Follow up to "Dreams": Part 1
Apr. 25th, 2008 07:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rosieknightTitle: Desperate Times, Desperate Measures: Part 1
Author: RosieKnight
Characters: Ensemble
Pairing: Megatron/Optimus Prime, and others - too numerous to list
Rating: Let's start with PG-13 for now.
Universe: G1 with elements of IDW for Megatron's past.
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary: An energy crisis forces the Decepticons to seek peace with the Autobots, but the treaty holds an unexpected clause. For the treaty to be valid, Megatron and Optimus Prime must marry.
Warning: Mech/Mech and Mech/Femme relationships. Cliffhanger, because it's the first section of a WIP.
Notes: Follow up to Dreams.Any ideas for titles will be appreciated and considered. Thank you, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
drharper!
Megatron sat alone in his darkened quarters of the Nemesis, replaying the memory file of his most recent communication with Shockwave. When had the situation deteriorated so much, and so quickly?
As much as he'd love to blame the Autobots, the energy crisis had loomed in the future for nearly his entire existence.
The war had merely accelerated matters, until both sides believed new, off-world sources of energy were required.
Pit, the original mission of the Ark was to search out new sources of energon!
Four million years ago, both sides had foolishly believed that the crisis point had arrived.
They were wrong.
The crisis point was now.
Megatron frowned, thoughtfully. He knew the actions he must take, but one variable out of place would shatter the Decepticon forces and doom more than just his men. The easiest way to deal with this variable was to confront it directly - no secrets this time - and force his troops to understand the choice he made.
And to do that, he needed to talk to Starscream.
Suiting deed to thought, Megatron stood and slid aside the door to his quarters.
Starscream was the Officer On Duty for the bridge, and - never missing a chance to lord over his subordinates - would be there.
Arriving on the bridge, Megatron spotted the Air Commander through the murky lighting of power-save mode. The other mech - for once not ranting about Megatron's supposed flaws - was listening to Soundwave's report on the status of the floating solar panels.
"Starscream," Megatron interrupted, "My ready room, now."
"As you command, Lord Megatron," the Seeker ground out.
Gesturing for the other mech to precede him, Megatron headed to and entered the ready room. "I received a message from Shockwave today," Megatron spoke quietly. "I want you to watch it."
The screen centered on Shockwave's single optic. "Lord Megatron," the image intoned. "I regret to inform you that this shall be my last communication. Neither I nor Cybertron have the energy to spare for another. The energy crisis on Cybertron has reached a critical point. Without additional supplies, every Decepticon remaining on Cybertron shall enter stasis lock from lack of energon in the next orn. Three orns after that, our sparks shall fade. And within a human "decade", Cybertron itself will die." The purple mech paused, "All possible energy sources and reductions have been exploited: Both moons are lifeless, the space-bridge is deactivated, and any engergon stockpiled by the Autobot femmes was consumed long ago." Again Shockwave paused, seemingly fighting to remain logical, "As always, Lord Megatron, I put our future in your hands. Shockwave... and Cybertron out."
A long moment stretched in silence as Starscream stared at the now blank screen, optics wide.
"Did he send anything else?" the seeker finally demanded, minute tremors running through his fingers.
Megatron ignored the sign of suppressed emotions. Drawing attention to the imperfectly concealed feelings would put Starscream on the defensive and make the whole situation exponentially more difficult than it already was. Instead, the Decepticon Lord brought up a highly compressed file, "Only this file filled with his observations, analysis, and conclusions about the energy crisis. I may not be a scientist, but Shockwave's graphs and charts are distressingly clear."
Starscream snorted, "I'll be the judge of that. Shockwave does make the occasional mistake."
Megatron allowed the Seeker time to study the gathered information.
The Air Commander's wings noticeably drooped in resignation as Starscream read. He looked up, meeting Megatron's optics. "My lord," Starscream began formally, "I can find no errors in Shockwave's evidence. Cyberton and the Decepticons stationed there are doomed."
"I see," Megatron's tone was quiet, subdued. He hadn't expected Starscream to find any errors in Shockwave's work.
