Playing Dice With the Universe
Chapter 1

Authors note:-

There is one problem with this story. Most of the Deceptions everyone knows from G-1 have been killed off in the previous stories. So I've raided my comics and a few other resources and found some characters I haven't used yet. The Seacons (used in the UK comics) Sixgun (used in both the comics and a cameo in Rebirth) and Mindwipe (ditto) are all 'real' Decepticons.

And a note on Mindwipe, originally just a hypnotist his background mentioned lots about his mystical practices. Given that I'm pulling a couple of elements from Buffy into the story that's going to be fleshed out.

Four months later

Shockwave looked at his assembled commanders. While he relied on his legion of guardian drones he recognised the importance of sentient warriors.

Millennia of serving Megatron it was only logical for him to assume command of the Deceptions. He had come to that conclusion, through purely logical reasoning, early on while serving Megatron. Megatron had been a powerful and capable despot but unstable. Shockwave's advanced intellect, power and cold grasp of logic made him the obvious choice.

However right now, sitting in the Decepticon throne in the capitol tower Polyhex, logic wasn't that useful. 'Are you telling me that the micro-master force has raided another energon supply?' he asked, almost disbelieving what his audio receptors were picking up.

'Yes Shockwave.' Snaptrap, the leader of the Seacons answered.'It is the same on that I sent you and your team too, specifically to prevent such an attack.' Behind the Deception his fellow Seacons looked at each other. 'Is not your gestalt form among my most powerful warriors and still they attacked and won?'

Snaptrap winced and answered for all of them. 'Yes, but we weren't ready for them and they kept us from uniting. We were out numbered and surrounded' It wasn't logical, there were at least three more energon reserves in the vicinity that weren't as heavily defended. They could have attacked them and theoretically been in an out before his forces could respond. The same tactic had succeeded in the past with no losses.

It wasn't logical to attack such a radically superior force, he had planned to use them to force the micromasters into a booby-trap but decided against it. Their spies and informants would have informed them as soon as he tried it. Shockwave immediately dismissed the idea it was mistake. The Micromaster commander had switched from a low risk, effective, tactic to a high risk, just as effective, tactic.

Even so one other thing worried him, the high risk tactic had worked. This told him, once again, that his opponent in this battle was extremely skilled or just very lucky. 'Mindwipe, what have you learned with your dark arts.'

The mystic bat looked up and Shockwave was careful not to make eye contact with the master hypnotist. 'Very little. Whoever this Sunburst is they too have knowledge of that which I practice.'

'Really?'

'Yes, I can sense it, and more. Under deep hypnosis Autobot prisoners have reviled more to me. That they are a female Autobot, working outside of typical Autobot command structures. They tell me that Optimus Prime is both concerned and pleased with her unconventional tactics.'

'Then she operates independently, but why? United the Autobot force is stronger isn't it?' Once again Shockwave was faced with two options. The first was that this Sunburst was working illogically, completely on emotion and instinct. Second was that her logical pattern was beyond his ability to understand.

Sixgun, the Decepticon one man arsenal with six transformations, grunted. 'Fembots, who knows that they're thinking.' A side effect of this decepticon's multiple forms was that he was constantly transforming. He switched from robot to battle tank. 'Just give me Killgore and his hunters. I'll track her down and decorate my teeth with her carcass.' To demonstrate he transformed again into a giant robotic leopard covered in weapons.

Shockwave ran the scenario and quickly recognised the flaw. Without Sixgun, Killgore and his blood thirsty hunters Prime's powerful Autobots would have little trouble breaking out of the blockade around them. While they had succeeded in landing they were still only in control of a small amount of Cybertron. It was the Micromasters that had somehow broken this blockade and now worked behind his lines. He said as much even as his logical processors took it to the next level.

'I hate just sitting here.' Sixgun grumbled, absently transforming into an assault fighter jet and testing his engines. Shockwave wasn't listening, he was far too worried about the logical leap he had just made.

'I am now working on an assumption, I am assuming that Sunburst is, currently, successful in her plans.'

His generals looked at him before Mindwipe nodded; 'Logical.'

No, it is not a logical assumption. If it was they would not change their tactics so readily.' Shockwave growled. 'I believe she is attempting to divide out forces, do exactly what Sixgun suggests. But to do so would invite suicide on her part. Again it is not logical. The chance of success would be minimum and it is predictable.'

'Then perhaps she is not logical.' Mindwipe suggested.

'No, while her methods are not her results are. If I do nothing Sunburst's forces deplete all of our energon supplies. A contradiction. I want you to find her Mindwipe. You alone to track her down as you said you could.'

