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Megatron looked out over the ruins of Kaon, all of his most trusted officers waiting behind him. Yes, they'd won the war. The Prime had been vanquished and Iacon had fallen, but the cost had been beyond what any of them had ever imagined. Their home was destroyed, their kind was floundering. He wondered if, perhaps, their independence from the Quintessons wasn't really independence at all, with what they'd managed to do with it.
There was work to be done.
He turned around and faced the gathering, voice and expression grave. "The only surviving carriers are among the Autobots," he said solemnly. "Every single one is a prisoner of war. To survive, we must create, or our legacy will go unclaimed, our world barren."
There were uneasy shifting among the officers, and to no surprise it was the ever-vocal Starscream that spoke first. "How do we manage that? Even Autobots have some rights."
"Prospects: limited." Soundwave spoke up. "Options: one. Autobot carriers: must be socialized. Failure: end of Cybertronian race."
"What are you suggesting?" Thundercracker asked, a rare occurrence in these gatherings.
Soundwave locked his visor on the blue seeker. "One carrier. One free mech. Sire: must earn the carrier's willingness, trust, desire. Project: difficult."
Megatron sighed heavily. "Their stubborn and independent nature will not lend itself well to cooperation. We must work with them, request that they help us re-populate, and if they refuse, that will be that." He couldn't help but smirk at the irony of the whole thing. "Even in defeat they have power over us."
"One on one though, with enough time, at least some will want to live more than they want to be Autobots," Starscream hummed. "Has Hook confirmed who we have to work with?"
"Affirmative." Soundwave responded before pinging a list to everyone. "Recommendation: attempt to socialize even non-carriers. Most: possess skills of value."
"So how are we splitting this duty up?" Starscream looked at Megatron. "Who will be dealing with whom?"
"At first I will ask only for volunteers," Megatron said. "There are a select few who must be seen to by officers I trust, though. Prowl, Jazz, Red Alert among them. They have intelligence that I would not trust to the average soldier."
"Mirage," Thundercracker stated and asked for all in one.
"Thundercracker: correct." Soundwave agreed. "Mirage: spy. Difficult to contain. Highly intelligent."
"Who are you claiming, Lord Megatron?" Starscream asked sweetly, his politeness alerting everyone that a fight was in the making.
Megatron regarded his independent, troublesome Second. "I have taken an interest in Sunstreaker," he responded. "Who are you claiming, Starscream?"
"Sunstreaker?" Thundercracker's wings betrayed his surprise, and just how much he disliked the yellow terror twin.
Starscream was equally set back, surprised by the statement, but gathered his wits quickly. "Brainstorm. I'm the only scientist left."
"Alas," Megatron said with great exaggeration, hand going over his spark. "You talents are needed elsewhere. I trust none other than you with the Autobot second in command, dear Starscream."
"You expect me to mate with a grounder?" Starscream's optics narrowed as his wings lifted dangerously. "These are my creations at stake."
"I expect you to do what I tell you to for the good of the Decepticon cause," Megatron rumbled. "Since I highly doubt any Autobot will desire to put up with you long enough to mate, you are going to deal with a high security and difficult prisoner."
Starscream crossed his arms over his cockpit and glared. "So if I'm not trying to convince him to mate, just what is the point of working with him for me?"
"It will please me to watch you try," Megatron said, not bothering to hide his smirk.
White wings rattled in warning. "Fine. I'll take on the Praxian, prepare him to carry for someone who wants him. And when I succeed you'll grant me Brainstorm."
"If you succeed," Megatron said, and it was evident that he did not think highly of Starscream's chances. "And if Brainstorm is not successfully courted by another before you are available."
"I've never failed what I set out to do," Starscream huffed.
"Indeed not," Megatron said with an amused smile and sarcastic tone as Soundwave began to take in the rest of the requests.