"Well, I don't," fueled by distressed, Starscream lashed out at Megatron - the nearest target for his emotions. "Why did you show me that?"
Megatron marshaled his thoughts, "Because I need your support. What I'm planning is risky enough without having to deal with your constant attempts to seize control of the Decepticons. Any in-fighting between the two of us will destroy not only Cybertron, but the Decepticons as well - and with them, any hope of you supplanting me." Megatron relentlessly continued, "The facts speak plainly for themselves. We will not receive any re-enforcements from Cybertron, due to the situation there. Nor, do we have the resources to alleviate the energy crisis there. Our own energon supplies are dangerously low. Between the failed raids and the damaged solar panels, we don't have enough energy to properly power the Nemesis, let alone send some to Cybertron. Even if the solar panels were functioning at full efficiency, we'd barely have enough energon stockpiled for a medical emergency." The Decepticon Lord audibly cycled air through his vents, "And, none of our forces stationed through out the galaxy are able to or close enough to Earth or Cybertron to arrive in time to make a difference."
Starscream arrogantly nodded, "True enough. But what does that have to do with me?"
"I'm getting there, Starscream," Megatron didn't bother to keep his exhaustion hidden, annoyed by the other mech's condescending tone. "So within four orns, we assigned to the Nemesis will be the only Decepticons on Earth, with no hope for re-enforcements or a lasting change in our energy situation." Throwing the smaller mech a significant look, Megatron commented, "And here's where the state of our forces becomes significant. We know our status, what of the Autobots'? How will they be in four orns?"
"I'd imagine that they'd be the same as they are now. Rested, energized, and... with... almost... all... of their forces.... I think I understand the problem, sir."
Megatron flashed a grim smile, the reality of their situation was clearly sinking into the seeker's mind, "You forgot to add 'battle-hardened' and 'familiar with our tactics' to their list of advantages." The smile melted away, leaving Megatron's visage grimmer than Starscream had seen it in vorns, "To be brutally honest, I can only see three endings to this. One, we continue as we are now and get destroyed or captured and executed for our actions one by one, until no Decepticons remain. Two, inner-faction fighting accelerates the first possibility by weakening the survivors of such a slaughter - of which you would not be included. Three, and most repellent in the short term, we make peace with the Autobots to end this destructive conflict and restore order to the galaxy." The Decepticon Lord stared straight into his subordinate's optics, "You once agreed to follow me into the Pit and back. Will you follow me on a path much more treacherous? Will you help me save the Decepticons from our own destruction?"
Starscream was silent for a long moment, pride warring with survival instincts. "What do you need me to do, Lord Megatron?"
The answer came swiftly, "I will not lie to you, Starscream. What I need you to do now will be probably the most difficult thing of your career. I need you to support me when I announce making a peace treaty with the Autobots."
"What?! Megaton, are you serious?!" the Seeker's shrill voice rent the air.
Megatron's reply was quiet, "Deadly serious. All other paths lead to our destruction." Ruby optics shone with an inner flame, as Megatron's vocal intensity grew, "I will not stand by and allow our accomplishments to fall to dust, as a rusty relic of Cybertronian history. We broke the old, unjust world. I say we have a right and a duty to help rebuild it, better than before. To do otherwise will prove our nay-sayers, the very mechs and femmes who unthinkingly crushed us underfoot before, correct." Suddenly, volume draining from his voice, Megatron held out an a inviting hand, "And so I ask again: Are you with me, Starscream?"
Megatron once inspired a revolution with his words. Despite the vorns of their association, Starscream - still reeling from the earlier revelations - was not immune to Megatron's charisma. The Seeker's hand, almost of its own volition, rose towards his leader's. It halted, just short of the other hand.
"Answer me one thing, Lord Megatron. Are you truly willing to place our lives in a Prime's hands?" Starscream whispered, unwilling to completely yield his antagonistic role yet.
