Authors Note: Some parts of this chapter will possibly be identical to those of the failed first chapter and the general plot line for the chapter hasn't changed very much. For a better explanation than the one on my page about why I changed it is at the bottom of the page.

Diageo Garcia is located below the equator, so their summer is our winter. Just so you don't get confused.

And when I say 'the Twins' in this chapter, I'm talking about Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. Also, when Bumblebee is talking over his comm link it sounds like an automated voice reading a text message.

Disclaimer: Don't own Transformers. Simple as that. Enjoy!

January 12 2015 10:58 am- Network Elements: Supporters and Transformers.

The NEST base, located on the island of Diageo Garcia, was into the heated days of summer. The sun scorched down from an impossibly blue, cloudless sky, and a tropical breeze graced the tiny island, courtesy of the Indian Ocean. The bases occupants had decided that since the Decepticons had been non-existed for the last three weeks, and it didn't look as though they would attack anytime soon, they were going to take full advantage of the wonderful weather and spent every moment they could on the sunny beaches. Their commanding officers had complained, saying that they need to be at their respective station just in case an attack did occur. But Major Lennox had stepped in, saying that the men, and women, needed a break, that they had earned one.

So the main hangers and buildings on the island were relatively quiet, a few people filtering in and out of them to check their stations. They would always walk away with uneasy looks across their faces, as though the lack of Decepticon activity concerned them. But, other then the concerns over the Decepticons, or lack of, an almost calm had settled over NEST. There we no meetings to attend, no fallen soldiers to honour, no government officials to argue with. Just a wonderful and peaceful calm that everyone was bracing happily.

Almost everyone.

"There has got to be a reason for their lack of activity," Epps said, leaning against a wall, arms crossed. "The 'cons have never been this…silent before. Its unnervin'."

Titled back in a chair, legs thrown up on the table in front of him, and an uninteresting report about NEST's budget resting in his lap, Lennox glanced over at Epps. The medium sized hanger that had unofficially been dubbed 'The Rec Room', made up of various tattered couches, tables, and one corner that was completely dominated by the children living on base, seemed to echo Epps' comment. The Autobots had gathered there to discuss the Decepticons, an half-and hour after Lennox had settled down to read his way sluggishly through the report, and then Epps had appeared. He had listened with half an ear to their discussion, focusing most of his attention on the papers resting in his lap, and they had respectively left him alone. But now, Lennox decided that the better use of his time would be well spent talking with the Autobots.

"Their probably planning something big." Lennox cut-in, throwing the report on the table.

Ironhide grunted. "Possible, but what about the minimal to no landfall of new Decepticons? In the last year alone there have been sixteen Decepticon landfalls and suddenly they decrease abruptly? Its far to strange for my liking. We had detected signals of more 'cons as far as Jupiter, an alarming number of 'cons, and had estimated that they would be arriving in a short while but suddenly their signals disappeared, as though they had decided to head away from Earth."

"Yes, it is indeed strange," agreed Kup, one of the new arrivals. He watched a bird fluttered past the open hanger doors, curiosity on his faceplate. "What was that creature?"

"Probably a seagull," answered Ratchet, glancing in the same direction.

"But we are no where near a sea," Kup said, confused. "Should it not be called an 'Oceangull'?"

Sideswipe and Sunstreaker snickered.

"Nevermind, Kup," Arcee said kindly, "We'll explain it later."

Ironhide growled. "Can we focus on the slaggin' issue before I decide to blow one of you glitch-heads up?!"

"Blow anyone up, Ironhide," snarled Ratchet, pointing a threatening finger. "And I will disable your fragging cannons."

Smacking the finger away, Ironhide glared. "Its not like you have had anything else to do since the pit-spawned Decepticons haven't been attacking. Your medbay had been a 'ghost town' for the last month. If I blew someone up you'd have someone to repair, Hatchet."

Ratchet narrowed his optics and cycled his vents angrily. "You're just looking for a reason to use your cannons," he hissed, dangerously. "You slagging old mech."

"Here we go," muttered Lennox, standing up from the table and wisely giving the two mechs some room. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were bouncing on they're tires with glee.

Ironhides cannons glowed. "You're just asking to be blown up, aren't you?!"

"If it saves me from your slagging stupidity and everyone else, then by all means go ahead!"

