CHAPTER SIX
Decepticon camp, Verenya
“The calm before the storm is always the most unsettling, isn’t it?”
Viral said nothing to Fearstorm as the two of them stood on a precipice that oversaw the rest of the Decepticon camp in Verenya, watching as their comrades mulled about, waiting for Megatron to deliver his next orders to them.
“You know, up until now, I thought I had an idea as to where this was all going,” Fearstorm went on, undeterred by Viral’s lack of a response. “While I did not have a full grasp of the Grand Architect’s plan — I don’t think any of us did — I still believed it would lead to something… well, grand. Something where the both of us would come out on top.”
The ex-Vehicon gestured to the Decepticons below. “But now? Now I fear that we were always just cogs of the machine, turning and turning for all eternity until one of us burns out, at which point we are quickly disposed of.”
“I never had you pegged as someone who waxes philosophy,” Viral remarked.
Fearstorm chuckled. “I admit, I can be pretentious at times. Being brought back to life probably didn’t help matters either.”
Finally turning to look at Fearstorm, Viral said, “Have you heard from Tyrest lately?”
Fearstorm shook his head. “Not since he sent us to retrieve Rung. I’ve tried contacting him but haven’t gotten anything back.”
“Perhaps you are right, then. Perhaps we are already cogs of a machine that have been disposed of.”
“Don’t let it get to you or anything,” Fearstorm scoffed. “Who knows; maybe Megatron has plans that doesn’t have anything to do with the Grand Architect and his scrap. And maybe there’ll be a place for us in whatever he has planned.”
“And if he doesn’t?” Viral asked. “Or if we don’t?”
At this, the former Vehicon shrugged. “I don’t know, you’re the one with the Transwarp drive. What’s stopping you from ditching and starting your life anew.”
“I’ve already tried that,” Viral muttered, looking away. “It didn’t work out.”
“Well, no harm in trying again, eh? What’s the worst that could happen to you?”
Viral glanced back at him. “And what about you? Do you expect to tag along with me?”
“Of course not.” Fearstorm chuckled, though it was difficult for Viral to tell if there was any mirth behind it. “The time that I’ve already spent with you has been more than enough.”
Viral went silent again as he returned his attention to the Decepticons below. Fearstorm, on the other hand, continued to stare at him, as if studying Viral like some sort of weird art exhibit.
“Nothing’s stopping you from leaving now, you know,” the silver Decepticon said quietly. “It’s not like anyone’s going to notice.”
“You really want me gone, don’t you?” Viral said dryly.
“I’m just struggling to understand you. After everything that’s happened, everything you’ve been through, I simply have to ask… why are you still here?”
“It’s not like I asked to be conscripted into the Grand Architect’s scheme,” Viral retorted. “Or to be converted into an energy vampire.”
Fearstorm shifted uncomfortably. “Fair point,” he muttered. “But my question still stands.”
Viral sighed. “I don’t think I would feel comfortable in starting anew until I knew for sure that the Grand Architect would no longer be a factor. For all we know, he or Tyrest could be coming back for us at any moment.”
“And if they do, what do you propose we do?” asked Fearstorm.
For that, Viral did not have an answer.
The Darksyde, near the Decepticon camp in Verenya
“Tarantulas? Where are you?”
Dinobot snarled quietly to himself as he stalked through the empty corridors of the Darksyde, the Predacons’ dormant ship. Ever since joining forces with Megatron and the Decepticons, Dinobot and his fellow Predacons had scarcely returned to their ship, mainly to avoid suspicion from any of the Decepticons. Between their past allegiances with Onyx Prime and later with Thunderwing, to say that everyone was weary of the Predacons and their motives was an understatement.
Of course, Tarantulas just had to complicate things by sneaking off to the Darksyde to do Onyx-knows-what. Scorponaut had spotted him heading out into the forest earlier and, being the tattle-tale that he was, had reported his findings to Dinobot, who had since assumed the unofficial role of Predacon leader in Gnashteeth’s absence. Dinobot could tell that Scorponaut had aspirations for being made second-in-command in his place, but at the moment Dinobot was in no mood of humoring him.
As he navigated his way through the ship, using his Velociraptor form to make better use of his beast mode’s enhanced olfactory sensors, Dinobot could tell that Tarantulas had indeed been here recently, though whether he was still here was a different question. Figuring Tarantulas’ lab was the best place to start with, Dinobot made his way there first, sniffing for the spider’s “scent” along the way.
Upon reaching his destination, Dinobot found the door to the lab wide open, with strands of webbing cascading from the ceiling to create some sort of veil in its place. Transforming to his robot mode, Dinobot drew his sword and cut his way through the web as he stormed into the lab.
“Tarantulas! Show yourself!”
There was no response, though as Dinobot enhanced his visual receptors, he quickly saw that there was no one else in the room. All of Tarantulas’ equipment — his computer, his operating table, all of his science tools and gadgets — were untouched and unattended, with more strands of web covering them. Even that golden Autobot that he had been keeping around to experiment with was missing.
Another growl reverberated from Dinobot’s voicebox as he directed his attention to Tarantulas’ computer. Swiping off the strands of web, he switched on the computer and brought up the main lock-screen. Ever since becoming Gnashteeth’s second-in-command, Dinobot had learned a thing or two about how to bypass some of the Darksyde’s security systems in order to make sure none of the crew were plotting against the Predacon leader; measures that Gnashteeth had taken ever since Backslash and Buzzbomb’s attempted mutiny against Cryotek.
