New Cybertron. A gleaming metropolis of machinery, built into a shining beacon that stood out above the primitive constructions of a disgustingly organic planet. The city was larger than anything that Earth's native population could ever have hoped to construct, filled with advanced technologies that seemed more like science fiction to a feeble biological mind. Display screens mounted upon larger buildings opened to a feed of a large metal throne, upon which was seated the leader of the ruling Decepticon faction. In front of him knelt multiple machines, three Cybertronians, and one a mechanical battle suit piloted by a Human. All of them were in heavy states of damage, barely moving, but conscious in the case of the fully mechanical beings. The mech was in a shutdown state, its pilot still locked within the cockpit.<br/><br/>The camera drone that surveyed the scene moved nearer to Megatron, who spoke in a tone of voice that demanded authority and the attention of all who heard it. "Denizens of my utopia, lend me your ears. As we know, the Autobots and their little rebellion have attracted the attention of humans who believe themselves above our coalition. For many years, our pristine city was without their influence, safe from their<span style="font-style: italic">barbaric</span>desires for misguided freedom. But today, we have captured a number of these insurgents, and put down many more." Megatron began to stand as the camera drone hovered back, his full height even more impressive than the massive throne upon which he'd been seated.<br/><br/>"Let us send a message to those who would try to oppose us in favor of their old ways. We will not stand idly by while they commit acts of terrorism against our people and livelihoods." The drone circled the scene, catching a view of the city's skyline, against which the kneeling machines contrasted on the balcony that they were seated on. As it hovered in front of the damaged Autobots, one of them looked up at it, as Megatron approached them from behind. The sounds of machinery shifting could be heard, and a section of mass on the Decepticon's torso extended out and to the right. He swung his arm out to meet it, and plates of metal attached themselves to his bicep and forearm, increasing the size of both. The cannon's black barrel telescoped forward, extending its reach over his forearm, and purple lines between the plates of the entire construct began to glow brightly.<br/><br/>"These traitors will pay for what they've done. Not only to me, but to all of you, the citizens of my glorious empire. Know that they will not go unpunished, and rest easy. For as long as you stand with me, nothing will threaten any of you." Megatron looked down at the first Cybertronian lined up, who continued to simply watch the camera drone. A purple glow could be seen within the ion cannon's barrel, as Energon charged into it and solidified into a large projectile. As soon as the shot was primed, he fired, sending the burning hot shell through the Autobot's spark chamber. Megatron raised his forearm, the cannon discharging steam from the shot into the cooler air around it. Another shell solidified inside the weapon, and he walked over to the next prisoner, firing into their torso as well. The camera droid recorded and broadcasted it all, and after the three Cybertronians had been executed, he stopped behind the mech.<br/><br/>"And look at this...<span style="font-style: italic">disgusting</span>display. A mockery of the proud Cybertronian race, built from our technologies into a pale imitation of our forms. This machine has no spark, no soul. It's barely even worth an execution." His gun barrel, aimed previously at the rear end of the mech's cockpit, was lowered and aimed away. "The insurgents say these creations are as strong as our kind. This is clear proof that they're worth less than scrap." Instead of shooting the machine, he instead kicked it, sending the inactive robot - and the human trapped within - into a free-fall of over 800 feet to the courtyard of the tower he was near the top of. "Let this be an inspiration to those loyal to our cause. And a warning to those who are not." His attention shifted to the camera drone, and he finished the broadcast with a final few words. "All hail Megatron."<br/><br/>With its duty completed, the camera drone closed its front end and flew away. Megatron turned from the dead Autobots and returned to his throne, allowing his ion cannon to return to its neutral position on his back. Decepticon guards lined the walls around the throne, and Megatron addressed them as he seated himself. "Take the bodies to the medical bay. Harvest whatever energon you can siphon from their veins. And if any of them have any weapons you find interesting, keep them. Consider it a gift." He waved the guards forward, and immediately, most of them rushed forward to loot the bodies and take them away. One stopped, and addressed his master.<br/><br/>"My lord, what will we do with the human machine?" He bowed his head respectfully as he spoke, and was answered without hesitation.<br/><br/>"Melt it down like all the other scrap metal the harvesters drag in." With that, Megatron once again waved his hand forward, sending the guard to harvest the dead machines ahead of him. Once he was gone, the ground around the throne shifted, and the elevator that led to the tower's top balcony began to descend.<br/><br/>-----<br/><br/>Prowl wasn't one for nature. The desert that they generally worked around was bad enough with all its dust and heat, but the state park was even harder to maneuver in. The more uneven ground was harder to keep footing on, and the small shrubs that littered the area made him watch his step. Not only were thorns in the tires annoying (not so much an actual problem, given they weren't made of actual rubber), but he just disliked stepping on them, and getting around them was quite the challenge when one was a 20 foot tall machine.<br/><br/>Eventually, he settled on a spot to wait for the meeting. A rocky outcropping with a pretty decent view of the lake, and just enough of a slant to the ground that he could sit pretty comfortably. He still preferred to be in the city, but he had to admit, there was a certain sense of serenity out here that was enjoyable despite all the dust. When Optimus spoke, Prowl's gaze shifted from the lake to the much larger Transformer. After giving a nod, he turned his head forward once more. "Let's hope this one's as good as the last one," He commented. Human warriors were admirable for their tenacity, but he'd seen a good number fall with little effort from their aggressors. It was disappointing, but every now and then, one of them shone through the rest, and went above and beyond. General Kozik had been one of them, and someone Prowl respected nearly as much as Prime himself. The loss saddened him, but he found mourning in a time of war to be inappropriate.<br/><br/>Leaning back, Prowl looked skyward, squinting as the sunlight made direct contact with his optics. From his forehead, an orange semi-transparent visor lowered reflexively, protecting them from the glare. He watched some birds flying around, and for a moment, entertained the idea of scanning one for an altmode shift if the need ever arose. But flight didn't suit him, not did a more natural form, so he instead stood up and took a few steps down the slope he sat on, steadying himself on more flat land before dusting himself off a bit, stomping with a slight amount of force to shake dirt off of his legs. Another thing he disliked about the desert was getting sand caught within his parts during transformations. It was a minor annoyance, but one that quite easily got to him.<br/><br/>After some more time of inactivity, Prowl made an inquiry to Optimus "Did they mention which way they're coming from?" He made a quick 360 scan of the area around them while walking nearer to the Autobot leader, then shrugged his shoulders. "'Cause I still don't see any sign of them."