Optimus, standing by the hanger door, sighed. It appeared that their meeting was going to go unfinished for today. He sent a quick message over the comm link informing the others that the conference was concluded and watched as Arcee and Kup walked away together, Kup listening attentively as Arcee explained what a Seagull was. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe, seeing an opportunity to create mayhem, both scurried into a corner, giving the two arguing mechs a wide berth and unhelpfully egging them on.

Optimus watched his Weapon Specialist and CMO fight for a few more nanoseconds before turning his massive head to stare out the open hanger door. The ocean was visible from there, sunlight glinting off the waves. He would allow Ironhide and Ratchet to continue arguing for a few more moments before he intervened. Both of them needed to blow some steam off (as the humans said) anyway, since the lack of Decepticons activity had them on edge.

The Decepticons. Uneasiness filled his spark. The other Autobots had only started to become concerned about their lack of activity a few days ago but it had been the singular thought on his processor for two weeks now. Why the prolonged silence? When would they break it? And most importantly, what were they planning? It wasn't like the Decepticons to remain low (although his brother choose to remain hidden, only coming out to fight when he viewed it as necessary. It would usually create a sense of panic and fear that way). Usually, after being defeated, they would fall back and attack again within a few weeks. And since the landfall of arriving Decepticons had skyrocketed in the last couple of years, NEST had been fighting on almost a weekly bases.

He knew that the Autobots and NEST members were relishing in the break that had been presented to them, something that was often to few and far apart, and Optimus hated to think that maybe he should sent a few of them to the three possible Decepticon bases to search for any hinted of what they were up to. A dangerous mission but a necessary one. If the Decepticons didn't appear in the next week, he'd have no choose. The long silence was starting to become unsettling.

A squeal of tires reached his audio receptors and Optimus was torn from his train of thought. A bright yellow Camero had tightly skidded around the corner of a building and was racing towards the rec room hanger, loud music blaring. The sun glared off the hood and Optimus dimly noted that the two front seats were empty. He looked around, although his scanners would have picked up the two humans he was searching for in a millisecond. No Sam or Mikaela in a one mile radius. Optimus shuttered his optics. Nothing could have happened to them or else Bumblebee would be in a panic instead of a content mood. It was not unusual, however, and since the Decepticons lack of appearance it had become more frequent, for Sam to disappear for hours on end with Wheeljack. Mikaela would usually follow him unless needed elsewhere and Bumblebee would vanish with them also. So Optimus decided not to worry about their whereabouts.

Bumblebee neared the hanger, speed staying the same, before rolling into his Transformation. Gears and plates clicked in place and he waved cheerfully at his leader, who nodded back. Ironhide, Ratchet and the Twins continued to argue unaware that the scout had joined them, and Lennox and Epps quickly waved at him before turning back to Epps' cell phone. Bumblebee turned his music off and stepped into the hanger, shuttering his optics at the arguing mech. Confusion crossed his faceplate.

"What's going on?" Bumblebee asked, "Why are they arguing?"

"Ironhide called Ratchet 'Hatchet' and Ratchet then called Ironhide an old mech," Optimus explained warily. "Though I do believe they have moved onto a different topic."

Bumblebee twittered in amusement. "They're calling each other names? Wow, very juvenile, even for them."

"Well, I do know of another juvenile," Optimus said, eyes twinkling. "That proceed to call Skids and Mudflap names before welding them to a support beam in the firing range while they were in recharge. They were there for a few hours before anyone found them."

"I-uh-really?" Bumblebee stuttered innocently. "Do you know who did it?"

Optimus smiled down at the nervous scout. "Well, I have a guess as to who committed it."

"Oh- umm…who?"

Optimus didn't answer, continuing to stare at Bumblebee instead optic ridge raised.

Bumblebee attempted not to look anxious under Optimus' glance, shuffling from one foot to the other. "Sorry, sir," muttered Bumblebee.

"Just don't do it again, okay?"

Bumblebee smiled cheekily. "I'm not sure that I can promise that, sir."

"Bumblebee…" Optimus said disapprovingly.

"It won't happen again," Bumblebee said quickly, then added. "How did you know that I did it?"

"You preformed the same prank a few hundred vorns ago on The Ark to a recharging Prowl," Optimus told him. "The technique in the welding was the same."

