Rise of the Predacons: The Legend of Bahamut

Chapter 15: The Other Truth

     Predaking watched how his daughter, War-Talon, attended to the rescued Scourge. She and Twin Strike often paired up in getting the Reptilicons back up on their feet. The withdrawal symptoms are fleeting, giving the Scourge new vitality. He also kept watch on Grimwing and his band of Predacons. Obsidian was their Alpha but she has deserted them.

It seems this Grimwing stands to be their Alpha, he mused. A worthy opponent.

     Darksteel and Sky Lynx had been trying to impress War-Talon but she never showed interest or encouraged the two to pursue her. She just shrugged them off but if she gets all too irritated with their pestering, they both end up lying on their back struts with Predaking growling down at them.

     The journey didn't last long. The Dreadnought came through the wormhole right behind their planet's moon. From the bridge, Megatron looked down at the surface below them. Arcee opened a frequency to Iacon, hailing them of their arrival.

     Blaster was excited as he called everyone's attention in command center, putting her call on the speakers. Perceptor and Ultra Magnus stood at attention.

     "Prime? H-how did you get here?" Perceptor asked. "The spacebridge was destroyed and inoperative."

     "We're aboard the Dreadnought," Megatron replied, receiving surprised murmurs from everyone present.

     "Prime, we're so glad you made it back," Ultra Magnus said.

     "Have our guests been revived yet?" Megatron asked. Hot-Rod and Sgt. Kup were the ones who reported.

     "That's an affirmative, Prime," the cavalier replied. "Me and Kup found the last batch and brought them all here in Iacon. They're all restless, especially the Alphas."

     "Alpha Predacons?" Predaking asked in bewilderment.

     "With Shockwave's last vent, he gave us all his secret cloning facilities here and on the moon," Megatron replied. "We've gathered all your brethren here on Cybertron where Perceptor worked on reviving them."

     "Them," Predaking muttered. "How many?" he asked.

     "See for yourself," Megatron said, turning towards the main monitor. Predaking's optics grew wide, his mouth left hanging as hundreds of Predacons spilled out of Iacon! He was joined by War-Talon and the others as they saw flyers rise into the sky to greet them.

     "Father... Our people..." she vented as a surge of elation erupted in her spark chamber. She held Predaking's servo as they watched the Predacons fly alongside the Dreadnought, her joy evident upon her faceplate.

     "I've kept my end of the bargain, Predaking," Megatron said. "You can either join us in our fight against Unicron..."

     "Or leave you all to your fate," Predaking said without much of a second thought. Their optics locked in a stare, either one willing the other to back down. But they both held their ground, neither giving in to the other's intimidation.

     War-Talon felt the animosity between her sire and her erstwhile lover. So she stepped between the two, pushing them apart. "Okay, knock it off you two," she said, hoping to calm them down. "You can play Alpha mech all you want after all this blows over."

     "Fine. Crawl back under the rock from where you came from," Megatron said. "Brawler, initiate landing and docking sequence," he ordered as the city of Iacon drew closer.

     "I am honor-bound to fulfill my promise, Prime. You have the Predacons at your disposal." Predaking said those words although it hurt his pride.