For any newcomers to this story line, please not that this is the sequel to "Achrophobia," and even though it can be used as a stand-alone story I recommend going and reading "Achrophobia" first.

So, I must apologize for everything taking so long to come to fruition… but university life is not as much fun as some people would have you believe… There's studying, exams, labs which take altogether much too much time to do and complete, not to mention homework as high as the ceiling, and we can't forget my bitch of a roommate who completely hates my guts and the fact that I actually have individuality and morals. But I have met a couple of cool new people like my RA and a couple of cool nerdy kids…. Despite all of this, I get lonely. It's always so cold and rigid when my roommate's actually at the dorm and when she isn't I'm usually curled up in a ball reading or playing Pokemon Red on an emulator on my laptop. I also got Skyrim and logged over 270 hours within the period of a month, so that kind of stole my writing incentive…. Anyway, I apologize it was very rude of me to keep you all waiting.

This will also probably be much shorter than "Achrophobia," my guess is not more than 15-20 chapters. You may also be happy to know that I do have the final chapter written out already, so that's a good thing.

I hope you enjoy. ;)


The waves lapped softly against her talons, caressing the tough, scarred metallic surface with its gentle warmth. Her optics gazed out across the horizon, watching the sun set out over the sea as birds sung the last of their songs before retiring to their roosts for the night. It was so peaceful, so lovely… so unlike their new base.

Vertigo sighed; optics clouding over as she thought about how much had changed since The Fallen had been defeated. Much good had come from the battle, of course… but then the government of the United States had decided that the safest place for their Cybertronian allies had been in the middle of their large capitol district; A loud, bustling city swarming with human activity. And though the population now had an awareness of their large alien inhabitants, access to the outside was limited to missions only. It had been a month since the femme had last been able to fully stretch out her servos and fly, and now that she was finally out, she was enjoying the way the sunlight played off of her armored exterior.

It had all happened to quickly, it had been mere months after the great desert battle for the solar harvester when they had been given their notice for a relocation. It had only been a week after that that they had all been transferred from their secluded home in Diego Garcia to the crowded streets of Washington D.C. Vertigo didn't understand why in the slightest, but Optimus Prime had given to complaints so she complied…. If only for the sake of pleasing him.

And then to her surprise, another contingent of Autobots arrived: The Wreckers. Though they were powerful fighters, the femme didn't much care for them. They were loud, and rude, obnoxious… infuriating to the point of provoking the femme's aggression. They always seemed to get under her dermal plating to scratch at her wires. But allies were allies, and if they had proven themselves in battle countless times as they continuously professed, then Vertigo was happy to have them on her side and not her opponents'.

The femme flared out her wings rotating the joints as far as they could comfortably go, and then some. She knew she would be given hell for breaking off from the rest of the group of 'Transformers' –as they were now dubbed-, but in all honesty, she didn't really care. Her comrades understood her growing desperation and need to be free of the confines of the base. The femme was sure that each and every one of them were feeling the restrictiveness placed on them now that the new Director of National Security had been appointed. She was positive that Ratchet would crack soon, and even their stoic Prime's seemingly boundless patience was beginning to wear thin with the human's overbearing and condescending methods.

The dark triple-changer chuckled, Sideswipe had only just gotten off of his probation for threatening several of the higher placed humans. He was feeling the monotony just as strongly as she was. He was no flier, but he had the same need for freedom that she did. A freedom that they were no longer granted.

It was quite stifling, really.

It always seemed as if most of her actions were no longer her own; she was just a tool in the puppet master's hands. Just a dumb, blind machine to carry out the orders of a human government… she almost wished the Decepticons would show themselves just to relieve her of the Primus-awful rut that the humans had placed her into.

Flicking a rock with one of her talons, Vertigo turned, rolling her broad shoulders before she transformed into her favored alt-mode: an F-22 Raptor. The femme nearly let out a sigh of contentment as she felt the air whipping past her stream-lined form, the joy of leaving the world behind to roam the everlasting sky. It no longer mattered that she had to meet up with the rest of her team in less than an hour, or that petty squabbles of humans would never end, or that she hadn't flown for nearly a month. All that mattered were the clouds and the updrafts that she looped through.

When she finally touched down on a remote coastline of Somalia, she was met by a stern glare from her superior.

"You're late." Leadfoot deadpanned, crossing his bulky arms as he sternly regarded the taller femme. "You were supposed ter be back 'ere two hours ago!"

The triple changer didn't flinch, meeting the older mech's optics with a level stare. "And I take full responsibility for it, but if I have to keep on staying reclusive inside of an old building, I will begin to rust."

Behind her, Sideswipe snickered. "You know I'm always willing t-"

"No." She cut him off, collected guise wavering for a moment.

"I just said that I'd be willing to-"

"I don't even want to know, Sides." Exasperated, the femme stalked away, Sideswipe admiring the subtle sway in her hips. "C'mon there's no need to keep our majesty waiting any longer than she already has for our oh-so-interesting report."

Leadfoot just shook his helm, "Rich coming from the femme who kept us waiting for nigh a day!"

"Do we have to go back?" The silver mech complained loudly, kicking up some dust. "Can't we just stay here and operate on our own?"

