story was that the authorities preferred to be safe than sorry and thus everyone had to leave. They even made and entire show with radioactivity control, people and their stuff were scanned. They even set few agents to act as people that were contaminated or had contaminated property. All for show.
But June and Jack still lived in the base, Fowler insisted that at least for now they should be under military care, all because she had a chat with Megatron. Jack took it calmly but June knew that he envied Miko and Raf their freedom. She felt bad because of that, but she wasn't about to apologise for being abducted. Nor was she about to apologise that she didn't felt traumatised by being held by Megatron, she knew that perhaps she should, but she felt fine. Perhaps it was the thing about tyrants and dictators? They could be charming types if they wanted. June didn't ponder about that too much, she just carried on.
"Optimus?" She asked shyly and waited for Prime to notice her. He looked at her in silence. "What is going on? Fowler was mumbling something but he seemed to be in his own, private world so I didn't ask."
"June." Prime acknowledged the Nurse with almost a smile. "I do not believe it is the safest of places for you right now."
"Why? What happened? Where is everyone?"
Optimus stared at her for a moment. He greatly appreciated everything she did for them, her care and how well she risen Jack to be such a responsible young man. She reminded him of Elita-1 in many ways and that caused him pang of sadness as he realised just how much he missed his beloved mate. One thing was sure, he couldn't lie to June Darby, it would be just as bad as to lie to Elita. They both had a way to tell when someone was trying to omit truth.
"Decepticons attacked one of military facilities in order to obtain ample power source. It looks like M.E.C.H. was waiting for them because they arrived instantly and begun to shoot at them…"
"M.E.C.H.?" June paled instantly. She still had nightmares about Airachnid and Silas. "I thought they were…"
"They gained a new leader. Megatron didn't retreat until he got what he came for and when he was leaving through their Groundbridge, M.E.C.H. used some sort of new weapon to shot him." Optimus noticed that June paled even more. "They shot Megatron in his back."
"Did… did they killed him?" June felt cold sweat covering her back. She didn't know why she cared but she was scared for the Warmonger. He was an enemy of Autobots and humankind, but for some odd reason she couldn't bring herself to wish him death. Not like that.
"No, but he is wounded badly." Optimus observed June as he told her about the agreement and the fact that it was accepted by their human allies. She looked scared. Something told him that it wasn't caused only by the fact that M.E.C.H. returned.
"Optimus, will you allow me to speak with him when he awakes?"
Prime hesitated for a moment. Should he? "It could be dangerous. June, Megatron is a Decepticon."
"I know what he is. But we have some unfinished business." June was now starting to regain her normal colours. "If he wanted to hurt me he could do that when he had me on his ship. Besides, he'll be right after serious surgery."
Optimus watched the woman carefully. He had doubts but the Nurse had a point. Megatron could kill June when he held her captive, yet he didn't. It could mean anything, but even if he changed his mind and wanted to harm the human now, he would be too weak.
"Fine, but it will take a while before Ratchet will finish and Megatron will regain his consciousness."
"Thank you Optimus." June smiled weakly. "So, will Ratchet change your optic colour back to blue or you will keep them yellow?"
Optimus blinked. It was so easy to forget that his optics weren't blue anymore. It must have been an odd sight for all those who remembered him with blue ones.
"Yes, but not yet. It is not the priority."
They started to talk about paint jobs, colour schemes, their new base and other things to pass the time.
xXx
In the Medical Bay area – on the far end of the common hangar, covered by wall of crates and few impromptu screens; Ratchet hear June's voice but couldn't make out what she was talking with Optimus about, beeping of life parameter monitor was too loud.
He already finished the hardest and most mundane task of fixing tubing, wiring and energon lines – he was now ready to replace filter, tank and the T-Cog. It wouldn't take him long now.
Ratchet looked at Megatron's face. For the old Medic it was a monster, but he remembered quite well that the monster once gave hope to damned and lost. And now they needed him once again. Ratchet wondered if they would even get freed of Megatron.
"You're one lucky mech." Ratchet whispered. "Not that you will ever be able to appreciate just how much you have."
xXx
Deep in his lethargic mind Megatron was sitting on his throne in his capitol – Kaon. He knew he used to spend a lot of time in this place and he knew it wasn't real, he even knew that once before he escaped but he didn't know how he did that or when it happened. He couldn't tell how much time he spent here, this place had no time, this place never changed. All he could remember was great pain he felt before he returned here, and his last conscious thought – a pair of organic eyes. He was at lost not knowing what caused him the pain and whose eyes he thought of. He knew he wanted to return, to destroy whoever caused him the pain and to see those eyes again.
Then something begun to happening. The entire capitol trembled. Everything started to fall apart, ground under his pedes cracked, some pieces caved in, the skies turned dark and the light dimmed. Megatron got up, this was familiar, this happened before. Before he could recall if it was a good or a bad thing everything turned dark. For a split second he remembered everything, the power source, the M.E.C.H., the shooting, the pain and those eyes. The only question was: was he dying or coming back to life?
TBC
Yay, June is here! I also managed to mention Elita-1 (that's right, Optimus is a married mech).
This is rather boring chapter, but it had to be done.
No, I am not pairing Wheeljack and Arcee; I just thought that having Smokescreen and Wheeljack in one team would be dangerous (even if Arcee would be there to babysit them). So I send Arcee with Wheeljack (because Arcee is bossy enough to manage Wheeljack, and if I send him with Bulkhead and Bumblebee we would have two Wreckers which would be just as bad as having Smokes' and 'Jakie – if you doubt, see "Loose Cannons" for reference). Bulkhead and Bumblebee should manage Smokescreen well enough. Bulkhead is rather responsible (for a Wrecker, personally I think we should thank Miko for his maturity, she gave him some good practice – she could be Wheeljack's twin if you ask me) and Bumblebee though younger than Smokescreen is far more experienced (because Smokescreen was out of action for most of the war) so those two should manage the "Destiny's Child" XD well enough. Plus they're only collecting some old energon stash, so it's a boring mission.