Author's note. Glad people are enjoying this story, don't worry, I'll try to update my other Armada story sometime soon. Fun fact, Megatron's speech at the end of the last chapter was inspired by Star Wars Robot chicken 2. If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch it on YouTube and try to guess which sketch I'm talking about.

Remember suggestions are welcome.

Enjoy, please review and a very Merry Christmas to all.

Megatron smirked down at his new pets as they grumbled about having to wear collars. He was in a very good mood. For what was particularly satisfying about this was that there was no way they were going to rebel by removing the collars. Not if they wanted to keep breathing that is. He briefly wondered if it would be a bit too much if he showed Optimus a holo of his precious humans wearing Megatron's collars. Nah, nothing was too much when it came to annoying the Autobot leader.

Deciding he wanted a closer look at his new pets, he selected one and took hold of them, lifting them up to into the air. The one he had picked was the lone female out of the entire group of kids (including the two back on Earth) who hung around the Autobots. The two boys protested as Megatron turned her this way and that, getting a better idea of what kind of creature she was. He noted how she seemed to be designed differently to her male counterparts, she was of a more slender build.

Apart from a cry of surprise when he had taken hold of her, the human girl hadn't said anything, just glared as she was examined. Such defiance made Megatron grin, it would be fun making these children into good little pets. Speaking of defiance, he remembered the other little brats giggling earlier.

"Now just what was so amusing earlier?" Megatron asked, peering at Alexis closely. The boys glanced at each other and shrugged.

"Oh, err Alexis was just telling us a funny story" Rad said causally, trying not to smile.

"Yeah, it had something to do with a bird" said Carlos, pretending to think. "Um, what was it again, a Popping Jay, a Penguin?"

"A Peacock" Alexis said with a sniff, adding for the Decepticons benefit. "A vain creature that possesses very little brain and which is only concerned with how good it looks among other males."

The boys snickered as Alexis fought not to smile. Cyclonus also made a sound of laughter but he laughed at everything and anything. Demolisher looked confused.

"I don't get it, what's so funny about that?"

"Umm, you'd need to hear the whole story" Carlos said still sniggering.

There was only one Decepticon who seemed to know what the joke was, and that was Starscream, who said with a smirk.

"What colour is a Peacock?"

Knowing Megatron would instantly know what they were laughing about if she repeated what she had said to the boys, Alexis just said.

"They're blue and green"

It wasn't a lie and didn't give away the joke which was lucky because Megatron was looking suspicious again. However he seemed to just put it down to humans having an odd sense of human as he put Alexis down without another word. Now picking up Rad, he said.

"What strange bodies you have, so weak and fragile" he mused, lightly squeezing Rad who grimaced slightly at the pressure. Below, Alexis and Carlos scowled but didn't say anything as Megatron examined Rad. Deciding he had gleamed enough information for now, he set Rad down again on the arm of his throne where he also deposited the other two kids from his other hand.

Tapping the armrest lightly with the fingers of one hand, lightly for him but the kids had to sit down because of the vibrations, Megatron once again regarded them. The other Decepticons were silent as well, which unnerved the kids a little and they shifted slightly. Finally Megatron said.

"I suppose we'll have to provide for you while you are here" he said thoughtfully. The kids glanced at each other.

"Well" said Carlos hopefully. "You wouldn't have to bother if you just put us back on Earth, we can get everything we need down there."

Megatron just raised an optic-brow at Carlos's statement but didn't say anything. He knew at the very least they would need some sort of sustenance, such a shame they didn't consume Energon. But there was no way he was going forging for them, it was beneath his dignity for that. So what was he going to do?

"Sir" Demolisher spoke up moving forward slightly. "How are we going to feed them?"

Ah, there was the answer, after all what the point of having subordinates if you didn't delegate jobs you didn't fancy doing. Smirking he said.

"I will leave that up to my loyal soldiers."

Cyclonus stopped giggling, Demolisher looked surprised and Starscream raised an optic-brow at this statement. The kids' jaws had dropped again. Ignoring their reactions, Megatron said.

"Each of you will be responsible for looking after one of my little pets and making sure their healthy" Megatron said with a fanged grin, leering down at his pets who were still looking rather shocked.

"Now let me see" he said, a hand hovering over the children who huddled together as he decided.

"Starscream, since you performed well enough during the recent battle with the Autobots, you shall have...this one" he said tapping Alexis lightly on the head. Megatron shot a grin at his Second as he said.

"You should be honoured, Starscream that I am giving you the only female."

