Deus Machina

Disclaimer: Welcome one and all to my newest Transformers creation. I have been inspired to write this after watching the older Planet of the Apes films as well as Dark of the Moon. I often wondered what would happen if the Decepticons had suceeded in bringing Cybertron to Earth and enslaved the entire human race. My BF pressed me to write this, so here you are. LOL. This is an AU fic; I own nothing Hasbro or Bay related.

I do hope you read and review.

"Live this day as if it will be your last. Remember that you will only find ''tomorrow'' on the calendars of fools. Forget yesterday's defeats and ignore the problems of tomorrow. This is it. Doomsday. All you have. Make it the best day of your year. The saddest words you can ever utter are, ''If I had my life to live over again. ''Take the baton, now. Run with it! This is your day! Beginning today, treat everyone you meet, friend or foe, loved one or stranger, as if they were going to be dead at midnight. Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."

-Og Mandino

"When we abolish the slavery of half of humanity, together with the whole system of hypocrisy it implies, then the "division" of humanity will reveal its genuine significance and the human couple will find its true form."

-Simone de Beauvoir

By: VampireQueenAkasha

"Optimus... all I ever wanted was the survival of our race ... "

- Sentinel Prime, DoTM

Part Seven

Iacon City

Megatron observed the city that following morning with a smile of pride on his face. He could see Sentinel moving among the crowd of Decepticons and he pondered his course of action before turning to Shockwave.

"Let's begin." he said.

Meanwhile, Carly made her way into Dylan's office, anxious. "Dylan, I need to talk to you!" she said.

Dylan frowned up at her, tuned in to what he was watching on his monitors. "What is it?" he snapped, "I have my job to do and I can't be bothered."

"It's a little more important than staring at your precious screens," Carly told him, leaning over his desk, "Megatron's planning on challenging Sentinel to a fight."

Dylan shrugged his shoulders. "So?"

"So, that means that whoever wins, the loser ends up dead," Carly snapped, annoyed with his nonchalance, "That means whoever leads will determine our lives. I think for someone in such a 'high position', you'd be the most concerned."

"What do you mean?" Dylan looked somewhat worried now.

Carly rolled her eyes. "Come on, do you honestly believe that Sentinel's going to let you keep your little Queen-sized Hilton up here?" she said, "The only reason you're here is because of Megatron. Sentinel doesn't care." She backpedaled a bit. "Well, neither does Megatron but it seems that if we had to chose, I'd rather have him leading this than Sentinel. You've seen what he can do; he was willing to kill his own."

Dylan furrowed his brow and licked his lips. "And what do you think I should do about it?"

"I need to know where you stand, Dylan," Carly told him, "Because one way or another, you've got a target on your forehead. Everyone down there is bloody pissed at you for what you've done." She leaned forward and gestured to the screens, "I think it's time that you use your so-called power to start getting allies. Either way you look at it, we need to stay together."

Dylan gave her a dark look. She could see that he was considering what she was saying.

Then, the two looked back as Laserbeak glided effortlessly into the office. "Dylan, Megatron commands your presence," he hissed, "You are to be at the arena with the others once-" He cut himself off and looked over at Carly. "What are you doing here?"

Carly smiled slightly. "I was uh, talking to Dylan about the fight." she lied.

Laserbeak squinted suspiciously at her. "Get moving," he snapped, "Megatron commands the presence of his slaves."

Carly nodded. "Of course."

And with that, she quickly hurried out of there.

O

Sentinel wasn't pleased when he arrived at the arena.

No, he was furious with Megatron's proclaimation to every working city on the planet, demanding a challenge of his authority. Though when Megatron had issued the challenge, every single optic and human eye was on him. If he refused, he would be seen as weak. Sentinel would certainly not have that placed upon him. When Megatron approached with Shockwave behind him, he scowled at the Decepticon warlord.

"Your intention is to fight me, Megatron?" he snapped, "This will prove nothing."

Megatron smirked and gestured to the watchers. "To them it will," he said, "It will prove who is truly fit to rule this planet."

