What remained of the Decepticons milled about in the open courtyard, surrounded by towering statues of their greatest warriors. The metallic figures loomed like silent sentinels, their shadows stretching long under the pale light of Cybertron's distant stars. The air was heavy with tension, the forced pretense of celebration failing to mask the unease among the crowd.
At the top of the makeshift stage, Astrotrain stood rigid, his massive frame casting a long shadow over the assembled Decepticons. His optics flicked nervously across the gathering, lingering on the towering statues as though seeking reassurance from the silent monuments.
To the side of the stage, the Constructicons stood in an awkward line, each holding an oversized ceremonial horn. Bonecrusher's optics flicked to Scrapper, his usual impatience barely contained. "You sure we gotta do this?" he muttered under his breath.
"Play the horns," Scrapper hissed back, keeping his optics forward. "Stick to the plan."
Mixmaster gave a quiet snicker, his grip on his horn loose. "It's not every day you get to be part of a joke this big."
Hook, standing at the end of the line, cast him a sharp look. "Silence. He's coming."
As if on cue, the Constructicons raised their horns, their movements rehearsed but begrudging. The discordant sound blared across the courtyard, loud enough to echo off the statues and draw every optic toward the stage.
Starscream strutted out from behind the curtains, his wings angled for maximum dramatic effect, the coronation crown held high in his hands. The smirk on his face was as wide as it was smug, his optics gleaming with triumph as he descended the steps.
"Yes, yes, behold your new leader!" he declared, his voice amplified for all to hear. He paused dramatically, savoring the moment. "Today, I, Starscream, ascend to my rightful place as Supreme Commander of the Decepticons!"
The faint cheers that rose from the crowd were tepid at best, more out of obligation than any real enthusiasm. Starscream didn't seem to notice—or care. He reached the center of the stage and turned to Astrotrain. "Begin the proclamation!"
Astrotrain nodded stiffly, stepping forward. His deep voice rumbled as he began, "Decepticons, behold—"
The proclamation was cut short by a deep, resounding laugh that rolled through the courtyard like a storm. The sound silenced the faint cheers, causing every optic to turn toward its source.
Starscream froze, his optics narrowing as he scanned the shadows beyond the crowd. "Who disrupts my coronation!?"
The gathered Decepticons began to part, their murmurs falling silent as a towering figure emerged from the darkness. Megatron strode forward, his freshly restored frame gleaming under the pale light, each step deliberate and radiating power. His glowing optics locked onto Starscream, and a smirk curled his lips as he closed the distance.
Starscream's wings twitched, betraying his growing panic as he stepped back. "M-Megatron?" he stammered, his voice cracking slightly.
"Starscream," Megatron rumbled, his voice carrying the weight of command. "You've made a mockery of leadership for the last time."
With each step Megatron took toward the stage, the whine of his fusion cannon grew louder, its ominous hum reverberating through the courtyard. The gathered Decepticons instinctively stepped back, parting to clear his path as the intensity of the sound seemed to thrum in their very circuits. The air grew heavy with the unmistakable charge of power, and black lightning began to crackle around the barrel of the cannon, snaking outward like tendrils of raw energy.
Starscream stumbled backward, his optics darting from the cannon to Megatron's face, then back again. His hands flexed and clenched, his entire frame taut with nervous energy as though preparing to either defend himself or bolt. Panic contorted his features, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other in a futile attempt to ground himself.
"This… this cannot be!" Starscream stammered, his voice pitching higher with each word. "You—you were left for scrap! Abandoned! There's no way—how—"
Megatron halted his advance, his smirk widening into something more sinister. The hum of his fusion cannon rose to a keening crescendo, the black lightning intensifying, licking at the air like living flames. His optics burned with cold amusement as he tilted his head slightly, mocking Starscream's sputtering disbelief.
"What's the matter, Starscream?" Megatron drawled, his tone dripping with contempt. "You look as though you've seen a ghost."
