Transformers: Eradication

Part 5: Megatron's Nightmare

Later that night all the Decepticons are sound asleep .The twins are by the burnt out campfire, and they finish the other's snoring. Skywarp is hard asleep on the table where he was working on a random project. Longhaul is tossing and turning, and eventually squishes Waspinator. Some of his pieces are still attached to his back. They're all having nice dreams. Overload is having a dream where he is a doctor, and he's actually speaking normally, and without the accent too. Starscream on the other hand is having a more poetic vision. In a city on Earth that is covered in debris, Optimus Prime is gravely wounded. He reaches out to Starscream but his struggles are in vain as he dies. Megatron is also nearby, and Starscream steps on his head in triumph, laughing all the way. At least in his dreams Starscream has some inner peace. Megatron is having a peaceful rest until he hears a noise. He wakes up just to find that everyone has disappeared.

To add to this strange phenomenon he finds that he is no longer in Africa, or so he thinks. The night sky is beautiful, it has a very light blue tone to it, almost like it's dawn. Though something doesn't seem quite right. Megatron decides to walk around and explore, and finds some strange looking creatures. They look like frogs, but they have stalk eyes instead of the conventional ones, they're even the size of a small cat. Instead of ribbits they chirp at him. It's at that moment that Megatron realizes what is going on, or so he thinks.

Megatron: (to himself) "Ah this is no more than a dream. I might as well take a look around."

Megatron roams the pleasant dream are and sees all the wonders the imagination can construe. Some of the stars are not in the air, and instead gently float across the water in the lake, leaving a small rippling trail behind. He goes by a tree and leans against it.

Megatron: "This is just a dream, but why does this feel like something else entirely?"

Megatron feels a sensation that he is being watched and takes out his shotgun, which was made from the parts of his broken Fusion Cannon. As he looks around some shadows blur past him, speaking in dark whispers. At that moment the whole ambiance changes from wonder to uncomfortable. All the miscellaneous noises die out, making his sounds the only ones. Each time he makes a step it echos throughout the whole area. Then Megatron hears a very familiar laugh that puts him on high alert. He runs until he says a very familiar face making his presence known.

Megatron: (shouting) "Megatronus!"

The Fallen is right across from him and has Avarice down in a knight's pose. There is a smile in his eyes that would make even the bravest of warriors freeze in their tracks. Strangely enough he doesn't move at all. Megatron goes closer and notices the fire in The Fallen's eyes seem to dye out a little more with each step. Eventually it goes completely out, and Megatron's old staff comes out of nowhere and pierces his neck. Megatronus falls apart and drops Avarice. Then the "eye" button falls out and rolls around and falls flat on the ground. While Megatron was watching the eye he failed to notice Megatronus's eyes flicker on briefly before going off for good. Now the eye of Avarice does something unexpected. It skyrockets to the moon until it grows large enough to cover it entirely... and then it moves. It shifts it's focus on Megatron, and with every step it watches him, making a sickening fleshy noise along the way. Megatron never realized it before but that eye looked oddly familiar. He remembers seeing in the Iacon files, but there was never any information about it, just a mural of it on some strange beast. That one red slit among that black surface gives it some sort of omnipotent darkness vibe to it, like it's always planning. Megatron decides to ignore it and continue on his journey. He sees a planetoid looking object wobble across the sky, and he could have swore he saw a pair of eyes inside the object looking at him. That's when he hears a voice he has never heard. It's the voice of Ron Pearlman using the voice of Slade from Teen Titans.

?: (echoing everywhere) "Confused? I do not blame you. So many questions and never enough answers."

Megatron: "Where are you? Show yourself!"

?: "If that is your wish then I shall abide, but you will not understand what you see."