"Slaggit," Bumblebee grumbled.

Optimus half-smiled. "Quite so."

Bumblebee twittered at him. They fell silent, watching as Ironhide and Ratchet both waved their weapons in each others faces. Lennox and Epps, sensing that things make get out of hand, had retreated to the safety of the hanger doors. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had stopped egging the arguing mechs on feeling that they had helped create enough mayhem. They stood together in a far corner of the Rec Room, chuckling. Optimus was about to step forward, for the fight had been going on for some minutes, when Bumblebee spoke up.

"Sam needs help with something," he said absent-mindedly, playing with the wires in his right forearm.

Prime stopped and stared down at his most trusted scout. He had not seen the Ambassador, nor his wife, for a number of days now, relying on updates from Wheeljack and Bumblebee to inform him that they was all right and still within NEST base. Ratchet had also started to show concern at the absence of his junior apprentice, failing a number of times in contacting her. The apartment that Sam and Mikaela shared on base had been dark and quiet, not a living soul with in its walls and Wheeljack or Bumblebee would not hold forth any clue as to their whereabouts, sealing their mouth plates when the question was brought up.

"Where are they?" Optimus asked.

"He and Wheeljack need test subjects," Bumblebee continued, ignoring Primes question, "and since I was aware that you and the others were not doing anything of importance, I volunteered you."

"Test subjects?" Optimus said unenthusiastically. "What for?"

"Not his exact words," Bumblebee replied distractedly. "And for that invention they've been working on. Sam says its done, all that's left is to run a test with a few humans and 'bots inside, make sure everything is up and functioning the way it is suppose to."

"The invention that used half a million dollars of NEST funding?"

Bumblebee nodded.

"What is the invention?" Prime asked. He felt as though it was a good idea to know what they were about to deal with.

"I've been instructed not to tell," Bumblebee informed him happily. "Sorry, sir."

Optimus looked down at Bumblebee, a frown adoring his face plate. He had not always been willing to participate in one of Wheeljacks inventions, choosing first to know how it functioned (Wheeljacks inventions had a slight tendency to unexpectedly blow up). Bumblebee smiled up at him, light blue optics dancing in silent laughter.

"Don't worry," Bumblebee declared optimistically, sensing his leaders thoughts. "Sam's checked and rechecked everything to make sure that the invention won't blow up. He's declared it perfectly safe."

Bumblebee continued to grin at him, excitement vibrating throughout his frame. Optimus sighed and glanced at the arguing Weapon Specialist and CMO. Maybe whatever this invention was, it could help them blow of pent up energy and steam, saving a few of NEST's hangers and buildings in the process (and from the way Ironhides cannons were crackling dangerously, it wouldn't be to long before that happened.)

"All right," Optimus told Bumblebee. "We will try this invention out."

The scout chirped enthusiastically and the doors on his back fluttered in excitement.

Ironhide and Ratchet had taken to screaming at one another in Cybertronian, the rafters over the heads quivering at their loud voices. Lennox and Epps stood at the hanger doors, hands covering their ears. Optimus sighed again. Sometimes it felt as though he was in command of a army of younglings, although he wouldn't change that fact for all of Cybertron. Sometimes it had helped to keep him sane.

"Enough!" Optimus thundered. Ironhide and Ratchet immediately fell silent, both straightening up and putting their weapons away. Their vents were cycling loudly and they continued to stare at one another.

"I do not wish to hear another syllable concerning your topic of argument, am I understood?" Prime carried on, tone commanding. "If I do, I will have Prowl lock you both in the brig."

"Yes, Prime." Ratchet muttered angrily.

Ironhide nodded stiffly. "Sorry, Prime."

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe snickered. "One of the best fights, ever." Sideswipe chocked out. "I'm so glad I recorded it."

Ironhide whipped around and stomped over to the Twins, jabbing Sideswipe in the chest and pushing him into his twin. "Delete it," hissed Ironhide, "Now."

"Watch my paint, you stupid glitch-head!" Sunstreaker shrieked, shoving Sideswipe off him. "You'll scratch it!"

"Whatever you vain aft-hole!" Sideswipe resorted and he quickly swiped a finger over his twins chest plate, leaving a long scrape. Ironhide smirked in satisfaction and backed away.