"In a Prime's hands? No," Megatron offered a humorless laugh. "Nor would I trust the questionable mercy of Sentinel Prime." He continued, softer, "But Optimus Prime..." Megatron paused and nodded, "Yes, Optimus Prime I'll trust."
"In that case, my Lord, you have my loyalty and my devotion. Primus have mercy on us all."
*****************************************************************************
Hours later, Megatron sat alone within his darkened quarters.
The revelation of their current situation and the plan to deal with it had gone well - or as well as could be expected when delivering such shocking information.
Like Starscream, the Decepticons of the Nemesis resisted the idea of a truce with the Autobots. Unlike Starscream, they had fallen in line quicker. But convincing a single mech had always been different than convincing a group.
With a group, the individuals were swept up in the crowd's emotions. Even those who could imperfectly see or hear the speaker were affected, the most rational of mechs behaved irrationally once caught in the emotional storm. Mob mentality, the humans called it.
It took a skilled, passionate speaker - like Megatron - to arouse a crowd of mechs, to inspire them.
Even discounting the approximately four million year stasis period, Megatron hadn't used this ability in vorns. He found, quite surprisingly, that he missed it. He missed inspiring mechs to break the shackles of everyday life, to look at the world in a new way, to consider ideas they had never thought of before.
By the time peace with the Autobots was achieved, it was likely he'd be sick of speeches and craving action. But, for the moment, Megatron savored the nearly forgotten delight of influencing others with rhetoric alone.
He'd persuaded both Starscream and the rest of the Decepticons on-board the Nemesis to necessity of his plan. He had suitable and subtle reminders prepared to remind his second in command of the precariousness of their situation ready for when the other attempted treachery once again.
(If all else failed, he could always mail the Seeker to the Ark and let Skyfire deal with Starscream for a few vorns...)
He only had to convince Prime of both his sincerity and the urgency of the crisis in order to prevent the deactivation of the Cybertronian Decepticons.
The treaty itself - he'd be surprised if the final version was completed by the end of the human year. The sheer number of issues needing to be settled practically assured any negotiation between the Autobots and Decepticons would last a while.
Months.... in the same room as Optimus Prime.... without any life-threatening distractions....
With sudden eagerness to begin the treaty negotiations, Megatron summoned up all of his charismatic eloquence and started entering a letter requesting a meeting with the Autobot leader in a medic-grade datapad.
Time to get started.
********************************************************************
It was a mission of extreme skill, daring, and stealth.
It also had the potential to be funny as Pit.
The last descriptor inspired a small, but furious, battle among Soundwave's cassettes. Each wanted to be chosen for the mission to deliver Megatron's missive to Optimus Prime.
Finally, Soundwave ended the argument by assigning the mission to Ravage. The feline was immediately beset upon by his siblings, each requesting for holos of the Prime's reaction. After all, what kind of big brother would refuse to share blackmai - er - souvenirs of his trip with his siblings?
After promising the other cassettes all the incriminating holos he could take, Ravage and the seeker dropping him off by the Ark - Skywarp, this time - left the Nemesis.
The flight towards Mt. St. Hilary and the Autobot base was routine. All of the seekers had received 'drop and recover cassetticons' missions before were well versed in the flightpath required. It wound over un-inhabited areas, required the flier to stay just above the treetops to avoid detection, and ended at a long abandoned airfield slightly beyond the Autobot security perimeter.
Once there, Skywarp's canopy opened and released Ravage.
The feline cassette easily dropped to the ground and sub-spaced his precious cargo. It would not do to miscarry the mission over something as idiotic as dropping the datapad. True, medic-grade datapads were designed to endure the hazards of a battlefield or an operating room - and their attendant messes. But, surviving getting shot by a trigger-happy Autobot who heard the 'pad land was well beyond the device's limits.
Ravage padded through the forest near the Ark, silently thanking Primus that the Autobots hadn't added to their security since the last time a cassetticon was there. He - nor Shockwave and the other Decepticons back on Cybertron - had time to waste figuring out how to circumvent some new alarm or sensor added to Red Alert's security grid.
