Chapter 10
2 hours have passed since SilverBlade and his command unit entered the catacombs beneath the Citadel without Megatron being notified. He sits on his throne, looking over reports when another holographic screen appears beside him, showing Starscream's head
"Lord Megatron, we've spotted the traitor that gave Predacon technology to the Maximals."
"Bring him to me, alive. I will deal with him…personally."
Far from Cybertron, a large Predacon warship is pursuing a smaller Predacon vessel. The warship fires constantly at the smaller vessel, as it swerves back and forth to avoid the onslaught
Inside the warship, Starscream turns off the holo projection of Megatron and turns to the Predacons at the controls "Redirect the laser cannons at his engines, but don't destroy the vessel! We need him alive!"
"Orders understood." One of them says as he taps at the holographic controls, causing the weapons to fire. But the smaller vessel moves more rapidly side to side to avoid the shots.
In the distance, both the smaller vessel and the larger one see a very large fleet of Predacon ships. The smaller one takes a nose dive, the larger one follows.
"I've had enough of this!" Starscream says angrily. "Use the net!"
"Rodger!" One of the technicians responds as he types at the console..
A group of small spheres begin to appear all around the smaller vessel. Even as it moves, the spheres maintain their location around it. An energy spider-web begins to form from each of the spheres, totally encasing the smaller ship and causing it to come to a complete halt.
The monstrous Predacon warship hovers directly over the smaller vessel. When the underside of it opens, a bright, green beam fires from inside the Predacon warship, surrounding the smaller vessel, and pull it towards itself. Inside, a battalion of Predacon drones surround the smaller vessel. Starscream stands waiting as he sees the door open.
"High Octane" Starscream says, before taking a short pause. "I resent that Megatron would allow your worthless spark to be kept alive. I should dismember your worthless little body before you have a chance to speak. But Megatron would rather take the pleasure away from me." He says as a few Predacon drones escort the prisoner to Starscream.
"Commander Starscream, let me..." CRACK! Suddenly interrupted by Starscream's fist hitting Octane's stomach. Octane kneeled down as Starscream looks at the traitor with a grin of satisfaction on his face, taking pleasure in torturing Octane.
"Rule one: do not ever speak, unless you are permitted to! Rule two: failure to follow rule one will result in severe injury. Take the scum away to the brig!"
The Predacon soldiers drag High Octane down the hall with Octane weakened by the punch
The captured Maximals, in energon bindings, are escorted into the massive Command Center inside the Predacon Fortress on Cybertron. The ceiling has human skeletons strapped to it by chains. Primal looks over to the walls, noting a pattern of human skulls mounted on it.
"These were the lucky ones." Primal sighed, almost in disgust. But it was true; the dead humans did not have to endure the slavery.
Predacon technicians and engineers continue their work as the Maximal prisoners are lined up near Megatron's command chair. Each Maximal attempts to show no fear, but deep down, they know the worst is yet to come.
"So, you think you could outsmart me by going into the past and destroying my spark before I had the chance to create my empire?"
"No. But to hide your spark away from everyone and everything, and delete all record of it." Primal responded.
"Too bad for you it was nothing but a ruse. Did you really think I would keep a working transwarp drive beyond Cybertron? The reports that were leaked about that one installation on Pluto were intentional. I knew you would take the bait. And so, now I have three Maximals and a Maximal commander as prisoners."
"If you're going to kill us, throw us to the Sharkticons and be done with it!" Primal sharply answers.
2"Usually, I would even give a second thought to throwing Maximal abominations to their deaths…But you, Primal, have some information I need…or at least part of it."
Primal stays silent on the matter as Megatron taps a button on his throne "Send her in."
A door opens on one of the walls, and Featherglide enters the room, approaches Megatron while swaying her hips. She gathers the attention of the other Predacons in the room. She gives Megatron a data disk.
"Featherglide, what are you doing?!" SilverBolt asks, and then gets punched in the face by one of the Predacon guards.
"I was about to ask the same thing, what are you doing, Featherglide?" Primal asks.
"Show them," Megatron says.
"You idiotic Maximals never learn…" Featherglide responds as she taps a button on her wrist, and the 'Featherglide' image fades out.
"Laserbeak…" says Powerglide.
"You see Primal, Laserbeak here infiltrated your ranks and wasn't suspected for years. She also stole this disc, and she says this data disk holds information taken from your capital starship. I can only assume it has top-secret files that only the Maximal Commanders should know. Now, give me the decryption code." Megatron asks sternly.
"You'll have to take it from my spark-less body, Megatron!" Primal states defiantly.
"I thought I might get that reaction from you." Megatron says as five human prisoners, all female, are brought to him. Megatron powers up his arm cannon. He looks over to Primal. "This is your last warning, Primal. Give me the code."
"Wait…! I'll give you my portion…" Primal says with a sigh.
"But Primal! You can't be serious!" Objected Powerglide.
