Chapter 6
Inside Astrotrain, Megatron gets to his feet with a sneer. "So, He wants to play hard ball does he?" He says wiping a bit of oil that dribble from a gash on his face. "Then I shall show him just how hard I can play!" He roars and slams his fist against the button to open Astrotrain's cargo bay door. The light from Charr's sun filters in slowly, as a mass of shadows approach the group. He thrusts his cannon arms forward, and a mighty 'THOOM' rips through the air and the sky is lit up by a brilliant violet volley striking down the first titan Megatron sees.
Exiting Astrotrain, Megatron looks down to the felled titan, Menasor laying at his feet. "They always were some of my least loyal warriors. Maybe now they will know their place." He says and looks around the the rest of the Decepticons. "Does anyone else want to fill his shoes?" He asks, while in the back of his central process he wonders why that line sounds so familiar to him.
The horde of Decepticons all seem to stop in their tracks, their crimson optics looking down to Megatron, and begin to quibble among themselves. The Constructions slowly exit from Astrotrain, who transforms and looks out around at the army around them. "Man, Galvatron doesn't usually go this all out..." Astrotrain says
There is the rev of an engine, and suddenly a black motorcycle comes flying out from the crowd, transforming into a feminine form, with a large purple crossbow. She walks over to Megatron slowly. "I-It really is you... isn't it?" She says, her voice quivering softly. "Megatron, my liege... You have returned to us at last!" She says and quickly falls to one knee bowing before him.
A smile crosses his thin metallic lips as he looks down on the femme. "Ah, Flamewar... As loyal as ever... I am glad to see that not everyone has forgotten me."
"You have to forgive the others... Much has gone on in your absence. Most of those from your Regime were lost in the war with Unicron. I still do not know what became of Shockwave... There have been reports saying that he was crushed under Unicron's foot while others say he was the first to flee. Those were dark chaotic times for us, and through it, appeared Galvatron. He holds the remains of your empire together through fear. There isn't much left for us, and we do not wish to spend the rest of our lives as decor for his thrown room if we displease him..."
Megatron's optics glow darkly. "Yes, the Constructicons filled me in on much of that... And the more I hear of this 'Galvatron' the more my hatred for him grows." He says as he climbs up on the damaged Menasor, show struggles to get up one more, Megatron sneers and unleashes another volley, this time into his face. "Stay down, traitor." He then looks to the masses that surround him. "Hear me Decepticons! For I am Megatron! I who have lead you to countless victories before my death, who shaped and molds you into efficient warriors capable of ruling all that is before you. I have returned from the blackest depths of the pit to return us to our homeland, and our former glory! Join me once more and nothing will stop you. Refuse me, and end up like the fool at me feet!"
Once again the Decepticons that have descended upon Megatron begin to quibble among each other after his speech, and like before there is an interruption. A loud mechanical roar pierces the noise and the crowd parts, as the mightiest of beastformers walk past; The Predacons. The mechanical lions that leads them transforms. "I am Razorclaw, of the Predacons a group that came to power after your fall. I have always seen Galvatron as a wasteful leader. You are not the first to oppose him in such a war."
"Maybe not, but I shall be the last!"
Razorclaw smirks under his mask. "Good, we Predacons enjoy a challenge. We shall add our might to yours and shall gladly hunt down anyone you tell us to."
It is this that, starts the others in the group coming forth. Megatron had the power of Devastator, and now Predaking behind him. Many had seen how the Predacons hunt, and did not wish to be on the receiving end of one of their maulings... Many would rather face all the Dinobots then any of the Predacons. The first from the crowd is another set of animals, much smaller this time. One in the form of a Panther and the other a Condor, both a brilliant shade of blue.
"Garboil and Howlback? You two don't show up often." Remarks Flamewar.
"We are members of the Decepticon police force, there is a disruption in the back yard of Deceptitropolis, and you expect us not to show?" Howlback purrs.
"So I have the the police on my side too?" Megatron asks a bit gleefully.
"For now. We were sent to watch and observe you. There are many within Galvatron's forces that support a regime change, but will remain loyal to him until they believe that he can be taken down." Garboil caws as he lands on Megatron's shoulder. "We are the best there are information gathering and spreading. We aren't warriors and aren't members of your Army. We are here on behalf of an interested third party that are hoping you will be their savior from Galvatron."
"I will not have anyone serving me that isn't willing to die for our cause!" He says, as the barrel of his fusion cannon starts to glow and points it at Howlback."
"Waste us, and you will lose many potential followers. And even with the team your assembling now, your still out numbered and out powered without info our contacts know."
Megatron grumbles and depowers his cannon "Fine. Anyone else going to be non combatants in this campaign?"
A garbled voice speaks up as a jeep based transformer that looks like he's seen better days step up. "Help you I shall!"
"Galvatron looks like he did a number on you." Megatron says seeing how beat up the robot is.