Sentinel's optics appeared to grow darker before he nodded his head. "Very well. And what are the conditions of this fight?"

"We fight one-on-one," Megatron told him, "No weapons, no tricks. We fight as true warriors with only our own bodies. He who loses will either die or submit to the victor." A smirk touched his jagged face. "Any questions?"

Sentinel was silent, contemplating this. It seemed that he now fully comprehended the severity of what was about to happen. He nodded his head and Megatron gestured to his watching audience with a grin.

"Decepticons, today you will witness who your true leader is!" he declared.

Beside him stood Ratbat, stepping slowly away to join the others in the stands. He gave Megatron a side whisper. "Fight him, my lord," he said, "You are the true ruler of Cyberton. Sentinel Prime is nothing."

Megatron chuckled lowly. "Yes."

Carly and Sam watched the scene from the stands. Lennox and Epps eventually joined them along with Hardcore Eddie and Sam's parents. Dutch and Simmons eventually joined them as well as Leo Spitz and long after that, Mikaela Banes.

Sam looked surprised to see her. "Mikaela?"

She smiled with embarrassment. "Hey..."

Leo laughed. "Well, this is incredibly awkward."

There was a mixture of shared laughter, but clearly Mikaela wasn't too thrilled with the position that she was in. She glared down at Wheelie and Brains and gave them taps with her feet, knocking them off of their seats.

"Ow, damn," Wheelie snapped, "You got an attitude problem."

Epps gave them a skeptical look before he sighed, turning his attention back to the battle about to commence between the two leaders. "So what do you think, man?" he asked, glancing up at Sam, "Think it might be close?"

Sam shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. It might."

"Megatron's no punk, though," Epps said, "But that Sentinel's a dirty bastard, straight up. You saw what he did to Ironhide back at NEST. He might try to pull some funny shit with him. I just hope he sees it coming."

Carly nodded her head. "Megatron's not an idiot. He already suspects something."

The combatants walked apart from one another, depositing their weapons where Onslaught gathered them up. Sentinel clenched his fists tightly and gestured for Onslaught to leave.

"Get out of the way, fool," he ordered.

Onslaught gave a mock salute. "Yes master," he sneered, in a mocking falsetto as he departed, "As you command, master."

Sentinel gave him a dark look as he disappeared out of the arena. Then, he turned his attention to Megatron and clenched his fists with a low growl. The warlord chuckled darkly and dragged his claws across the wall beside him, sending a hot shower of sparks dropping at his feet. Both combatants faced off one another before Megatron charged with a roar. Sentinel charged him and their bodies collided with a heavy sound. The horrible noise of metal clashing with metal made Carly and Sam visibly wince.

The Decepticons stood up from their seats and began to roar their approval, chanting in Cybertronian and English; they were thirsty to see shed Energon in this fight. The only ones not reacting were the humans and Silverbolt as well as Sideswipe. They looked at one another, uncertain.

Megatron's fist smashed into Sentinel's jaw, the spiked knuckles chipping away bits of his red armor around his face. Sentinel gave a snarl and drove his fist at Megatron's face. The warlord grabbed Sentinel's wrist and twisted, but Sentinel countered with a move of his own; he kicked his leg out, sending Megatron falling backwards. The warlord grabbed Sentinel by the throat with one clawed hand as he fell and rolled.

It was savage the way they fought one another, cursing in furious Cybertronian; Megatron slashing at Sentinel's face with his dangerous claws. They disengaged and paced around each other before lunging again.

"Shit!" Epps exclaimed.

Sam looked at Carly. "Think Megatron can beat him?"

Carly didn't answer. She was entirely too tuned into the battle.

Sentinel staggered back from Megatron, glaring at him. "I should have finished you when I had the chance!" he spat.

"Just like you finished Prime?" Megatron sneered.

Sentinel hissed with fury. Behind his back, he was opening the container of fluid that he had purchased from Swindle and pouring some of its contents on his fist. "You think you're above the rest, don't you, Megatron?" he said, his face revealing nothing, "You think that your servos are unstained?"

