I'm back... And randomly updating... don't ask why, cause I'm still trying to figure that one out. Anywho, onwards we go!


Rated T for: Violence, mild cursing, and what-not.

Thanks: A continued thanks to my reviewers, watchers, and anybody who reads this. Hope you like it.


Liz felt pain long before she awoke

Liz felt pain long before she awoke. It was dull then, with small throbs. Now as her eyes were beginning to open, it was a mind-numbing pain. Just when it seemed to be easing off, it came back, thrice fold.

She opened her hazel eyes, and tried not to whimper. It hurt just to blink in her surroundings. As the world around her came into focus, she began to remember the last few moments before she had lost consciousness. Around her were metal bars. They looked like polished steel, but that was debatable, as her knowledge on metal was limited. The ceiling above her head was the same metal, but it had four holes filled in with glass. They looked something akin to portholes on small boats, but these didn't look like they were there for any practical use at all.

It was light, but that was artificial light. She could tell by the flickering that occasionally plunged her into darkness, before coming back on. Everything smelled heavily of oil, and some sort of electric smell, that was hard to identify. There was no telling how long Liz had lay there awake, just trying to decide what to do. At last, she chose a course of action.

Liz slowly pulled her right arm to eye-level. The pain increased, but that was getting to be almost normal. She let out a small gasp, as she finally brought it into view, partly from pain, but also from shock.

She had a piece of glass sticking out jaggedly, from just above her wrist, to a little under her shoulder. Cuts, caked blood, and bruises festooned the rest of it from her shoulder, down to her pinkie.

Liz quaked silently, and gently placed her arm back down.

'Dear god…' She thought. 'What happened? Where am I? ... Will- will I be okay? And what about the others!?'

This last thought sent her into a state of panic. She took a deep breath, and pulled her arms behind her. Pain shot up both arms. She paused, letting them rest. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, she placed her hands flat against the cold metal surface she lay upon, and pushed. There was a sickening crunch, as she let out a cry of agony, and went crashing back onto the floor. She lay there on her back, as tears flowed freely down her face. She choked back screams, as spasms of pain racked her entire body.

A loud screeching sound brought her blood-shot eyes to a figure. A mech. One she was beginning to hate with everything in her. Starscream.

He looked down at her, shooting the human an annoyed glare. "Feeling poorly are we?" He asked, sneering.

Liz glared daggers back at him, almost mirroring his expression. "Never better, ya ass-hole!"

At her reply, Starscream smiled. "You're in no position to be calling the Lord of the Decepticons anything other than Master!"

Another loud screech interrupted Liz before she could throw out another insult. A new mech she hadn't seen before entered. He was as tall as Starscream, but he had no wings. He was completely silver, save for a cannon on his right arm, and his glowing red eyes. He tossed a glance at Starscream, then at Liz.

"It looks severely damaged Starscream. We shall have to use a different organic." He stated. His voice reminded Liz somewhat of gravel, although only slightly more pleasant. His eyes pierced Liz, so completely, she shuddered, involuntarily.

"We can't, oh Mighty Megatron." Starscream sighed, with a small bow. "The other organics are burned if they try to use it, and we cannot remove it from the femm's fingers."

Liz looked down at her hand. As Starscream had said, the Sphere was still locked in her hand, although, she hadn't even remembered it. Nor had she noticed it when she had tried to sit up.

The one called Megatron seemed to consider the girl for a moment. "Then we shall keep it. As it is a femm, and a rather resilient one for an organic, it shall serve me well."

Megatron picked up the cage, his fingers going through the glass portholes. It shook, and rattled Liz, as he brought her up to eye-level. His eyes seemed even more sinister than Starscream's as he pierced her with his cold unfeeling stare.

"Can it understand me Starscream?"

"Yes, Lord Megatron." Was the other mech's reply.

Megatron flashed a cruel smile, even worse than that of Starscream.

"You belong to me now, little Femm. You own a power which marks you as one of our own, but be forewarned. Because only you can wield that power, you are mine. You will follow my orders to the letter, and you will be treated as a favored pet. I trust you understand?"

Liz tried not to shake, as his words sunk in, but it was impossible. He was a towering robot, who trumped even the mech that had caused her to cry in her sleep. He was dangerous, she had no doubt. And he didn't care if she died or not. In fact, Liz was almost one hundred percent sure he'd rather crush her in his hand, than keep her to do his bidding, even as a pet. She was too small, and in far too much pain to do anything. So she shook with the force of his words.

