The Sound of Silence

[Megatron]

Characters: Megatron @tarn
Location: The Flight Deck of the Nemesis
Content Warnings: N/A
Plot Summary: Angered by Dreadwing's betrayal, Megatron summons the leader of the Decepticon Justice Division to the planet Earth.

[Megatron]

How ironic was it..?  The one who had been most loyal to Megatron how now turned his back on the Decepticon cause.

The tyrant stood at the edge of the Nemesis' flight deck, glaring at the endless sky surrounding the vessel.  How dare Dreadwing turn his back on him?  How dare he escape with the Forge of Solus Prime?  It infuriated Megatron that someone who claimed to be full of honor and had sworn his loyalty to him could so quickly betray him.

It made one wonder just who you could trust, especially when there had been so much failure lately.  There was only one that he could think of that could rectify the situation, and that was exactly who he called.  Tarn, leader of the Decepticon Justice Division.  He had trained the DJD himself, sending them on their own mission to catch traitors and 'set them straight' by whatever means.

He sent a message to Tarn, seeking audience with him on Earth aboard the Nemesis.  Who knew how long it would take for the talkative mech to reach their location, but one thing was for certain..

He wasn't going to allow Dreadwing the honor of getting away with his crimes.

[Deleted]

A hard, jagged form broke the ceaseless blue of the sky above the Nemesis. A ship. Well, more like a shuttle. It soared through the sky with all of the urgency of its occupant before initiating landing protocol. The shuttle lowered, despite its haste, with extreme care as it alighted upon the hull of the Decepticon flagship.

With a hiss, the boarding ramp of the shuttle opened, partially revealing the form of the one inside. Before it had even finished lowering, Tarn flew out from it, transforming in mid-air into his tank alternate mode. His treads hit the flight deck already churning, moving him toward the one who had summoned him.

As he neared, Tarn pushed off as he reverted into robot mode, flipping his form so that he would land kneeling before Megatron in robot mode, head lowered reverently. “Lord Megatron, my apologies for keeping you waiting,” he said without lifting his head, “I know that is no excuse for keeping you waiting, but I came as quickly as possible.”

“I am at your command, my lord.”

He waited to hear Megatron recognize him. To acknowledge his presence and absolute fealty. Tarn’s spark quaked with anticipation. Energon surged through his circuits. Not in so long had he felt so utterly alive. Not in so long had he had the extreme honor of being in his lord’s presence.

[Megatron]

Megatron folded his hands behind his back, clasping them together whilst continuing to stare out at the sky.  He didn't quite know what it was he was looking at, nor did he care.  He was waiting for Tarn, and he would stay out here awhile more before retreating back into the ship.

However he wouldn't have to wait for much longer.  The sounds of a shuttle incoming breaking the silence.  It seemed they had a visitor.  Megatron watched as it approached the ship, turning to notice the Vehicons that had taken aim at the ship.  Holding a single hand up, they ceased and lowered their weapons.  You never knew when the Autobots would try to make an assault on the Nemesis, but this was by no means an Autobot.

It was a Decepticon, or more specifically.. Tarn.

Ruby red optics gazed upon the DJD leader as he approached, watching as he knelt before Megatron.  Tarn apologized for his tardiness, however the warlord cared not about the excuses.  "Rise, Tarn."  His hands returned to behind his back, folding them back as he continued to speak to the new arrival.

"I summoned you here for a personal favor.  Dreadwing has betrayed the cause, and I require your services to bring him back to this ship.  Unharmed.  I want the honor of finishing him myself."  He paced, taking a few steps around Tarn, but never taking his optics off of him.  "I called for you and you alone as I trust you to not betray the Decepticons.  This is what I trained you, Kaon, Vos, Tesaurus, and Helex for.  While you are here.. I will allow you to stay here on the Nemesis, and I will have a hab suite prepared for you."

[Deleted]

Megatron commanded him to rise, and so Tarn did. Straightening to his full height, he took in Megatron’s glorious presence with bright, crimson optics. He stood at attention, but the air of sophistication surrounded the justice made him seem as though he was completely at ease.