"Spare me your self-righteous hypocritical speech, Sentinel," Megatron hissed, clenching his fist.

He lunged at Sentinel, but the elder immediately ducked and coldly smirked, driving his fist now engulfed in flame directly into Megatron's optics. The Decepticon warlord staggered back and everyone in the stands reacted with shock.

"That's cheating!" Carly cried, looking at Sam in disbelief.

Megatron staggered back and wiped at his optics. His face had been partially singed from the blow and for a second, he couldn't see. That was when Sentinel took the chance; he lunged at Megatron, slamming his weight into his abdomen. Sentinel appeared to have the upper hand until Megatron pressed his feet into his abdomen and shoved, pushing the Autobot elder off of him. The move slashed several parts of Sentinel's chest and ripped tubes, sending them clattering to the ground.

Sentinel stared down at the wounds in his body and chuckled sardonically. "Is that all you have to offer me, mighty Decepticon leader?" he sneered.

Megatron rolled to his feet and smirked with equal contempt. "You would have made a fine Decepticon, Sentinel Prime," he told him, "Now all of Cybertron will see that this is the only way you can defeat me."

That seemed to enrage Sentinel because he gave a furious snarl and charged. "I have enough skill to destroy you!"

Megatron's claws sank deep into Sentinel's shoulder and ripped the Energon lines connecting to his affronting arm that he had used to burn Megatron's face. Sentinel howled in pain, but clenched his derma plates together and delivered blow after blow to Megatron's face until he let go. Though as he did, he wrenched Sentinel's arm to one side in a move that made every human shift in their seats at the horrible grinding noise.

The Decepticons watching had become a chorus of Energon-thirsty demons, screaming for more, screaming to see more pain and suffering.

"Tear him apart!" Barricade snarled, from the stands.

Sentinel staggered back and stared down at his useless limb as it oozed red Energon from the ruptured tubes. There was nothing he could do to use it now. It was useless to him. For the moment, he felt that it may have been a terrible act of fate that it would happen after he had torn Optimus' arm off on Earth.

Then, there was a sound gradually rising from the stands. A noise that resembled a roar from the humans that Sentinel could make out forming a single, terrible chant.

"MEGATRON!" the humans bellowed, chanting, "MEGATRON!"

Megatron smirked at them before looking at the furious, yet slightly uneasy Sentinel. "Well, it appears that the humans have made their decision," he hissed, raising his Energon-stained claws. "You are alone, without allies whom you've killed. Do you surrender?"

Sentinel rebuked him with a fierce hiss. "I will never surrender to the likes of a Decepticon!" he spat, "I have my pride!"

Megatron laughed heartily; the concept was amusing given his condition. "Really? You have your pride?" he sneered, "I cannot help but think that it's all but drained out of you with that useless arm of yours dripping Energon."

"Keep talking, Megatron," Sentinel hissed, with defiance as he paced around him, "I will fight to my last intake!"

Megatron chuckled. "Very well."

He charged this time and Sentinel attempted to swing with his last good limb, but Megatron was easily able to grab that and twist. He then seized Sentinel by the throat and forced him to his knees. Sentinel snarled with fury and Energon oozed from his mouth plates. Megatron watched him with an amused, but grave look all at once before looking up at the watchers. He raised his voice, powerful and commanding.

"DECEPTICONS!" he shouted, "WHO IS YOUR LEADER?"

The watchers chanted his name over and over again to which Sentinel shut his optics gravely at the sound. Megatron looked down at him with a cold snort of contempt.

"You were a deluded fool from the beginning, Sentinel," he said, "And still you rest, just as arrogant as I remember the day you came to me."

Sentinel choked through his filling intakes.

"You of all of us should know that leadership cannot simply be handed to you," Megatron told him, "You must take it by force." He watched Sentinel struggle for the longest time and smirked. "What will it be? Live or die?"

Sentinel's optics burned with fury and hate. "Die!"

Megatron tsked and shook his head. "I'm afraid I won't let it be so simple for you."