"I have no choice…." Primal responds "Computer, initiate security data track decryption code upload now" he commands his computer as a beam of data exits his eyes and into the computer's optical receiver. "I only have a part of the code."
"That is all I ask for. Your usefulness has come to an end. Guards, take these Maximal scums to death row."
Two Predacon seekers move to escort the Maximals out, as they begin to protest. "You said you wouldn't execute us! You lying piece of trash!"
Megatron looks over to them coldly. "As I said, your usefulness to me as expired. I no longer need you alive." His attention is then fixed on the Seekers. "Take them away, or you will join the Maximal scum in the Sharkticon pit."
Inside the Maximal flagship, the crew is busy working at the consoles, making sure everything is ready for the big battle that is about to occur. The command crew sends information back and forth between the other ships and the other races. The bridge is busy with the crew working rapidly. GoldBug looks up from his console, over to Rodimus. "We're almost to Cybertron, we're approaching the range of their long-distance scanners."
Rodimus looks over to Cliffjumper. "Tell the entire fleet, all races, to drop out of transwarp. Use impulse engines to approach the planet. We don't want to alert them of our presence yet."
Cliffjumper nods and taps at the controls. "Maximal Flagship to all ships, drop out of transwarp speed and engage impulse engines. Do not attack until we give the signal and do not decloak."
All of the ships from the alliance fleet, exit transwarp space. Cybertron sits in the distance.
"Such a beautiful planet, to be controlled by someone who is rivaling Unicron..." Rodimus says.
"How will we know when to attack?" Ironhide says as he turns to Rodimus.
"Once we receive the signal that SilverBlade and the others are ready."
Starscream's warship lands near the Predacon Fortress. Twelve Predacon drones surround High Octane as they escort him off the ship with Starscream following. Inside the halls of the fortress, the Predacon group leads Octane into the prison area. Firewing steps in a few moments after Octane enters one of the prisons, locked inside by a transparent blue shield.
"I will take the prisoner to Megatron."
"I captured him, Firewing. I will take Octane to Megatron!" Starscream responds back.
"You lost your job to me, Starscream. You failed to capture SilverBlade when he escaped with the Slash-II. You failed to bring him back Do you remember that day?" Firewing asks.
"I do remember that day…" Starscream asks as he closes his eyes and begins to playback the memories.
Starscream walks into Megatron's throne room, alone. He looks up at Megatron, who sits at a large rotating throne.
"Lord Megatron, SilverBlade jumped into transwarp as we were about to capture him. We lost his signal a short time after that."
Megatron's throne rotates, so he is facing Starscream.
"You failed me, Starscream. You are no longer fit to be my second in command."
"Please your lordship, I WILL catch him, give me another chance!" Starscream begs.
Megatron looks at him coldly. "My decision is made. You will still be Commander of the Predacon Air Fleet, but someone else will take your place as my second in command."
"NO ONE can be as good as me!" Starscream objects.
"That is not for you to decide."
"Tell me, who do you have that is better then me." Starscream asks
"I was hoping you would ask." Megatron responds.
To the right of the room, a door slides open, revealing a 10 foot tall, red and cold colored Predacon, with wings made of fire. .
"This is Commander Firewing. He will be your superior. He is built just like SilverBlade, only far more aggressive and far more masochistic then you can be. He also has the ability to control fire, heat, and lava. I suggest you don't question him, ever. Now, Starscream, leave my sight. You've disappointed me far enough today."
Starscream walks to his quarters, and looks at the screen "Computer, contact High Octane. Replace my image with Commander Firewing's image." The computer flickers on, and High Octane's head appears on the screen
"This is Commander Firewing to Octane."
"Yes Commander?"
"I want you to do something, for the glory of the Empire. But you need to understand one thing."
"What is that?"
"This is not to be repeated to anyone."
"Not even Megatron?"
"ESPECIALLY not Megatron."
"What are your orders?"
"I'm sending you technical blueprints." Starscream's arms move slightly as he taps on the console and the blueprints appear on Octane's screen within a few seconds.
"These are for transwarp, replicators, teleportation, and other technologies. Why are you giving me these?"
"Give these plans to the Maximals. Firewing is giving me orders to give you orders."
"You can't be serious."
"I am serious. As your superior, I am ORDERING you to do this"
"With this, the Maximals have a chance to conquer us again. We'll be in the brig!"
"Once the Maximals come here to take over Cybertron and successfully killed Megatron, I will quickly wire my own spark, where his spark is currently. I will control all of the drones on Cybertron. I will use them to destroy the Maximal survivors. With the Maximals out of the way, the remaining organic races will have no one to turn to, no protection. The Predacon Empire will then be unchallenged. No one will have the ability to destroy our empire. Now, go.
Starscream opens his eyes, looking at Firewing, who is now escorting Octane down the hall.
"I remember that day…. And you will regret it…."