Skygnaw took stock of the Decepticon forces currently active on Earth. Beyond the casualties they had suffered, several new warriors had arrived over the past three years.
Aside from himself and Shockwave, reinforcements included Dreadwing, Grindor, and the specialized hunter team known as the Dreads.
Megatron had likely reconnected with scattered units that had been dispatched from Cybertron during the war and left wandering deep space until recently.
Skygnaw was familiar with the Dreads.
Unlike standard combat squads, the Dreads were an elite unit specialized in ambush and covert infiltration, consisting of only three operatives: Crankcase, Hatchet, and Crowbar. They prioritized speed and raw agility, functioning as swift, lethal assassins.
Grindor needed little introduction. In the recorded historical battles, he had fought alongside Megatron and Starscream in the forest ambush against Optimus Prime, meeting his end in that clash.
Dreadwing, however, was a name Skygnaw barely recognized.
During the height of the Great War, millions fought under the Decepticon banner, and named officers were countless. Remembering every single one was impossible. Even Megatron could hardly recall every veteran in his ranks, given the constant cycle of fallen soldiers and newly activated frames.
Having delivered his report, Shadowpanther returned to the roof ledge, leaning into the coastal breeze. Having chosen a permanent terrestrial beast form, he seemed to enjoy the sensation of open height.
Next came Alice and Winner.
Living among humans for years had led both Pretenders to adopt certain local habits. Winner had even developed a routine of hosting high-society parties at his estate, though organic gatherings held little genuine appeal to his mechanical senses.
A day later, in Vyshhorod, Ukraine.
To an outsider, Vyshhorod held few traditional attractions, but its historical footprint was known worldwide.
Decades earlier, a disaster in this region had torn open one of the darkest chapters in human nuclear history. That fateful explosion had rattled surrounding towns and set the entire world on edge.
From that day forward, one name became synonymous with the disaster: Chernobyl.
The catastrophe, born from technical design flaws, systemic oversights, and human complacency, remained a stark reminder of the perils of rapid industrial growth.
In the aftermath, the border region around Chernobyl had been evacuated and left desolate. Beyond the designated thirty-kilometer exclusion zone, the land within fifty kilometers was virtually devoid of human life, save for a lone observation station.
Yet today, the low rumble of heavy engines broke the long silence as several military-grade Humvees rolled into the exclusion zone, proceeding as if oblivious to the invisible hazards of the area.
Near the base of a cracked, half-collapsed monument at an overgrown intersection, the lead Humvee braked to a halt.
"Boss, we have arrived."
"Good. Step out."
The doors swung open. A pair of spotless leather shoes stepped onto the broken asphalt, followed by a team of suited men. Bulges beneath their jackets revealed concealed sidearms as their eyes scanned the desolate surroundings.
Ruin stretched in every direction. Rusted, abandoned buildings lined the roads, silent reminders of a forgotten past.
Now and then, a wild animal darted through the brush. With humans gone, nature had reclaimed the territory, regardless of lingering radiation.
High above on the shattered monument, the air rippled, revealing the metallic form of a mechanical bird perched on the stone ledge.
"Dylan, you are late."
"My apologies, Lord Laserbeak," Dylan said, offering an immediate, humble reply rather than an excuse. "I took the fastest flight available from the States."
Dylan was telling the truth. Despite his sharp suit, fatigue weighed on his features from continuous travel.
"As you know, entering this sector requires clearance. I had to pull quite a few strings to bypass the checkpoints, which cost us some time."
To keep out trespassers, local military units maintained a strict cordon around the perimeter. Any security incident inside the zone would spark an international scandal, which was why Dylan had arranged military transport to enter smoothly.
Laserbeak gave a harsh snort, setting aside any thought of punishing the human. "Consider yourself fortunate Lord Skygnaw has not yet landed. Making me wait is one thing, but keeping Lord Skygnaw waiting would have been an entirely different matter."
Laserbeak let out a raspy, metallic cackle. Though he left the sentence unfinished, the warning was clear.
Dylan's expression tightened, a bitter edge rising in his thoughts. "Understood, Lord Laserbeak. It will not happen again."
To uninformed onlookers, he was an influential partner to an advanced alien faction, but deep down, he knew he was little more than a servant with no way out.
Dealing with these machines was walking a razor's edge. Just as Dylan felt a wave of relief that his explanation had been accepted, he noticed his lead bodyguard reaching for his weapon.
"Ivan, what are you doing?"
Ivan was a broad-shouldered, heavily built man with a shaved head, carrying the rugged air of an experienced combatant.
"Boss, look up there," Ivan whispered, drawing a compact submachine gun and pulling Dylan back behind cover as he pointed toward the distant clouds. "There is an aircraft approaching fast. Could be military."
"What?" Dylan tensed. While he had contacts across various sectors, local military commanders were not among them.
If the local garrison discovered his ties to the Decepticons, his survival would be the least of his worries; he would be branded a traitor to humanity, leaving him nowhere to hide on Earth.
"Lord Laserbeak, should we..."
Dylan turned toward the monument for guidance, only to find Laserbeak glaring down with undisguised contempt.
"Ignorant human. That is not a military bomber, that is Lord Skygnaw."
"Ah... Lord Skygnaw."
Realizing the mistake, Dylan stepped out from behind the rubble, brushing off the dust that had settled on his trousers. Ivan was a loyal bodyguard, but the false alarm had made them look clumsy.
Dylan shot Ivan a quick glance before walking toward the landing craft. "Ivan, all of you stay back. I will greet Lord Skygnaw alone."
Ivan shrugged, sliding his weapon back beneath his coat. One could hardly blame him; though he knew what Dylan was involved with, he had never faced a Decepticon directly, let alone recognized their alternate forms.
Skygnaw's name had echoed across the globe following several major engagements, with military analysts ranking him directly alongside Megatron as the second-in-command of the Decepticon faction.
Thud.
The assault craft touched down, and Laserbeak glided down from the monument with a sharp flap of his metallic wings. "Lord Skygnaw, Laserbeak reporting."
Laserbeak's posture was thoroughly respectful, mirroring his usual deference to Soundwave.
In Decepticon hierarchy, raw combat power dictated everything.
Every warrior in the faction knew that Skygnaw had attained Prime status three years ago, standing as one of only two Prime-level warriors in their entire army.
That Skygnaw continued to coordinate with Megatron for the broader war effort against the Autobots only elevated his standing in their eyes.
News of the summit between Skygnaw and Megatron had eased tensions across the ranks; no one wanted to see the faction split into open internal strife.
"Very well," Skygnaw acknowledged with a casual nod.
In past records, Laserbeak had always been a cunning operative, picking up subtle human habits during his time on Earth. His calculated flattery came as no surprise.
Skygnaw glanced past the bird toward the uneasy human figures waiting by the vehicles, before looking down at the man stepping forward.
"Human, state your name," Skygnaw said, his voice deep and resonant.
"This is Lord Skygnaw," Laserbeak introduced quickly before turning back to the titan. "Lord Skygnaw, this is our collaborator, a key asset for the upcoming operation."
Dylan offered a deep, respectful bow. "Lord Skygnaw, an honor to meet you. My name is Dylan Gould."
Dylan Gould, Skygnaw noted privately, recognizing the human who had played a central role in coordinating between Sentinel Prime and Megatron in known records.
He had orchestrated numerous covert moves against his own kind. From a human perspective, he was a traitor, but from a Decepticon standpoint, he was an asset.
"Excellent," Skygnaw said, looking down with a measured tone. "The Decepticons have great use for someone with your specific talents."
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