On the top floor of the hospital, in one of the rooms, Megatron stood with his hands clasped behind his back, gazing out over the city through a grand window that offered a privileged view of the skyline.
His armor, renowned for its silver brilliance that gleamed beneath the sun, was now tarnished, streaked with marks from the explosion. But to him, this was nothing, merely a calculated detail in the grand theater he had orchestrated only hours before.
"The plan is unfolding just as expected," Megatron declared, glancing over his shoulder at his loyal subordinate, Soundwave. "A disaster of this magnitude will force the High Council to abandon their games and finally listen to my words."
He was tired of political charades. With all he had achieved, and with his countermeasures ready to be set in motion, there was no longer any need to prolong what, in his mind, had become a trivial game of politics.
With popular support behind him, he had everything he needed to dismantle the High Council once and for all. And with the planted bomb, he had delivered the checkmate.
"I must admit, the plan to use criminals as walking bombs was brilliant," he said, showing no sign of remorse for the collateral damage caused by his orders.
Soundwave stepped forward, coming to stand beside him. Together they looked out over the city, though the meaning behind Soundwave's silent gaze remained as impenetrable as ever, sharp as a blade, unreadable.
"Tomorrow, Soundwave. Tomorrow we will change our world for the better," Megatron declared, his voice filled with iron conviction. "It doesn't matter how many I must kill to achieve it. The time has come for the strong to take command of Cybertron."
There was little chance of his plan failing now. Everything was falling into place for his complete conquest, whether through words or by obliterating his enemies.
With patience and cunning, Megatron had seized control of the majority of Cybertron's underworld—thanks in part to the armaments of Crystal City and the intelligence provided by Starscream. Not to mention the vast Decepticon army he had meticulously assembled, handpicking each soldier for their strength or usefulness. His aerial forces alone likely outmatched the entire High Guard.
During this time of planning, he had formed an elite group of Decepticons, the strongest, the most loyal, or simply those most vital to his ideological cause. Best of all, his army was made up of bots from every Cybertronian race imaginable.
His confidence and arrogance were more than justified. Now, with the trap he himself had set, playing the victim on camera for all of Cybertron to witness, only one piece remained: the Matrix of Leadership. With it, he would secure the unwavering loyalty of the entire planet.
Ironically, he already felt like a Prime. Perhaps he was the only Cybertronian to command such respect and devotion since the disappearance of the Thirteen Primes. And that feeling was more intoxicating than any dose of energon coursing through his veins.
Megatron's optics glowed red, his hunger for power far from satisfied. If anything, his thirst burned stronger, he craved more, always more.
"When I destroy the entire High Guard and execute those ancient fools, I will bring Cybertron's glory to the stars. I will hold the universe in the palm of my hand." He raised his hand to his face, clenching his fingers into a tight fist. "I will not allow Cybertron to remain just another world in the cosmos. It's time for us, Cybertronians, to take control of the universe as is our right."
Soundwave understood what Megatron meant. This wasn't mere conquest for conquest's sake, it was a calculated, preemptive move.
Cybertron had nearly fallen to the Quintessons once before. The very idea that another race might exist out there with the technology and military strength to rival Cybertron's was too great a threat to ignore.
Megatron didn't simply want to hunt down the Quintessons. He intended to destroy every civilization in the universe, to ensure that no one could ever challenge his future empire.
Why worry about rivals when there are none left to stand against you? That was Megatron's most straightforward and most ruthless logic for his plans ahead.
Knock
Knock
Knock
The sound of the door broke Megatron's train of thought. He cast a sidelong glance toward it, silent irritation flickering in his gaze. He was certain he'd made it clear he didn't want interruptions, not even from the medics.
But when the door opened, the dark expression on his face softened slightly. It was Orion. Megatron couldn't help but feel a flicker of nostalgia at the sight of him. Yet the memory of their strained bond returned just as swiftly. Still, Orion's presence was far from unwelcome.