However, at the mere mention of the traitor, Tarn stiffened, the sophisticated air morphing into something far darker. Far more hostile. His crimson optics narrowed from behind his mask, already thinking of ways of how to best make an example of him. Until Megatron elaborated further.

Tarn frowned, his optics following Megatron as the warlord paced around him. He wanted to protest, but the words died in his vocal processor as Megatron continued. Instead of mild bemusement, Tarn felt an intense sense of pride and fulfillment. But it was as it should be. Megatron merely revalidated what he knew in his spark to be true.

At the mention of the other members of the DJD, Tarn’s thoughts flicked to them briefly. It was odd. They weren’t here. Ah, no, that was because Megatron had sent for him alone. That was right. Folding his arm over his chest, Tarn bowed to Megatron.

“Your generosity honors me, Lord Megatron,” he uttered before drawing himself but up to his full height. “However…it may not be my place, but I believe it may be beneath you to sully your hands with the traitor’s energon,” he continued, choosing his words carefully, “As you stated, you have trained myself and the others for circumstances such as this.”

“Won’t you leave it to those you have trained for this express purpose? I assure you, my lord,” he asked, his voice undercut by the edge of restrained fury as he clenched his fist, “No one would think to betray you again when considering the consequences those actions will have.”

[Megatron]

It pleased Megatron to see that Tarn was just as loyal as ever, standing just as he'd been asked.  That was the loyalty that he wanted to see in every warrior in his army, and there seemed to be too few of those nowadays.

Behind the mask, Megatron was unable to see the other mech's frown, nor would he have cared had he been able to.  Out of the entire DJD, he felt that Tarn was the most trustworthy of them all.  There was no need to believe that the mech would suddenly turn on him.  Besides.. he would know by now what happens to those who betray the cause.

"Your input is sound, however.. my grudges towards Dreadwing are personal.  I wish to personally teach him a lesson, though that is not to question your ability.  I merely need someone I know is loyal and trustworthy to bring the traitor back, preferably groveling at my peds."

Bringing his arms from behind him back, he then crossed them in front of his chest.

"I suppose that you must be in need of fueling after the long and arduous journey you have made to reach this planet.  Let us continue this inside and retrieve some Energon."

[Deleted]

At Megatron’s firm insistence, Tarn could only bow his head in his acquiescence. If it was Lord Megatron’s wish, he could not refuse him. However…Megatron’s orders did lend themselves to some interpretation. Tarn would not slay Dreadwing then nor physically harm him more than necessary in order to capture him.

That was not to say that Tarn did not plan to cause Dreadwing suffering for the pain that he had caused Megatron.

Oh, no.

Dreadwing would suffer. He would grovel before Megatron when Tarn brought him before the Decepticon Supreme Leader. The chief justice of the DJD would see to that personally. He would break Dreadwing’s spirit. Inflict the fear of the mighty lord Megatron. So much so that when he was brought before him, he would cower and grovel and plead for death.

“As you wish, so it shall be, Lord Megatron,” Tarn acknowledged with a sweeping bow.

It was then that Lord Megatron invited him inside the Nemesis for some refreshments. A warm smile curled onto Tarn’s faceplate behind his mask. A fondness and warmth of admiration emanated from his very spark at his master’s kindness.

“By your leave, Lord Megatron,” Tarn said cheerfully, gesturing for Megatron to proceed, “Where you lead, I will follow. Always.”

[Megatron]

This was the thing that he wished the rest of his troops would do.  Tarn would never question a single order.  He'd provide his honest opinion at times, and they were always sound opinions, but never did he argue his point.  If Megatron wanted it, that was how it was going to be.  If only Starscream could learn from the chief justice's loyalty..

If he didn't need Tarn with the Decepticon Justice Division, he would seriously consider promoting him to second in command.

He began to set back into the ship, glancing back behind him to make sure that Tarn was following him.  He'd let Tarn have free reign of the ship if he so wanted, but he wanted to keep him near while they went to refuel.  There was much they still needed to discuss, even with their discussion on traitors having ended.

"And how is the rest of the Decepticon Justice Division holding up.  I trust that they are well, even with you not at your post?"

