While Sheba conducted Guardian Force and Magic training, Megatron had been spending a great deal of time in his quarters, with Starfire at his side. He’d been doing a lot of thinking, which Starfire could sense through their shared link. Idly he scratched around her ears as he lost himself in his memories, his Guardian purring steadily. Ever since he’d been told that his desire to conquer the universe was a result of Quintesson tampering with Decepticon programming, he was trying to recall the exact moment he decided to embark on his quest of galactic conquest. When, exactly, had that moment come? It had to have been after Sheba had been taken, but that had not been the trigger, at least not that he could remember. He could feel Starfire in his mind as he picked through his memories sequentially, searching for the cause.
It was after that, when you became so cold and distant, Starfire’s voice echoed in his mind.
“Huh?” Megatron was startled out of his daydream.
Starfire nuzzled against him. “You started to try to hide your feelings from me,” she said.
“I learned from Sheba’s abduction that one’s feelings could be used against them,” Megatron replied. “I failed, because I demonstrated weakness.”
Starfire sighed. Even now she could still feel the pain through their link, the lasting effects of having someone that they’d both sworn to protect taken from them. “Megatron,” she said firmly.
“What?”
“The Quintessons would have abducted Sheba anyway. Your feelings about her were not their concern. Her power was. If you had not acted, not only Sheba would have been taken, but our three oldest sons as well.”
“Sometimes I’ve wondered whether I’d have been better off letting them have Starscream,” Megatron muttered.
Starfire cuffed him with her paw, firmly. Not enough to cause damage, but enough to remind him that he was talking utter nonsense.
Suddenly, while progressing through his memories, a realization came to him. He’d found what he was looking for.
*
A group of confused Autobots and Decepticons found themselves filing into an old, abandoned underground spacecraft hangar on Cybertron, at the request of the Decepticon Leader.
“So, why have you asked us to gather here, Megatron?” Optimus Prime wondered.
“This place has special meaning for me,” Megatron replied, “It was the very hangar where Sheba was abducted from. I believe it was originally a spaceport. However, by the time I took over as Decepticon Leader, it was abandoned, and hadn’t even been used for storage for quite some time.”
“Why are you telling us this now?” Optimus Prime wondered.
“I think you know I owe you all an explanation,” Megatron replied, “How and why I started the War. While Sheba’s abduction wasn’t the reason, it was nonetheless an important event that influenced my later decisions. To tell the tale in full, I must begin before she was taken.”
The mixed crowd had started murmuring, but then fell silent again as Megatron continued. Sheba, who was standing by Starscream, tucked her paws under her and loafed. “Sounds like this is going to be a long story,” she remarked.
“Elder Prime has already informed you of the circumstances of my birth,” Megatron continued, “At the time, I was not aware of it, nor indeed that I even had parents. All I knew was, I had an overwhelming responsibility, one of leading the Decepticons. To bring order amongst complete chaos. The demoralization that resulted from the death of the previous leader was so severe, that when the other Decepticons first saw me, they rallied to me at once. They were desperate. Decepticons without a confident, charismatic leader are a pitiable sight to behold. Although I knew nothing of the Masters, or Quintessons, there was talk of the possibility that one day Cybertron would be invaded. At the time, it seemed my purpose was clear: protecting the planet Cybertron from hostile invaders. It was around this time, that I was introduced to my Guardian, Starfire. I didn’t comprehend at the time why a Guardian had been appointed to me. However, Starfire became much more than my Guardian, as evidenced by her giving birth not long after, to Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp. It was on that very day that Shockwave came to me, carrying an Organic Transformer cub that he’d found somewhere in the depths of Cybertron. We both knew that the only way that she could survive, is if Starfire took care of her.”
The scene seemed to melt, the background shifting as if all present were being transported back in time. It was then that Megatron noticed Elder Prime had entered the room.
“Perhaps it would work best if they could see for themselves what happened,” Elder Prime stated.
“Very well,” Megatron agreed.