Sunstreaker release a vent full of shocked and angry air. But before he could do anything besides stare murderously at his twin, Optimus was between them, hands gripping their shoulders.

"I said enough," he stressed. Primus help him. "Now, Bumblebee has just informed me that Sam and Wheeljack need assistance with one of their inventions."

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe looked terrified. "Oh, Primus no," Sideswipe chocked out. "You volunteered us, didn't you? Please tell me that you didn't!"

"Yes, in fact I did," Optimus said, releasing his hold on the Twins. "All of us," he added, glaring at Ironhide and Ratchet. "They would also like it if Lennox and Epps joined too."

"Sounds like fun," piped-in Lennox. "I'll go."

"Like we have anything else to do," said Epps, storing his cell phone away in his front pocket.

"Suicidal humans," muttered Sunstreaker.

Ironhide looked doubtful, though he attempted to hide it behind a mask of collected calm. He rubbed his crackling cannons. "Will I be able to blow things up?"

Bumblebee, who had been standing quietly by the hanger doors, chirped in the affirmative. He was bouncing eagerly on the balls of his feet.

"I'm in."

"One of you slagging aft-heads is going to get hurt," mumbled Ratchet angrily. "And then I'll have to fragging repair you…"

"Is that a yes or a no?" Ironhide snapped.

"It's a yes," hissed the medic. He grumbled in Cybertronian, shoved past Ironhide and walked out of the hanger into the bright sunshine.

Bumblebee clicked happily, although it was laced with a hint of slight uncertainty, and followed Ratchet outside. He folded down into a Camero and idled patiently until everyone else was ready. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe walked respectively past Optimus, glaring at one another. Optimus sighed inwardly and made a small memo for Prowl to keep an even closer watch on the Twins (Sunstreaker would attempted to get revenge on Sideswipe for ruining his paint job before the day was done) before walking out of the hanger. Lennox and Epps had climbed into Ironhides cab, trotting with caution and Optimus transformed into his alt-mode.

As soon as Primes last wheel hit the tarmac, Bumblebee took off, deserted lawn chairs tumbling in his awake. Reaching speeds at over 120 miles an hour, he locked his tires and screeched around a hanger out of sight, skid marks appearing on the ground. Everyone sat shocked before quickly following him, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe drifting around the hanger corner. Ironhide was shaking with silent laughter.

"Why the hell is he so eager?" Epps asked blankly, clutching Ironhides dashboard.

Lennox shrugged. "Beats me."

"Bumblebee is always eager when it comes to Wheeljacks inventions," Ironhide informed them, banking around yet another building. "He is the only one that will actually go near the invention before it has been proven completely safe. Ratchet has had to replace the younglings arm quiet a few times because he had gone near an unstable one. I assume that since Sam, his 'best friend' for over nine years, has had a major role in created this particular invention, it has gotten Bumblebee extra enthusiastic."

"Right," Lennox said, "Right."

Bumblebee continued to race ahead with Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. They weaved in and out of stationary airplanes and deserted military vehicles, the Twins racing one another. The other Autobots struggled to keep pace with them until Optimus finally had to order them to slow down. Bumblebee stopped completely, sinking sheepishly on his tires, as the Twins drove around in impatient circles. Lennox and Epps snorted in amusement.

Finally, they reached a small hanger build at the very end of the island. Optimus recalled it being build a few months prier. Bumblebee rolled into his transformation and stood wait for the others to follow his lead. He quickly ushered everyone inside, clicking apologetically at Prime, who had to bent down to enter the low ceiling building. They stood in a tight group as Bumblebee pulled the hanger doors shut and side-stepped over to a large panel build into the left wall.

"So where this invention?" Lennox asked, rubbing his hands together.

"Underground," Bumblebee answered via comm link. He closed the panel and joined the group.