Ravage shook himself, as if to shake off distraction. He would not accomplish the mission if he got spotted by the Autobots sentries. Refocusing his optics on the world around him, Ravage blinked in shock.
While absorbed in his own thoughts, Ravage had managed - somehow - to arrive at and enter the Ark via its ventilation system.
Such carelessness was dangerous to a spy.
Megatron wanted peace....
Later. He could think about what peace would mean for himself and his siblings after the mission. If he kept dawdling like this, the peace would never happen and his family unit would suffer.
The feline cassette eyed the ventilation system stretching before him. He'd try the Ark's common room first, then the bridge. If the Prime wasn't in either location, Ravage would need to hack into Teletraan-1, check the duty roster, and pray Optimus Prime wasn't at the idiotically named Autobot City. Autobot City was a necessity after the growing energy crisis forced Shockwave to scour Cybertron for any hidden energon deposits. Unable to remain hidden, the remaining Autobot forces had fled to Earth and inspired the creation of the City.
That wasn't why Ravage wished to stay away from it. The reason Ravage wanted to avoid the City was simple - traveling there and back would add hours on to his mission, and there simply was no time to waste.
Luck, however, was with him. Prime sat in the common room of the Ark, surrounded by various members of the Autobot high command.
Ravage's optics widened in shock, almost wishing for a set of grenades to use on the scene below. Optimus Prime, Elita-1, Ultra Magnus, Prowl, Jazz, Ironhide, Chromia, and... dear Primus, was that Alpha Trion?! Who was in charge of the Ark? Wheeljack?
Still.... This did present some very... interesting opportunities. And it would be crime to let this situation go to waste....
Ravage skulked in the shadows and began to plot.
*********************************************************
Optimus Prime toyed with his un-touched Cube of energon, knowing he should be happier than he was. His friends and family were safe and healthy, as were the mechs and femmes under his command. The various Earth governments had no new quarrels or restrictions dealing with the Autobots. Decepticon activity was at an all time low - and so were the casualties caused by their attacks. In fact, the Decepticons hadn't accomplished a successful raid in months.
If he needed something to worry about, as Ultra Magnus and Elita-1 often joked, Optimus should be wondering and preparing for the Decepticons' next attack.
Instead, Optimus found his processor occupied with thoughts about the status of life on-board the Nemesis. The Decepticons' supply of energon must be nearly exhausted, given the amount of time since their last lucrative energy theft and the lack of Decepticon space-bridge activity in the interim.
After recalling those deductions, Optimus couldn't help but wonder how the Decepticons troops are fairing. Although they're his enemies, he'd known them for vorns and was worried about them anyway. Was Soundwave getting enough energon, or had he been saving a portion of his rations for the cassetticons? How were the Seekers dealing with their claustrophobia? Were the Decepticons all right? Was Meg- Optimus harshly pushed the thought away before it could fully form. He was too late, though, to stop the familiar image of red optics in a sliver face from flashing across his mind.
Optimus compressed his mouth into a thin line. Even after all this time, he hadn't managed to train himself out of reacting to that face.
He needed a distraction, something to occupy his mind until the face returned to the memory file from whence it came.
Optimus focused his attention upon Ironhide. He was just in time to see a black blur alight upon the weapon specialist's head, jump to the table, toss something into Optimus' cube - splattering energon over the nearest mechs, drop to the floor, and scurry out of the common room.
For about thirty seconds, the entire common room froze in shock. Then, with an audio shattering roar, Ironhide charged after Ravage with Chromia hard on his heels. Ironhide's shout broke Elita-1 and Ultra Magnus out of their stunned stupor. The two commanders began coordinating locking-down parts of the Ark with the hunt for Ravage. A laughing Jazz and a smiling Alpha Trion were working on preventing Prowl's battle computer crashing and taking the tactician down with it.
Optimus, lips curled into an amused smile behind his mask, calmly fished the datapad Ravage left behind out of the Cube.
The message upon the pad was addressed to him, Optimus idly noted, and written in an unfamiliar hand. He glanced at the signature and felt his Spark tighten in dread.
Something was horribly wrong.
