Hi all! Sorry for the 5 week hiatus, but real life kinda took over for a while (3 weeks of 12 hour work days, 2 weeks of 14 hour work days), and then when I had time to write I was too tired to write!
Anyway, here's the next chapter, I hope you like it!
Megatron frowned over the battle plans. They were going to be taking the fight to their opponents, and the best of the tacticians were going over plans and counter plans and contingencies. Optimus had become one of the best tactician the Decepticons had, over the cycles of training he'd received. He, Megatron, and General Strika were making plans before they called up the troops.
But this… his heir's plans were different, and Megatron knew it. He just wasn't sure if he would say anything. They weren't bad plans, per se, and they definitely weren't Autobot plans. But they weren't Decepticon plans either.
Where Optimus had gotten the ideas he presented, Megatron didn't know.
Strika was frowning at the plans. "These plans do not seem to be as effective a strategy as the one I offered."
Optimus tilted his head. "While the battle would likely take longer, if we positioned the tenth fleet in this sector, we'd see a near 30% reduction in casualties," he said. "How is that less effective?" Optimus smiled disarmingly, but no one around the war table was fooled. Optimus may not have been created a warframe, but there were few who could match him when it came to directing troops.
Still, this sudden desire to prevent casualties was confusing. Megatron tilted his head. No. It wasn't sudden. Optimus Prime had done everything he could to keep others alive, when they had fought on Earth. He'd been willing to beg Megatron just to protect his team, with no thought to himself.
Yes, Megatron could see how this was a result of Optimus regaining his previous life's memories. Still, Megatron wondered where Optimus got this conviction. It certainly wasn't from the Autobots, who never really cared if they threw lives away, so long as they won.
He'd ask Optimus about it later. For now, he'd watch Optimus and Strika as they hashed out a plan that would, hopefully, succeed.
If they could come to some agreement. Optimus was throwing around sarcasm incredibly thickly, as Strika seemed not to understand what Optimus was trying to do.
Megatron leaned forward and began poking at the ship distribution as his heir and his top general continued to argue.
Both of them eyed his resulting plans. The battle would still likely take longer than Strika's, casualties would be reduced, though not as much as Optimus' choice.
Optimus frowned at the projected battlefield. "What happens if they manage to punch through the 7th's line?"
"I thought we could stage the Wreckers behind them. They're always interested in an extra fight."
Optimus continued to frown. "I still don't like these projected casualties. To be honest, I didn't like them with my plan. But that was the best I could come up with."
Megatron frowned at him. "Optimus," he rumbled. He knew the answer, of course, but perhaps Optimus didn't yet realize it. "Why are you so interested in changing tactics like this?"
Optimus frowned at him. "It's not a change its…" he trailed off. "Oh," he said, sounding slightly stunned.
"Yes, oh indeed," Megatron responded.
Strika glanced between them. "An explanation?" she asked. "And yes, my prince, it is indeed a change."
Megatron glanced at Optimus. "She should be told, but after we finish here."
Optimus nodded. "Yes, once we have a good strategy mapped out."
Strika looked back and forth between Emperor and Heir. Neither seemed too worried, but they were serious.
"My prince," she started. "Why are you so concerned with the lives of our soldiers all of a sudden? It's not how Emperor Megatron trained you. It's not how I trained you. Our soldiers are not disposable, but they can most often be rebuilt even in case of extreme injury"
The prince nodded once and turned to fully face her. "I know, General," he said. "And I understand that. But…" he sighed and paused. He was clearly rallying his thoughts.
Strika approved. She had taught him how to lead soldiers, ever since Megatron had adopted him. She'd wondered at the wisdom of that adoption at first, of course, but Optimus had grown into a wise mech who would lead the Empire well in time. He'd absorbed all her lessons and applied them without fail. Which was why she wondered now. This insistence on protecting soldier's from injury wasn't a very Decepticon trait. It wasn't Autobot either, at least.
Finally , Optimus vented and focused on her. "I'm telling you this because you need to know, you will need to be prepared when it happens to Ratchet," he said. "When we were on Earth, I studied their wars, their generals and admirals. The best of them didn't hesitate to fight, but also did their best to keep their soldiers alive."
"You were a sparkling on Earth you would never have…" Strika trailed off.
"You remember," she realized. "You remember when you were an Autobot."
Optimus nodded. "I do. And I… I learned a lot from the humans. I want to try to incorporate that into our strategies. If we…
Strika held up a hand. "You think Ratchet will remember?"
"I… I do," Optimus said. "I think all of my team… all of my friends will. I didn't remember until after I was an adult, after I swore the oath, and I suspect they'll remember around the same time."
Strika vented. She loved Ratchet, as though he were her own creation, but she knew the mech had been the oldest of the team, and had even fought in the first war. She had no idea how he'd react to his old memories.
Still, there were other things to deal with now, not just her creation's eventual future. "I see."
Optimus was staring at her, optics terribly knowing. "I will help him," he promised.
Strika nodded, taking that in. "I will be telling Lugnut about this," she said. "But beyond that…"
"Yes, we have a war to fight," Optimus said. "And Ratchet still has a few stellar cycles before we have to worry about this."
Strika sighed. She glanced at Megatron, before turning her attention to the war table. "I will prepare my troops. Will you both be joining us on the battlefield?"
"Optimus will," Megatron said. "It's time he proved his worth as a warrior. I know he will do well."
Optimus shifted and, even to Strika's optics he stood straighter. "I won't let you down, Creator," he said.
"I know, little one," Megatron replied.
Strika nodded. "Then let's go, my prince, and lead our troops to victory."
I hope that I don't have another 5 week period like this, but I also can't promise that the next chapter will come next week. (I hope it will, but it might not.)