Both Lennox and Epps nodded in understanding. Both were wearing a small blue tooth type of device in their ears that allowed them to be connected to the Autobots comm links. Invented by Sam, it allowed them to communicate with the Autobots better in battle, whether they were a hundred feet away or separated by a few miles. The size of a dime and flesh coloured, they were virtually impossible to remove without the owners approval and required a pinkie-scan to be taken out of the ear. When Sam had first presented the idea, the Autobots had immediately agreed but Lennox had been sceptical. What was the point of it when they could very well use a radio? But after a particularly difficult battle with the Decepticons in South America, when they had been separated by fifty miles and an EMP burst had destroyed their communication equipment, Lennox had reconsidered. Maybe it was a smart idea to have a comm link that connected with the Autobots. It would certainly allow them to work better as a group and Sam had promised that any EMP burst, whether human or alien, would not be able to knock it out. So Lennox had quietly given him the funding he needed. A month later, Sam had present what he simply called 'The Comm Link.' It tapped into the Autobots comm link and would not falter, as Sam described it, whether they were on the other side of the world or the dark side of the moon. It had only been meant to be worn in battle but they had taken to wearing them everywhere. Only Lennox, Epps, Sam and Mikaela had a Comm Link as the Autobots did not feel truly comfortable with the whole of NEST listening in on their private link.

"Underground?" Ratchet acclaimed, surprised. "Why there?"

"It was the only places large enough to fit it," answered Bumblebee. "Anyway, half of NEST is build underground. Wheeljack and Sam both agreed that having it underground would be a lot safer, just in case."

The floor beneath them gave a shutter and the group suddenly found themselves being swallowed by the earth. Everyone waited patiently, use to entering NEST this way. They descended into the dark, the patch of light above them disappearing as a hologram replaced the missing floor. The large elevator sunk smoothly and rapidly until it grinded softly to a halt. A pair of large doors slide open in front of them and everyone stepped off into a hallway forty-feet tall. Bumblebee turned and opened another panel fixed into a wall well the others stared in amazement.

"Holy shit," breath Epps. Lennox nodded slowly in agreement.

The hallway was easily long as it was tall. The floors were constructed entirely of white steel (and how steel could be white was a mystery in itself) that glowed in the lights fixed into the walls. The walls and ceilings were constructed of blue steel, lines of energy flicking down them, creating a sort of zigzagging pattern as they went. Doors were build in various places, obviously meant for both human and Cybertronian. The largest door way was build at the end of the hall, a sign above it that would read 'Do Not Enter' when activated.

"Why the slag does it feel as though I'm standing in The Ark?" Ironhide asked lowly.

"I have no idea," answered Ratchet, for a moment forgetting about his and Ironhides previous argument.

"It was possibly Wheeljack's idea to design it this way," Optimus said. He gently tapped a wall. "Although where he found the metal is certainly a mystery."

Lennox and Epps, who had heard much about The Ark, glanced at Optimus. "What's so special about the metal?" Lennox asked, "It looks like steel except for the blue paint job."

Ratchet shook his head. "It's a special alloy that's not generally found on Earth nor anywhere in your solar system. I've looked for it," he explained. "When created properly, the metal has a light blue tinted, as you can see. It is undetectable on any scanner without it being rounded, so whatever is build out of the metal is invisible along with those surrounded by it."

Optimus nodded. It would explain why he had been unable to detected Sam and Mikaela.

"What's it called?" Epps said interested.

Ironhide snorted. "The Cybertronian name would be unpronounceable and we are unable to translate the name into English."

"Wheeljack has decided to call it 'Diamond Metal' or something to that degree," Bumblebee said. He pushed past Sideswipe and led the group down the long hallway. Lennox and Epps had to jog to keep up. "It took him awhile to properly develop it since he had to create most of the minerals and such that he needed and because of the vast amount that was needed."

"What are the rooms for?" Lennox asked, as they past a door.

Bumblebee twittered. "Wheeljack has build himself a new lab. He said that it was much safer down here than on the surface and the hanger had currently been using wasn't large enough to hold all of his equipment."

"Not big enough?" Lennox muttered incredulously. They past another hallway, this one obviously still under construction. Exposed wiring hung from the walls and ceiling, 'Diamond Metal' staked carefully to one side. "Where will that hallway go?"

"It will connected with another hallway in NEST training area," Bumblebee said. "The entrance we had just entered through is a temporary one. Once that corridor is finished, it will be sealed off and the hanger can be used for whatever."

A doorway to their right hissed open and Mikaela emerged, arms full of equipment. Wearing a gray tank top and army pants, her hair tied back in a messy pony tail, she stopped and smiled at everyone. Ratchet looked visibly relieved to see her after so many days of being absent.

"Hey guys," she said in greeting. She shifted the equipment in her arms and her black wedding band dully reflected the light. "Here to try out the invention, I take it?"