[Deleted]

As Megatron led the way, Tarn kept pace, trailing behind and slightly to the right. He folded his hands behind his back subconsciously, stalwartly facing forward, carrying himself with the elegance and weight that befitted the Decepticon Justice Division’s chief justice. He cast sidelong glanced to the contingent of Vehicons that had accompanied his lord to the flight deck, wondering briefly where the other Decepticons who were currently directly serving Megatron.

Whenever Megatron cast the occasional glance back at him, Tarn instinctively straightened, his optics locking onto Megatron’s own. He bowed his head in respect and acknowledgement. Stepping up to walk more abreast with Megatron simply so that his master would not have to trouble himself by looking back, Tarn looked to him, heeding his every word as he spoke.

“Oh, yes, my lord. They’re all performing quite admirably,” Tarn answered, his thoughts immediately assuming that Megatron wanted a more administrative report, “We recently did their performance reviews. Though…” Hm. That was odd. He seemed to recall Kaon and Vos not being present for the last one. Where had they gone off to again?

Pushing it aside, Tarn continued, “Kaon and Vos were not present for the last one. If you like, I can forward you the paperwork directly should you care to review it.”

“As for our duties, we are working through the List in order, barring a few of the more elusive exceptions,” Tarn explained, “Fulcrum, Blip, and perhaps you’ll be pleased to hear, but we finally apprehended Overlord for his crimes against you and those on Garrus-9. We took his head as a trophy to present to you, but in my haste, I forgot it aboard the Peaceful Tyranny. I hope you’ll forgive my absent-mindedness.”

“While I am away, I ordered them to…” Tarn paused. That was odd. He…he couldn’t quite recall what he ordered them to do. Of course, Tarn had arranged standing orders should the case be that he ever was indisposed, but…it was quite odd that he couldn’t remember giving them any orders before leaving. However, knowing that his lord expected a prompt answer, Tarn assumed he had left them to their default orders.

“-to go on standby. They are to contact me regularly with status reports.”

Bowing his head, Tarn gestured to Megatron. “And yourself, Lord Megatron? How do you fare?”

[Megatron]

Listening to Tarn as he gave his detailed report on what the Decepticon Justice Division had been up to.  Performance evaluations were always a good thing, and it benefited their group.  You had to be the threatening when you were in the DJD, and any weakening of strength or resolve would get you nowhere fast.  Nowhere but a one way trip to the Well of Allsparks.. if you were lucky.

"I would personally like to review the paperwork.  I trust that it is as detailed as the usual reports.  However, I am curious as to why Kaon and Vos were.. unavailable.  Were they on a separate mission that they could not be present?"  And they couldn't have just communicated via commlink?

The list of names given to him did not faze the tyrant at all, at least.. until Tarn got to a very specific name.  "Overlord?"  Curiosity shone in Megatron's ruby red optics, surprised that they had managed to capture such a mech.  Overlord was a pretty big deal, and for his men to actually capture him?  He was quite impressed!  "Perhaps a congratulations are in order.  Ridding our troops of Overlord is quite the accomplishment in it's own right.  The prize you intend to give me can wait.. as we have more pressing issues at this moment, such as Dreadwing."

He nodded as Tarn continued, pausing for the briefest of moments as if something had either distracted him or he had simply forgotten what it was he was going to say.  Or.. was it that he was hiding something?  No, the DJD leader wouldn't betray him so easily.  "Very well.  Should you wish to summon them, you are free to do so."

But how to describe how he was?  "We are as well as can be given the circumstances.  With the assistance of an unknown Decepticon named Steeljaw, we have discovered the location of one of the Autobot bases.. however it is merely Optimus' scout's base.  I do not trust this Steeljaw, though I cannot doubt that he has aided us in this manner.  I want you to keep an optic on him as well."

[Deleted]

“Of course,” Tarn said in response to Megatron’s request for the paperwork. He drew out a data pad, pulling up the requested files. He both transmitted it to Megatron directly – for later perusal if he wished – and offered him the data pad, should he wish to skim as they walked or talked and partook of some energon. Tarn cursed his memory as Megatron asked him to elaborate on the subject. Ah! He remembered now. Though, it was not the most flattering memory, Tarn would not lie to Megatron.