As said 'female' made an indignant noise, Starscream said with a slight roll of his optics.

"Of course I am, Megatron."

Megatron now turned to his other soldiers and Cyclonus immediately said.

"Oh, sir can I pick one?"

"After your ridiculous plan failed?" Megatron snapped causing Cyclonus to duck his head sorrowfully. Megatron's hand hovered over the two boys trying to decide which one would go to Demolisher. He wasn't sure which one Demolisher deserved, they seemed the same to him. He had rewarded Starscream with the girl as she appeared to be the bravest, she hadn't panicked when Megatron had first arrived on Earth and confronted the boys. He then remembered how it was the lighter skinned one who had zapped him back on Earth, so decided that this one would go to Demolisher.

Now tapping Rad on the head, he said.

"This one will be yours, Demolisher."

"Um, thank you sir" Demolisher said, bowing his head respectively at the responsibility Megatron was giving him, though looking a little bemused. Rad rolled his eyes, folding his arms.

Megatron now smiled down at Carlos, who was scowling, and tapped his head. Rad and Alexis were looking indignant on his behalf. Starscream smirked and Demolisher just looked serious.

"And that leaves this one for you Cyclonus" Megatron said as Cyclonus cackled slightly, leering down at his 'charge'.

"Oh swell" Carlos grumbled, his expression of grumpiness matching his friends, making Megatron smirk. He decided to put an end to that as well as a little punishment for whatever it was they were laughing at earlier. He wasn't really sure what they had been laughing at but he had ordered them to keep quiet, and they needed to learn that his orders were to be obeyed. With this thought in mind he announced.

"It's time you three had a nap."

"What" the kids roared as Megatron picked them up and placed them on his right knee. With his fingers, he made them lie down, but they propped themselves up to glare at him. With a finger, he forced them back down and grumbling they curled against each other.

The kids were furious at Megatron making them do this, like they were five year olds. But the reason they didn't protest more was because they still had bad headaches and really did need a lie down. Their sore bodies certainly weren't complaining.

"Aw, man, this blows" Carlos hissed at his friends who looked equally annoyed as well. "And how come I get stuck with that manic?"

"Who knows" Rad said grimly as he tried to make himself more comfy on Megatron's hard cold knee.

"At least he didn't give you away because you're a girl" whispered Alexis furiously. "Can you believe that?"

"No" said the two boys, feeling just as hard done by.

"I believe" came a very silky voice above them. "That I just put you down for a nap. Naps do not involve talking. If I hear so much as a squeak from you, I will separate the three of you. Do you want that?"

"No" came mumbled replies from the three kids as they huddled closer together and closed their eyes, trying to relax. They felt Megatron's large fingertip against their backs as he gently stroked them. They all decided they would try and talk later, for now they would do as told. There was a lot of shifting as they tried to make themselves as comfy as possible.

Eventually their tiredness and sore bodies took their toll and the kids fell asleep. Megatron smiled as he saw their bodies relax and their breathing become deep. They were actually quite warm against his knee, he realised in mild surprise but decided he liked it.

He idly stroked them some more before glancing up at his troops. Demolisher spoke first.

"Sir how do you want us to proceed with feeding them, at the very least we'll need to return to Earth."

Before Megatron could say anything, Starscream spoke.

"Forgive me Megatron, but the Autobots will be just waiting for us to appear on Earth."

"No doubt" Megatron agreed. "If you run into any Autobots, in order to ensure they don't try to use you to get to this base, Warp away to another location on Earth until you are sure you've lost them."

"Yes sir" they all chorused. Megatron smirked at them.

"You will, once my pets have had their nap, discover what kind of food they need to eat. You will then use the replicator machine to create suitable food. You will each use it to feed the brat I'm trusting you with."

The Decepticons glanced at each other but once again they bowed and said they would do as ordered. After that Megatron waved them away to attend to their duties. The Decepticon leader just sat back on his throne, thinking of ways to procure more Minicons, defeat Prime and generally conquer the Galaxy. As he idly stroked his pets as they slept, he wondered just what Prime and the other Autobots were up too.

"Probably crying their optics out" he thought with a mean sneer and with this comforting thought got back to the serious business of plotting.

Author's note. If you think it's a bit strange that Megatron would have them sleep on his lap, I just think it's the kind of thing he'd do, after all it makes them seem more like pets and less like sentinel beings. Also if you've seen Transformers Armada, in the first or second episode you see Leader-One sitting on his knee. Till next time.