"We were pulled into trying it," muttered Sideswipe darkly. Sunstreaker glared untrusting at the walls and ceiling, as though they would unexpectedly blow up on him.

"Oh, stop being such a sparkling," Ratchet snapped.

Mikaela raised an eyebrow. "Well, they have everything ready," she said, starting down the rest of the wall. "Wheeljack is itching to get it started."

"That's not usually a good sign," mumbled Sunstreaker, following Mikaela and Bumblebee to the doors at the end of the hallway.

Mikaela stopped, and set the equipment on her arms on the ground. Optimus briefly got a glance of what appeared to be vests, before Mikaela shifted the equipment out of side. She entered a code on the touch screen to the left of the door. It beeped, a tiny red light flashing as it processed the code before the light turned green and the giant doors hissed open. She stooped and gathered the gear back up before walking through the doors, looking back at them all, Bumblebee following.

After a brief hesitation, they entered, Ironhide dragging the reluctant Twins by their arms. Optimus gave the long hallway one more sweeping look before walking through the doorway. He was few steps in when he accidentally bumped into a stationary Ratchet.

He muttered a quick apology but it appeared that Ratchet had not noticed. He simply continued to stare in amazement. Optimus raised an eye ridge and looked around the room he had just entered.

The room was circular and glowed blue-white, energy zipping along the forty-five foot tall walls. It appeared to be constructed entirely of the same alloy as the corridor. No lights shone from the large dome capping the room above, although upon closer inspection he could make out a million tiny pinprick sized holes in one sheet of the metal, with what appeared to be camera lens in them. Build into the middle of the floor was a large circular white light, shining dully, that pulsed softly every few moments, sending ripples of light across the metal and crawled a few feet up the walls before disappearing. The room carried both a human and Cybertronian feeling to it.

Off to the left was another much smaller room. Shaped in the size of a capsule, various piece of equipment, from large computers to plans mounted on the walls, could be seen through the glass, the only part of the room that was not constructed of the metal.

"All right," stuttered Epps, turning in a full circle. "I'm impressed."

"Yeah," Lennox breathed. "But what the hell is it?"

Optimus viewed this as a fair question.

"It's the invention Wheeljack and myself have been working on for more than a year," came Sam's voice. He strolled into the circular room, the giant doors hissing shut behind him. A white lab coat, stained in various places, was thrown carelessly over top his casual clothing. Twisting a ballpoint pen in one hand and a binder stuffed with notes tucked under his right arm, Sam came to a stop beside Bumblebee's foot.

"Well, look whose still among the living," said Lennox sarcastically. He glared, though not unkindly, at the Ambassador. "Where the hell have you been?"

Sam smirked. "Where the hell have I not been?"

Bumblebee twittered in amusement.

Epps raised an eyebrow. "Obviously not with us," he said. "Man, we haven't seen you for, like, a week. You know how worried we've been?"

"Quite worried, I take it."

"You had us running up the walls. Try checking in every once and a while so we at least know you haven't been kidnapped or something."

Sam smiled, as though the idea of being kidnapped was amusing to him. "Bumblebee knew that I was all right," he said. "And from what he's told me, he had been giving you daily updates. So there's nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about," muttered Epps. He crossed his arms.

Sam sighed. "And if you really want to know, I've been down here the whole week, trying to get this-" he waved his left hand around, "-working properly. So there's really no need to freak out at me."

"I'm not freaking out, I just want-"

Lennox elbowed Epps in the stomach. "Yell at him later," he said. "Right now I want to know what this thing is."

"I believe we all do," Ratchet commented. He was bent over, examining the metal plating lining the walls, head titled to one side in curiosity. "Why are there camera's build into the metal?"

"All in good time, Ratchet," Sam told him. He threw the binder onto the ground and clasped his hands together eagerly. Excitement was written on his face. "Gentlemen, Mech's, welcome to The Simulator."

"The what?" Sunstreaker said, staring down at Sam.

"The Simulator," Sam said patiently. It was clearly written on his face that he had excepted them not to understand him at first. "It is something that will better help us prepare against the Decepticons."

"Okay," Ironhide grunted. "And how will it do this?"

"By projecting a false battle around you or any other scenario you wish."

"And what?" Sideswipe said sarcastically. It was apparent that he viewed the whole thing as ridiculous. "We fight the images?"

