Ahh, sorry for the long delay. ^_^;; Here it is, finally, as we move into a slightly more political/evil-Maximal storyline...
Thanks to all the reviewers. This is for your sake. :D
Also, if you haven't, go read Albedo's Cybertron Chronicles. She was inspired by this story, and she's drastically improving the idea. ;)
Communist, democrat
An intriguing collusion
Fair exchange - tit for tat
Comradeship in profusion
--"The Deal (No Deal)"
Elegant robes of Emysarian cloth pooled around the whitish-golden femme as she knelt gracefully before the altar of Primus. She was slender and beautiful, with optics like the sky at high noon, and her helmet decorated with a stylised star, and kneeling reverently before a priest of Primus she seemed an angel to the many Maximals in the temple with her.
One would think she was kind and virteous, looking upon her in her pious glory. One would think she was a gentle leader of mechs, a caring mother of thousands. One would think that her smile was sincere and her affection true.
One would be wrong.
"Elder Aurora." She turned to face the peacekeeper, and he bowed. "We have news on the... possible situation in Darkmount."
"I am praying," she rebuked him, her voice soft and tingling, her face a pretty mask of grace. "You should as well. Politics has no place here." And she smiled a smile so gentle and unreachable that it was obviously rehearsed.
The peacekeeper, like so many others, didn't care and smiled nervously back, awed. He knelt by her side to pray.
Aurora looked down and waited patiently for the priest to finish his duty and leave so she could signal the assassins. He would never criticise the Council of Elders again. There was, after all, no room for discent among the peaceful Maximals.
It was a strange building, a mix between a grandeous mansion and a military camp in the Decepticon days of old. It stretched up, up over Vilnacron with its spires, and spread out among the other structures with wings and corridors. At the very top of the very highest tower glinted ice-blue, as Cryotek looked out over his city.
He sighed and turned, heading in from the balcony. Inside, in his private study, were art and gizmos from around the galaxy. When he'd grown rich, the leisures of paintings and sculptures started appealing to his freshly-hatched aestethic sense, but the strange, ticking machines were there for his perpetual love of science.
Once a labrat, always a labrat. He quietly murmured for the balcony door to close and smiled at the green femme lounged in a chair. "Verdant. I didn't hear you."
She smiled back, standing. "You had your head in the clouds." This was followed by a pearly laugh which Cryotek politely laughed along to.
"Just came to visit, then?" he asked, running his fingers along the lines of an ancient figurine from the destroyed planet of Quintessa.
Verdant's green optics glinted with another perfect smile. "I missed you."
"That's sweet."
When Cryotek seemed more interested in studying his artifacts than her, the femme deflated, pouting slightly. "You've been so quiet lately."
Cryotek sighed, turning his attention to a study of Anduvelisian Morgrogs. "I've had a lot to think about. The Elders are becoming... testy." He frowned.
Verdant shrugged. "Well, so what? Bribe them."
Cryotek turned to look at her. The silence stretched out for a while until Cryotek finally sighed. "You're beautiful, gorgeous, but thinking's never been your strong suit. Leave politics to me, all right?"
The green femme shot him an insulted look. "Fine." She watched the crimelord intensely as he moved on to a Ttekish Lewppan rattle. He seemed tired...
"Would you please leave, Verdant? You're distracting me." Cryotek poked boredly at the rattle.
Verdant grinned. "Thanks. But okay; all right. I'll leave you to your dusty sticks and stones." She swayed out, slightly insulted when he didn't even bother to look.
"Too long have we fared under Maximal oppression! Too long we've subdued to their will! It's time, now, to strike back!"
The exclamation was met by a resounding cheer, for a second deafening the bustle of the Darkmount market. Slash looked over at the grey and tan mech, standing on the pedestal of a statue, crying his rebellion into the crowd. "Primus, all mighty... Why are we listening to this?"
"Because," Megatron answered absently, "he has a point. I want to know what he intends to do."
"The same as everyone else with a point; absolutely nothing." Slash shook his head and turned back to study the finely crafted swords in the weapons booth - black market, of course. Weapons were not allowed according to the Maximals.
Megatron turned, smiling loopsidedly. "I thought I was the cynic, my friend." He disinterestedly picked at a dagger.
"Hrr, I decided to give you a break," answered the warrior dryly.
The purplish mech chuckled, looking around. "Now, where did Dreadnought run off to?" The smaller Predacon was nowhere in sight.
Slash shrugged indifferently and was about to speak when a commotion made him hesitate. "Ah. Seems the Maximals have caught wind."
Several peacekeepers were bashing their way through the throng of Predacons, trying to reach the seditious speaker before he could disappear into the crowd. Their efforts proved futile; instead they turned their frustration to the crowd, and all hell broke lose.
"Figures," muttered Megatron, pulling Slash away before the false wall hiding the weapons store could hit him as it slid down.
Slash frowned, stretching a little. "I've found your little pet." He pointed.
Megatron squinted, cursed and then hurried into the battling mass of people, trying his best to avoid the peacekeepers. "Dreadnought!"
The small mech squeeked, "Here!" helplessly, being pushed and pulled around by the mob. He gasped as a peacekeeper raised a stun rod to strike him, only to suddenly find himself off balance, caught by Megatron. "Wha'--?"
Megatron frowned at the speaker who grinned at him. "Tell your pal to be more careful, young'un." And he disappeared once more, slipping easily through the flock.
Half dragging the smaller mech out, Megatron hurried towards Slash. "Let us depart, yeess..."
Slash snorted and nodded, helping Dreadnought up straight before moving away with due haste.