"I-" She faltered." What about my cousins, and Morgan?" She asked.

Megatron turned to Starscream.

"The other organics, my Lord." He explained.

The silver mech turned his attention back to Liz. "Oh I still plan to use them, if you die in my service, prove incompetent, or prove yourself a traitor." The last condition wasn't pointed at Liz, as he turned, and glared at Starscream. The red mech said nothing, as if he had not heard his leader.

Megatron then brought his gaze back on the organic. "Well?"

Liz swallowed hard, then gave a tilt of her head. "Oh-okay…"

Megatron then tossed the cage back to where it had first been, jostling Liz hard, as she choked back another cry. She was too scared of Megatron to scream. If he heard her frightened scream, she feared he'd change his mind about her, and crush her with his bare hands.

"Have Skyfire study the organic, fix it, and find its needs." Megatron barked to Starscream, before turning, and walking out.

As soon as his leader was gone, Starscream hit the wall with enough force to dent the wall. Liz half-smiled at that. Her tormentor was being tormented.

"Leader of the Decepticons, huh?" She laughed ruefully. "Damn."

The red mech turned to her. "Make no mistake, organic, I will be the leader of the Decepticons!" He snarled. With that, He left her alone to rest. Liz closed her eyes, and fell into a fitful, broken sleep.


When Liz woke up fully, a big mech was sitting there, fiddling with a funny looking piece of technology. She looked him over.

He was taller than either Megatron, or Starscream, and much taller than Jazz had been. He had blue optics though, and was white, with some red paint here and there. He wore a symbol on his chest, in a dark purple. Liz blinked.

She hated to say it, but she kind of liked him, if looks were any judge. But she had long decided they weren't, so she just glared at him from her cage.

He looked up suddenly, then seeing no one, turned to the cage. His eyes locked with the girl's.

"Ah!" He exclaimed. "You're out of recharge!"

A tear fell down her cheek, stinging her pride. She found it hard to not think of Jazz. He had called her sleep Recharge...

"Will-will I see you again?"She had asked the mech.

"Definitely!" Liz let out a small sob.

"Shh, shh," The large white mech murmured. "I'm not going to hurt you…"

"You already have!" Liz snapped. The mech stared, as she just burst into more tears. "And you'll only continue to hurt me while I hold this stupid charm!" She tried to fling it, but her arm sent too much pain, making her stop mid-swing. She gasped with pain.

Salty tears soaked her cheeks, stinging the cuts on her face. Laying her head back she let out a muffled sob. It all hurt. Her body, her heart beat in slow painful bruising patterns. She couldn't even cry to ease the pain. Fear was upon her every waking hour, and probably would be until she was released to die.

"I am sorry…" The white mech sighed, gravely. She looked up, coming out of her painful trance. "I am a scientist. I have no wish to hurt anyone."

"Then why!?" Liz's voice cracked with pain, and confusion. "Why stay!?"

Very gently, the giant mech picked up the cage, bringing her closer to him. Liz was surprised at the ease with which he handled her enclosed space. "Because I was asked to rescue you."

That statement seemed so foreign she sat there blinking for three minutes, before asking: "Come again?"

The mech smiled a little at this. "Optimus Prime sent me to rescue you."

"Who-Who's he?" Liz asked, adopting a quiet tone. She was afraid to speak too loud, otherwise, she feared, it might turn out to be nothing more than a dream, or worse yet, a cruel joke.

"The mech who leads the opposite faction, the Autobots." The white mech answered. "You will meet him as soon as I can sneak you away safely."

Liz took a moment to let that sink in. "What about the others? They're my family!"

She knew her duty to them as the oldest had always come first, and foremost. Her brothers had done the same for her, now she was to do the same for her siblings.

He gave her a sad, mournful expression. "I do not know. I was sent to rescue one organic. I may not even be able to do that."

Liz lay there considering it. "If, I go with you…Will this Optimus Prime help my sisters?"

The mech smiled. "If there is one thing Optimus Prime believes, it is that 'freedom is the right of all sentient beings.' He will do all he can to free them if I cannot."

Liz closed her eyes. "Okay… I'm Liz by the way…"

The mech set her back down with painstaking care. "And I am Skyfire."


Yeah, yeah, kinda short. I don't really think it matters though. It is what it is. Let me know what you like, and what you don't. (In Other Words, review.)