Megatron would not admit it, but Jack's resistance was wearing his patience thin. It was irritating at how much this pest resisted him. He was used to it, given all the warfare and shed energon and desolate, dead planet left in the wake of his conquest. Perhaps it was the goal he had now, of securing a legacy.
Cybertron was gone, Earth was his now, and Jack would be the vessel for his heir. He smirked. And how many more I will have him carry. Megatron glanced down at the pest, who was continuing to glare venomously at him, and his optics roved down to the stomach plating. Shockwave explained in brief detail the chamber would expand the protoform lightly, to accommodate the sparkling within.
Already day two was nearing its end, and this was one schedule he was going to keep. True, it never left his mind how easy it would be to pull the pest's panel off and just have his way with him, but that lacked a certain finesse-not to mention while he would revel in hearing Jack scream, that would be from pain.
If he was going to break the pest, he was going to make it feel good.
It's time to apply some more pressure. Megatron had the perfect bait, and he made his way to his console before calling Shockwave's lab, where the mech inclined his head once he appeared on screen.
"Lord Megatron, how may I be of service?" he questioned. He paused, likely going to the most logical conclusion. "Do you wish for me to confirm gestation?"
Megatron heard Jack let out a low growl, and smirked briefly. "Not yet," he said, and the pest hissed out a 'not never', "I was merely inquiring about the state of the good doctor."
"Please clarify, Lord Megatron, for there are currently two on board." Shockwave said.
Megatron angled himself so he could see Jack's expression. "The Autobot, Ratchet." he grinned as the pest's optics widened, vents hitching before his expression hardened.
"The Autobot is currently in a holding cell, and we are awaiting your orders as to what is to be done with him now that his use is no longer needed." Shockwave explained. "Predaking has also enquired as to when he may exact his revenge for his brethren's destruction on Ratchet."
Jack's optics widened again, snarling, "You-"
"That is all." Megatron interjected, and he cut off the feed. He turned fully towards Jack, who glared at him. "I'm sure you can guess from our conversation what is going to happen."
The Predacon tensed up, his expression furious. Abruptly, his features smoothed until they were blank. "It was too easy for you to say, you could be lying just to force my hand."
Megatron raised an optic ridge imperiously. "Is that so?" he brought a digit up to his helm. "Soundwave, bring up the live feed from the holding cell where our dear doctor is staying in." He narrowed his optics down at Jack. "Are you willing to risk it?"
He stepped aside, and savoured the horrified looked which appeared on the pest's face.
Jack didn't want to believe what he was seeing as real. He wanted to believe the footage being shown to him was fake, his optics ignoring the damning stamp which said it was being broadcasted live; he looked at the room, trying to find something doctured about it, at the pacing frame with their wrists tied in front of them, but his spark jumped when he could hear Ratchet's voice, muttering curses under his breath in the only way a grumpy and put-upon docbot could.
It's real...they captured Ratch. Jack shook his head, dismay and terror flooding through him.
Megatron must have mistaken his reaction for something else, as he scoffed. "You still refuse to believe?"
Jack focused on his anger, directed all at the mech in front of him. "You said you wouldn't hurt me, but you still tore my panel! You're word isn't something I can trust."
"Is that all?" Megatron chuckled. "I barely did anything, how can you call that dent a tear?" his expression hardened. "It brought you to heel, to obey, so what you think doesn't matter."
"Then what's this?" Jack sneered, jerking his chin at the console. "You're latest attempt at a stick and carrot?"
Megatron smirked at him. "Ah, so you're aware then. This should make it easier." he crossed his arms, so smug in his confidence. "I've come to realize that you are williing to risk going into stasis lock by refusing enegon-but what about Ratchet?"
Jack frowned, glaring once more at the tyrant. "What, he doesn't get energon if I don't give in? Ratchet's been around for a long time, not to mention he's a medic, I'm sure he's found ways to stave off starvation."
"Is that so?" Megatron still didn't look rattled or concerned he'd been found out. "Perhaps he does, but I highly doubt he's immune to a Predacon's fury, after all," he flashed those shark-like teeth, "the Autobots did destroy the Predacon clones."
"That was your doing in the first place!" Jack snarled.
"Yes, but Predaking does not know that." Megatron said. "Tell me, how long do you think Ratchet would last against Predaking? Especially when he's angered; Ratchet is after all quite small compared to him."
Jack gritted his denta, optics narrowing as his spark twisted.
Megatron grinned darkly at him, his voice lowering to a whisper, "Do you suppose he'd be torn into pieces, or burned to scrap?"
"Shut up!" Jack's squeezed his optics shut, not-stomach in knots while his jaw hurt from clenching it. "Just shut up." Footsteps clanged on the floor, growing closer. Jack flinched as digits ghosted along his cheek in a parody of a caress. He glared up at Megatron who was staring down at him with an unreadable expression.
"He need not suffer for your stubborness." he said quietly, almost tenderly. "Or you can refuse, and he will be thrown to Predaking. So," he leaned down towards him, "what is your choice?"
Jack growled. "You could be lying again."
Megatron only smirked. "Perhaps, or perhaps not. I can gaurantee one thing for certain though, you had the chance to stop it, but you chose not to. Didn't care to try even."
"You..." Jack would have called him a bastard, but that word wasn't strong enough. His optics shifted to the screen of the console, of Ratchet searching around the room and scowling up at the camera he'd likely noticed.
Ratchet is important to the Autobots, they'd come for him.' Not like me' went unsaid, but Jack winced anyway, guilt gnawing at him. But still, between him and Ratchet, Jack knew who mattered more. It made him turn down Smokescreen's offer of escape once, but the only offer now was doing something he didn't want. Still, if I could do something about it, even like this...
"I...think you know my answer." Jack whispered, his optics still on Ratchet, but Megatron tilted his chin to meet his gaze.
"I want to hear you say it."
Jack vented harshly, gritting his denta. "And I want to hear you say it," Ratchet needed to be safe, until somehow someway the Autobots found them, "that you won't let Ratchet be hurt, by your troops or Predaking."
Megatron narrowed his optics, but he shrugged one shoulder, his expression unconcerned. "As seeing him scrapped now would be counterproductive given he's making you compliant, very well." Jack jerked back as Megatron swooped in closer, one servo caressing one of his helm fins, causing Jack to shudder. "Now. Say. It."
Jack's lips pressed into a tight line for a moment, but slowly scowled. "I...want...you." he forced himself to say it, despite how foul the words were, and yet Megatron still looked expectant. No, he can't mean-you petty piece of- "I want...y-your...sparkling-your heir."
Finally, Megatron pulled back, smug and triumphant. "And here I thought you'd never ask."