Sam smiled. "Precisely."

Sideswiped looked at him as though he had lost his mind. "But how? There images! You can't touch them, let alone fight them!"

"But your holograms are nothing more than images also," Sam said calmly, "and yet we can touch them."

Sideswipe blinked at the Ambassador, as though the thought had not occurred to him.

"It is the same technology as your holograms," Sam explained. "Only on a much larger scale. We'll projected an image, or rather, if you prefer, a hologram around you, and you'll be able to fight it. Like I said, it will help us better prepare against the Decepticons."

"That…actually sounds like a good idea," Ratchet said thoughtfully. "We'll be able to strategies against anything, plan out every battle."

Sam threw his hands out. "That's the general idea," he exclaimed happily. "And you lucky bastards will being testing it out, as Bumblebee informed you."

"Which just sounds great," mumbled Sunstreaker.

"Relax," Sam said. "It won't blow up on you or anything."

"Right."

"It is nice to know, Sunstreaker, that you have the utmost confidence in my abilities as an inventor," said Wheeljacks warming tones. He had walked into The Simulator unnoticed, his eighteen foot-tall frame standing quietly beside the tall doors. The fins on the side of his head flashed orange as he walked slowly over, the expression on his face suggesting that he was not entirely there. He stopped beside Optimus, barely passing his hip. "Anyway, your concerns are unnecessary as Sam here has kindly checked over everything to make sure that it is run smoothly and will not present us with any form of trouble."

"Thank Primus," muttered Ironhide quietly.

Optimus smiled in amusement. It was truly a sight to behold when all of his battled-hardened Autobots, having survived one vicious battle after another, cowered at the sight of one of Wheeljacks newest inventions.

"So no need to worry, Sunstreaker, everything is working at one hundred percent," Sam said.

Wheeljack frowned. "Well, not everything," he said absently. "I'm still having difficulty getting the security system to function properly. For some reason it keeps shutting itself down." The thought seemed to concern him profoundly.

"Don't worry," Sam told him. "You'll figure it out. But we really should get on with the test."

Wheeljack's fins flashed yellow in excitement. "Yes, yes of course!" He cried, clapping his hands together. "Silly of me to hold you up. I'll go power up The Simulator while you explain how it functions to Prime and them. Come, Mikaela, you can help me." He added, scooping Mikaela up and walking from the room, the doors hissing shut behind him.

Sam strolled over to the equipment that Mikaela had placed on the floor. "All right," he started, "The Simulator works like a video game. There are thirty levels, each level becoming harder as you go. Obviously one is the easiest, while thirty is the hardest, acting like the end of the world. There is a default level but that's nothing more than someplace that we could enter safely without having to fight our way out. The only way the simulation will come to an end is if you manage to beat the level or you ask the person in the Control Room to end it for you. And there always has to be a person in the Control Room, for safety reasons, no matter what.

"We can set the simulation to anything thing you wish. Where the battle takes place, what the weather conditions are, whether it would take place during the day or night, season, if your in a crowded area, if you want to enter the fight at the beginning or middle. Who you're fighting. Things like that."

Ironhide rubbed his hands together eagerly. "I like the sound of that," he purred.

Ratchet nodded in agreement.

"And," Sam continued, a grin crossing his face. "Its even Ratchet friendly. No one can be hurt by a simulation unless itself inflicted."

"Oh, thank Primus!" Ratchet said happily. Optimus chuckled.

"Although, you can cause harm to the holo-Decepticons," Sam said, bending down and extracting two vest from the pile of equipment. "Blow them up, slice them in half, whatever you fancy."

Ironhide grinned.

"So, if we can't be hurt…" Lennox stated ,eyeing the items in Sam's hands. "What are the vest and helmets for then?"

Sam threw a vest and helemt each at Lennox and Epps. "We wanted the simulation to be real as possible," he said, "and since you never go to battle with out one, we thought it a good idea to have you wear them so it would seem like the real thing. But these vest are different from the ones we usually wear. Build into each of them is a small computer chip. This chip allows the computer to 'see' where you are, which without it would be 'blind'. Now, it will also record whether you should have been hit by something, say a bullet. If you're hit in the hand with a stray bullet, the computer will automatically see that hand as 'blind' and you will not be able to use it. If you are hit with something that should have been fatal, the computer chip in the vest will be turned off and you'll basically be a ghost, unable to help your team mates. The chip also informs the computer how many people are inside The Simulator."

