Collars and Chains Chapter 6

Megatron smirked, scooped Rad up, stood up, and walked out of the throne room to hear what the Autobots had to say.

Rad now had a grin on his face, he was going to see his friends again, and let them know that he was alright. For the most part any way, he grimaced as he glanced down at his casted arm. He hoped Optimus wouldn't get too angry about that, that hadn't really been Megatron's fault. If you overlooked the fact that Megatron had brought him here in the first place, anyway.

Finally they reached the communication room where Demolisher and Starscream were standing in front of a flashing screen.

Megatron walked over to the screen, typed in the code to turn the connection on. The screen turned to Optimus.

"Ah Optimus Prime, what a pleasant surprise," Megatron mocked.

"Megatron" Optimus greeted, keeping his tone even. His optics fixed on Rad and he said, "Rad, you're all right."

"Hey, Optimus," Rad greeted back with a grin, conveniently hiding his broken arm behind Megatron's fingers. "Is Carlos, Alexis and the guys okay."

"Their fine Rad don't, worry and missing you," Optimus replied before Megatorn interrupted.

"What do you want Prime, other than talk to my pet?" Megatron snorted.

Optimus narrowed his optics as he said, "I want you to let Rad go, you've no right keeping him."

Megatron smirked and raised Rad a bit closer to the screen.

"Oh really? I think this says otherwise," Megatron said while tapping the collar Rad wore.

Rad now had a big scowl on his face, Megatron never missed an opportunity to remind him of that. Optimus meanwhile was looking very annoyed, but thankfully none of the other Autobots were at the screen so they couldn't see him wearing a collar.

"Why is Rad wearing a collar?" Optimus asked coldly to which Megatron sneered and said.

"As I told you Prime, he is my pet and pets need collars."

"What about the fact I also need them to breathe..." Rad began but Megatron silenced him with a sharp tap.

"What was that about needing to breathe?" Optimus said, with narrowed optics.

"You speak when spoken to," Megatron hissed at Rad and then looked back to Optimus like nothing happened.

"It's nothing Prime, now what do you want?" Megatron snorted.

"I told you Megatron, I want you to release Rad," Optimus said in slight exasperation. "And Rad can speak to me if he wants," he added making Rad smile.

Megatron snorted again and moved Rad away from the screen.

"Fine but nothing else," Megatron said.

Optimus raised an optic brow, did Megatron realise he'd just contradicted himself. With a sigh, he focused on the matter at hand.

"Megatron, are you just holding out for more Minicons, because I'm surprised you didn't try to contact us with demands."

Rad looked up at Megatron, wondering what he was going to say to that.

Megatron smirked and chuckled at this.

"Wouldn't you like to know what my plans are," Megatron chuckled.

Optimus bestowed a dead pan look on Megatron, which Rad found pretty cool. Finally Optimus said.

"As a matter of fact I would like to know what your plans concerning Rad are. And so would his friends, their worried sick."

"Optimus, tell them not to worry," Rad called out.

Megatron looked down at Rad and smiled at this and reached down and petted Rad.

"There you go Optimus, just tell them not to worry," Megatron mocked.

"I'll tell them that you don't appear," Optimus stressed the last word. "To have hurt Rad, which I'm pleased to see..."

"But do you really think it's fair to keep Rad locked up like this, away from his friends?"

Megatron smirked and chuckled.

"Now when have you've ever known me to care about things like that?"

"Well..." Optimus couldn't resist teasing, anything to wipe the smirk off Megatron's face.

It actually worked, Megatron scowled as Rad sniggered at the implication that Megatron could actually care.

"No," Optimus said finally. "You don't seem to care about anything but yourself. Which is precisely why you of all Mech's, shouldn't have a pet let alone a child in your care."

Megatron snarled.

"If I'm not capable of caring for a pet much less a child then don't you think he would be more injured then he looks? In fact I'm keeping him well fed and hydrated."

"You'd better be," Optimus said warningly before saying.

"As for looking injured, I can't see Rad properly, so how can I make a judgement on that?"

Rad was now feeling very nervous, it wasn't nice to be near to very powerful robots who were angrily arguing with each other. At Optimus's final words, Rad couldn't help but flinch slightly, he was for it now.