“Ah, after fetching Overlord’s head, we returned to where we had found him to do some salvaging,” Tarn explained. “The Black Block Consortia and the Galactic Council were engaged in a battle over the abandoned Cybertronian technology - and I would be slagged if I was going to let organics get their hands on it, but upon our arrival, they combined forces and turned on us. As reinforcements arrived – a force of more than one thousand ships, we were forced to retreat. Kaon and Vos were left behind. We presumed that they had perished and were going to collect their bodies when they suddenly returned not too long after. Safe and sound. It was incredible.”

Tarn sounded pleased, and he was. He knew all too well the sheer amount of the forces that they had been facing. A resilient lot those two were. He swelled with pride. There was something nagging at him though. Something he was forgetting. Something else. What was it? He pushed it from his mind as Megatron complimented him and his team on their successful execution of Overlord.

As Megatron gave permission to summon his cohorts, Tarn only nodded gratefully. Hunting was much easier with a party. Victory more easily assured. Not that Tarn would allow himself to fail, but tactically, there was only so much one could do. He made a mental note to send them a summons and instructions to bring the Peaceful Tyranny.

Tarn listened attentively as Megatron described how he fared, frowning behind his mask at the mention of yet another Decepticon that he did not know. He had reviewed Banzai-Tron’s files on the Decepticons countless times. His knowledge should not be this lacking. Vaguely perturbed, Tarn still nodded at Megatron’s request.

“Of course,” Tarn said, “Though I must inquire as to what phase of the infiltration protocol that we’re in, so I best know how freely I and my team may operate. Additionally, I’d like complete access to the Nemesis’s data logs and ship registry as well as any files on the crew.”

[Megatron]

So that had been the reasoning for Kaon and Vos' lacking reports.  The DJD had considered them dead, only to be surprised when it was discovered that they were alive.  Miraculous, indeed..  At least he wouldn't have to train someone else to take up the mantle of Kaon and Vos.  Training new recruits was quite troublesome, and Megatron preferred to do DJD training personally as a precaution.

He was more than happy to allow Tarn to call the rest of his men if and when he needed and would give them the same benefits as Tarn himself.  They were his most feared and impressive team for a reason.

Megatron thought for a moment as the other mech gave him a request, and it was a fair one.  He wanted access to data files for everyone on the ship, as well as additional logs.  Giving him access was a benefit as it was, especially when it clued the DJD in on any other potential traitors that were among their ranks.

"I will grant your request and have your access set up immediately.  Do you have any other personal requests?"

[Deleted]

“Thank you, Lord Megatron,” Tarn uttered with a slight bow as he granted his request for access. Now it was his time to consider. After a moment of thought, he merely shook his head, looking to Megatron. “Not at present. I will notify you if I or the other justices require anything else.”

Ah. Megatron hadn’t quite answered his last query. He needed to know that much at least. But perhaps he would rephrase it so as to not irritate Megatron.

“Do my team and I have freedom to act as we see fit on this planet? Or must we exercise some…subtlety in our work while stationed here? Are the native inhabitants aware of our existence yet? I would hate to disrupt whatever machinations that you’ve put in place because I or one of my own were unaware of them.”

[Megatron]

Good.  There were no more further requests from Tarn as to what he needed in order to ensure he had a wonderful stay aboard the Nemesis.  Megatron would tend to what was necessary, or have another fill those needs, but having the basic needs was always easier.

Or perhaps there was one further request after all.  No.. more of a general question in regards to the organic life on the planet.

"Act as you see fit.  The Autobots may hide from the human creatures and act as if they are not among them, but we have no need to hide.  They are insignificant pests to us.. even if the Autobots have their attachments to them however strange it may seem.  Although.. it does display weakness in our favor."

Megatron huffed to himself, continuing on his way while Tarn followed.  It wouldn't be much longer before they reached the quarters that would be given to the leader of the Decepticon Justice Division.

"We do, however.. have control of many Energon mines, keeping them out of the Autobots hands on this planet.  I would advise researching our databanks for the locations of these mines so that you and your team do not accidentally demolish them."