Lennox and Epps slipped the vest on. They were slightly heavier than they were use to.

"We've also developed a disc for you guys," Sam told the Autobots. "They act in just the same way as the vest." He handed Bumblebee six medium sized silver disc. "They won't interfere with your transformation."

Bumblebee turned and handed out the disc, showing them how they attached to their outer thighs.

Sam bend down to pick up the last items laying on the floor. As he did so, a white bandage become visible running along the top of his spine, disappearing into his shirt, the surrounding skin inflamed. Ratchet, who had finished attaching the disc to his thigh, frowned. He had no record of treating such an injury.

"What happened to your back, Sam?"

"Nothing major, Ratchet," Sam said, coolly. "Just a minor accident. I took care of it."

Ratchet narrowed his optic. Sam pretended not to notices.

"Now, you should have no problems with your weaponry while in the simulation," Sam told the Autobots. "If you do happen to come across an issue, just tell us over the comm link and we will fix it." He turned to Lennox and Epps. "Your weapons, though, won't work in The Simulator. So we've designed some that will." He handed them each a handgun and other weapons. If you pull the trigger now, nothing will happen, but if you pull it while in the simulation, it will fire a round off. You will have to reload it. You just hit the bottom of the handle and the chip inside will view it as though you've changed the magazine. Simple really.

"Right, I've done enough talking," Sam concluded, "and I can see Wheeljack itching to start. So, just stand in the middle of the room, on top of the circle of light, and we'll get started. Just don't break it and be careful standing on top of the circle. The power source for the whole thing is underneath it."

Sam waved at them and jogged quickly from the room. The doors hissed closed, a loud snap echoing around them. The Twins had jumped at the noise and were looking around.

"Relax, you sparklings," Wheeljack said via comm link. "I just locked the doors."

"Are you sure this is safe?" Sideswipe said. "It really doesn't feel safe."

"Primus…" muttered Wheeljack.

"It's safe," Sam said, walking to the Control Room. "I've tried it out a few times and I'm still alive."

"Yeah, but-"

"Get into the circle," snarled Ironhide, cannons crackling. "I wanna slaggin' get started!"

The Twins scurried into the circle, sensing that they were rubbing Ironhide the wrong way. Ironhide followed, a grin across his face that had made most Decepticons cower. Lennox and Epps were checking over the false weapons they had been handed and seemed to be pleased with what they found. They were the perfect weighed and could have passed off for the real things.

"This is going to be fun," Ironhide growled, "A month and now I finally get to blow a Decepticon to bits."

"Their not real, Ironhide," Optimus said, battle mask sliding into place.

"I know that Prime. But still…"

"You guys ready?" Sam's voice said over the comm link.

They looked over at the control room. Sam and Wheeljack were stationed behind the giant control board, Mikaela's arms wrapped Sam's waist. Sam's hand was hovering over an unseen button. Bumblebee waved at them, twittering.

"Hit the play button, man," said Epps keenly.

Smiling in a way that managed to sent chills down their spines, Sam's hand went down on the 'start' button and their world went dark.

And there it is people, the new first chapter for The Simulator. Let me explain somethings before the rotten veggies come flying my way.

One) The beginning. I wanted to make the main focus of all the Autobots and NEST the lack of Decepticon activity, not Lennox and Ironhide having a ridiculous fight.There was no real point to it. (Although I guiltily added Optimus and Bumblebee having a longer conversation. I just love writing them talking to one another.) I also wanted to show, though not numbered, how many Decepticons there are.

Two) I changed the Twins from Skids and Mudflap to Sideswipe and Sunstreaker. I wanted to explore them some more.

Three) I decided that Sam and Wheeljacks invention would be kept a secret from the rest of NEST. For 'safety' reasons.

Four) I disliked the way I had written…basically everyone.

Five) I attempted to explain how The Simulator works better. Hopefully I did.

Six) I added a date and time to the beginning of the chapter. This is important and will happen with every other chapter in this story.

I realized that I forgot to give Lennox and Epps helmets. So, yeah, I fixed that.

Right. So review. Tell me what you think. All that jazz.