"You want to see him," Megatron asked with a smirk.

He reached up and picked Rad up, revealing all of him to Optimus.

"Have a look."

Optimus's optics widened in shock as he took in the cast on Rad's arm. Rad sadly looked back at the Autobot leader whose optics were now narrowing angrily.

"Rad, how in Primus's name did that happen?"

"Um...," Rad said, cursing Megatron for putting him in this situation.

"I had a slight accident."

"Did Megatron break your arm," Optimus demanded to which Rad cried.

"No, it wasn't him, it was Cyclonus, Megatron actually fixed me up..." he trailed off at the last part as Megatron sneered.

"See, I can take care of my pet," Megatron said and put Rad back into his hand and started petting him.

"If you can take care of him, how did he end up having his arm broken by one of your men?" Optimus asked with folded arms, pointedly ignoring the way Megatron was stroking Rad.

"My pet was being disobedient so I punished him by putting him in a cage. I left him in the throne room and left to go speak with another one of my men. While I was away Cyclonus went in and harassed him, ending up breaking his arm," Megatron said.

Optimus's optics flashed when Megatron mentioned the cage but he simply said.

"Rad, how did he break your arm?"

"He was poking me and I told him to go away," Rad replied. "He got mad and knocked the cage off the table, and that's how I hurt my arm."

Optimus nodded but looked very sad. Before Megatron could say anything, Optimus said.

"Please try not to do anything else that could end up getting you hurt Rad. I don't like seeing you like this."

Optimus frowned suddenly as he said.

"But why were you being punished."

"I just said you were more mature than Megatron," Rad said with a shrug causing Optimus to chuckle.

Megatron frowned and gave Rad a sharp tap on the head.

"None of that," Megatron hissed.

"Sorry," said Rad sulkily causing Megatron to say.

"Drop the tone, young man or do you want a repeat of what happened last time?"

"And what did happen last time?" Optimus cut in, with narrowed optics.

Rad groaned, he just knew Megatron wasn't not going to tell Optimus about that.

"I punished him like anyone would do to an unruly child," Megatron said.

"And how was that?" Optimus asked as Rad groaned, not able to look the red and blue Mech in the optic.

Megatron chuckled at is pet's embarrassment.

"It seems he doesn't want to tell what happened so then I will. I spanked him," Megatron said proudly.

Optimus inwardly groaned at Megatron's tone, that wasn't a good sign. Rad meanwhile was sinking as far as he could into Megatron's palm, his face red with embarrassment. The only saving grace was at least his friends weren't here to hear Megatron announce that he had spanked Rad.

Deciding to spare Rad further humiliation, the Autobot leader just said.

"Did you indeed."

Megatron laughed at that and petted Rad.

"Yes because without discipline a child will never listen," Megatron said knowingly.

"Hmmm, I agree that some discipline is good,"

Rad looked up in surprise at Optimus's words but before he could say anything, Optimus said.

"But there's more than one form of discipline, not just spanking."

Megatron snorted.

'You have your ways Prime and I have mine."

"Indeed we do Megatron," Optimus replied softly.

The two Mech's shared a 'staring at each other for no good reason' moment before there was the sound of a scuffle behind Optimus.

"We wanna see Rad," came a familiar voice and Rad realised with a jolt that it was Carlos, his friends must be at the Autobot base.

Megatron growled at the new annoyance but didn't do or say any as he watched Optimus.

"Wait a moment, kids," Optimus said gently as the chatter behind him died down. Optimus looked back at Megatron.

"Do you mind if Rad's friends see him?"

Megatron sighed and shook his head.

"No, as long as they don't be more annoying than they already are."

This made Optimus chuckle and he said slyly. "But I thought you liked kids, Megatron."

Megatron's only response was a 'bah', so Optimus turned away from the screen and bent down to pick up something. As he turned back, Rad could see Carlos and Alexis in his hand and found himself grinning at the sight of his friends. They jumped off of Optimus's hand and ran over to the screen.

"Aw dude, we've missed you so much."

"Oh Rad, what happened to your arm."

"Cyclonus," Rad grimaced as he leaned forward to see his friends better. "Are you guys okay?"

