Disclaimer: I don't own TF… yet.

Well, as promised, here's another Triple change fic. I'm pretty happy with it, although I can't help feeling that he came out as a bit too much of a flower child.

This ep was probably my favourite of all time; even if the artwork wasn't up to say, Face if the Nijika (a close second on my list) the plot was excellent.

Anyway, I'd better just get on with the thing.

………

"It's as beautiful in death as it was in life."

"No need to get all mushy. Cybertron's a better place anyway; not so… perfect."

I shot a quick glance at my new leader.

I hurt inside, more that I ever thought I'd know. The one thing in life that I loved the most was now just a shell riding an expanding plasma cloud.

And this bot that I didn't even know was denouncing it. Comparing it to a planet that couldn't possibly be anything like my former home.

Slag him. He'd only been there a few hours.

War was so… complicated.

Our forefathers founded Paradron as a statement to peace. Our golden spike took the form of a massive underground lake of energon.

They made a bold statement; in the midst of the Forth Great War they fled Cybertron in self-exile. Rather than fight they turned their backs on their faction, not even caring if the war tore the planet apart.

I'd spent innumerable hours in the Hall of Peace. It was a calming place with energon fountains and stunning scenes of beauty. Even the building was an engineering marvel; it appeared flimsy and open, but it's elegance lay in its simplicity.

I'd always been interested in history. I knew better than most what peace meant; only by studying something can you really know what you're fighting for.

I was actually a lecturer at one of the learning facilities; I taught new bots what it meant to be free.

I don't know why we still kept our sigils. I guess that it was a statement; Autobots were oppressed on Cybertron, to us it was a symbol of liberty.

I'd never have had life any other way.

But I guess that all good things really do come to an end.

I was heading home from the university when I saw two streaks of light in the sky.

I was one of the first on the scene. The two who had crashed were in bad shape; they landed heavily, digging huge furrows in the planets surface.

Worse, they had obviously been in a battle. There were blast marks all over them.

Of course, it was in our nature to be helpful. I alone knew that these were Decepticons, but in my naivety I imagined the war was over, and these two were fighting an outside force for their freedom, possibly coming to us for help.

We repaired them and showed them kindness in a vain hope that they'd reciprocate.

It wasn't to be. They rebelled.

I was actually in one of my lectures at the time, but this one was different. I was warning my students that the strangers were potentially dangerous and that we had to be cautious.

I tried to get them to see reason, but midway through my speech I was interrupted.

The two stood in the doorway, weapons drawn.

I saw one level his weapon at me and fire.

I knew it was the end.

The shot impacted hard, throwing me backwards. All the time my mind frantically questioned 'why'.

While I lay in my cell waiting for the after effects of the stun shot to wear off something snapped inside; these two had invaded my planet and returned kindness with hostility.

For the first time in my life I felt angry. I felt it cloud my judgement. I wanted to go against all teaching and hit something.

Instead I fled. I knew that I had to get help. Despite knowing peace all my life I knew that our energy paradise made a perfect munitions plant.

I didn't get far before the sirens were alerted.

This time they were firing at me for real. I knew that this was life and death.

Luckily for me the cat pounced, knocking me off the suspended street.

Unbeknownst to them I had a second alt mode. I thanked the creators for that.

I knew that one of the vessels that our ancestors had arrived in was stored in that vicinity.

My lasercore was in my throat as I worked feverishly to get it online. I knew that my narrow escape wouldn't last for very long.

And so I headed back through the vortex, the first one to do so since our forefathers found it.

I was apprehensive of what I would find, but still I transmitted a distress signal.

Luckily it wasn't long before someone came.

I knew that these were Autobots, but they seemed so different to what I'd imagined. They were warriors in every aspect.

I probably would have fled, wandering the galaxy perhaps vainly for help if it wasn't that another like me was amongst their number. Another triple changer. All my life I'd been unique, and now here was another.

Then I met their leader, Rodimus Prime.

He seemed no different from Galvatron. Instead of believing me he hooked me up to a lie detector.

Several hours later the inquisition was over. My pride was shattered; I came begging for help only to be doubted that my paradise even existed.

Rodimus promised me that they'd make every effort to liberate my people, but he seemed a bit too eager to want to help.

It was then that I truly began to have second thoughts. I only hoped that after the Decepticons were turned back that the Autobots would also leave if we asked them to.

Upon arrival back home I saw for the first time the scope of the Decepticon dominion. The entire population was enslaved, churning out weapons for a war that we'd made every effort to distance ourselves from. We'd hidden ourselves to avoid the war, yet we were still caught up in the very middle of it.

I was livid. For the first time in my life I knew that there was one cause worth fighting for.

Rodimus sent an advanced scout ahead, I wanted to go with them but they said that it would be too rough. I was being restricted from helping my own planet.

They met with heavy opposition. Almost too quickly Rodimus announced that the planet had to be destroyed.

I knew before he'd even said it that that would be his intention. If the Autobots couldn't have Paradron then no one could. Even if they'd managed to win against the Decepticons, my paradise would still become a munitions plant, it really didn't matter who was in control of it.

I voiced an objection but was quickly shouted down.

At least my people would be liberated before it happened.

Ironically, the lecture hall where I'd preached freedom was being used as a slave camp; all citizens not currently working were locked up there.

It took a bit of convincing, but I managed to talk them into fighting. I'd hoped deep in my lasercore that if I could rally enough troops that Rodimus would change his mind and drive back the Decepticons.

Instead, the weapons just meant that they would be useful in future fights. The final order was given to start transporting my people offworld.

In protest to that, I informed them that we could manage our own egress.

At least I was assigned as a guide to Ultra Magnus. It wouldn't be my hand used to destroy my planet, but I would at least be there to witness it.

We were in hallowed grounds. The catacombs that ran beneath the surface were always sacred.

And the Decepticons had set up defences. They turned it into another war zone.

We beat them back.

I contemplated trying to wrestle the bomb off Ultra Magnus, for a fleeting moment I didn't care who was in control of Paradron so long as it wasn't destroyed.

But all I managed was to clench and unclench my fists at my side.

The explosion was spectacular. The whole planet was basically one huge energon reservoir, and despite the spark-wrenching feelings I had watching it die, I couldn't help but marvel in the beauty of it.

And now I stand here, beside my new leader. I can see in his optics that it was a waste. Not just a waste of a resource to fund their war machine, but also a tactical loss; I could tell that he was disappointed that the Decepticons had a chance to flee. He possibly even Blamed Ultra Magnus and I for not being discreet enough when we fled.

I can't help but wonder what the future will hold for us. I hope that my people will be allowed to live in peace, but I know deep down that we've lost it forever. I will be expected to fight a war that we didn't want, and I know that none of us will escape its grasp.

………

Well, what'd you think? Reave a review and let me know. (BTW, if you're wondering which ep it was, it was 'Fight or flee', the character being Sandstorm.)