Tarantulas, of course, had always been the most difficult Predacon to spy on. Each time a firewall of his was bypassed, he would put up a stronger one in its place. Dinobot supposed this was to be expected from someone who used to work for the Secret Order, though that didn’t explain why Tarantulas simply use the strongest protections he had in the first place. It was almost as if he was toying with his crewmates….
After a few minutes, Dinobot was able to bypass the password-protected screen and was immediately barraged with an assortment of files and documents. All of it was written in Old Cybertronian — a language Dinobot was not well-versed in — which made it impossible for him to decipher. This elicited a growl of frustration from Dinobot and he slammed his fist down on the console, causing the screen to flicker.
“Arachnids are infuriating creatures, aren’t they?”
Dinobot froze at the sound of the familiar voice. He whirled around to see a large bot, wearing scaled purple armor-plating which indicated a saurian alternate mode, standing in the doorway to the lab. A pearly white grin flashed from the newcomer’s violet face as Dinobot’s optics went wide.
“Gnashteeth?!” the Predacon lieutenant exclaimed. “By the Allspark! We thought you were dead!”
“In a sense, perhaps,” Gnashteeth replied, stepping into the room. “When one ceases to exist in one reality, can they truly still be considered alive even if they continue functioning in another?”
Dinobot did not know what to make of the enigmatic statement and instead dropped to one knee, bowing his head. “I — we Predacons live to serve you, my liege.”
“You do, perhaps. But can you say the same for the likes of Tarantulas?”
“I will find him, my lord,” Dinobot snarled, rolling one of his hands into a fist. “He will pay for his treacherous schemes.”
“That he shall.” Stepping past Dinobot, Gnashteeth approached the computer that the other Predacon had been attempting to access. He stared at it for a moment before raising his arm-mounted “tail weapon.” A beam of energy lanced from the cannon and destroyed the computer in a small explosion.
A startled Dinobot jumped to his feet and stared at Gnashteeth with a look of surprise and confusion. “Why… why did you…?”
“Whatever information Tarantulas had on that computer is of no use to us,” Gnashteeth replied. “Once we have gotten rid of Tarantulas, all of his schemes will become obsolete and therefore die with him.”
Dinobot frowned. “But… the information on that computer could have given us insight as to what his plans are. Without it, we have no idea where he has gone to.”
Gnashteeth grinned. “Oh, but I do. That is all you will need.”
Dinobot was not fully convinced by this but decided to keep his reservations to himself. “In that case, I shall inform the others of your return. Then, we may hunt down Tarantulas and have him answer for all of his plotting.”
“Excellent,” Gnashteeth said, his smile broadening. “I look forward to commanding my faithful army once more. Yessss….”
* * *
“Look! More of our brothers and sisters have come to join the colony!”
Blackarachnia rolled her eyes at Inferno’s exclamation, standing with him and the rest of the Predacons as they watched the transport descend into the city of Verenya. Not long after they had joined the Decepticon camp and Dinobot had spoken with Megatron, the former had decided to summon the rest of the Predacons to Earth, after they had been laying in hiding on Cybertron for nearly a year while they awaited Gnashteeth’s next orders. She had no idea what Dinobot hoped to accomplish with this, but at this point she was past the point of caring.
As the transport touched down and lowered its ramp to dispense its crew, Blackarachnia noticed movement from the nearby forest and turned to see Dinobot himself emerge from the foliage, a strange look on his blue face. As he approached them, Scorponaut broke from the others and stepped up to greet the interim Predacon leader, an eager expression on his face.
“Well?” he asked. “Did you find Tarantulas?”
“No,” Dinobot replied, unusually quiet. “But I did find someone else.”
He then stepped aside as a larger figure emerged from the Verenya wilderness, flashing an instantly recognizable white grin from his violet face. The other Predacons’ expressions collectively went slack-jawed in astonishment; even Blackarachnia found herself staring in surprise.
“The Royalty has returned!” Inferno exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air as he dropped to his knees. “Let the gods be appeased!”
“Thank you for the generous welcome, Inferno,” Gnashteeth said, his voice as calm and suave as ever, as if he had not been missing for several days. “I am pleased to see that no ill fate has befallen you since my… disappearance.”
Blackarachnia doubt he was being sincere with that statement. Terrorsaur also looked skeptical as he eyed Gnashteeth carefully.
“Where have you been?” he asked. “What did that… Talisman thing do to you?”
“Oh, where do I even begin?” Gnashteeth chuckled. “The stories I could tell you… yet somehow I doubt any of you could even begin to comprehend what I have just experienced.”
“Yeah?” quipped Quickstrike. “Try us!”
“All will be made clear soon, I promise you. But first, I believe there is a certain spider that requires… apprehending.”
“Yes!” Inferno jumped back to his feet, knocking a non-suspecting Waspinator over in the process. “The traitor Tarantulas shall pay for his deceptions against the colony!”
Scorponaut bowed to the Predacon leader. “What is your first command, Lord Gnashteeth?”
“Oh.” There was a shift in Gnashteeth’s expression, though his smile still remained. Blackarachnia did not know what to make of it, even as he spoke his next words. “That is not my name anymore. It never was, to be perfectly honest; it was bestowed upon me against my will by those responsible for bringing me into existence. But soon, they and everyone else shall fear my name — my true name, that which has always been rightfully mine.
“Call me Megatron.”
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