"Course we're okay dude, take more than a little shock to take us down," Carlos said waving his hand as Alexis said indignantly.

"Is that a collar?"

"Don't ask," Rad said, his heart swelling with happiness at his friends concern for him. He didn't see Megatron eying them with a thoughtful expression.

Megatron let Rad have his little conversation with his human friends, just reaching down now and then to pat or stroke Rad's head, back, or his uninjured arm.

Despite the fact that the kids had been with the Autobots for nearly two months, their ways were still strange to Optimus. Somehow, the kids were jumping back and forth between topics and virtually all talking at once. He could tell Megatron was a bemused as well, but thankfully the large Decepticon didn't say anything, just stroked Rad.

Optimus shook his head ever so slightly, he wasn't quite sure what to make of Megatron's apparent interest with Rad it was slightly disconcerting. And worrying.

When Megatron got something he wanted, he would stubbornly hang on to it, and if this was the case with Rad, it would make getting him back even more difficult.

As he focused on the kids again, he heard Alexis say.

"Highwire and the others really miss you."

"Tell them I miss them to," Rad said quietly.

Megatron looked down at Red.

"Whose is Highwire?" Megatron asked.

Rad looked back up at Megatron.

"My Minicon," he answered. "Highwire was the Minicon we found when all you guys came to Earth."

"So you have a partner Minicon, hmmm interesting," Megatron said the last part more to himself then Rad.

"Uh, dude we all have partners," Carlos said uneasily at the look on Megatron's face.

Rad meanwhile shot a glare at Megatron.

"You're not getting your hands on them, they're our friends," he said fiercely as Carlos and Alexis nodded vigorously.

Megatron snorted and tapped Rad's head.

"Watch that tone of yours," Megatron warned.

Rad rubbed his head, but wisely adopted a more respectful tone as he said.

"Why are you so interested in us having Minicon partners?"

Alexis and Carlos also gave Megatron curious looks, they obviously wanted to know the answer to that too.

"Well it seems that Minicons only seem to want to partner up with other transformers to share their link with but it seems that my theory is wrong since you and your friends have Minicon partners as well," Megatron said.

He then started to think about something.

"But you and you human friends probably don't understand their language."

This made all three kids grin and Optimus made an amused sound. As Megatron looked at them, Alexis said.

"Megatron, we've been able to understand them since we first met."

"It's true," Rad said proudly as Carlos nodded.

Megatron cocked his head and looked down at Rad.

"Oh really, then you'll have to show this later." Megatron said.

Megatron looked back at the screen.

"Is there anything else you want to discus because I don't have all day and have work to do?" Megatron said.

Optimus sighed.

"Do you have any intention of letting Rad go anytime soon?"

Carlos and Alexis had hopeful expression on their face as Optimus asked this. Despite the fact he knew the answer, Rad couldn't help but feel a bit hopeful himself as to what Megatron's response would be.

Megatron smirked.

"No," Megatron said and reached out and turned off the connection.

Rad was left staring at a blank screen, a feeling of extreme disappointment washing over him. A moment later it was replaced by angry and he snapped.

"You could have let me say goodbye, they're my friends."

Megatron glared down at Rad and wrapped his hand around him and gave him a warning squeeze.

"You don't yell at me and if you ever do then I won't let you ever to see or speak with them again," Megatron snarled and carried Rad away and back to the throne room.

Once he reached it he went to the cage and put Rad in and locked it.

"Grouch," Rad growled as he was locked back in that dratted cage again.

"I heard that."

Rad looked up to see Megatron glaring at him with a very stern look but he didn't care, he was too upset over being cut off like that.

"Sorry," he said mutinously.

Megatron only snorted and left the room, leaving Rad in his cage to mope.

Rad sighed heavily, at least Megatron hadn't decided to spank him or anything. And at least he'd gotten to chat to his friends and see that they were alright, that was something.

He mulled over the conversation, Megatron had seemed really interested in the fact they could understand their Minicon partners and it sounded like he would be meeting the Decepticon Minicons later. Well, he mused as he lay on the cold surface of his cage at least that would be interesting.

The Autobot Base.

Optimus sighed, it really seemed like they weren't going to get Rad back any time soon. As Red Alert and Hotshot entered, looking hopeful, he shook his head, to let them know he hadn't convinced Megatron to let Rad go.