There was no other reason Megatron, Leader of the Decepticons, would write to Optimus Prime and request a formal meeting.
Author: RosieKnight
Characters: Ensemble
Pairing: Megatron/Optimus Prime, and others - too numerous to list
Rating: Let's start with PG-13 for now.
Universe: G1 with elements of IDW for Megatron's past.
Disclaimer: Not mine
Summary: An energy crisis forces the Decepticons to seek peace with the Autobots, but the treaty holds an unexpected clause. For the treaty to be valid, Megatron and Optimus Prime must marry.
Warning: Mech/Mech and Mech/Femme relationships. Cliffhanger, because it's the first section of a WIP.
Notes: Follow up to Dreams.
drharper!Megatron sat alone in his darkened quarters of the Nemesis, replaying the memory file of his most recent communication with Shockwave. When had the situation deteriorated so much, and so quickly?
As much as he'd love to blame the Autobots, the energy crisis had loomed in the future for nearly his entire existence.
The war had merely accelerated matters, until both sides believed new, off-world sources of energy were required.
Pit, the original mission of the Ark was to search out new sources of energon!
Four million years ago, both sides had foolishly believed that the crisis point had arrived.
They were wrong.
The crisis point was now.
Megatron frowned, thoughtfully. He knew the actions he must take, but one variable out of place would shatter the Decepticon forces and doom more than just his men. The easiest way to deal with this variable was to confront it directly - no secrets this time - and force his troops to understand the choice he made.
And to do that, he needed to talk to Starscream.
Suiting deed to thought, Megatron stood and slid aside the door to his quarters.
Starscream was the Officer On Duty for the bridge, and - never missing a chance to lord over his subordinates - would be there.
Arriving on the bridge, Megatron spotted the Air Commander through the murky lighting of power-save mode. The other mech - for once not ranting about Megatron's supposed flaws - was listening to Soundwave's report on the status of the floating solar panels.
"Starscream," Megatron interrupted, "My ready room, now."
"As you command, Lord Megatron," the Seeker ground out.
Gesturing for the other mech to precede him, Megatron headed to and entered the ready room. "I received a message from Shockwave today," Megatron spoke quietly. "I want you to watch it."
The screen centered on Shockwave's single optic. "Lord Megatron," the image intoned. "I regret to inform you that this shall be my last communication. Neither I nor Cybertron have the energy to spare for another. The energy crisis on Cybertron has reached a critical point. Without additional supplies, every Decepticon remaining on Cybertron shall enter stasis lock from lack of energon in the next orn. Three orns after that, our sparks shall fade. And within a human "decade", Cybertron itself will die." The purple mech paused, "All possible energy sources and reductions have been exploited: Both moons are lifeless, the space-bridge is deactivated, and any engergon stockpiled by the Autobot femmes was consumed long ago." Again Shockwave paused, seemingly fighting to remain logical, "As always, Lord Megatron, I put our future in your hands. Shockwave... and Cybertron out."
A long moment stretched in silence as Starscream stared at the now blank screen, optics wide.
"Did he send anything else?" the seeker finally demanded, minute tremors running through his fingers.
Megatron ignored the sign of suppressed emotions. Drawing attention to the imperfectly concealed feelings would put Starscream on the defensive and make the whole situation exponentially more difficult than it already was. Instead, the Decepticon Lord brought up a highly compressed file, "Only this file filled with his observations, analysis, and conclusions about the energy crisis. I may not be a scientist, but Shockwave's graphs and charts are distressingly clear."
Starscream snorted, "I'll be the judge of that. Shockwave does make the occasional mistake."
Megatron allowed the Seeker time to study the gathered information.
The Air Commander's wings noticeably drooped in resignation as Starscream read. He looked up, meeting Megatron's optics. "My lord," Starscream began formally, "I can find no errors in Shockwave's evidence. Cyberton and the Decepticons stationed there are doomed."
"I see," Megatron's tone was quiet, subdued. He hadn't expected Starscream to find any errors in Shockwave's work.