'That will not be as easy as I first believed.' The mystic admitted. 'While interrogated the Autobots reviled one more thing. Sunburst is only an assumed name. She was not created with it.'

'What does that mean?' Snaptrap snapped. 'Sure he's not beginning to lose it?'

'It means, fool, that my scrying requires a true name. The one first imprinted on a spark in it's inception. The magic of a name, the oldest of the old. If her true name is hidden, so is she.'

'So without her true name you can not discern her location.' Shockwave growled. 'Then we are left with only one option. I must destroy this fembot once and for all. Using an unconventional approach, one she will not expect.'

Sunburst whimpered slightly as she removed a lump of shrapnel from an arm. Bluetooth had yet to really forgive her for his brothers death but she was his commander, even more importantly he knew she had yet to forgive herself.

She was in the small bombed out room she used as her quarters and office. A computer with a cracked screen, a small shelf like bench covered in scant padding served as a recharge pallet and a stack of bound books from earth were the only decoration. Right now she sat on the pallet with her back to the so called door 'So it's not that bad is it. Anymore injuries we should know about?' He knew it as a bad idea to throw her own words back at her but did it anyway.

Sunburst spun around quickly, face pates open to show her human face. 'What are... uhh, you doing in here?' Her angry shout died halfway when she clutched her side.

This got him worried, Sunburst didn't know what pain was. 'How bad is it?'

'Plasma bomb splash and a couple of fragments. Nothing bad just... uncomfortable.' She admitted, human eyes narrowing and face set

'I can send for Fix-It'

'You do and I'll see its you he has to treat.' She pointed the metal shard she had pulled out of herself at him. The end was covered in some sort of red fluid. The same thin fluid covered her wound. Sunburst looked at it before throwing it to one side

'What is that stuff?' he asked.

'Organic.' She answered and stood up. 'What are you doing in here?'

Bluetooth pretended not to notice that she had changed the subject. 'Bumblebee stopped by. He had a couple of messages for you.'

'Really? Give them to me.'

He did as he was told automatically. Most of the time she laughed at the most inappropriate things, treating battle like some big joke. Nothing phased her and it was that attitude that kept everyone alive. Almost everyone. When she did lose someone, no matter who or how she paused for only a fraction of an astro-second and then moved on. Relentless as an energon storm and fearless.

Then there were times like this, where she was a different Autobot. Almost empty and cold to everyone. She only let Bluetooth and Reddusk see her like this and only then rarely. Bluetooth watched as she put the first visual slug into the computer and it flickered into life. Optimus Prime looked back, his face split by the crack across the screen.

'Sunburst, on this recording is the latest update on our supplies and resources. Undoubtedly Shockwave already knows about what we've got. My Autobot's are succeeding in their missions but until Shockwave acts there's nothing we can do, as you know all to well.

'I received some messages from Earth recently. Apparently Jack O'Neill has won your national vote and is now President, the SGC is being flooded by requests for transfer from all the military forces of the world and the rebuild is proceeding well. Also your sister has tried to contact you. I'm sending her message with Bumblebee.' Optimus Prime's face vanished and was replaced with the Autobot badge.

Bluetooth was shocked, he knew that Sunburst was originally a human from Earth but nothing about a family, he looked at her again. She was young by Autobot standards but he had no idea how that translated as a human. She simply walked over to the player and inserted the second slug.

It was like she had forgotten he was there, embarrassed he almost turned and left when the recording started to play. A human female with yellow hair waved at Sunburst. 'Hi Dawnie, long time no see. Well yeah, I can't see you but you know what I mean. I know you said you'll write but you must be busy, I don't know not dying...' The woman trailed off before shaking her head and trying to smile again. 'Well things have been busy here. After we kicked the First's butt and plugged Sunnydale the gang moved to Cleveland. Yeah I know, not the best place in the world but there's a reason for that. It's another Hellmouth, from the way Giles spins it there's like twelve of them all over the world.

'Well back to busy, it wasn't just giant demons and hellmouths the First had working for it. It's got this preacher guy called Caleb and he's trying to open this Hellmouth. I know they can't think of anything original.' Sunburst half laughed before making an odd sound. Bluetooth looked at her, his commander was totally focused on the screen, her human optics leaking water so that it steamed down her pale face.

'Hey is that the Nibblet?' A male voice came from the recording. 'Yes Spike, I'm just finishing.' the woman rolled her optics.

The man looked lean with white hair and a pronounced scar over his right eye. 'Dawn,' he said. 'You better write soon or I'm going to come find you and kick your metal arse back here. I don't care if you are some super robot.'

