It took less than half an hour for Blackarachnia to emerge from the damaged vessel.
"Skygnaw, if I may be blunt."
She glanced up at him, noting his calm expression, and didn't mince words. "The navigation and propulsion control systems are slagged beyond repair. The explosion rippled into the engine core, and the hull integrity—which uses a specific Cybertronian reinforced alloy—is compromised."
"With our current resources on this planet, fully repairing this would require building a dedicated drydock..."
Skygnaw listened to her technical breakdown and took one last look at the scorched ship. "I understand, Blackarachnia."
He caught her drift. The ship was no longer worth the investment. Even if it could be fixed, the time and Energon required were costs he currently couldn't afford. The only logical step was to scrap it for parts and recycle the raw materials.
"Blackarachnia, I've decided to—"
VROOM—
A sudden, thunderous roar cut him off, growing louder by the second.
"What is that?" Blackarachnia looked toward the sky, puzzled. Skygnaw followed her gaze.
Two strangely shaped fighter jets appeared on the horizon, screaming toward them in tight formation. After staring for a moment, Skygnaw softly uttered two names: "Lord Megatron... and that pest, Starscream."
The two jets had clearly spotted them. As they cleared the base perimeter, they banked sharply and plummeted toward the ground.
THUD.
Skygnaw narrowed his optics as he watched the F-22 Raptor transform in mid-air. Perhaps having learned his lesson after being chased across the continent, Starscream had finally abandoned his outdated F-15 supersonic alt-mode for something more modern.
"Skygnaw. Blackarachnia."
Megatron marched toward them. Starscream followed close behind, though he pointedly kept himself one pace back in a submissive posture. Looking at the mangled wreck of the transport ship he had personally sabotaged, Starscream couldn't hide the smug smirk playing on his metallic lips. He knew that with Megatron present, Skygnaw wouldn't dare retaliate.
"Lord Megatron. Welcome back," Skygnaw greeted him with respectful formality, completely ignoring Starscream.
However, Starscream wasn't content with being ignored.
"Skygnaw, my sincerest apologies," Starscream chimed in, his voice dripping with faux-concern. "I accidentally damaged your ship during our... misunderstanding. Perhaps I should help you repair it?"
"Silence, Starscream!" Megatron barked.
"Yes, My Lord," Starscream's arrogant facade vanished instantly. He retreated with a resentful huff, his hatred for Skygnaw deepening by the second. Skygnaw caught the look in the Seeker's optics and quietly filed it away for later.
"Skygnaw, I have already administered the appropriate punishment to Starscream."
Megatron glanced at the transport ship. As the master of the Nemesis—the most advanced warship in the Decepticon fleet—he cared little for a mere hauler.
"Blackarachnia," Megatron turned his attention to the spider-like commander. "Scalpel mentioned you intended to rejoin our ranks?"
"Yes, Megatron," Blackarachnia lowered her head. Though she addressed him by name rather than title, her tone carried genuine respect—the kind reserved only for overwhelming power.
"Good." Megatron looked up at the sky. "Now, as Leader of the Decepticons, I declare that Blackarachnia has officially returned to our cause!"
Though only four were present to witness it, they represented over two-thirds of the Decepticon high command on Earth. No one would dare question Megatron's decree.
Starscream, ever the opportunist, immediately offered a loud round of flattery. "Congratulations, Lord Megatron! Under your peerless leadership, we now have five Commander-class warriors. The destruction of the Autobots is imminent! Surely Lord Fallen will be pleased with your progress."
Skygnaw glanced sideways. In the original timeline, Starscream was spared repeatedly by Megatron; his talent for silver-tongued flattery was undoubtedly a major reason why.
"Master..." Megatron murmured, his optics flickering with a brief, unreadable glint.
Skygnaw felt a flicker of pity for Starscream's lack of tact. The Seeker was essentially poking a sore spot, reminding Megatron that there was still a "Master" above him. Skygnaw didn't believe for a second that a tyrant as proud as Megatron would be content to remain a subordinate, even to the one who had taught him everything. History was full of apprentices who betrayed their masters.
