I do not own Transformers - just sharing my pleasure.

I want to put a note out for Ajremix and Lightningmouse. Their fictions of "What's Wrong with a Little Destruction" and "The Ghost Unit" inspired me to finally put to word some of my crazy little plot bunnies and actually POST them.

Thoughts

"Comm Sending"

"Speaking"

Murphy's law of war

The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions:
when they're ready.
when you're not.

It has to start somewhere

Rhapsody didn't know where to turn. Rubbing her hand across her optics to clear them of dust she looked over the battlefield letting out a sigh of worry. The mission was a complete failure. There was a core group of elite Autobot warriors here, granted it was a small group but their skills was considerably more than hers. Every tactic she had tried had been countered easily. Blowing air through her vents in frustration her mind wandered over the command she had received from ThunderTwist, nothing in those orders even hinted that they would be dealing with anything above the norm that they had previously. This was supposed to be a quick in and out mission. Survey the area, look for weaknesses in the defenses and get out. Oh Primus, help me get them out! Whatever you demand of me I'll pay it. She attempted to console herself with the thought that even elite warriors of the Decepticon army would have been given pause here. Whoever was in command of those Autobots was good. They had kept the attack strong and weren't making any mistakes she could take advantage of.

Shaking her head she did the only thing she could do and called for her team to retreat. She was relieved to see that Warthog immediately followed the escape plan. The giant warrior was pulling back while he laid down huge amounts of suppression fire. No Autobots followed him as he retreated, due mostly she guessed to lady luck finally smiling on them. Still, as the slowest, the team had to buy the tank the most time to put distance between himself and the rest of the Autobots. It made things more difficult as he also held the most powerful firepower of their little group but they had to do what they could to help him. If they could just keep the Autobots pinned down here a little while longer she might be able to get the entire team away. Hot plasma, who was she kidding, it was the Autobots who had them pinned.

Counting in breams she estimated the time it would take for Warthog to make it back to the shuttle. Occasionally, she fired her weapon, while continually watching to prevent her team from being surrounded. Firing around her meager cover with her scatter weapon, she was finally rewarded with a cry of pain from the other side. Over the commlink she heard a dry chuckle from Prysm.

"Oops, looks like one of them stood still!"

"Ah, put a plug in it Prysm!" Rhapsody growled in response to the dig. Hearing laughter from the remaining teammates she countered, "Well, at least you glitches haven't lost your sense of humor!" Ducking the returning laser fire she sent a command to SunDancer, "Your turn 'Dancer. Transform and don't spare the energon getting to the shuttle!"

SunDancer gave a worried looked toward the commanding femme before giving a short jerk of her head in agreement and transforming. Her engines rumbled powerfully as she tore away from her teammates.

That was two down. Both grounders were now well on their way to escape. Now, if she and the remainders of her team could hold the line to give them both a good head start they just might have a chance of making it back to the shuttle. Terror zinged through her circuits as another blast came perilously close to taking her head off, as it was she saw a piece of her antenna fall to the ground. That's what I get for being distracted in the middle of combat! It was also enough for her to realize her cover was severely insufficient. Slamming herself closer to the ground she groaned as metal complained and sent warnings that it didn't like being treated that way. At least they wouldn't have to give SunDancer as much leeway as they had Warthog because even as a grounder she was damn fast. Thank Primus for that fact. She wasn't sure how much longer they would be able to hold their position before they would just be over run by the much better equipped and trained Autobots. If it wasn't for Prysm's deadly aim and Specter's skills with explosives, they would have already been captured.

"Commander!" the small white medic cried seeing her friend take a hit

Rhapsody waved Gem away, "I'm alright..Just lost a little ego...hold your position"

"Ego? You?" Specter questioned lightly even as she lobbed off several concussive grenades.

Rhapsody glared at her demolitions slash weapons expert. Her wings twitched and again for probably the millionth time, the femme wondered how she ended up in command of this group. How she ended up in command at all for that matter. Another barrage of return fire from the Autobots brought her processors sharply back to her current situation.

"Warthog, by Primus, I hope you are in that shuttle! If not get your aft in the highest damnable gear you've got and get it primed and ready. I've sent 'Dancer on her way. When she gets there lift off. The rest of us will come in hot and fast. It's the only way we'll even get a chance of getting our afts out of here! Gem, considering that I am very doubtful our afts are going to be in one piece, I need you to be ready for medical assistance." Rhapsody sent over the command channel. Oh this was bad, please Primus get them out of my mistake! Do not make them pay.

"Shuttle is gearing up as we speak commander," the warm gravelly voice of Warthog came back through the link.

"I've got the distance and have the shuttle in sight. Anytime you are ready Rhapsody. I'll be in the shuttle in less than a astrosecond" SunDancer broadcasted.

"Retreat! Transform and take to the air!" Rhapsody ordered through the command link. She sent a quick prayer of thanks to Primus that she hadn't seen any Autobot flyers with this group but as she made to break from her location she saw a black and white Autobot with a red chevron taking aim on Prysm. His name escaped her at the moment but alarms went off that his appearance was the reason they were so soundly defeated. Rhapsody saw Gem standing behind Prysm, if Prysm escaped the mech taking aim at her, Gem would take the hit. Mentally the black flyer did quick calculations and determined only one option open to her.

"Prysm! FLY! NOW!" the flyer shouted, as she broke from her cover. Her voice and actions provided enough distraction that the Autobot paused for that crucial nano click. She watched as Prysm, without hesitation, launched herself into the air and transformed with such graceful speed that she couldn't help but feel a bit envious of her skill. Still Rhapsody knew that she had to get to Gem. The little flyer could travel the furthest but she lack speed and would not be able to get out of the way. The team's commander rushed in the direction of the grounded flyer. The black and gold flecked femme hit her afterburners on the ground raising a flury of dust to block the mech's shot on her teammate. She had enough time to grasp the femme and throw her into the waiting arms of Prysm. "Get them out of here! You're in command!"

She heard the explosion of a weapon discharging behind her and felt herself covered in a capture neuro-net. Right before thousands of amps were charged through it his name came to her. Prowl, his name is Prowl. Her world became for a mercifully brief moment, pure white hot agony as her systems were shut down by the current running through the net. As her vision dimmed and she off-lined, the femme didn't feel herself hitting the ground rushing up to meet her.