'Spike, she's on a different planet.'

'I know that love but I'll get there somehow got that Little Bit?'

Sunburst laughed again, her optics still leaking. 'I got it.' she said , even though they couldn't possibly hear her.

'Well that's all from us Dawnie.' The woman looked pointedly at the man with a strange accent. 'Remember we love you and you did promise to write.'

'Don't keep your big sister worrying alright, I don't think anyone can take another week of her worry.' Spike smiled and Sunburst's sibling punched him in the arm before smiling just like the female Autobot.

'Bye, write soon.' She waved and the recording faded to black. The two of them stood there in silence for a moment before Sunburst tuned and looked at him, optics red and haunted.

In that moment she wasn't Sunburst, Sunburst was an unstoppable warrior. This poor girl was something, someone, else. A child with the responsibility of the world on her shoulders, a responsibility she shouldn't have to carry. This was the face hidden behind her face plates. When she spoke it wasn't the cold emotionless voice of his commander or the joking warrior that was his comrade in arms. It was weak and half choked with grief 'Is... Is there something else?'

'There is, but it can wait.'

'I'll decide that.' She blinked, showing signs of the Sunburst he knew but her voice still shook.

'Just, um, you asked me to tell you if any reinforcements came around I didn't recognise. There's a new Autobot out there I don't know.' He also didn't know why she wanted to know but she just sat there for a second, blinking.

'Well finally, I hate being disappointed.' She beamed at him and the face plates shut, her personality taking the sharp right turn back to dangerous

Dawn cracked her neck and stepped past Bluetooth. That he had seen her at her weakest was... he deserved to know. They all did. That their boss was just an insecure little girl playing soldier because their big sister wouldn't play with her. That she was endangering everyone's life because she didn't know any better.

Dawn didn't want to be on Cybertron, heck right now all she wanted to do was sit down on a sofa and talk to Buffy about how some boy didn't notice her. She didn't know who he would be, she just wanted to be that girl again. Not some scary robot-chick with a reputation and a life threatening job that could end up in everyone she knew dead.

She stopped and drew her energon rifle from subspace and glanced around the corner. 'Green and yellow? Third group from the right?' she described the one she didn't recognise.

Not for the first time she was glad as both a "fem" and commander she had her own quarters away from the bombed out ruins her dozen or so micromasters used. Bluetooth looked for himself. 'That's him, what's this about?'

'Playing games.' Dawn answered, not liking the cold feeling setting in her all too human gut. She cocked the rifle and magnetically attached it to her leg. A quick damage report reminded her to favour her left arm as the right needed time to repair and heal. Her armour was littered with rents, weak points and a handful of other systems needed maintenance. That was all basic stuff that Fix-It would insist on soon enough. Thing was in this state she couldn't survive a drawn out gunfight and her aim left handed wasn't anything to shout about. She needed to get close without alerting him.

'What do you mean games?' Bluetooth asked.

'Have a little faith will you Blue.' She knew he hated that nick-name but used it anyway. Then she had an idea. 'Little Faith.' she repeated before throwing herself into the role.

Right hand on her free hip and the other hanging she used all of her assets as only a certain dark haired Slayer could and stalked into the room. Knowing just how ridiculous she looked Dawn sauntered in the general direction of their new guest. It was worth noting that as the only fem in the whole group Dawn recognised that more than a few of her warriors were impressed with her... chassis would be the best way to describe it.

Now they were Autobots and the whole propagation of the species wasn't as much a driving force, if you could forgive the pun, as it is in humans but they were still male. Giving her this extra weapon and right now she was using it for all it was worth.

Slowly, but deliberately, Dawn swished up to the yellow and green visitor 'Hi.' she said in a tone dripping with honey and innuendo. 'Nice build, what's you name?'

For a moment he just sat there. She wondered if she had crashed his hard drive, yet another pun she wanted to avoid thinking about. Eventually he shook of the look off shock. 'Triton. I was just sent by Prime to help.'

Good cover story, but she didn't buy it for a minute. 'I bet you've got some orders for me.' She prodded while sweeping around and draping herself over his shoulder. Last thing she wanted him to do was think about how accessible her gun was.

'Err yes... I do.' he said before looking slyly at her. 'Is there somewhere we can... discuss them?' She smiled at him, knowing full well he couldn't see her face. She had him

'I'm sure we can think of something else to do. before or after, I think I'll leave that up to you.' She stepped back and let him stand up. He did and gave her a long look up and down. It took all of her self control not to shudder and shoot him in the head right there.