The images around the group became indistinct, but rearranged themselves until it appeared they were in Megatron’s old quarters, on Cybertron, back in those days. Starfire, in her robotic form, was on the floor, her three seeker cubs curled up against her, sleeping. Past-Megatron was in his berth, in a recharge slumber. The scenery again shifted, so that everyone could see Megatron’s dream. There were purple clouds, and a darkened sky. A large, powerful Organic Transformer appeared before the Decepticon Leader.
“Megatron. You are about to gain possession of Starscream’s Guardian. Her name is Sheba. Take care of her, and protect her at all costs,” the winged puma stated, “I must have your word that you will do so, for the future of all Transformers depends on her survival.”
“I will! I swear it,” Megatron replied, “But, tell me, who are you?”
“I am Elder Prime. I am the one who appoints all Guardians,” came the reply.
The dream started to fade almost immediately, as Past-Megatron awakened. Yet, a question was on his vocalizer as he regained consciousness. “Why?” He sat up, looking around. His mate and three cubs were curled up, sound asleep. Suddenly there was a message over his radio.
“Megatron, are you there?” came Shockwave’s voice.
“I’m here,” Megatron replied, “Proceed, Shockwave.”
“I have made a very curious discovery. Perhaps you should see it in person,” Shockwave said.
“Meet me in the control room. I’ll be right there,” Megatron replied. He slid off his recharge berth and headed out the door.
He met Shockwave in the control room. “Well, what is it?”
Shockwave was carrying something in his hand. It was tiny and furry, and weak mews emanated from it intermittently.
“An Organic Transformer cub!” Megatron said in a whisper, “Where did you find it?”
“Deep within Cybertron,” Shockwave replied. “If I had not found her, I do believe she would have perished.”
“Give her to me,” Megatron requested, “I’ll take her to Starfire. She’ll know what to do.”
“I was about to suggest that exact course of action,” Shockwave stated.
Starfire startled awake momentarily as the door to the quarters she shared with Megatron slid open. Megatron walked through the doorway, carrying the tiny cub.
“What do you have there?” Starfire wondered, raising her head and peering up.
Megatron knelt down beside her, carefully placing the Organic Transformer cub next to Starscream and the others. “Shockwave found her deep within Cybertron,” he replied, “She must have been orphaned.”
Starfire converted to her organic form in a flash, then she began licking the feline cub, cleaning her off. The cub mewed, blindly searching for an energy supply. Finally she found it, and was quiet and content.
“Her name is Sheba,” Megatron said.
“How did you come up with a name for her so quickly?” Starfire wondered.
“I had a very strange dream,” Megatron answered, then he bent down to stroke the Organic Transformer cub gently. “Someone calling himself Elder Prime told me that this little cub is Starscream’s Guardian, and that her name is Sheba. He told me that I must protect her. She may be the key to our very survival.”
“Chosen as Starscream’s Guardian, eh?” Starfire said, “She must be very powerful, even at so young an age, for her to be selected now.”
Megatron continued stroking Sheba, causing the little kitten to purr. “So powerful, and yet so helpless,” he murmured. He looked over at the red and white seeker cub. “So then, this means you are destined for something greater?” he said absently.
The scenery began shifting again, showing brief segments of Megatron’s interaction with the rapidly growing Organic Transformer cub. As soon as her eyes opened, she was getting into all kinds of mischief. Her adoptive brothers readily accepted her and tagged along. As soon as she was able to fly, she’d often flap-flap-flap up to Megatron’s recharge berth and perch on his chest as he slept, curling up and purring. When he awakened, he’d begin petting her. Another scene showed Sheba leaping or flying up to press the button to open the door to Megatron’s quarters and darting out, her seeker playmates in tow.
Eventually the background shifted to match the empty hangar everyone was standing in. Sheba was still a small cub, but had lost most of her camouflage spots. She was busy chasing Starscream, catching up to him and grasping around his ankles with her paws, causing him to fall flat on his face. He laughed as Sheba began licking him and rubbing her face against him. The Seeker cubs were about the same size as Sheba was, but none of them could speak, yet. Suddenly, Skywarp teleport-dropped on the both of them, causing Sheba to squeal, twist around and grab him and lick his face. Thundercracker soon joined in, wrestling with Skywarp.