"It's been months, Orion," Megatron said, giving a subtle nod to Soundwave, signaling him to leave them alone. Soundwave obeyed without hesitation, though not without fixing Orion with a lingering, unreadable stare before stepping out.
"How are you? I heard about what happened," Orion said as he stepped into the room, nervousness clear in his voice. He had no real sense of how much time had passed since entering the Allspark, and it unsettled him. Surely much had changed for his brother.
"Nothing I can't handle," Megatron replied with confidence, holding his imposing stance. "Where have you been?" His tone was cold.
"That's… hard to explain," Orion admitted.
"I thought that no matter the hardships, we would stand together as brothers," Megatron said, suspicion flickering beneath his words—wondering if Orion had been avoiding him all this time.
"And we are! We are brothers!" Orion insisted, conviction in his voice. Megatron turned his head slightly, studying him.
"Then where were you?" Megatron pressed. He wanted the truth. A part of him knew Orion would never betray him, but he needed to hear the answer for himself.
Orion let out a slow breath, stepping closer until he stood beside his brother, gazing out at the city of Iacon, still reeling from the terrorist attack.
"I can't tell you much… but I swear to you, I'm not lying."
Megatron didn't respond at first, he simply listened intently. Over these past months, after countless conversations with bots of every kind, he had honed his ability to discern truth from lies. While his perception didn't quite rival Soundwave's, it wasn't far behind.
And with Orion, whose opinions were always honest, whose nature made deception nearly impossible, it was easy for Megatron to tell if he were lying. Not that he believed Orion capable of such a thing. Still, caution was always wise.
Orion muttered to himself, striking a thoughtful pose. "There's no way to explain it that won't make me sound like I've lost my mind. So… here goes. I was inside the Allspark."
The serious, imposing expression that Megatron wore as a matter of habit shattered at those words. He stared at Orion, stunned, his mind struggling for several seconds to grasp what had just been said, to even begin to process its meaning.
"The Allspark…" Megatron echoed, as though doubting the sound of his own voice. "I have a feeling Elita is involved somehow."
"Precisely."
Megatron let out a slow breath, and for the first time in what felt like ages, he faced his brother fully, curiosity unmistakable in his stance and gaze, as if slipping back into the habits of their early friendship.
"I'm listening. What exactly have you been up to?"
For the most part, Megatron remained silent as Orion spoke, absorbing the details of his brother's account. He didn't interrupt, even when it was obvious Orion was deliberately glossing over certain moments, avoiding information that was surely important.
Orion described his first adventure within the temple of the Allspark, omitting the exact methods or path he'd taken, but Megatron could guess it involved some hidden underground route.
Then came the story of his time within the Allspark itself, shared only in broad strokes. Yet, despite himself, Orion let slip small hints, enough for Megatron to sense that a third party had been involved in this adventure.
Megatron knew Orion wasn't lying. But it was equally clear he wasn't telling him everything, just enough to convey sincerity without revealing more than necessary.
Though a part of him was disappointed, frustrated even, that Orion hadn't shared the full truth, Megatron couldn't help but feel intrigued, even impressed.
He understood: Orion had lived through the most extraordinary experience a Cybertronian could ever hope for. No war, no battle could compare to what it must have been like to touch the Allspark, even briefly.
"I must admit... I envy you for having had such an honor," Megatron said, pacing slowly across the room as he processed what Orion had revealed. The Allspark was clearly not as fragile as many believed. "And yet… it's not like you to hide things from me."
Orion sighed heavily. How he wished he could share every detail with his brother. But he couldn't, not even with D. Revealing too much could risk others discovering there was a way to reach and interact with the Allspark. Worse, it might expose Alpha Trion's true identity.
"I'm glad you're safe, brother," Megatron said at last, his crimson optics meeting Orion's.
Orion looked at him, surprised and couldn't stop a smile from forming, genuinely moved to hear those words.