Dawn gestured to the door she had come in through and Triton went first, for a moment she felt pity and a little but like a slut. Quickly squashing both she drew the energon rifle and fired.

The shot caught him in the shoulder blade and spun him around. Dawn didn't give him a chance to fall and fired again, this time catching him dead centre and throwing him to the ground. 'Ohh... that must have hurt.' She smirked at him.

Triton reached behind his back, Dawn guessed it was a gun and stomped down on the elbow.

'Wh... what's going on?' Someone had the brains to ask.

'Not much.' Dawn answered, reaching down she grabbed the Autobot badge on the so called messenger and pulled. It was attached by a magnet and came off with a clang, showing a ugly purple Decepticon face glowering at her. 'But this is a big clue. So Triton, what was it? I mean spy, assassination or maybe just plant a big old here we are sign on the front door?'

'How...?'

'It's not polite to answer a question with another question. Did you know that?' She threw the false badge at his face and it bounced off, attaching to the floor.

'I was... I was to kill you if I had the chance but my mission was to report your location to Sixgun.'

Dawn winced, not from the wounds she was pulling but the idea. Sixgun could demolish her troops like a light snack. 'Nice.' she said to herself before turning to her warriors. 'Alright boys, time to move along. We're finding a new base. Red and Blue keep an eye on Captain Stealth here. If he tries to run, well you know the rest. But I'd like him alive, I want to use him to give Shockwave a message.'

Dawn kicked Triton in the head and walked away, holstering her rifle but not letting go. Her death grip on the handle being the only thing stopping her hand from shaking violently. 'She... She's psychotic.' The Decepticon gasped and Dawn looked over her shoulder

Red had lifted him to his feet and shook the spy once, hard, before pointing the business end of his shoulder cannon at him. 'Yep, I am.' she threw back at him and doubled her pace, she had to get out of there. Quickly she pushed past the stunned Bluetooth

Bluetooth looked over the Micromasters. By Primus that Fem was dangerous, his main fuel pump had almost stopped when she pulled the femme-fatale. Then shooting the guy in the back was almost too much.

His fellow Autobots were the same, too shocked to really act. Until someone clapped their hands. 'We've got out orders.' an astro-second later everyone was moving.

'You got him?' Bluetooth asked before thinking.

Reddusk looked to him. 'This guy isn't going anywhere.'

'Right, I'll be back. I have to talk with Sunburst.' He did, for all the good it would do. He found her back in her cramped room, looking blankly at the wall rubbing her hands.

'What?' She asked without turning, but dropping her hands.

Blue tooth couldn't help but notice her fingers still flicking. 'Sunburst... If you knew they'd send an assassin why didn't you tell us?'

She didn't answer, at least for a moment. 'If I was wrong you'd be suspicious of everyone for no reason.' She looked down before wringing her hands again.

'So you kept it to yourself? What if you had been wrong?'

'Then I'd have... shot an innocent guy in the back.' Sunburst answered. Before that morning Bluetooth might not have noticed her pause, the tiny crack in her voice but there was something more important.

'What's wrong with your hands?' She hadn't stopped them, in fact it looked like whatever caused it was getting worse. Constantly fidgeting fingers the both of them looked at the rest less hands shook violently.

'I... I can't... I can't stop them.' She admitted in that voice that wasn't Sunburst. It was the voice of a human girl, nothing more than a child. Like a dam breaking the shakes spread up her arms, her knees buckled and Bluetooth couldn't move fast enough to catch her. He couldn't move at all.

On the floor he watched her racked with a horrible deep pain. 'I can't stop, I can't. Have to keep going.' She said, rocking herself on the floor. 'Come on Dawn get with the program.' It was then he realised she was talking to herself. 'They need you, they need me to be strong. not like this...'

Bluetooth knelt down beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. Sunburst, no Dawn shied away. This was Dawn, the human she was before and the person hidden under all those layers.

'God, I don't know how much longer I can do this.' She finally looked at him. 'As long as I have to I guess. They won't quit with out one hell of a fight, so we give them that fight.' For a moment he thought she had it under control then she suddenly burst out again, weeping while she clung to his hand like a lifeline.

'Why don't you let us help? That's what we're here for.'

Her grip tightened. 'I... I can't, there are things happening. The plan, oh god you don't know what I'm going to ask of you. What I'm going to do...'

'What?' he asked

'I'm going to die... I'm going to die and I'm going to take you all with me.' she cried

End chapter 1

Authors note:-

Those of you wondering when The Beast Wars are coming, have patience. We need to set characters before the stage. As for Sunburst's admission, well that we'll all have to see next chapter.