Starfire was watching them from a distance. Then she noticed the air seemed to shimmer. Something had entered the hangar, something that had a cloaking shield. She got up, knowing that whatever it was, was up to no good. She rushed to try to place herself between her cubs and the invisible apparent threat. She hadn’t even gotten halfway to where her cubs were, when suddenly a horde of Sharkticons, led by a few Allicons, seemed to appear out of nowhere. Immediately they began firing nets at the cubs, trapping them instantly, causing them to cry out in alarm.
Starfire immediately cast Tornado on the approaching horde. That defeated many of the Sharkticons, but more appeared, and they surged forward to grab their netted quarry. Others surrounded Starfire, trying to block her off from her cubs. She charged at them, knocking several of them over.
Shockwave entered the hangar at that moment, and immediately contacted Megatron, while firing at the advancing Sharkticons. “A large invasion force has arrived in the decommissioned hangar on the third level!” he radioed, “They are trying to take your cubs!”
“WHAT?!” Megatron wasted no time; he was there within moments. “NO!” He immediately began firing his fusion cannon repeatedly to clear a path through the mass of Sharkticons, and obliterating one of the Allicons that had grabbed Starscream, without harming the cub.
Starfire destroyed a Sharkticon that had hold of Thundercracker, using a Flare spell, and then quickly grasping the blue seeker in her mouth and carrying him to safety. Skywarp managed to teleport away on his own, wresting himself from the grasp of an Allicon. He reappeared beside his mother as she was getting Thundercracker to safety. Once those two were secure, Starfire retrieved Starscream, while Megatron angrily blasted and punched his way through the Sharkticon horde to reach the Sharkticon that had hold of Sheba. He blasted the Sharkticon and it fell, dropping Sheba on the ground. She was still netted, but she was trying to free herself, gnawing and clawing at the mesh prison that encased her. Megatron had almost made it to her, coming within a few feet. Suddenly, a door opened out of nowhere, and a blast caught Megatron in the leg. He shouted, dropping to his knees.
Starfire cast Thundaga at whatever had fired at Megatron, briefly revealing a swirling pattern and momentarily, the ship could be seen. It had a horizontal corkscrew shape that those in the present immediately recognized as a Quintesson Ship. Megatron reached for Sheba, but an energy field enveloped her, pulling her backwards. He ended up grabbing empty air instead. He looked up to see a strange tentacled robotic being, with its egg-shaped head surrounded with faces. It held a tractor-beam pistol, and the beam was dragging Sheba into the doorway! Just as Megatron raised his cannon to scrap the creature that was taking Sheba, a horde of Sharkticons suddenly stood in his way, blocking his path. He fought his way through them in time to see the doorway close into nothingness, and then he felt the blast of the ship taking off. He was knocked backwards. Starfire finally made it to his side and cast Tornado on the remaining Sharkticons, obliterating them.
“NO! They got Sheba,” Megatron exclaimed. He stood up, his fists clenched, raising his arms in fury. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
The scene shifted again, this time, to Megatron’s quarters.
“They’re not safe here anymore,” Megatron was saying to Starfire, “Whoever took Sheba will no doubt return for them, and if they can steal her right out from under our very noses, they could eventually take the others, if they were persistent enough. You know of places you can take them and raise them, places that are safe. Somewhere where Sheba’s abductors will never find them.”
Starfire nodded. “I understand.”
Megatron bent down, to address his sons. They couldn’t talk, but they could understand him. “It may be some time before we see each other again, but this is for your own good. I will not have you taken, as Sheba was. Don’t give your mother too much trouble while you’re gone, alright?”
All three Seeker cubs nodded silently. Megatron patted each one on the head. He backed up a bit, so he wouldn’t be caught in Starfire’s teleport spell. A bluish energy field swirled around his mate and cubs, and in a moment they vanished.
