𝕊𝕔𝕠𝕠𝕓𝕪-𝔻𝕠𝕠: 𝕋𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕤

Chapter Eighteen: The Marauder

High above the outer edge of Earth's atmosphere, the Nemesis flew around the blue world. Inside the bridge, the sound of metal against metal and yelps of pain could be heard.

"Please, Lord Megatron... I meant no..." Starscream was unable to finish as Megatron abruptly slammed a fist into the seeker's face.

The greyish-silver mech staggers backwards, touching his facial components and he felt a stinging sensation. Soundwave and the Vehicon troopers all in the background watch on as the SIC received a mighty beating from their leader. As Starscream stood up wobbly, the towering form of Megatron stomped in front of him.

"I ordered you to await my command!" Megaton snarls as he backhand 'Screamer in the chassis.

The seeker shrieks out as the forceful blow sent him flying, bouncing against the metal floors, with sparks coming off his form. He came to a stop, front side up. He felt an enormous amount of pain coursing through his circuits. Sparks could be seen sparkling out from his elbow joints as he struggled to turn over. Megatron proceeded towards his fallen position, in no hurry at all.

"Instead, your mindless agenda resulted in the disabling of my ship, and the delay of my plans!" Megatron roared.

Seeing how close he was, Starscream yelped as he turned over and began to crawl away, obvious fear evident on his facial plate. "M-my intentions were pure, master." Starscream implied. "I only wanted you to be rid of the Triple-Changer Autobot-"

Suddenly, Megatron's slams his right foot down on Starscream's body. "Nobody rids me of TurboRacer or Optimus Prime but me. Do you understand?! Do you!?" Megatron snarled.

Starscream strained to use his voice box, but the massive heel of Megatron pressing hard against his body was making it difficult. Starscream felt relief as Megatron lifted his heel off of the seeker, but only to be grabbed by the throat. The warlord brought his SIC to optic level, staring at him with a dangerous gaze.

"Lord Megatron." The Decepticon warlord turns to see Blackout stepping up. "I apologise for my actions. It was Commander Starscream who ordered me to intervene alongside him."

"Blackout. Report to the Medical Bay for repairs." Megatron simply ordered, the helicopter Decepticon giving a single nod before limping out of the bridge. After that, he turns to Starscream with a snarl, only to drop him to the floor. "Consider yourself spared. For now, Starscream." He growled as he stomps away.

"Lord Megatron." The Cybertronian gladiator turns to look over to one Vehicon, who's on the radar system. "We've picked up on a Cybertronian signal that's just entered this planet's atmosphere." The Vehicon reports in to his master.

"Autobot? Or Decepticon?" Megatron questioned.

"We couldn't get a fix. The moisture of this planet's atmosphere has been blocking the signal." The Vehicon clarified to his master. "However, we have a lock-on its location." The screen that's locked on the signal zooms in on North America. More specifically, the region of Canada.

"Very well." Megatron muses, his red optics sharpening at the location and signal. Whatever it is, he was not going to let Optimus Prime or the Autobots step in and take what is there...

~*~*~

Mount Temple, a mountain in Banff National Park of the Canadian Rockies of Alberta, Canada, with an elevation of 3,544m (11,627ft). Mt. Temple is located in the Bow River Valley between Paradise Creek and Moraine Creek and is the highest peak in the Lake Louise area. The peak dominates the western landscape along the Trans-Canada Highway from Castle Junction to Lake Louise.