On the Fields of Freedoms Edge - Chapter 6
Title: On the Fields of Freedoms Edge
Rating: R
Pairing: Megatron/Optimus Prime
Warning: Mentions of non-con, mpreg (highlight for warnings, spoilers)
Summary: TF Prime. Optimus goes to extreme measures to stop Megatron once and for all
AN: Amazing reviewers are amazing. That's right, you know who I'm talking about. I'm talking about you. You are amazing.
Ratchet came back to The Pit several solar cycles later. One look at Megatrons self inflicted wounds and the medic began berating him in a way he never would have if Megatron had been free to retaliate. The disrespect would have once sent him into a furious rage. Megatron couldn’t work up the will to care.
“Honestly, Megatron,” Ratchet sighed, grabbing one of the massive servos and surveying the damage done. Though the gouges had healed somewhat they were caked with dirt and dried energon. “I wouldn’t have thought you would be the sort of mech to resort to this sort of foolishness. Look at this mess.” He cleaned the wounds a little rougher than was strictly necessary. “Stubborn bucket head.”
“Did you come here with the sole purpose of insulting me, medic?”
“I came here to perform tests and give you a status report.”
“I don’t want to hear any status report. What good would it do?”
“You don’t even want to hear how your own Creation is doing,” Ratchet asked, sounding scandalized.
“No.”
The medic shook his head and cleaned the rest of Megatrons wounds in silence. The facial wounds were awkward for both of them, Megtron knelt and deactivated his optics while the medic worked a soft cloth over his face plates. The medic was professional about it, quick and efficient but thorough. Not for the first time Megatron regretted the medics affiliations. He would have been a valuable asset to the Decepticon cause. He vaguely recalled a conversation that seemed ages ago, he believed Ratchet had pushed for his honorable death rather than subjecting him to the slave coding. Megatron respected the medic for his mercy as well as his willingness to follow his Commander even in the face of orders he objected to.
A true soldier. Loyal yet not subservient. Merciful yet not one to shy away from what needed to be done.
Those thoughts distracted him until Ratchet indicated he was done.
The next task at hand was even more unpleasant.
When it was time for the tests he was brisk and efficient. Megatron complied with his commands and refused to show any reaction to the invasive prodding’s.
He heard Ratchet mutter words that were foreign to his ears. The word reproductive systems came up several times but the rest was beyond him. He was no medic. All he knew was that those ‘reproductive systems’ were the cause of nearly a stellar cycles worth of pain and if he didn’t already know Ratchet would refuse he would have demanded they be extracted immediately.
Ratchet spent no longer than necessary on the internal exam for which Megatron was thankful, even if he remained silent on the matter.
A further examination was done on his processor. For what purpose Megatron didn’t know but it left him with a slight sense of vertigo.
When Ratchet was done Megatron sat up, feeling a distant sort of violation from the exam.
“Just one more thing, Megatron.” Ratchet handed him a data pad. “When I leave Optimus wants you to watch this.”
He took the data pad and set it aside. Ratchet shook his helm and left.
Once Megatron was sure the medic was gone he picked up the data pad and activated it.
Optimus appeared on the screen wearing his customary serious expression.
“Megatron, I have a great many things I wish to say but as I’m sure you would break the data pad if I began staying any of them I will get right to the point. I am releasing you from the slave coding. The necessary codes were uploaded by Ratchet during the examination, the activation codes are on this data pad. For obvious reasons I had Ratchet leave the island before giving you the activation codes. What you do from here is your choice but I must warn you, if you continue on your former path I will keep Orion from you and do everything in my power to see to your deactivation. I truly believe the time on the island must have done you some good and that you will not continue on the path that has lead to countless deaths and the destruction of our world. You have my personal comm. line if you do reconsider rejoining the Decepticons.”
The message ended.
Megatron wasted no time in implementing the activation code.
The code change didn’t have any noticeable effect so Megatron tested it by opening up a private comm. link to Soundwave. To his delight there was no punishing retaliation from the slave code. Megatron enabled his internal comm, finding all his Decepticon comm. links in working order, just as he had left them before Optimus had had them disabled. He comm’d his Third.
The response was immediate. Lines of text (Soundwaves preferred mode of communication) flooded his HUD. Few people were privy to Soundwaves more talkative side, the mech that would send a wall of text to his Leader and yet refused to vocalize a single word. Typically Megatron found it irritating, today he couldn’t have been more pleased to see the familiar words of his Third.
Megatron-Back-Query-In-Good-Health-Soundwave-Beginning-To-Feel-Concern-Decepticons-Worried-Starscream-Worries-Despite-Treacherous-Words-To-The-Contrary-Comm-Link-Was-Inactive-Feared-Leader-in-Stasis-Coordinates-Requested-Soundwave-Will-Activate-Space-Bridge-Immediately.