"Well, I don't," fueled by distressed, Starscream lashed out at Megatron - the nearest target for his emotions. "Why did you show me that?"
Megatron marshaled his thoughts, "Because I need your support. What I'm planning is risky enough without having to deal with your constant attempts to seize control of the Decepticons. Any in-fighting between the two of us will destroy not only Cybertron, but the Decepticons as well - and with them, any hope of you supplanting me." Megatron relentlessly continued, "The facts speak plainly for themselves. We will not receive any re-enforcements from Cybertron, due to the situation there. Nor, do we have the resources to alleviate the energy crisis there. Our own energon supplies are dangerously low. Between the failed raids and the damaged solar panels, we don't have enough energy to properly power the Nemesis, let alone send some to Cybertron. Even if the solar panels were functioning at full efficiency, we'd barely have enough energon stockpiled for a medical emergency." The Decepticon Lord audibly cycled air through his vents, "And, none of our forces stationed through out the galaxy are able to or close enough to Earth or Cybertron to arrive in time to make a difference."
Starscream arrogantly nodded, "True enough. But what does that have to do with me?"
"I'm getting there, Starscream," Megatron didn't bother to keep his exhaustion hidden, annoyed by the other mech's condescending tone. "So within four orns, we assigned to the Nemesis will be the only Decepticons on Earth, with no hope for re-enforcements or a lasting change in our energy situation." Throwing the smaller mech a significant look, Megatron commented, "And here's where the state of our forces becomes significant. We know our status, what of the Autobots'? How will they be in four orns?"
"I'd imagine that they'd be the same as they are now. Rested, energized, and... with... almost... all... of their forces.... I think I understand the problem, sir."
Megatron flashed a grim smile, the reality of their situation was clearly sinking into the seeker's mind, "You forgot to add 'battle-hardened' and 'familiar with our tactics' to their list of advantages." The smile melted away, leaving Megatron's visage grimmer than Starscream had seen it in vorns, "To be brutally honest, I can only see three endings to this. One, we continue as we are now and get destroyed or captured and executed for our actions one by one, until no Decepticons remain. Two, inner-faction fighting accelerates the first possibility by weakening the survivors of such a slaughter - of which you would not be included. Three, and most repellent in the short term, we make peace with the Autobots to end this destructive conflict and restore order to the galaxy." The Decepticon Lord stared straight into his subordinate's optics, "You once agreed to follow me into the Pit and back. Will you follow me on a path much more treacherous? Will you help me save the Decepticons from our own destruction?"
Starscream was silent for a long moment, pride warring with survival instincts. "What do you need me to do, Lord Megatron?"
The answer came swiftly, "I will not lie to you, Starscream. What I need you to do now will be probably the most difficult thing of your career. I need you to support me when I announce making a peace treaty with the Autobots."
"What?! Megaton, are you serious?!" the Seeker's shrill voice rent the air.
Megatron's reply was quiet, "Deadly serious. All other paths lead to our destruction." Ruby optics shone with an inner flame, as Megatron's vocal intensity grew, "I will not stand by and allow our accomplishments to fall to dust, as a rusty relic of Cybertronian history. We broke the old, unjust world. I say we have a right and a duty to help rebuild it, better than before. To do otherwise will prove our nay-sayers, the very mechs and femmes who unthinkingly crushed us underfoot before, correct." Suddenly, volume draining from his voice, Megatron held out an a inviting hand, "And so I ask again: Are you with me, Starscream?"
Megatron once inspired a revolution with his words. Despite the vorns of their association, Starscream - still reeling from the earlier revelations - was not immune to Megatron's charisma. The Seeker's hand, almost of its own volition, rose towards his leader's. It halted, just short of the other hand.
"Answer me one thing, Lord Megatron. Are you truly willing to place our lives in a Prime's hands?" Starscream whispered, unwilling to completely yield his antagonistic role yet.
"In a Prime's hands? No," Megatron offered a humorless laugh. "Nor would I trust the questionable mercy of Sentinel Prime." He continued, softer, "But Optimus Prime..." Megatron paused and nodded, "Yes, Optimus Prime I'll trust."