"Does that mean… we're okay?"
"It makes no sense for us to keep fighting over ideas. We want the same thing. Let's focus our efforts on fulfilling what we promised."
These words gave Orion renewed determination to help his brother. But then his expression darkened as memories of today resurfaced, the sight of so many wounded robots haunting him.
"D… what happened today to you, and to all those others… it can't go unpunished. The ones responsible must be brought to justice."
Megatron allowed himself the faintest smile at Orion's words, believing at last that his brother was beginning to understand: sometimes, action must speak louder than words.
"Many bots died today. And tomorrow… we will unleash the strength of Cybertron upon the High Council," Megatron declared, already set on delivering his ultimatum the moment the sun rose again over Iacon. "If we stand together, nothing can defeat us." He extended his hand, subtly pressing on that deep sense of justice Orion always radiated from his spark.
Orion looked at Megatron's hand, his gaze tracing the scorch marks that marred his brother's armor, then meeting his red optics. A strange, threatening feeling stirred within him as he stared into those eyes.
It had been such a long day, too much had happened. But the worst of all was the sight of so many bots wounded, desperate for help.
"I'll do my best to help, brother."
"Orion, tomorrow we face the High Council together. But now, you must rest. I need your mind clear for what those old fools will try to say. Your gift with words may corner them where no blade can." Megatron turned his gaze back to the city view, anticipation building within him at the thought of ending the age of the High Council and beginning his own era.
"Alright, brother. But I'll stay nearby in case you need anything." Orion walked toward the door, his every step affirming his support. He too believed his brother would need these few precious hours to shape the speech he would deliver against the council.
Silence settled heavily in the room for a moment, the air thick with the weight of Megatron's presence. Then, the door opened again, revealing the silent figure of Soundwave as he entered to stand once more at Megatron's side.
"You heard what Orion said, didn't you?" Megatron asked, not because he doubted the answer, but simply to begin the conversation.
Soundwave gave a small nod. Simple, but filled with meaning, even he was surprised by the revelation of Orion's adventure with Cybertron's most sacred artifact.
"The Allspark… it's not as fragile as I believed," Megatron said, his tone contemplative. "The power of the Allspark in the hands of the High Council… it's too dangerous. I never considered its potential as a factor. But Orion's account makes it clear, I must ensure that its infinite power can never be turned against me."
His thought was met with Soundwave's silent agreement. Even he was already calculating how to bring the Allspark under Decepticon control.
To them both, the truth was clear now: if the Allspark could be handled… then its power could be wielded. And that power could just as easily be used against them.
"Perhaps the High Council propagated the notion of the Allspark's fragility so that no one would dare consider wielding its power, and should they ever be cornered, they could use that power to subjugate all Cybertronians in a single move."
His attention was drawn to Soundwave, who projected two images onto his flat facial surface: One image was an illustration of the Matrix of Leadership, and the other was a real image of the Allspark within its temple.
The figures displayed on Soundwave's visage made Megatron ponder deeply for several seconds. His keen gaze, trained to detect even the slightest detail in an opponent, focused on deciphering the meaning behind the silent Decepticon's message.
A malicious smile crept across Megatron's face, nearly provoking a chuckle. "Well thought, Soundwave. Having the Allspark under my control might be an alternative way to infuse the power of a Prime through my veins, perhaps making me more powerful than relying solely on the boost granted by the Matrix of Leadership."
His imagination ran wild, envisioning the ability to create entire worlds with a mere thought under his will, raising massive armies that would make even the vast Quintesson forces seem small.
"I like this idea… very much. But for now, we shall proceed with Plan A." Megatron clasped his hands behind his back to assert his presence. "Soundwave, send my elite Decepticons to guard the Allspark temple. Do not allow any high-ranking political figure or Autobot to approach. I cannot risk anyone using its power before I do." His voice bore a deep and commanding tone.