Megatron looks around and eventually sees the most mysterious and magnificent figure he has ever seen. But this mysterious voice was right, Megatron does not understand what he sees. This mysterious man seems to contain the entire cosmos in his form. It's shaped like a cloak, and it's a translucent blue color with only the stars to make out the shapes. The cloak itself is covering the body, and the edges are curved upwards like Aku from Samurai Jack. The only solid parts of this figure is his eyes. They are bright red with black slits like snake. They seem to stare right into your soul, and even deeper than that. There seems to be a slight sadness inside, but not enough for Megatron to bring up. On his head are two Maleficent esque horns, but his chest has the most interesting feature. There is a bright red spiral galaxy slowly spinning around the center of his chest.

Megatron: "Who are you?"

?: "My name is not important because I do not exist.....yet."

Megatron: "Then what are you?"

?: "A curse, a blight, a plague, and a mistake. Do you find those words appealing?"

Megatron: "Not really."

?: "I wish I knew how you felt, or just how to feel in itself."

Megatron: "What do you mean?"

?: "Do you know what it's like to feel something yet nothing at all? To have a universe full of knowledge yet not understand any of it? To be have the fires feel as cold as ice, and to wander an endless night?"

Megatron: "I don't have patience for riddles."

?: "I do not dabble in riddles Megatron, I know your species and what they're capable of, but nothing compared to humanity's arrogance."

Megatron: "What do you mean?"

?: (chilling) "No day like the night, no warmth like the cold, no light like the dark, all that is left is desolation.... and darkness."

After he says darkness something happens that even the worst of nightmares would hide under their beds in fear. Underneath the red galaxy in the man's chest something appears. It's like a dark cloud underneath, and it's pitch black. Then the cloud forms a menacing shadowy hand and arm, and it reaches for the galaxy. It grabs at it, but it goes straight through the galaxy, but the hand is not pleased. It angrily forms a fist, violently shaking and then bursts into several dark pieces that dart around the area furiously.

?: (scary) "Now you see what is to come. They want out."

Megatron: "Who wants out?"

?: "I know not the name, but I do know that someone wants to see you."

Megatron: "Who wishes to see me?"

?: "You will know, but take my hand so you may see for yourself."

All of a sudden a hand and arm comes out of the cloak. It's black, thin, shriveled and atrophied, and the fingers are bordering claw territory. It's dripping a mysterious liquid, possibly blood or water, but the lighting makes it impossible to tell. Megatron is understandably hesitant to make contact with him.

?: (reassuring) "Do not be afraid of me. I offer you no harm, but humanity is a different story. When we meet in the afterlife think of me as your friend. However when I do come to existence please thwart me, I want my wretched existence to be brief, not an everlasting torture."

Megatron takes his hand, and the galaxy comes out of his chest. The shape covers his view, and Megatron finds himself in a much darker area. The only lighting is the blue fires around the floor. Then the voice of Charles Dance echos throughout the area.

?: "I have waited an eternity for a man of your strength to arrive."

Megatron realizes that where he is standing is a giant hand. The voice does seem familiar to him.

Megatron: "Who are you?"

?: "Who am I? Surely you have learned from history, unless you are not the one my master speaks of."

Megatron looks up to get a better view of the mysterious man, and see that he is of an enormous size, at least a eighty feet tall. His color scheme is blue with some yellow highlights on the shoulders, gauntlets, and all over his face. Now Megatron recognizes him.

Megatron: "Thunderwing the giant, and the first creation and servant of Unicron."

Thunder: "Indeed I am. We have brought you here for a purpose."

Megatron: "What purpose?"

Thunder: "I will grant you one wish in return for a favor."

Megatron: "A favor?"

Thunder: "Yes. Now what is it you are seeking?"

Megatron: "A way to destroy my enemies and conquer the universe."

Thunder: (condescending) "You warlords are all alike. You can never have enough power."

Megatron: (sharply) "You have no right to lecture me when you were in a war of darkness."

Thunder: "The difference is that my cause is divine."

Megatron: "Yet you still worship a dead man."

Thunder: (ominus) "Are you so sure? Tell me Megatron, what do feel when you kill those in your way?"

Megatron: "It feels necessary."

Thunder: (booming) "LIES! TELL ME THE TRUTH OR I SHALL TEAR YOU IN WAYS YOU COULD NEVER IMAGINE!"

