Megatron watched Optimus stare at him, past him, with a bottomless satisfaction. So much faith and hope in one being, one mech, and it had been foolishly placed in the pitiful creatures known as humans. Oh, how he would relish being the first to see Optimus Prime crumble. Already he could see the beginning wear of his wondrously treacherous truth. These humans almost made it too easy.

With a smug smirk Megatron leaned back in his restraints and rolled his head back onto his energy collar. So much profit for such little work, at least on his part, this time around, and now that the insufferable red mech, Ironhide, was gone no one would be able to pull Optimus back. No one would know how. He couldn't repress a chuckle at how auspicious the mech's death was. Admittedly Ironhide had never been a physical threat, but his stabilizing affect upon Optimus had more than once undone the meticulous work he had put into destroying the Prime.

Lulled into a light doze by the humming of Omega Supreme's systems Megatron powered off his optics and relaxed completely for the first time in vorns. He knew he was safe in Optimus's care.

"Why?"

Megatron's optics flickered like embers before stabilizing at half power. Luxuriously he stretched his limbs as much as he could in his confinements before rolling his head forward so he could look at the Prime. "Excuse me?" He rumbled, his words laced with a soft static from his dozing.

Optimus had finally come back from wherever his processor had taken him and was now staring at Megatron's chest plates. The Prime shifted forward so that his elbows were supported by his knees as he spoke once more, "Why, Megatron? Why?"

The Warlord felt his relaxed mood souring like energon left out in Cybertron's rain. They were going to do this again? Here, now? They had to do this again? Before Megatron could spit out a particularly scathing comment Optimus spoke again.

"You took Kaon to prove you could, to show the Council what was coming. You took Vos next knowing the Seekers were dissatisfied, and that in order to win you would need their support. Then you tried for Praxus, and over extended yourself. You had to level the city to prove that all those that defied you would be wiped out. After that it was conquest. Mindless and all consuming." For a moment Optimus paused, and Megatron felt a faint stirring of surprise as he noticed the Prime's hands were shaking. "And then we expanded. We took our war to the stars. Planets, moons, astroids, it didn't matter. Wherever we met, we clashed, without thought... and then we came here."

The weight of Optimus's tone struck a strange chord in Megatron's spark. Slowly his optics powered fully as he stared at the hunched Prime. This planet had done something to all of them, Autobot, Decepticon, no one, it seemed, could escape its strangle hold. Not even Prime. A smile formed on his faceplate as he continued to stare at Prime. He may hate the inhabitants, but as he watched Optimus he couldn't resist the intense surge of gratitude he felt for them, and their amazing ability to destroy everything they touched.

"And here everything escalated. Ore 13, facsimiles, Starscream's grab for power... Devestator. You were willing to offline us a-"

"No, I was not." At the interruption Optimus's optics snapped up and locked with Megatron's. The Warlord still smiled as he explained to Prime as one would to a simpleton, "I was willing to offline your men. I was willing to kill the humans. I was willing to wipe out all the indigenous life of this planet, and strip mine it for everything it was worth. I," He put emphasis on his words for Optimus's benefit. "Was not planning on allowing your death, although when you began spouting sanctimonious drivel about protecting the humans I seriously reconsidered my choice."

Optimus continued to stare at him for some time before asking in what could have been a weaker voice, though Megatron wouldn't swear to it, "Why?"

Megatron's smile became sharp and dangerous as he stared back into Optimus's optics. "Because, as I've said Optimus, I want to destroy you. Offlining you has nothing to do with it."

Megatron didn't bother to track how long Optimus stayed, it was the fact that the Prime stayed at all that told the Warlord that he would win. Maybe soon, maybe later, but he would win. When Optimus finally stood and walked out of the room Megatron chuckled in satisfaction. He could practically taste the first stage's of death of Optimus Prime's faith.