Megatron went to the control room. “Shockwave, report. Any information on the vessel that attacked, or the creatures we saw?”
“Negative. The cloaking field successfully dampened their energy signature. They will be impossible to track,” Shockwave replied.
“Then Sheba is lost to us forever,” Megatron murmured, “I’ve failed.”
The Megatron of the Present then spoke. “It was sometime after that, when Starfire reported to me that Starscream, Thundercracker, and Skywarp had started refusing to refuel, and had become listless. I agreed with her that she should magically block their memory of Sheba. Meanwhile, I had decided to explore the depths of Cybertron, perhaps to get a clue as to the identity of the abductors. But then, something else happened. You recall the Robo-Smasher, do you not, Optimus Prime?”
“Yes,” Optimus Prime replied.
“And you also know that I took credit for its creation. But that is not so. In fact, I may have been one of its first victims,” Megatron stated, “I’d entered a room deep within Cybertron, but suddenly was rendered unconscious. When I came to moments later, I saw the Robo-Smasher. My mind began racing, filling with thoughts of destruction and conquest. Somehow it had accessed my central processor, and altered me so that I would fight the Autobots, and destroy all who stood in my way. As I stared at the machine that had done this, I realized I could use it to build an army. It would take docile, nonviolent Transformers and change them so that they craved battle and conquest above all else, just as it had done to me. But since I was a Leader, it had used that information when it had accessed my central processor, to make all others that were reprogrammed after me to be subservient to me. It was soon after I’d built up a sizable enough army, that I attacked one of the Autobot cities, laying waste to it and obliterating all who were unable to flee. The Robo Smasher had altered my sensory circuits, causing me to enjoy inflicting death and destruction. With each Autobot that I destroyed or maimed, I felt myself growing stronger. A magicite shard that Starfire had given to me some time before that was absorbing the energy of victory, and that unlocked the magic of the Esper. Reveling in this new-found strength, I continued my campaign across Cybertron. The first spell to be unlocked that I found to be useful was a powerful Fire-based attack. I used it in one battle, gaining the edge, but ultimately failing in my objective. Elder Prime warned me in a dream never to use Magic against the Autobots ever again. Eventually I learned a spell from the Magicite that enables me to come back after apparent total defeat. I believe Sheba is familiar with it. After I had destroyed a fair bit of Cybertron and terminated hundreds of Autobots, Starfire returned to me. She sensed that something was different, that I was different. It disturbed her greatly. I will never forget the look in her eyes when she saw the devastation that I had caused. I tried to justify my actions, saying it was for the greater good of the Decepticons, but she wouldn’t hear it. She was no longer sure of her mission, that of protecting my life. She needed time to think. She left, and didn’t return again for a very long time. When she did finally come back again, she told me that Elder Prime insisted that she remain my Guardian. However, in my pride I didn’t want it publicly known that I had a Guardian, and didn’t want to appear weak. So, we reached an agreement. Starfire would only intervene to cast Life or Life3, when nobody else was around, either to ensure that I could come back from defeat, or to raise me up from defeat. When I’d learned the Life and Life3 spells on my own, it was unnecessary for her to do even that. Only if a serious and stubborn threat that was bent on annhiliating me were to present itself, or at my explicit request, would she show up in person to defend me. It wasn’t long afterwards, that she altered the memories of Starscream, Skywarp, and Thundercracker once again—this time, eliminating the memory that I was their father. She couldn’t bear to have them know this, not after what I had done.”
“Wait a minute,” Optimus Prime spoke up, “If you didn’t build the Robo-Smasher, who did?”
“The Robo-Smasher is Quintesson technology,” Elder Prime stated, “That is why it is impossible for ordinary reprogramming to undo its effects”
“That would explain why Megatron didn’t just build another one,” Optimus Prime said.
"The Quintessons left it on Cybertron as part of their ploy to cause enough chaos on Cybertron to facilitate their return,” Elder Prime continued.
“Just like they left the Trans-Organics,” Ultra Magnus realized.
