Epilogue:
Optimus and Megatron were deep in a conversation Bumblebee assumed was about the Prime's escape and what it was like to be in the Nest for such a long period of time. Of course, the Nest was different now since Tigressa regained her position as the Metal Head Leader.
Lyra, his now faithful pet, was curled in a ball on Grimlock who apparently forgot the little Head was even on his back. She made a great friend and Tigressa had told him everything a Metal Head required to be kept as pets. That meant Lyra needed identification or else she'd be thrown back into the army as a soldier, she ate up to one ton of food per day (which if not fed the necessary amount, she was prone to start killing for meals), and other small deeds. It was like taking care of a dog on Red Bull and steroids with a black hole for a stomach.
Other Cybertronians were playing with various Metal Heads while some even began sitting on the bigger ones that stayed below on the bridges that allowed passage to the Fortress. One femme he remembered to be Firefox was happily chasing her twin and a couple of other mechs while her back was aflame. They were playing a dangerous version of tag, fire style, which forced whoever was it to get the next person lit until only one remained untouched.
He turned and listened to Arcee and the other femmes chat about who they wanted as mates when a familiar voice caught his audio receptors. It was faint but he snuck through the building immediately to eavesdrop some more.
"You really haven't changed, have you? Your plan to do…THAT…is just insane! Homicide! Hell, even suicide! Have you forgotten what happened last time?"
"I know! You don't think I don't remember! I have enough scars to remind me. Besides, I never said I was planning on surviving this last stand. Either I win or I go down in battle, and that's final!"
"My Mistress, you cannot engage her! You know she has your persona as well as your skills on the battlefield! You'll achieve nothing!"
Something caught Bumblebee's throat as he recognized the voices to be Tigressa and the Captain who had guards protecting their private session just next to his position.
"Captain, you swore loyalty to me years ago. I do not recollect a day I didn't have you by my side throughout my life, but why do you question what I want? Is it not appealing to you? If we get rid of her, I can let the past be the past, not the present no longer," the tiger-dragon scowled.
Silos' brows arched with a thin line of a mouth set on his face, "Your madness, this…obsession, will only drive you and those around you into chaos. You won't accept the fact that Eve lives on without your guidance. She is not under your command anymore, nor is her new body willing to let you take control. You know you cannot survive with her alive because you feel guilty of what you've done! You want to erase the past but face it, it will remain no matter what you do, my 'Queen!'"
Roaring at the Rozarian, Tigressa's optics twitched while she grinded her teeth, "You stubborn reptile, I feel no such emotion! I have done nothing; she betrayed ME! I am no monster to her!"
"Then what are you then? Surely, you don't believe you're her savior or ours! You can't face the truth nor do you want to! Leave her alone, and perhaps set an example for your new adopted teenager! If he were to see you in this state, he'll abandon you to look for help for both you and Artemis! Besides, even if this 'plan' of yours does take effect, I highly doubt your darling baby boy will be powerful enough to stop it and he'll most likely be stuck in the damn crossfire!"
Tigressa hissed menacingly as she instantly picked up the Metal Head and threw him against the nearest wall. Her arm pinned him as she spoke, "You will not mock my son, Silos! Your tongue will get you nowhere and that attitude deserves a punishment worse than death. You dare insult my family and me, and you'll find I have been holding back my anger for so long which has formed into a brutal strength I am willing to unleash upon you, 'Captain!'
"I don't care if you wish to stay in the protective environment of my Nest, but I will destroy the one who caused me pain for all those centuries of hiding a bloodlust for both Cybertronians and humans. I tried to give her what she wanted but she used me like an animal, a pet on an invisible leash. I'm tired of having to watch Eve's descendants roam a world they did not deserve, and this time, I'll make sure to force each and every one to suffer for her infidelity!"
Silos' eyes widened but he did not conceal his sharp, toothy scowl, "You are an animal, Tigressa, and nothing will change that. Although, I agree with you about Eve's decedents, I cannot fathom why you're doing this now. You just gained a Cybertronian warrior for a son and now you're risking everything you have been given back? Did you not think this through, oh 'precious leader', because only an idiot would give up a life you have now. Also, am I not a part of your family?
"You seem to forget, I gave you your skills! I helped you create an army of powerful, abominable creatures. I made you who you are! Tell me, these facts are not true! Tell me, I am lying, Mistress!"
Expecting something bad, Silos cringed in her grasp but nothing happened. Instead, Tigressa lowered him while her expression turned to one of disbelief. In the corner of his eye, he saw the other Metal Head guards looking puzzled at them. They had their ears posed curiously but some didn't even move a muscle.
No answer still came after a few minutes of dead silence. Bumblebee leaned against the wall with his hand on his mouth. He held back lubricant forming in his optics before he heard Tigressa giving a low bellow.
Silos sighed, "Face facts, Tigressa, you won't win whether you kill her or the human population. You can't see it, but we can; you're losing touch on reality. Your mind is slowly collapsing on itself, but you choose to ignore the obvious. Please, stand down and allow us, allow me, to succor you!"
"I'm afraid I've made my verdict clear. I will not bow to your answer," Tigressa muttered.
Closing his saddened eyes, he turned away from her while she looked up at the window covering the night sky. "You will thank me one day, old friend. I promise you, I will bring our army a new home and we can live 'happily ever after' as the humans would say. Besides, my 'son' will be my ticket to a new future together. You, he, my army, and I will begin again, and if I must shatter the truce Optimus and I have, then so be it!"
"What have you done, Tigressa?" Silos whispered to her.
Bumblebee silently made a break towards the party and shoved his way back through the crowd once he reached it. Not acknowledging anybody, he made his way to his ship and sank into the pilot's seat with his hands clasped around her legs, holding them against his body.
He finally had a chance to be happy and Tigressa was going to ruin everything because of Artemis being still alive? He should have known better than to trust her.
What did she do?