The Matrix Arc, Chapter Four
Megatron had excused himself from the feast, leaving his officers to continue the festivities as he descended into the fortress. With Ramulus gone, he had quickly moved to ensure that all those living in the slums of Tarn had been moved to the empty living quarters in the main city. Tarn’s own capitol building had been repurposed as the home base for the Ascenticon party. After travelling the halls, Megatron turned into the room he had chosen to use for himself and dismounted his arm drill, leaning it against the wall. He turned to the wash station and looked at himself in the mirror. He saw his hands clenched into tight fists. He saw his face and arms stained with the energon. He saw the rage in his eyes as he had hurt Orion and killed… He saw Zeta’s dying face in the mirror behind him and turned around, frightened, to see…
A few million solar cycles ago, after his shift in the mine, Megatron had found an abandoned sparkling trapped under a collapsed section. He had rescued it, of course, but due to his assigned caste, he couldn’t officially have children. So, Rubble, as she had been christened, became Megatron’s secret child. He had been good with taking care of her for millions of cycles, but then, just over a week ago, Ramulus had caught him trying to sneak extra rations for Rubble, for what they at least celebrated as her forgeday. Terminus had taken the blame, saying he had asked Megatron to steal extra rations for him. And that led to- Well, Megatron didn’t want to think about it. In the past 10 days, Megatron had shed more blood than he had in his whole life.
“You okay?” Rubble repeated her words, snapping Megatron out of his trance.
He kneeled down to be more level with the bed she stood on, and set down the tray of food he had taken for her. “Yes, dear. I’m fine. Just preparing for my interview tomorrow.”
“Oshkay!” Rubble responded, despite already shoving the food into her mouth.
The door to the room slid open, and Megatron instinctively moved to hide Rubble.
Shockwave stood at the door, bearing repairs and upgrades he and Starscream had been working on since he returned from the Sea of Rust. “Ah- Sorry to interrupt, Lord Megatron. I did not realize you were preoccupied.”
“No, it is alright. I am just used to having to hide… Her… “
Megatron moved aside, revealing a wide-eyed Rubble, still with handfuls of food ready to be shoved into her mouth. Shockwave remained motionless.
“This is Rubble, my daughter.”
“Greetings, sparkling.” Shockwave did a small bow, a gesture of respect from his days as a senator. “I am called Shockwave.”
“I am shcalled… Shrubble!” Rubble threw her arms in the air, excitedly.
Shockwave returned to his full standing position, and turned to face Megatron. “Are you prepared for your session?”
“Ah, yes…” Megatron stood up and patted Rubble on the head. “I have to go for a while, okay? If you need anything, you know to call Soundwave or Grimlock.”
Megatron picked up his drill, and gave one last warm look to Rubble before leaving with Shockwave to head to his lab.