Megatron: "Nothing! I feel nothing anymore! I used to get satisfaction but now they are nothing more than numbers now."

Thunder: "Oh? I see, you've been desensitized from all the violence. Very well."

With his other hand Thunderwing snaps his fingers.

Thunder: "Your wish has been granted."

Megatron: "I do not feel any different."

Thunder: "The wish will come in a way you least expect it. Now you will help us. There will be a time where we will call upon your aid. Find me and release me from my prison, and also find the missing pieces of the map. You already have two of the five pieces in your possession."

Megatron: "What are these pieces you speak of?"

Thunder: (haunting) "You already know."

Megatron: (defiant) "I am servant to nobody."

Thunder: "I'm afraid you have no choice. There is no time for games, farewell."

Thunderwing closers his fist, making it look like he has crushed Megatron. Megatron shields himself, and looks to find out he is back where he started, and the eyes is still watching him. He then sees Soundwave and Splicer in the distance.

Megatron: "What are you doing here?"

All of a sudden a scream is heard, and it is similar to the sound that a giant squid monster would make. Megatron can see something moving behind Soundwave and Splicer, and it wraps itself around their ankles and drags them into the darkness. The Earth begins to shake violently, and the eye on the moon shoots off into the ground in the distance. The Earth starts splitting apart, and Megatron jumps over to one platform to make sure he doesn't fall in. Off in the distance he hears a monstrous roar, and something emerges from the ground. The shape of the beast's head has some similarities to a hammerhead shark, and the eye is right in the middle of it. Megatron hears whispers coming from below ground and peers down at the center of the Earth. All he sees is this black goo gestating and dark hands popping out of it reaching for freedom. Something truly isn't right with this planet. Megatron looks up in the sky to the big climax.... a giant planet with horn like pincers that comes toward him. Megatron screams, and eventually finds himself back to normal. This of course wakes up the other Decepticons. A startled Longhaul rolls over on Scavenger, squishing him. He beats his fists on the ground until he is released.

Splicer: "What's going on?"

Mix: (alert) "We're under attack!"

Skywarp: "Not the lab no!"

Rumble: "Dude calm down."

Overload: "Who dares disturb Overload's el slumber?"

Megatron: "It is I, Megatron."

Overload: "... Proceed."

Thunder: (irritated) "I was having a dream where I was a bee... and I was stinging somebody!"

Scream: (mocking) "And so Megatron wet himself tonight, how wonderful!"

Sideways: "Save your breath Starscream."

Thunder: "Now my beauty sleep got interrupted."

Frenzy: "Don't you mean your ugly sleep Thundercracker?"

Thunder: "Shut up bitch!"

Later that morning the Decepticons got as much sleep as they could after that little fiasco. It is time for them to see the base that the Constructicons have made for them. Mixmaster uses a portable groundbridge device to send them on their way. Upon their arrival, Megatron and the others see that the base is much larger and more spacious than the previous base. There is even a giant fish tank with tubes all around the base for fish to travel. Mixmaster gives them the tour. Soundwave also releases the rest of the

Mix: "Well here we have our new lab, perfect for Skywarp and I to resume our work."

Skywarp: "Splendid."

Mix: "On our left we have an even bigger pool than last time."

Scrapper: "I advised against it."

Scavenge: "He's the fun police."

Longhaul: "Tell me about it."

Mix: "Over here we have a 3000 inch TV."

Scream: "A bit excessive don't you think?"

Mix: "Never! We need constant TV on a ridiculous scale!"

Soundwave: "What about security measures?"

Mix: "Done and done to the done degree! We have so much better defenses than our last base."

Rampage: "Perfect for vanquishing our enemies."

Mix: "Now I'd hate to cut the tour short but we all have more rooms for you guys, and some labs and stuff. Megatron, Shockwave wants to speak with you. He says he has eight Decepticons ready for arrival."