The tan jeepbot laughs. "No He's little threat to me. I am a Junkion, Come from junk and going to Junk!" He says proudly his garbled staticy voice.
"This is Detritus." Garboil says looking to the Junkion. "He is a rouge Junkion, a member of transformers that like on a planet of the same name. They are obsessed with TV, so they tend to make little sense. Also being made from junk and trash, they have remarkable regenerative abilities, able to using any scrap around to rebuild their bodies how ever they want. This one is merchant, one of the few that still comes to Charr, as Galvatron has tried slagging him several times by now because he thinks the Detritus is cheating him on their deals. But most of us find him very fair and each to trade in our favor as all his prices are in scrap rather then Energon, and around here, scrap is everywhere.
"At least HE seems useful." Megatron says with glare to the condor on his shoulder.
"Well, this certainly is a ragtag group... Bounty Hunters, Scientists, Police, Merchants..." Flamewar says as she looks over the gathering, as suddenly her optics bright at the sound of twin motors accompanied with the sound of mad cackling. "No... Not them..." She says shaking her head. "Anyone but those two..."
"Heh heh heh! Come on Runabout! I heard a large crash coming from this direction!" A white car announces with manic glee, followed closely by similar black car. "Hurry up! I want to see what went boom!"
"I'm right behind you, Runamuck. I'm just as eager to see this chaos as you are!" The black car announces as both transform as they spot the felled Menasor.
"Whoa.. heh heh heh... Better then I expected! Though I could have done much better... heh heh heh..." He says looking over the titan with glee.
Flamewar covers her face in shame. "Would you two, please get out of here..." She says with an annoyed sigh, still unsure about how these two have survived without being slagged several times over...
"Oh Hey! Look, its that Deceptichick again!" Runabout states.
"Heh heh heh... She's totally into us..."
"I AM NOT! I would like nothing more then to reduce you both into smoldering slag!" She says as she levels her massive crossbow at the pair as her eyes flame in rage.
"Heh heh heh... little girlie is mad! Heh heh heh..."
"Oh thats its! YOU TWO WILL BURN!" She says and fires a napalm arrow at the two punks who quickly transform and start to zoom off.
"Heh heh heh! Yes! Fire! Burn! Heh heh heh... A girl after my own fuel pump!"
Flamewar growls and transforms and races after them "Get back here! I'm not finished with you two yet!"
"ENOUGH!" Megatron yells and fires a blast in front of the pair of hooligans sending the pair flaying. The pair revert to robot mode, and Runabout's optics flicker a bit as he finally notices Megatron.
"Oh hey, Its Megatron!" He says as he gets to his feet slowly. "So your the one that caused this wonderful destruction? We'll gladly help you! Nothing more we like then destroying things."
"Heh heh heh... Yeah! You point and we'll destroy it for you!"
Flamewar transforms back. "Lord Megatron, You can't really be serious! These two are fools! They should have been sent to the Smelting pools eons ago!"
"Right now, I don't have many options. Besides, I admire their destructive spirit." Megatron says looking down on the pair, he could see the two being very useful. Before looking to the 9 remaining. "The rest of you, better decide quickly. I'm getting tired of standing around. Join me, or join Menasor!"
It doesn't take long for the rest of the group, composed of the Clones, Deluxe Insecticons, and Triggercons to decide they'd rather take their chances with Megatron, with the kind of company he is keeping.
Megatron smirks proudly "Good." He says and turns to face the Constructicons. "Now, fix this traitor up, and make sure he regrets ever having crossed me. The rest of you will follow me into battle. By Day's end I shall rule this world, or have it burned to the ground!
---
Blast fires out in Galvatron's throne room, just barely missing Scourge who dives out of the way. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY JOINED HIM!" He yells furiously and fires again on Scourge who continues to roll and dodges his leader's blasts.
"There mostly nobodies anyway! We still have the superior forces with the sweeps, Insecticons, and those troops you got from Detritus! It doesn't matter who he has. He'll never stand before your might and overwhelming forces.
"You don't seem to get it Scourge! I don't care if they are nobodies! The mere fact that they have joined this inferior copy shows me that my empire has learned nothing from the last war! This time I will kill every last one that stands against me even if I am the only left on this wretched planet! No one defies Galvatron and LIVES!" He say continuing his target practice on his second most loyal subject. "Now get out of here and assemble my troops before I decide to stop being so nice to you!
"O-of course, Lord Galvatron. As you command!" Scourge says and makes a quick retreat for the door, as Galvatron turns and walks to the balcony glaring down to the City and looking over the crash site.
"This is not good..." He says his voice becoming calmer "This new Megatron is easily gaining followers. Even Zarak wasn't able to gain too much support outside of those Nebulan bonded traitors. I will have to end this as quickly as I can, if I wish to keep my control over the majority of the Decepticon forces... But then I literally have a whole city that I can throw at him." He says with a confidante laugh as he enters his thrown room inside the heart of Trypticon.