When Vertigo turned to face him, she was met with a frown and pleading optics. "I mean, it doesn't have to be here… it's kind of dusty and boring, but I hear France is lovely this time of year." He continued. Though his mannerisms implied that he was joking, she knew that, at spark, he was dead serious. She couldn't blame him. Being cooped up was beyond dreadful, but what choice did they have? To harm the humans or to cooperate, it was obviously made for them by their leader. The mech that they all unwaveringly trusted and respected. They could never betray him.

She sighed, they couldn't do nothing either though. It was an impossible situation that they had been placed in…. And they could do nothing but prod at the boundaries.

"It's been four years!" Even the old Wrecker began to acknowledge the young mech, turning his stocky body to face him. "Four years of hiding, and waiting, and doing nothing! If I have to spend another minute in there, I'm going to explode!" His arms flailed out dramatically, the small, useless door-wings on his back flapping out. "I know you all feel the same, so why isn't Prime doing anything?"

Her optics narrowed, as the femme shot back a venomous retort. "Optimus Prime is doing what he can. He is backed into just as much of a corner as we are."

"It's those damn humans," Leadfoot agreed, transforming into his heavily weaponed alt-mode. "I don't even understand why we're still here."

Grimacing, Vertigo shuttered her azure orbs, "What can we do?"

"I don't know," mumbled the silver Cybertronain, folding himself into a Corvette, "But we're not some bitch's play things."

"I know…. You should know by now that I do not like it any more than you do, Sideswipe."

He gave a dry laugh. The sound echoed around in his terrestrial form, hollow with an edge to it. "Really, a flyer upset that she can't take to the sky on a whim. How surprising." Leadfoot had already started out, now nearly a kilometer out from them. "I don't blame you for being late… even if that glitched up flesh bag will ream us out for it, the only reason I wasn't late is because I couldn't get far enough away."

She cast him a glance, the corners of her lip plates twitching up in a slight, knowing smile. "Oi! You lot! We don't have all day!" The Wrecker called out to them, interrupting their heated sentiments.


Optimus Prime covered his face in his large hands, trying to physically extract his frustration. Even when Galloway had been their liaison, he had never felt so utterly agitated with their human allies. How creatures so small could have such a large superiority complex was beyond his comprehension.

He opened his optics to regard the miniscule figure standing before him with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. "-Is this how your troops have always behaved? Disregarding set deadlines to do God-knows-what?"

The ancient behemoth sighed, "Director Mearing, it is quite possible that they may have run into some difficulties along the way. My companions are just as disciplined as any of their human counterparts." His deep voice rumbled throughout the lumen of the building.

The female tapped her foot against the floor impatiently, "Then do you mind telling me why officers spotted her on Diego Garcia? Several hundred miles off course from where the rest of her unit was?"

When the blue and red flamed mech did not immediately respond, the woman continued. "If you can't keep your army in line, then my army begins to descend into chaos. And I will not let that happen, do I make myself perfectly clear?"

She turned to leave, but a chillingly soft response held her in place, "Your opinion is duly noted, Director." drifted his wizened voice, "But, we have been at this for longer than your country has been in place, and we will more than likely be alive when your government falls… and though we are metallic in design, we have wills and desires just as powerful as those in your species; you would do well to remember this."

After a few moments to properly collect herself, the human shot him an intense glare, "Is that a threat?"

"No, I am merely pointing out a detail that may have slipped your mind over these past few years." He responded, optics half lidded as he gave her a contemplative stare.

Mearing's haughty expression as she retreated from him sent a jolt of familiar rage coursing through his systems. It seemed to be the norm whenever she appeared…. Primus, it was like the High Council once more. Though back then, he'd had his brother by his side… and Elita….

A wistful look crossed his face before he shook his head to clear his thoughts. Those days were long over.

Several known EM signatures washed over him, signaling the presence of the three targets of Mearing's current aggression. "It's all the lass' fault." A transmition reached his relays. The Autobot leader had no doubt in believing that. Though she was dedicated… Vertigo had a history of making waves where none should have been made.

"I apologize, Optimus… I just… cannot be cooped up in here like this." She sent him, though he could hear her footfalls coming closer. When she came into view a few moments later, she had clasped her clawed hands in front of her, glancing at him nervously.

He regarded her coolly, though he was more amused with her than he let on. He knew it was difficult for her flight to be so restricted… it was difficult for any flyer. She had trained with some of the galaxy's most notorious seekers; of course they would rarely if ever limit her access to the skies. "Virigo, although I questioned the wisdom of your choice, I can understand why it appealed to you. But Director Mearing was here not more than twenty minutes ago, and she is quite… upset that you took a detour from your mission's parameters."

The femme fidgeted, mumbling "I understand…."

He chuckled softly, recalling a similar experience with Galloway, "I cannot defend you from any more reckless actions you wish to perform in my absence."

She felt her faceplates heat up in embarrassment, the memory of what had occurred shortly after the Great Desert Battle, where her creator fell to rust. The moment of pure elation when she had finally been truly freed. And then afterwards when Galloway had reminded the world that she had finally snapped and nearly crushed him after Optimus Prime's untimely offlining. "Consider my actions dealt with."

The last Prime just nodded, amusement twinkling in his bright optics.


Short chapter is short, but I kind of just wanted to get this out to see if people actually wanted a sequel.

Reviews make me giddy and more likely to write.

I love you all.