Set in the Transformers: Prime universe. During season 2 after Starscream has gone rogue and acquired the Apex armor - and the race for the Iacon relics is on.

This is written to be somewhat like an episode: jumping from a Decepticon point of view to Autobots and back - I also tried to keep most of them in-character. Also I abandon robot terms for ones that are easier to understand on occasion: ie hand instead of servo. Sorry :c

The recon drone streaked through the still night air; soft, squeaky hum from its systems giving it away as only a minicon, a servant of the real Decepticon, the real spy. In the distance, the massive ship Nemesis loomed, a black shadow against the earthen moon. The drone hurried toward it as if on instinct, joining a grouping of Eradicons as they headed in for a landing on the upper deck. One of them drifted in, transformed and glanced up just in time to see the small flier streak past him, straight down the purple-lit hall and around the corner just as fast as it could go.

Megatron's face was pulled into its usual scowl, ruby red eyes glaring at the viewscreen on the Nemesis's bridge, which was currently displaying a panorama of the surrounding landscape. The Vehicons at the control panels behind him fidgeted nervously: It really didn't take a genius to figure out when their leader was in a sour mood, and that never boded well for such worthless subordinates. Each dreaded being asked to communicate any form of bad news to the warlord... it was an unfortunate time to be stationed on the bridge and they knew it.

So each and every one flinched when the door to the bridge swished open. Megatron didn't - he fully expected it to be Knockout with some complaint about how air turbulence had caused him to scratch his precious finish or something ridiculously similar. The Decepticon leader, suddenly relishing the thought of chewing out his medic, very nearly rounded on the new arrival - until a familiar blue-and-purple minicon zipped past his view, flying a quick circle around him before landing on the communications panel with a short squeak.

"Lazerbeak." Megatron said in his usual bored drawl, raising an eyebrow slightly. He'd expected his communications officer back hours ago, though Soundwave's absence hardly worried him: the mech was fully competent. "Where is Soundwave?"

The drone hurriedly chirped a long string of... nonsense, as far as Megatron was concerned - the minicon language was not something he'd ever bothered to learn. This was unusual - Soundwave had never forced him to communicate directly with Lazerbeak itself before... the faceless con always translated.

"WELL?" Megatron snapped at the smaller creature, already impatient, anxiety edging into his voice. Each Vehicon took a subtle step back.

The recon drone flinched, zipping up from the control panel and past the decepticon leader to alight on another control, currently manned by a Vehicon. Said Vehicon took a wise step back before Megatron lumbered after it, shoving the soldier roughly out of his way. A second later, a recording flickered to life on the adjacent screen, the minicon jacking in and replaying it through the panel: a picturesque view of the night sky, clearly from Soundwave's point of view as the recon jet streaked silently through the air. Suddenly the recording flickered: stars seemed to veer off, spinning... and Lazerbeak is seen falling away... falling up?

It took Megatron a moment to realize the viewer was falling, and Lazerbeak was simply keeping to the original flight path. The Decepticon leader stared as the recording abruptly cut off, a shocked enough expression on his face to make one brave Vehicon quietly dash for the door.

The action did not escape the warlord: He whirled, grabbing the unfortunate Vehicon behind him by the face, and effortlessly picking him up and chucking him at his retreating comrade. The two cons slammed into each other with a sickening metal CLANG, thrown out into the glowing hallway. Megatron snarled, shooting a bloodred glare at the others... until each and every one swiftly turned back to their posts. Lazerbeak's wings twitched, unsure what to do about it now that it'd delivered his master's message.

"THE AUTOBOTS WILL PAY!" Megatron shouted to the ceiling, assuming his rivals at fault for Soundwave's predicament... whatever that may be. "You!" He suddenly snarled at a Vehicon, pointing at the poor soldier and making it jump. "Get the coordinates from Lazerbeak and take the ship there, IMMEDIATELY! And get Knockout up here!"

"Y-yes Lord Megatron-!" The Vehicon stammered, rushing for the control panel, encouraging his remaining comrade to hail Knockout for him as Lazerbeak hovered over the controls. Its small mission accomplished, the drone was unsure what it should be doing, hovering about the Vehicon as if anxious.

"Optimus Prime will pay..." Megatron repeated to himself, his tone a low and dangerous whisper.

Well um... woo? Chapter 1? I'm not the most fabulous writer, but a friend of mine encouraged me to post this... so um... review I guess *fidget*

-Kaini