Chapter IV: Your New Leader

Soundwave, the constructicons, Dirge, Ramjet, Thrust, Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, and Laserbeak all followed Starscream towards Shockwave's laboratory. So content was Starscream that he was flying erratically, performing spins and whirls in mid-air just ahead of them.

"I hope he's lying. He'd better be," grumbled Frenzy. He and the other cassettes were resting in Soundwave's chest compartment minus Ratbat and Buzzsaw, who had seen fit to refuel, not particularly caring at the moment who the new commander was. They had remained with Astrotrain, back at the docking bay, and were being tended to by Octane.

Soundwave in turn was in his tape deck mode, being transported by Thrust. Depleted of energon though he was, refuelling could wait. This, to him, was more important than anything. He had to confer with Shockwave.

Thrust chuckled. "Or what? You'll pulverize him? Don't forget, he's strong, and he's got that slagging null-ray of his. You couldn't even touch him."

"Maybe," Rumble chimed in, "But what about all of us. We could take him out."

"Qualification: Mutiny. No better than him."

"Soundwave's right," added Ramjet, who had been listening in over radio. "If we attacked him now, we'd be sinking to his level."

Long Haul mumbled in a fierce tone. "Will you all shut up? He's right in front of us!"

"Altering frequency. Shutting him out."

"Thanks. Anyway, Ramjet, who are you to talk? You practically shoved Thundercracker and Skywarp out the door!"

"It was you constructicons who suggested 'survival of the fittest' in the first place, so don't you dare criticize him! The fact is, the situation was hopeless, and they were doomed."

"Everything's hopeless with you, Dirge. You're so-"

Scrapper interrupted. "We're here."

They all landed and transformed. Rumble and Frenzy had to help Soundwave stand.

"Wait here," said Starscream. "I'll be back with the obvious answer in a minute."

Mixmaster laughed. "Hah! You think any of us trust you? Someone go with him, make sure he doesn't come out and spew more refuse. He'd lie his way into the council of elders, if he had the opportunity.

Soundwave's chest opened up again, and Ravage emerged. He snarled at Starscream, and headed in with him while the others waited outside.

After boarding the lift and heading up three floors, they emerged in the heart of the laboratory itself. Shockwave was working on a deactivated Decepticon body, no doubt attempting to make some new type of scientific breakthrough through chassis enhancement. He turned to take in Starscream and Ravage as they entered the chambers.

"Hello, Shockwave." Starscream turned and glanced at his work. "Is that Sixshot? How are the advancements coming?"

"Slowly. This might take almost half of a vorn to complete. But why are you here? Where is Megatron?"

"That's what I came to talk to you about. Please, inform me and Ravage here, just for our enlightenment, who is in command of the Decepticons in the absence of our oh-so-hallowed leader?"

Shockwave was silent for a moment. "I am military operations commander of the Decepticons, and normally I answer only to Megatron. However, in his absence…I answer also to the current aerospace commander."

"Who is?"

"…Where are you going with this? Did you come here simply to assert your superiority in rank over me? Where is Megatron?"

Starscream grinned as he spoke, savoring each word. "He is dead."

Shockwave was silent for a moment. "…what?"

"You heard me." He turned to face Ravage. "Well, you were recording that, weren't you? Go out there and tell them who your new leader is."

Ravage did not move.

"I ORDER YOU!!"

Ravage let out a loud scowl of disapproval, and stalked back into the lift. The doors closed, and after a moment, it sped downward.

"How…did it happen? Surely if he is dead, you kept the body? Where is it?"

"Floating in space somewhere. Soundwave can fill you in on the details later. For now…"

"Starscream, if this is another of your pathetic plays at power, I remind you that-"

Starscream cut him off. "You don't believe me? Go ahead and try to contact him. I mean, this place has such a wonderful broadcast transmitter; you should be able to reach him without any problems, even if he's light-years away. Be my guest.

Shockwave eyed him for a moment, and went over to a nearby control panel. After making some adjustments, he spoke into it.

"Shockwave to Megatron, come in."

Silence.

He fiddled with a remote, and tried again.

"Shockwave hailing Megatron…do you read me? Come in….Shockwave to Megatron…"

More silence. Background static.

"Why can't I reach him? Megatron, this is Shockwave…are you receiving me?"

"It's useless. I told you, he's dead."

"What did you do to him?"

"Do to him? Why, nothing. It was a joint effort, after all…"

"What do you mean by-"

"Enough. I am the new leader of the Decepticons, and you will now address me as such. My first order to you is to contact all local broadcasting stations, and interrupt their programs at 0300 hours tomorrow. You will make an announcement at that time, announcing me as the commander of the Decepticons. And my official coronation will take place in the great commander's hall at 0400."

"But lord Straxus outranks us both. He-"

"STRAXUS HAS BEEN GONE FOR THOUSANDS OF VORNS! He might not even be functional for all we know! We've received no word from him, not since long before we ever crash-landed on Earth!

You will make that announcement, or I will do it myself. Are we clear?!"

"Very well."

"Very well, what?"

"….very well, Starscream."

"Lord Starscream. Say it! Say it NOW!"

Shockwave turned his back on him, returning to his work. "Not until you are officially titled such. Until then, you are still merely Aerospace Commander. And I shall relish your remaining time under that title very much."

Starscream's fists were clenched, and fluid was trickling from his palms. He managed to control his anger, and walked into the lift, silently cursing Shockwave as the doors closed.

That monocular moron. As soon as I come to power, he'll be the first to go. I'll toss him into a smelting pool, or something. I'll eliminate anyone who ever obstructed my rise to power. And after we destroy the Autobots and their damnable moon bases, I will personally collect Megatron's corpse from the void, remove his processor, and display the broken chassis in the centre of Kokulon for all to see. Hahaha…

Shockwave rose from his work, and went back over to the panel.

"Soundwave, come in."

Soundwave was on his was back to the docks inside of Long Haul, who also needed refuelling. As soon as Ravage had emerged and replayed what he had recorded, the Decepticons hadn't bothered to wait for Starscream. They didn't want to hear his inevitable bragging just yet.

"Proceed, Shockwave."

"I am broadcasting on a coded frequency. None can hear this, save you. Tend you your business and report to me as soon as possible. This is a most distressing turn of events. We have much to discuss, and plans to make."

"Affirmative. Soundwave, out."

He cut the transmission. Shockwave walked over to the nearby window, and looked out at the city below and beyond.

Megatron…I warned you, time and again, but you never listened to me. Now, it would seem that you have paid for it with your life.

Perhaps that was inevitable that this would occur. After all, the strong survive while the weak perish. Did you become so weak that you could no longer see the threat that grew daily under your own command? Could you not see him as the parasite that he was?

I shall not allow Cybertron to fall under the rule of one so chaotic and aberrant in nature. One way or another, Starscream must not survive past tomorrow.

I will rule in your stead, as I did when you were gone for four million of the earth-creatures' years. Cybertron will enter a new golden age, one of logic. My logic.