Sentinel's forehead seemed to furrow in a human gesture of confusion. Behind him, a large, towering shadow fell over the entire arena. He glanced up at the sight of the spectators watching grow suddenly silent. Sentinel looked over his shoulder slowly and his optics grew wide in horror.

The Driller was towering over the arena, completely repaired and body undulating above him. The blades of its mouth spun wildly like many sawblades. Then, as soon as it lunged, Sentinel let out a loud scream.

O

The work on Cybertron resumed its normal pace.

Nothing was better of course, but things didn't seem quite as tense anymore among the higher authorities.

Megatron surveyed from his throne room with a small smile before he rose and stepped out to the courtyards where Soundwave was standing, keeping watch over the construction. He turned to his Communication's Officer with an inquiring look.

"What is the status of Iacon?" he asked.

Soundwave raised his arm, displaying holographic data. "Productivity is up fourty percent," he told him, "No executions to report."

"Excellent," Megatron said, "It appears that Shockwave was correct; all we had to do was eliminate a...weak link."

"The humans appear to be working harder as well," Soundwave said.

Megatron turned. "I must pay Shockwave a visit," he told him, "Keep watch while I'm gone."

"Of course, Lord Megatron."

Megatron walked away with Carly eventually joining him. He glanced down at her. "What do you have to report?" he asked.

Carly was holding a clipboard in her hands. "The hatchlings are developing at a normal rate," she told him, "Ratbat says that the new formula is keeping them alive. He doesn't have to resort to rationing any longer."

"Excellent."

Carly tilted her head as she followed him. "Master, if I may..." she began.

"Go on." Megatron said, with a regal wave of his hand.

"This might just be me, but do you believe that the problems we've had might have had something to do with Sentinel's...leadership problems?" she asked.

Megatron chuckled. "Delusions of grandeur, maybe, but I could hardly put all the blame on one fool," he told her, stepping toward Shockwave's laboratory doors, "After all, I don't see how he would deserve all the credit. Many problems came from poor judgement, inadequate communication and inferior labor motives."

Carly laughed slightly. "I see."

Shockwave had his back to them when they stepped inside. He turned and gave Megatron a bow of his head.

"Shockwave, have you enjoyed the offering?" Megatron asked him.

"Offering?" Shockwave questioned. When he understood, he nodded and gestured to Mearing. "Here, now."

Mearing was crawling her way through rubbery joint sensors and foam insulation to check for tears or imperfections when she immediately moved from the pile with bits of it stuck to her. She presented herself before Shockwave and bowed her head.

"Yes, Lord Shockwave?"

He gestured behind him. "Remove the joint sensors and place them into that container," he ordered.

She nodded and went to work to do as he demanded.

Megatron chuckled softly and gave Shockwave a knowing look. "Leftovers, I assume?"

Shockwave turned and looked somewhere in the shadows. "There is no reason for parts to go to waste, is there?"

"No. I don't believe there is. What became of him, if I may ask?"

Shockwave gestured to the shadows where he had looked and Megatron spotted it instantly. A smirk touched his features and he looked down at a surprised Carly who had seen the exact same thing. He chuckled and turned to Shockwave.

"I admire your ferocity, Shockwave," he said, "And your ability to be creative with your methods of torture."

Shockwave seemed impassive to the compliment. "Thank you, Lord Megatron," he replied, "The fool screamed more than I believed was possible. I'll admit, the sounds of his suffering were quite relishing. It was such a shame when he gave up so quickly. I truly had more to offer him."

The metallic corpse of Sentinel Prime was strung up on the wall with razor wire, spread out in what Carly could guess was a cruel parody of the crucifixion. His optics had been ripped out and his face lacerated beyond recognition, frozen open in an eternal scream. His torso was carved open and ribbons of wire dangled horribly through the open wounds. One of his legs appeared to be ripped off and barely hung from wires.

Megatron smiled.

Sentinel believed that he would die and take over his rightful place as the ruler of Cybertron. Now he was nothing but crucified remains hanging from the wall of Shockwave's laboratory. There was only one ruler fit for Cybertron.

And that ruler is me.

All hail Megatron.

THE END