Hello Readers! WingedWolfAlari here with a new story! Le gasp, is this possible? Well yes it is. I got an idea about a new story that takes place during and after the events in Nemesis Prime. It also takes place in the story Son of the Stars, by Elhini Prime. If you haven't read that story, READ IT FIRST! Elhini has given me permission to use Ultimus, who belongs to her, along with Dusk, Ben, Amber, Sirius, and any other OC that I have not mentioned. This is my take on a different path the story or the actual series could have taken. Enjoy.

Factory Zone-Optimus' pov

"JACK!" I screeched as I saw my son get blasted in the shoulder by Silas, causing him to hit the ground hard. I felt a jab of pain shoot through my body because of the bond, and I felt great anger rise up within me.

The MECH leader froze in place as if in confusion. He turned to look towards my son, and then me.

I could almost see the evil grin spread across his beige-skinned face.

"Jack." He muttered. "Jack…Darby?"

I glimpsed Ultimus sitting up to clutch his burning shoulder, but he never took his glaring optics off of my doppelganger.

Silas' tone grew ever more sly, "I see it now… your face… your eyes."

"Don't. Touch him," I growled, moving to stand between my son and that maniac.

"Dad," Ultimus started.

"Take care of your sister." I said bluntly.

"But…"

"NOW!"

"Yes, Dad." he answered.

"Optimus Prime." Silas said. "We meet again,"

"The deception ends here, Silas," My growl transformed into a snarl, "You have caused my family too much pain, and I cannot allow that to continue."

"Does it?" Silas laughed.

And he charged at me, shooting at me. I instinctively countered him; for every shot he made, I made one as well. Then it resorted to fist fighting. Silas hit and sent me crashing into the silo wall. Soon we both locked arms and had a little shoving match.

"Don't touch my son," Dad growled.

"Stay out of my way," Silas retorted.

Then came the swordplay.

Ultimus staggered upright, letting his own sword flicker out…and ran it right through Silas' side.

Nemesis Prime looked at him before backhanding him towards Dusk.

"Ultimus! Stay out of this!" I snarled as I kicked the knockoff into a pipeline…causing a fiery explosion.

It all happened so fast.

The fire temporarily blinded me. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground, the wind knocked out of me. Suddenly, a searing pain enveloped my frame, causing me to shriek in pain, four other screams joined mine as one. Soon, darkness seized my conscience.

The bright light of the Nevada sun greeted my optics, which I squinted. I groaned, clutching my sore chassis. Eventually, I sat upright, wincing at the several remaining wisps of pain that buzzed throughout my system.

I looked around, and I quickly jumped to my pedes and ran over to where my daughter lay motionless. Her hand was unconsciously gripping her side in an attempt to slow the flow of energon that had already formed a small electric blue hued puddle pooled next to her stab wound.

I gently picked her up and gave her a slight shaking.

"Dusk, can you hear me?"

She answered me with a tired groan. She slowly opened her optics, which locked with mine.

"Ugh, I feel like I got hit by you in your alt mode, which probably isn't too far off from what actually happened," she said as I sighed with relief.

"Thank the Matrix you're alright," I replied.

She managed a smile aimed at me that quickly disappeared when she saw the damage.

"I guess we can't say the same thing about Nemesis Prime. He could take a few hits I'll give you that, but he wasn't fireproof."

Not a nanoclick, later, I caught sight of the burnt, crumpled remains of MECH's attempt at the perfect meld of man and machine.

All of a sudden, Dusk and I jumped in surprise at the sound of my panicking mate on the other end of the bond.

Optimus! Dusk! Is Jack with either of you?

Pure dread seeped into both of our sparks.

My daughter leapt out of my arms and frantically swerved around in search of her younger brother. I did the same.

My spark pounded twice as hard and fast with each passing second which aired no results. I could feel worry building up within the souls of the rest of my family.

Five minutes passed when all four of us tried to call out to him through the bond, and we were only met with a deafening silence as our answer.

Tears filled my optics when I realized that yet another nightmare had been brought to life.

Ultimus Prime, Jack Darby, my son…was gone.

MECH Secret Laboratory-Ultimus' pov

The coppery taste of my own energon is the first thing I sense when I slowly revert to consciousness from stasis lock. My olfactory sensors catch the scent leaking from many of my injuries. Through my exhausted state, I begin to pick up multiple sounds on my audio receptors. Those sounds belonged to the scurrying feet of a dozen MECH scientists, each one barking either an order or an update on the functionality of any of my systems. My helm hung precariously in the air, restrained by a chain wrapped around the base of the bunched up hundreds of circuits and cables that no longer possessed the strength to support my processor. I slowly online my optics, which snap open immediately at the sight I now see before me.

Blades, dozens of them, and they were EVERYWHERE!

Hanging from the ceiling, lying on examination tables, some covered in dried up human blood, others with energon.

I feel the urge to purge my tanks, but my body just won't respond.

Blood spattered the walls and floor, on the white lab coats on the scientists, and the rotary saw that hung from the ceiling. My spark fills with horror at my reflection in the blood stained chrome.

Red liquid. It covers my frame and continues to drip down off my chassis. Someone had been brutally murdered during my short time in this hellhole.

The whole scene paints a picture of death itself.

The pulse tracker starts to beep frantically, in tune with my frantic spark.

At the insistence of one of the whitecoats, a strong defibrillator-like string of electricity is sent through my body, causing all of my muscles to spasm painfully. They continue to filter the pulse at stronger rates, and I now have lost the inability to intake and cool my systems. I can feel a system overheat creeping up on me. If I were human, my lungs might have collapsed.

Finally, the volts cease, and I slump forward limp, the connection from my CPU to the rest of my body shuts down. I am paralyzed.

"I bet that feels better, doesn't it?"

My helm shoots up at the sly voice, and I find myself face to face with my captor. A loud and angry animalistic roar erupts from my vocals; I didn't know I could make that sound.

Silas only chuckled, "Why Jack, is that any way to treat an old acquaintance?"

"Old acquaintance my aft, Silas! You can die and go to hell for all I care. Better yet, GET FRAGGED YOU SPARK SUCKING CON!"

By the Allspark, where on Earth did I learn such language? Wow, Mom wouldn't too happy about this little outburst. I know Silas isn't, and yet he's still maintaining composure, unbelievable.

"You better watch your tone young man. Personally, it would be a lot quicker to remove your heart right now and shut that foul mouth of yours for good. However I have other plans."

I'm not sure why, but I slowly peered down at my chassis, and nearly screamed in terror.

My chest had been ripped open; two metal clamps stretched my chest plates as far as they could go. Millions of circuits were exposed to the open wretched air.

But that wasn't the worst part.

I was staring at my living, pulsating spark, it's bright blue hue shed a little light on all the darkness. Silas stood on a rising platform, a mere few feet away from my completely vulnerable life source.

"But then again…" he took his hand and touched my spark chamber.

"STOP! PLEASE!" I suddenly shrieked at the very peak of my voice box. My spark began to beat faster and faster; and tears flooded my optics.

I wasn't selfish; I would rather die at that moment than even begin to think about doing whatever MECH's sadistic leader said. No, it was because of the bond that my family shared. If I died, they would feel a pat of their souls departing to the Allspark. I would never risk hurting my family in that way.

"Continue to misbehave or else I will. Understood."

I wouldn't answer, I only drooped my helm in defeat.

Well what did you guys think of the first chapter? Pretty brutal in my opinion. Good gravy, I feel so evil. What plans do Silas have in store for Ultimus? Will his family save him in time? Find out next time in Nemesis Prime: Plan B. Remember, no reviews, no story. See you next time.

WingedWolfAlari out.