"In that case, my Lord, you have my loyalty and my devotion. Primus have mercy on us all."
*****************************************************************************
Hours later, Megatron sat alone within his darkened quarters.
The revelation of their current situation and the plan to deal with it had gone well - or as well as could be expected when delivering such shocking information.
Like Starscream, the Decepticons of the Nemesis resisted the idea of a truce with the Autobots. Unlike Starscream, they had fallen in line quicker. But convincing a single mech had always been different than convincing a group.
With a group, the individuals were swept up in the crowd's emotions. Even those who could imperfectly see or hear the speaker were affected, the most rational of mechs behaved irrationally once caught in the emotional storm. Mob mentality, the humans called it.
It took a skilled, passionate speaker - like Megatron - to arouse a crowd of mechs, to inspire them.
Even discounting the approximately four million year stasis period, Megatron hadn't used this ability in vorns. He found, quite surprisingly, that he missed it. He missed inspiring mechs to break the shackles of everyday life, to look at the world in a new way, to consider ideas they had never thought of before.
By the time peace with the Autobots was achieved, it was likely he'd be sick of speeches and craving action. But, for the moment, Megatron savored the nearly forgotten delight of influencing others with rhetoric alone.
He'd persuaded both Starscream and the rest of the Decepticons on-board the Nemesis to necessity of his plan. He had suitable and subtle reminders prepared to remind his second in command of the precariousness of their situation ready for when the other attempted treachery once again.
(If all else failed, he could always mail the Seeker to the Ark and let Skyfire deal with Starscream for a few vorns...)
He only had to convince Prime of both his sincerity and the urgency of the crisis in order to prevent the deactivation of the Cybertronian Decepticons.
The treaty itself - he'd be surprised if the final version was completed by the end of the human year. The sheer number of issues needing to be settled practically assured any negotiation between the Autobots and Decepticons would last a while.
Months.... in the same room as Optimus Prime.... without any life-threatening distractions....
With sudden eagerness to begin the treaty negotiations, Megatron summoned up all of his charismatic eloquence and started entering a letter requesting a meeting with the Autobot leader in a medic-grade datapad.
Time to get started.
********************************************************************
It was a mission of extreme skill, daring, and stealth.
It also had the potential to be funny as Pit.
The last descriptor inspired a small, but furious, battle among Soundwave's cassettes. Each wanted to be chosen for the mission to deliver Megatron's missive to Optimus Prime.
Finally, Soundwave ended the argument by assigning the mission to Ravage. The feline was immediately beset upon by his siblings, each requesting for holos of the Prime's reaction. After all, what kind of big brother would refuse to share blackmai - er - souvenirs of his trip with his siblings?
After promising the other cassettes all the incriminating holos he could take, Ravage and the seeker dropping him off by the Ark - Skywarp, this time - left the Nemesis.
The flight towards Mt. St. Hilary and the Autobot base was routine. All of the seekers had received 'drop and recover cassetticons' missions before were well versed in the flightpath required. It wound over un-inhabited areas, required the flier to stay just above the treetops to avoid detection, and ended at a long abandoned airfield slightly beyond the Autobot security perimeter.
Once there, Skywarp's canopy opened and released Ravage.
The feline cassette easily dropped to the ground and sub-spaced his precious cargo. It would not do to miscarry the mission over something as idiotic as dropping the datapad. True, medic-grade datapads were designed to endure the hazards of a battlefield or an operating room - and their attendant messes. But, surviving getting shot by a trigger-happy Autobot who heard the 'pad land was well beyond the device's limits.
Ravage padded through the forest near the Ark, silently thanking Primus that the Autobots hadn't added to their security since the last time a cassetticon was there. He - nor Shockwave and the other Decepticons back on Cybertron - had time to waste figuring out how to circumvent some new alarm or sensor added to Red Alert's security grid.
Ravage shook himself, as if to shake off distraction. He would not accomplish the mission if he got spotted by the Autobots sentries. Refocusing his optics on the world around him, Ravage blinked in shock.