Megatron reactivated his internal tracking systems and located his position on the planet, a small island in the Northern Pacific Ocean.
Soundwave sent his confirmation.
The space bridge was waiting for him when he left the transport container. Standing before it was his Second In Command.
“Well well well, look who finally decided to make an appearance,” drawled a familiar voice. One that on any other day he might have found annoying, now he only felt a dim sort of pleasure at hearing a voice that didn’t belong to himself or an Autobot.
“Starscream. Have you behaved yourself in my absence?”
The look that momentarily flashed across Starscreams faceplates said ‘no’. “Why, of course, Megatron! I ran a tight ship while you were away, I’m sure you’ll be pleased to find things are running more efficiently than ever under my leadership. Why, the rest of the crew barely noticed your absence.”
He sent a half-hearted glare towards Starscream. “Oh, really?”
“Er, well, perhaps there are a few kinks to work out here and there but nothing to worry about.”
“Starscream, if I return to find my ship in ruins and my army half starved it will be on your hide,” he warned.
Starscream wrung his clawed fingers together and took a nervous step away from the space bridge, beckoning Megatron towards it. “I assure you, Master; you will be most pleased with my work.”
He eyed Starscream. His Second adopted a watery smile that he suspected was supposed to be encouraging.
Perhaps he might have once beaten his Second, a small part of him wanted to wipe that stupid expression off his face but he couldn’t bring himself to raise a servo at Starscream and the reason for that made his faceplates heat with embarrassment.
Primus.
Those wide optics, the subservient posture, the downturned wings … Starscream looked like a mechling to his optics. His Creator protocols were as active as ever and the behavior that once made him want to beat his Second now made him want to … no, he wasn’t going down that route. Starscream may look like a helpless weakling but his mind was shrewd and he would have no qualms exploiting this weakness to his full advantage if he became aware of it.
He pushed those thoughts away.
“It’s time to leave, Starscream.”
The seeker bowed. “Your space bridge awaits, my lord.”
Megatron didn’t spare a glance backwards. He was leaving The Pit behind; this was no time for sentimentality. This was the moment he had been waiting for since he had been marooned here by Prime, enslaved and violated; he was now a free mech on his way to reclaim his rightful place. As it always was in his life, he overcame adversity and rose to become more powerful than ever. This time his goal wasn’t power, his goal was something far grander.
The Pit had served its purpose, difficult though his time on the island had been he had gained insight and wisdom.
It was a strange regret he felt. Though he didn’t regret leaving The Pit he regretted leaving behind the quiet and contemplative moments, the times spent with nothing but the soft thrum of Orions spark against his own and the sunrise for company.
He would miss that, if nothing else.
Passing by Starscream who reflexively cringed at his Masters proximity, Megatron absent mindedly dropped a gentle pat on the seekers helm and entered the space bridge.
***
The biggest surprise would come a few orbital cycle after returning to the Nemisis.
His return was predictably anti-climactic and had been greeted with a sort of obligated joy by most of the crew, all of which were used to his often and mysterious disappearances by this point, to the effect that his return was barely met with a sideways glance. This was neither the first nor the longest time Megatron had gone missing for. Soundwave had diligently kept his search going for his lost leader and the Decepticons had carried on in an orderly fashion. Megatron was pleased. His Decepticons were well trained and he could be assured that in the event of his demise the Decepticons would carry on.
He was greeted more enthusiastically by his inner circle than by the crew, as was to be expected, Dreadwing in particular expressing his deep relief that Megatron was well and alive. Megatron suspected this was because Dreadwing was growing weary of working under Starscream and was grateful for the return of his true Master.
To Megatrons great surprise, despite some opinion to the contrary, Starscream had done a passable job commanding the ship in his absence; the halls were cleaner than he remembered, a strange difference in command style that Megatron would have never anticipated.
Aside from cosmetic differences Starscream had, under the careful supervision of Soundwave, made no radical changes.
Megatron had half expected to return to find a throne room and a gaudy crown built to Starscreams specs. He found neither.
Instead he found cleanliness and order and a crew that seemed harassed and overworked. Starscream, it seemed, was as high maintenance a leader as he was a SIC. As far as leadership flaws went it wasn’t as terrible as Megatron might have imagined.
He didn’t tell Starscream he was impressed but over the next few orbital cycles after his return he began allowing the seeker to take an active leadership role and allowed his SIC to shoulder responsibilities that were before off limits to him.
After a slightly rocky beginning during which Starscream seemed to fear for his life and had taken to staying well out of Megatrons reach, the seeker seemed to understand his life was not in jeopardy and began to flourish under what he considered to be ‘the respect he always deserved’.
Their new found mutual respect was what resulted in Starscream bringing the latest spoils of his raid to Megatron rather than hoarding it away for his own use. No doubt the seeker was expecting lavish praise and a parade thrown in his honour for the effort.