Megatron: "Eight you say? Lead the way Mixmaster. The rest of you are dismissed if it so suits you. Sideways, all of the other Constructicons except Scrapper and all the minions except Buzzsaw leave to explore the rest of the base themselves. Shockwave is there on the monitor to speak to Megatron.

Shockwave: "Lord Megatron I am pleased to see you again."

Megatron: "It certainly is a pleasure Shockwave. Status report?"

Shockwave: "The three prisoners you sent me are still incarcerated. We are looking for ways to weaponize their powers for our cause. Their techno-organic biology may be the missing key in evolution we have been searching. Project Terrorcon is still at a standstill, but we have found pieces of the legendary beasts of Cybertron, so we are beginning a new project. We have also captured another Autobot, he is our personal playground for experiments."

Megatron: "And what of the female Autobot?"

Shockwave: "She gave us nothing, and after what we did to her she's damaged beyond repair, a shadow of her former self."

Megatron: "I see, so I hear you have new recruits ready for us?"

Shockwave: "Affirmative, loading up the spacebridge now."

Shockwave loads up the frequency to the Decepticon's spacebridge inside their base. The portal activates, and one Decepticon comes out. He is a white and purple Decepticon with a smug look on his face. This is Astrotrain, a triple-changer and a sadist.

Megatron: "State your name and function soldier."

Astro: "Astrotrain sir. I'm a triple-changer and cargo transporter who has been working for Shockwave this past year."

Megatron: "Is this true Shockwave?"

Shockwave: "Yes, his gift and wits have proven to be vital asset to our cause. He ferries cargo effectively and in record timing."

Megatron: "Praise from Shockwave is seldom seen, you must be worth it."

Astro: (proudly) "What can I say? I do it for the love of the game."

Skywarp: "It is nice to have another triple-changer outside of Rumble."

Thunder: "Well shit, if it isn't Astrotrain!"

Astro: "Thundercracker, you cocky bastard I thought I recognized that voice."

Skywarp: "You know each other?"

Thunder: "Oh yeah we used to set buses on fire together."

Astro: "And it's still funny."

Skywarp: "Oh great two Thundercrackers."

Thunder: "Oh come on buddy it's not the worst thing in the world."

Skywarp: "I beg to differ."

Another Decepticon enters the portal. He has what looks like an exoskeleton, and there is what looks like a head in a green jar. This is Oil Slick.

Scapper: "Well that's a person alright."

Sky and Mix: "Oil Slick!"

Megatron: "You know him?"

Skywarp: "He was an Autobot scientist who defected to our side."

Mix: "He created Cosmic Rust."

Megatron: "Is that so?"

Oil: (solemnly) "Yes, but at a horrible cost."

Thunder: "How much money?"

Oil: "Not money, something more...precious."

Thunder: "Do tell."

Oil: "It took my soul, and even worse my-"

Thunder: "And like that I stopped caring."

Oil: "I....see."

Mix: "Cheer up buddy we got tons of stuff to show you!"

Skywarp "And quite the catching up to do."

Oil: (disconnected) "Yes... catching up would be nice."

Skywarp and Mixmaster leave with Oil Slick to show him around. Then three Decepticons emerge from the Spacebridge. A red Decepticon, a black and white Decepticon with the nose of the jet on his head, and a blue and gold Decepticon with a pointed head like a squid. These are the Coneheads, and they are Thrust, Ramjet, and their leader Dirge respectively.

Megatron: (surprised) "The Coneheads?"

Dirge: "In the flesh."

Scream: "How interesting, they survived."

Ramjet: "Pfft, it's going to take more than a silly explosion that killed everyone else to take us down."

Thrust: "For us it was Tuesday."

Dirge: (triumphant) "The master of fear has returned!"

Splicer: (whispers) "Who calls him that?"

Scrapper: "Himself mostly, I never did like that zealot."

Megatron: "How could you have possibly survived?"

Dirge: "It's a magnificent story really, you see after the explosion we-"

Megatron: "That was a rhetorical question, I don't care."

Dirge: (clenching his fist) "Of course not."

Thrust: "Hey I got a question, do these humans have big guns?"