Strictly speaking, while The Fallen was the founder of the Decepticons, he was not their active leader—which was why Blackarachnia hadn't "enlisted" with him directly.
After a moment of silence, Megatron's optics flared red. He smiled. "Skygnaw, do you remember the reward I promised you?"
Reward? Skygnaw blinked, then remembered. "I do, Lord Megatron." Before leaving Earth, Megatron had promised him a boon for his part in the resurrection. Skygnaw had nearly forgotten about it in the chaos of the last few days.
"Skygnaw, I have decided. You are hereby appointed as the Commander of the Decepticon Aerial Strike Force."
"Wait... what?"
The surprise hit Skygnaw so hard he thought he'd misheard. Though he had been a Commander-class warrior for some time, he held no official title within the military hierarchy. He only had Dirge's small squad under him—not a single grunt to his name. Even a sinking ship has some scrap value, let alone the most elite flight division of the Decepticon army.
To be the Air Strike Commander meant he was now one of the legitimate "Generals." It gave him the legal right to command the vast majority of the Decepticon forces, relying on rank rather than just raw power. While there were few Decepticons currently on Earth, the home world of Cybertron still held thousands of soldiers—most of them low-level, but a massive army nonetheless.
However... Amidst his surprise, Skygnaw looked at Starscream. Predictably, the Seeker looked stunned, then his face contorted into a mask of desperation.
"Lord Megatron! Air Strike Commander? But... that's my position!"
"You?" Megatron slanted a look at Starscream, a mocking smile curling his lips. "From now on, you will focus on being my personal Adjutant. You will remain by my side."
Starscream stood frozen. His attempt to sabotage Skygnaw two days ago had backfired spectacularly. He had gone for the throat and ended up losing his own limbs.
"What? You are unwilling?" Megatron's gaze narrowed dangerously.
"No, no!" Starscream forced a fawning smile back onto his face. "I am... deeply honored by your decision, Lord Megatron. But..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Such a significant command change... shouldn't we consult with Lord Fallen first?"
Being reduced to a mere adjutant meant being stripped of his command authority. Starscream couldn't accept it—especially since his power was being handed to a rival he loathed. He pinned his hopes on The Fallen, unaware that the ancient Prime viewed him as nothing more than a tool. The promise of making Starscream the "Leader" was a hollow one.
Megatron, of course, saw this clearly. That was why he had no qualms about stripping Starscream of his rank.
"Starscream!" Megatron's optics glowed with murderous intent. "Remember this: I am the Leader of the Decepticons. Forever. Do not ask such a stupid question again, or I may find myself unable to resist tearing your head from your shoulders!"
"My apologies! Please, calm your fury, Lord Megatron!" Starscream shrunk back, retreating several steps. The memory of the beating he took on Mars was still fresh in his processors.
"Blackarachnia," Megatron continued, turning to the spider-bot. "You are appointed as the Vice-Commander of the Aerial Strike Force. You will operate alongside Skygnaw."
"Understood, Megatron."
Blackarachnia didn't care much for titles. In the past, she had been a lone hunter. Her return was driven by the threat of the Autobots and her own desire to find a path to becoming a Leader-class warrior.
The fact that a non-flying spider was now the Vice-Commander of an Air Force was almost comical. But the Decepticons had always been shaped in Megatron's image, and his word was law. And so, the matter was settled.
A world where only Starscream was hurt had been achieved.
"Skygnaw, Soundwave tells me you have established two secret bases here and have close ties with the humans."
"I have, Lord Megatron."
Skygnaw offered no excuses. He knew Megatron wouldn't care about a minor operation, nor would he feel threatened by two small bases. Starscream had hoped to use the "human connection" to stir trouble, but given Megatron's current mood, he kept his mouth shut.
"Those humans are insatiable. I've given them a few scraps of technology, and in exchange, they ship massive amounts of resources to my doorstep," Skygnaw explained briefly.
"Excellent. You have done well, Skygnaw. Lead me to your base. I wish to see it."
Megatron's lingering irritation vanished. Those humans were part of the group that had killed him; he wouldn't allow his subordinates to aid an enemy. But exploiting them? That was an entirely different story.
"Follow me, Lord Megatron."