Starscream's mouth worked soundlessly for a moment, his hands twitching at his sides, his optics darting desperately to the crowd. The other Decepticons stood motionless, their expressions ranging from awe to terror. None made a move to intervene.
Megatron took another step forward, the stage beneath him creaking under his weight. "You should be pleased," he continued, his voice turning almost conversational. "After all, you always dreamed of becoming leader. And now, you have your moment."
Starscream's optics snapped back to Megatron, his panic giving way to a desperate attempt at defiance. "You… you can't scare me, Megatron!" he blustered, though his voice wavered. "The Decepticons chose me to lead! They rejected you!"
The sound of Megatron's laugh filled the courtyard, deep and resonant, shaking the statues that loomed overhead. "Rejected me?" he echoed, his smirk twisting into a sneer. "Do not mistake your petty schemes for true rejection, Starscream. The Decepticons followed me because I am power. I am domination. And you—"
The black lightning surged, flaring outward in a violent display as the hum of the cannon reached a near-deafening pitch. Megatron leaned forward slightly, his optics blazing. "You are nothing more than a sniveling coward who clings to ambition without the strength to wield it."
Starscream's resolve broke, and he stumbled further back, his hands raised in a futile gesture of surrender. "Wait! W-we can talk about this! I didn't mean—"
"Talk?" Megatron interrupted, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "I have no interest in your excuses, Starscream. The time for talk is over. The time for judgment… is now."
The crowd held its collective breath, the tension in the courtyard reaching a breaking point as the dark energy around Megatron's fusion cannon crackled and surged, ready to unleash its wrath.
The whine of Megatron's fusion cannon reached an ear-splitting crescendo, the black lightning dancing around it growing wilder and more chaotic. The very air seemed to ripple with the force, an ominous distortion that drew the optics of every Decepticon present. The crackling tendrils of energy expanded outward, coalescing into an overwhelming storm of destructive power.
Starscream froze, his optics wide with terror as the realization of his doom hit him. "Megatron, wait! I—"
His desperate plea was cut short as Megatron unleashed the full might of his fusion cannon. A massive surge of black lightning erupted from the weapon, its tendrils twisting and crackling as they tore through the air. The energy carried with it the raw, devastating power of the antimatter black hole, a force that defied comprehension.
The bolt struck Starscream squarely, engulfing him in a swirling vortex of crackling black energy. His scream pierced the courtyard, a sound of utter agony that echoed against the statues and sent a chill through the gathered Decepticons. The power consumed him entirely, his form disintegrating piece by piece as the antimatter tore him apart at a molecular level.
The storm of energy raged for a moment longer, a blinding display of annihilation that seemed to hold the entire courtyard in its grip. Then, as suddenly as it began, the black lightning dissipated, leaving nothing in its wake but a faint scorch mark on the stage. Starscream was gone—completely, utterly obliterated.
The crowd stood in stunned silence, their optics fixed on the spot where Starscream had stood mere moments before. The air was thick with the lingering charge of the attack, and the faint hum of Megatron's fusion cannon as it powered down was the only sound.
Megatron lowered his arm, the barrel of his cannon still faintly glowing. His optics swept over the gathered Decepticons, the weight of his presence silencing any thought of resistance. His voice, cold and commanding, cut through the tension like a blade. "Let this be a lesson to all who would betray me. I am Megatron, the one true leader of the Decepticons."
The gathered Decepticons dropped to one knee almost in unison, their heads bowed in a show of submission. The message was clear—Megatron was back, and his rule was absolute.
From the side of the stage, the Constructicons exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of awe and satisfaction. Scrapper leaned slightly toward Hook and muttered, "Well, that's one way to end a coronation."
Hook allowed a faint smirk. "Efficient."
Megatron turned, his gaze settling on Soundwave, who stood at the edge of the crowd, ever vigilant. "Soundwave," Megatron commanded, "assemble the Decepticons. We have wasted enough time on this fool's theatrics. It is time to rebuild—and to remind the Autobots why they fear us."
"Affirmative," Soundwave replied, his monotone voice unwavering.