They looked disappointed but didn't say anything as Carlos and Alexis were there, they didn't want the kids hopes dashed any more than they already were.

"Dude, I can't believe it, Rad's already been hurt and he's only been there a day," Carlos moaned, when Megatron had simply switched off like that, it had felt like a slap to the face.

"i hope you guys get them back for that," Alexis said fiercely to the Autobots.

"Why," said Hotshot, alarmed. "What happened?"

"Cyclonus managed to break Rad's arm," Optimus said grimly, his optics flashing.

"That no good slagger," Hotshot said angrily as he turned to the kids.

"You can count on me, kids, I'll make him pay the next time I see him,"

"Calm yourself, Hotshot," Optimus said, indicating the kids. "At least Rad is relatively okay, Megatron made sure he was fixed up at least."

But that doesn't stop me worrying, the Autobot leader thought as he picked up the kids to take them back home. It had been another long day for all of them, and the encounter with Megatron had only raised more questions. And it didn't look like they'd be getting answers anytime soon.

The Decepticon Base.

Rad stared at the ceiling of his cage, utterly bored. He'd been left there for the last hour, and in that time no one had come into the Throne room and he had nothing with which to amuse himself, so he was bored.

He smiled slightly as he remembered being allowed to talk with his friends and with Optimus, but unfortunately that thought also depressed him a little bit as he missed them. He hoped he'd be allowed to talk to them again as it was unlikely that he'd be able to actually see them any time soon, Megatron had made that abruptly clear.

He gave another tired glanced around the room but nothing had changed, it was as uninteresting as before. Maybe Megatron was doing this deliberately so that he'd behave better. Well, frankly at this point, Rad had to admit it was working.

After another hour Megatron started to head back to the throne room to check up of Rad. He walked in and walked over to the cage and looked inside and found Rad lying on his side.

"Are you going to behave now?" Megatron asked.

Rad glared up at him but nodded. Megatron smiled at this and opened the cage and took Rad out.

"Good," Megatron said and sat down on his throne with his pet sitting on his lap.

'Finally' Rad thought with a wry sigh, at least I won't be bored any longer.

As Megatron continued to just stroke and pet him, Rad decided to try and start a conversation, anything was better then continued silence.

"Where are the others?"

"Stasrcream and Demolisher are working on a new project. Cyclonus is nowhere to be found, probably out on one of his treasure hunts again," Megatron snorted.

"Treasure hunts?" Rad asked curiously, as he scratched at his cast, it was starting to itch.

Megatron nodded.

'Yes, for some strange reason he loves going back down to Earth just to collect useless human things. His quarters are full of his so called collection," Megatron said with only a slight sneer.

This made Rad grin, the Autobots also liked to collect a few human things according to their interests, for instance Optimus was quite fond of their literacy while Hotshot loved video games. But he had a feeling their collections paled in comparison to the crazy helicopter.

"That would be a sight to see," Rad said with a chuckle before saying. "Don't you or Starscream and Demolisher collect anything?"

Megatron snorted.

"I don't have the desire to but Starscream and Demolisher gather things they can use to build and create with," Megatron said.

"Cool," Rad said with a smile, he had a feeling that Megatron wouldn't bother, the large Mech seemed to have no hobbies apart from capturing Minicons and fighting Optimus. At least the other Decepticons were finding out about his Planet.

"So, what's the project that Starscream and Demolisher are working on?"

Megatron looked down at Rad and grinned.

"That's a surprise," Megatron chuckled and patted Rad's head.

Rad grumbled at this, he wanted to know. But he didn't fancy on getting on Megatron's wrong side, and if it was a surprise, then presumably he would find out in due course.

"Would I be able to see the Minicons at some point?" Rad suddenly asked, remembering how Megaton had been interested in Rad and his friends ability to talk the small transformers.

Megatron smirked and nodded.

"Yes, I'll have a few come in the throne room so you may see and talk with them," Megatron said.

"That'd be great, I'd like to meet them," Rad replied, feeling much happier at the prospect. He was particularly curious about Megatron's Minicon, Leader-One, what that was it like?

To be continued.