“Master,” crowed Starscream, announcing his entrance. Megatron didn’t turn around, preoccupied with the latest energon mining reports, finding a brief grunt to be acknowledgment enough for his SIC. The clicking of the seekers distinctive pedes grew louder as he sauntered closer. “You will not believe what the Autobots were hiding!”
“A mechling,” said dryly.
“A mechl-, “ Starscream began to declare proudly before Megatrons words registered. “How in the Pit did you know that?” He demanded.
His optics were focused intently on the data pad and he was momentarily struck dumb by a pain he thought he had reconciled himself to. “It is none of your concern. I am well aware of this and would have made you aware when it was time for you to know.”
“Don’t tell me you want me to give it back, after all the trouble I went through to bring it to you. I even polished the little fragger up for you,” he grumbled.
The data pad dropped. He slowly turned.
“He is here?”
“It’s in my quarters. Where else could I polish a mechling? It’s not like Knock Out would let me use the med bay for mechling detailing.”
“Bring him to me.”
Starscream gave him a dirty look, clearly feeling he wasn’t getting the praise he had expected. Megatron couldn’t care less. His Second left in a huff.
Orion was here, on the Nemesis?
It was too much to be believed.
After so long was he to finally be reunited with his Creation?
He had held back all hope of a reunion, resigning himself to Optimus Prime raising their offspring. It hadn’t been an easy choice to make but it was one he knew was for the best. The Nemesis was no place for a mechling and he was well aware that being known as the heir of Lord Megatron would come with dangers and challenges he could not foresee.
Of the two of them Optimus was a mech perfectly suited to raising young, steady tempered and with a fair mix of firmness and patience that would serve a mechling far better than Megatrons own quick temper and grand ambitions.
He had known this and accepted it.
He had not even attempted to see or contact his mechling. It was better to sever all ties completely than linger over what-if’s. More importantly, it would not have been fair to Orion.
Now all of that was ruined by Starscream and by his own command.
Megatron couldn’t bring himself to feel anything but joy and perhaps some trepidation.
It seemed to take an eternity for Starscream to come back.
The click of high heeled pedes heralded his arrival.
Megatrons tanks froze.
Starscream returned with flourish, gesturing grandly towards Megatron for the benefit of the mechling cradled in his servos.
“And that, little Autobot, is my Master. Lord Megatron. I would say bow but I doubt you can understand me.”
It was him. Orion. His mechling. His heir. His Creation.
Before he realized what he was doing Megatron had crossed the space between them and scooped Orion up in his servos, pressing the tiny body close to his spark, feeling the answering flutter of Orions own spark.
He looked down at familiar white optics. Optics that were wide with an emotion that wasn’t happiness.
His mechling looked afraid. Had he forgotten him so soon? It had been a few orbital cycles, almost as long as Orion had been alive. Of course. He had been foolish to believe such a young mechling could retain memories like a grown mech.
It was for the best.
Feeling more than a little foolish and a great deal more mortified at his display in front of Starscream, he handed the mechling back.
“Take him back to the Autobots.”
For once Starscream didn’t question him, taking the mechling back and walking away even though the expression on his face plates was that of a mech itching for knowledge,. Megatron turned his back on them, not wanting to see his mechling disappear for a second time.
Starscream was close to the door when the mechling let out a piercing cry. The sound froze the energon in Megatrons lines. He steeled himself against it.
The seeker had no such willpower, letting out a startled squawk at the volume of the mechlings cries.
As soon as the cries began turning frantic Starscream marched back to Megatron, walking around until he was face to face with him and deposited the mechling in his Leaders servos.
The shrieks stopped.
Megatron looked down at the tiny mechling and the mechling looked back at him. He knew now Orion had not forgotten. There was love in this optics, a love so innocent and trusting that he felt stripped bare, exposed for the monster he was, undeserving of this mechling.
Why, he wanted to ask. Why do you love me? Why do I deserve you?
Orion smiled and slapped his chestplates, bouncing excitedly and chirping non-stop.
He didn’t care for Megatrons spark-searching and internal crisis. He had his Creator back. That was all that mattered.
‘You are correct, little Orion,’ he thought. ‘As always, your simplicity cuts through my unimportant worries and gives me perspective.’
“So, er, I take it you know each other,” asked Starscream, very nearly falling over himself with curiosity burning in his optics.
“Leave us Starscream.”
“But-“
“Now!”
Starscream looked put out but immediately left.
Megatron and Orion were alone for the first time in so long and Megatron didn’t know what to do.
So he did the only thing he could do in a situation where he was infinitely out of his depth.
He comm’d Soundwave.
AN: Omg I've been banging these chapters out, I'm sort of feeling like I've been rushing them. Quick notice. I had had the last of this fic written and done with but then I decided that the ending wasn't quite up to the quality I would like so while I have an idea of how I want the ending to go none of it has been written yet so next chapter might take longer to get posted.
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