Buzzsaw: (sneering) "What do you think fool?"

Thrust: -shivers- "Oh no....."

Dirge: "Now now Thrust, if you can't see them they can't hurt you."

Thrust: (panicking) "I didn't sign up for this! I'm going to die!"

Ramjet: "Yeah whatever. I'm going to test something out."

Ramjet looks at one of the walls and then headbutts it, making a big hole.

Ramjet: (weird) "That one tasted like cinnamon!"

Scapper: "And he's crazy too. How wonderful."

Astro: "We should call him Hardhead instead."

Thunder: "Wait just a second, if they're the Coneheads then why does only Dirge and Ramjet have pointy heads?"

Astro: "It's false advertising at it's worst."

Thrust: "Shut up."

Rumble and Frenzy pop their heads in and see Dirge, and a smile comes across their faces.

Rumble: "Look Frenzy it's Squidhead."

Splicer: -giggles-

Dirge: "Curses..."

Astro: "Squidhead?"

Frenzy: "Yeah because his head looks like a squid!"

Astro: "Heheh, it's funny cuz it's true."

Frenzy and Rumble: "Squidhead Squidhead Squidhead!"

Dirge: (distraught) "Stop making a mockery of me!"

Megatron: "Can it Dirge, we still have three Decepticons left to meet."

Dirge: (to himself) "You will pay dearly for that insult one day Megatron!"

Thunder: "C'mon Astrotrain let's blow this joint."

Astro: "Sounds good to me."

Thundercracker and Astrotrain leave while the last three Decepticons enter the portal. They are all black and feral looking. One is on all fours and the other two have some sort of dreadlocks. These are the Dreads Crankcase, Crowbar, and Hatchet.

Megatron: "The Dreads, how nice to see you again."

Scream: "Who brought in the mutt?"

Hatchet snaps at Starscream in response, and he screams as he leaps back. Crankcase grabs him and puts Starscream in a chokehold.

Crank: (intense) "Watch yourself, I haven't hunted in ages, and you're looking like quite the catch."

Scream: "I promise I'll be more... considerate when it comes to what I say."

Crank: (letting go) "Very good."

Crowbar: (disappointed) "Aww you didn't kill him? What gives?"

Crank: "I'm sure there are plenty of Autobots to destroy."

Megatron: "Crankcase, welcome back to the big leagues."

Crank: "It's a pleasure to be back."

Crowbar: - grins- "Pleasure is right."

Buzzsaw: "One of the few Decepticons I approve of, excellent."

Megatron: "Your praising of someone outside of myself is even rarer than Shockwave."

Buzzsaw: "When someone dedicates themselves to your cause the way they do, then they have earned it."

Scream: "What's so important about them anyway?"

Megatron: "Crankcase may not look the part, but he is a master, spy, hunter, and counterintelligence master. He and his brother Crowbar, and their attack dog Hatchet have been instrumental to our success. They are the ones who conquered Trypticon.

Scream: "I see."

Megatron: "And Crankcase is third in command of the Shadow Core."

Scream: "Then who are the others?"

Soundwave: "Second in command is Switchblade."

Buzzsaw: "The leader goes without saying."

Scream: "...The fanatic, it fits."

Megatron: "Now concludes introductions. Decepticons, I will have an announcement for you later."

The others leave, but Soundwave and Buzzsaw pull Megatron over for a private conversation.

Soundwave: "Something is off about the Coneheads."

Megatron: "Good to know I'm not the only one who sensed it."

Buzzsaw: "Should I keep an eye on them?"

Megatron: "No, they are no threat to me."

Soundwave: "Are you sure?"

Megatron: "Yes, for right now we must focus on the task at hand. I have some planning to do."

Soundwave: "As you command."

The scene transitions over to Cybertron, where Shockwave is busy working on some algorithms. Shockblast and Knockout enter the room.

Knockout: "You called?"

Shockwave: "We have work to do?"

Knockout: "You're going to have to be more specific."

Shockwave: "Preparations for the invasion have begun, now let's begin."