While absorbed in his own thoughts, Ravage had managed - somehow - to arrive at and enter the Ark via its ventilation system.
Such carelessness was dangerous to a spy.
Megatron wanted peace....
Later. He could think about what peace would mean for himself and his siblings after the mission. If he kept dawdling like this, the peace would never happen and his family unit would suffer.
The feline cassette eyed the ventilation system stretching before him. He'd try the Ark's common room first, then the bridge. If the Prime wasn't in either location, Ravage would need to hack into Teletraan-1, check the duty roster, and pray Optimus Prime wasn't at the idiotically named Autobot City. Autobot City was a necessity after the growing energy crisis forced Shockwave to scour Cybertron for any hidden energon deposits. Unable to remain hidden, the remaining Autobot forces had fled to Earth and inspired the creation of the City.
That wasn't why Ravage wished to stay away from it. The reason Ravage wanted to avoid the City was simple - traveling there and back would add hours on to his mission, and there simply was no time to waste.
Luck, however, was with him. Prime sat in the common room of the Ark, surrounded by various members of the Autobot high command.
Ravage's optics widened in shock, almost wishing for a set of grenades to use on the scene below. Optimus Prime, Elita-1, Ultra Magnus, Prowl, Jazz, Ironhide, Chromia, and... dear Primus, was that Alpha Trion?! Who was in charge of the Ark? Wheeljack?
Still.... This did present some very... interesting opportunities. And it would be crime to let this situation go to waste....
Ravage skulked in the shadows and began to plot.
*********************************************************
Optimus Prime toyed with his un-touched Cube of energon, knowing he should be happier than he was. His friends and family were safe and healthy, as were the mechs and femmes under his command. The various Earth governments had no new quarrels or restrictions dealing with the Autobots. Decepticon activity was at an all time low - and so were the casualties caused by their attacks. In fact, the Decepticons hadn't accomplished a successful raid in months.
If he needed something to worry about, as Ultra Magnus and Elita-1 often joked, Optimus should be wondering and preparing for the Decepticons' next attack.
Instead, Optimus found his processor occupied with thoughts about the status of life on-board the Nemesis. The Decepticons' supply of energon must be nearly exhausted, given the amount of time since their last lucrative energy theft and the lack of Decepticon space-bridge activity in the interim.
After recalling those deductions, Optimus couldn't help but wonder how the Decepticons troops are fairing. Although they're his enemies, he'd known them for vorns and was worried about them anyway. Was Soundwave getting enough energon, or had he been saving a portion of his rations for the cassetticons? How were the Seekers dealing with their claustrophobia? Were the Decepticons all right? Was Meg- Optimus harshly pushed the thought away before it could fully form. He was too late, though, to stop the familiar image of red optics in a sliver face from flashing across his mind.
Optimus compressed his mouth into a thin line. Even after all this time, he hadn't managed to train himself out of reacting to that face.
He needed a distraction, something to occupy his mind until the face returned to the memory file from whence it came.
Optimus focused his attention upon Ironhide. He was just in time to see a black blur alight upon the weapon specialist's head, jump to the table, toss something into Optimus' cube - splattering energon over the nearest mechs, drop to the floor, and scurry out of the common room.
For about thirty seconds, the entire common room froze in shock. Then, with an audio shattering roar, Ironhide charged after Ravage with Chromia hard on his heels. Ironhide's shout broke Elita-1 and Ultra Magnus out of their stunned stupor. The two commanders began coordinating locking-down parts of the Ark with the hunt for Ravage. A laughing Jazz and a smiling Alpha Trion were working on preventing Prowl's battle computer crashing and taking the tactician down with it.
Optimus, lips curled into an amused smile behind his mask, calmly fished the datapad Ravage left behind out of the Cube.
The message upon the pad was addressed to him, Optimus idly noted, and written in an unfamiliar hand. He glanced at the signature and felt his Spark tighten in dread.
Something was horribly wrong.
There was no other reason Megatron, Leader of the Decepticons, would write to Optimus Prime and request a formal meeting.