“That would explain all the tentacles on it, too,” Optimus Prime remarked, “But effectively, Megatron, you’re telling us you can’t be changed. The Robo-Smasher’s effects are permanent. Nothing can undo it.”
“I would not be so quick to give up, Optimus Prime,” Elder Prime told him, “There is something.”
“Oh? What is that?” Optimus Prime wondered.
“It is something Megatron discovered without realizing it,” Elder Prime continued, “Have you ever wondered why there were lulls in activity with the Decepticons? The war, starting up in all its ferocity, then ebbing down to nothing, before resuming once more?”
“I thought it was just Megatron taking his time in plotting his next wild scheme,” Optimus Prime replied.
“Not entirely,” Elder Prime said, “It coincides with times when Megatron was exposed to a significant amount of purring by his Guardian. As you know, the purrs of Organic Transformers can stimulate the self-repair systems of any Transformer. To a lesser extent, Sheba has had this effect as well, though it didn’t curb the Decepticons’ need for more energon. At this point, it is unknown whether this would be a permanent solution to the problem, but as long as there are Organic Transformers, there is a way to deal with it. If Starfire had listened to me, and stayed with Megatron the entire time, there is a chance that the war may have been far less brutal and filled with destruction than it already is.”
“You can understand why I didn’t want to,” Starfire murmured, off to the side, “I had no idea that Megatron had been altered by the Robo-Smasher. I wasn’t sure what had caused the change I sensed, but I didn’t like it. Yet even then, I couldn’t stay away entirely.”
Perceptor spoke up suddenly. “If your theory is correct, Elder Prime, I would like to study it. There’s equipment in my lab that will enable me to measure just what effect a purring Organic Transformer has on a Decepticon’s neuro-circuitry and programming.”
“Your idea is a good one, Perceptor,” Optimus Prime said, “How long would it take you to get set up?”
“I’ll get started on it right away, provided I have sufficient volunteers,” Perceptor replied.
“I will gladly be your first volunteer,” Megatron stated, “Provided that Soundwave assists you.”
“I think that can be arranged,” Perceptor agreed.
“I volunteer!” Skywarp said, after hearing Megatron’s willingness to participate.
“Ah, what the frag, I might as well, too,” Thundercracker said.
Starscream seemed to be spaced out, so Sheba coldnosed him, startling him out of his reverie. “Huh?” he said, looking down at Sheba.
“Couldn’t help but notice that you seem a little preoccupied,” Sheba replied.
“Oh, yes, I’ve been thinking. It’s hard to imagine a time when Megatron actually cared about me,” Starscream said, “Let alone that he cared enough to blast and tear through an entire army of Sharkticons to free me.”
“It’s strange, but there’s one thing that stayed with me, even under the influence of the Robo-Smasher,” Megatron began, “My promise to protect Sheba. That never wavered, no matter how much I thirsted for conquest. When she was found on Earth, I finally realized that I could make up for failing to protect her before.”
“A directive from the Guardian of Guardians does tend to have an overriding effect,” Starfire told him.
“And remember, Megatron, before you even knew she was there, you protected her, without realizing it,” Elder Prime stated, “When you teamed up with the Autobots to save the Earth from destruction, several times.”
“True, but there were also times my schemes came very close to destroying the Earth, and her along with it, had the Autobots not stopped me,” Megatron admitted, “When I found Sheba again, those were the actions I most regretted.” He looked over at Optimus Prime. “I suppose I have you to thank for ensuring Sheba’s existence when I could not. If I had known, perhaps I would not have been as harsh towards the Earth as I had been. The realization that I could have very easily caused her to cease to exist disturbs me greatly.”
“Megatron, what are you saying?” Optimus Prime wondered.
“I’m saying that our war should not continue, even if we defeat the Quintessons forever,” Megatron replied, “I agreed to what I originally thought would be a temporary truce when we were freed from the Energy Mines, and a longer-lasting one when the Quintessons’ role in our conflict became known, but now I think it’s time we made it official and permanent.”
“I never thought I’d hear you say that, Megatron,” Optimus Prime remarked.
TO BE CONTINUED!