A/N: I would like to say thank you for the reviews/ favs/ alerts. Also I must give you fair warning again why this story may/or may not have to be given an 'M' rating (just to be safe) in the future—there are small examples in this chapter.

Enjoy! :)


THE POVEGLIAN VENDETTA

Chapter 7

"Say Cheese!"

Ravage and Soundwave weren't the only ones that noticed something wrong.

Despite being created by the same master, the cassettes might as well of been made by different creators; Soundwave was the only thing that they all had in common. Though it was none of Laserbeak's concern he couldn't help but notice the biggest change with Rumble and Frenzy. Over a period of several terrestial weeks, their relationship had escalated to Pit.

Before, you could never find the two separated, now Frenzy and Rumble seemed as incompatible as an Autobot and a Decepticon.

Ravage was also another noticeable change, not to mention a catalyst for the twins' bitterness towards each other. Never had Laserbeak seen the cyber-cat spend so much time with either of the twins outside of a mission. Nevertheless, out of all the defective cogs, it was Frenzy who was the most confusing and troubling of all three.

He wouldn't speak. He didn't exhibit the slightest interest in anything and poorly maintained himself. He was constantly nervous, although, according to Rumble, he wouldn't tell him what the matter was. Again it was none of Laserbeak's business so he ignored everything; it had no relevance to his Decepticon duties.

Rumble on the other hand took it personally and Laserbeak, who had the misfortune of being paired with him on the last reconnaissance mission, got an audio-full.

Through the rants he was subjected to Laserbeak could see that Rumble felt rejected. Frenzy wouldn't tell him what was bothering him and because they shared a strong, brotherly bond, Rumble took it into offense. So he began to ignore him. Then Ravage came into the equation, and really sent Rumble over the edge.

Jealously; that was what Laserbeak assumed it to be. Not to mention incredibly childish...

"Frenz can tell Rav' what's botherin' he but he can't tell me?"

Now Rumble would have nothing to do with Frenzy, and Rumble had flown to Laserbeak for companionship. Whatever what was bothering Frenzy, it didn't appear that the twins would find comfort in each other for awhile.


Despite his lack of acknowledgement that was looked at by his Decepticons as possible ignorance, Megatron was neither blind nor deaf to what was happening in the base. He had noticed the swift personality change in his troops and had heard conversations—whispered and brought to a halt when he turned the corners of his halls.

At first he had paid no attention to any of it; his troops were not the most functional of mechs and absurdity among them was an everyday normality.

Now there was too much absurdity.

At first it was the flickering lights that had sent Hook into a frenzy to constantly maintain. Starscream, who constantly blabbed to him about the Nemesis' impeccable security being breached. His troop's lack of recharge was showing in their paint and mannerisms and lastly with the recent break-in by the Insecticons who had plenty of time to snatch cubes, didn't appear to; it was out of place.

There was something in the Nemesis that had completely altered the atmosphere in his base—that bothered him.

He entered the Control Room, Soundwave at his station working vigorously on the security cameras. Though he knew the blue mech was a dedicated and hard worker, he was surprised to see him working on a shift that was not his...

"I believe it is Reflector's turn in the rotation Soundwave, though I am not displeased by your commitment," Megatron began, approaching the chair. "Just curious of why you are still working since your shift last cycle."

Soundwave didn't answer him; he couldn't—not without betraying his true reasons. He knew that Megatron was not ready to believe them, no matter how trusting his leader was of him.

Megatron hadn't expected Soundwave to answer him; instead he placed his hands behind his back and stared at the monitor.

"I'm sure you have noticed malfunctions in the base lately Soundwave," Megatron began, "Though I see the lightning has been dealt with after all this time."

"Affirmative," Soundwave acknowledged.

"And the cubes?" Megatron questioned. "What is the inventory report?"

"Insecticons failed to steal cubes," answered Soundwave. "Security inspection and upgrades are underway."

"Good," spat Megatron. "I want no more break-ins by those insufferable roaches or any other intruders."

The last part of Megatron's sentence caught Soundwave's attention.

Megatron suspected something, though Soundwave could tell that he wasn't sure of what it was; Megatron was just firing random shots and hoping he would hit a target, getting Soundwave to tell him what was really going on. He knew that his leader could not put his faith in supernatural explanations unless he witnessed them or undeniable proof was supplied to him. Megatron was not a mech that could afford to believe in the paranormal.

Megatron frowned at Soundwave's silence, seeing that his Communications Officer appeared to be as ignorant to the 'changes' in the base. Soundwave would have told him if something was the matter and required attention.

Regardless, Megatron would continue to survey with a close optic. There was something wrong and he would find out what it was.


Frenzy walked to the Med Bay for his scheduled maintenance appointment, Ravage accompanying him tiredly. Usually Soundwave was the one to administer them to his creations, but he was disposed; currently searching through the security cameras for proof of the ghost's existence in the Nemesis.

The doors to the Med Bay slid open, revealing to the pair of Cassettes that other Decepticons had maintenance appointments as well.

"Hold out your arm and bend it 90 degrees," ordered Scrapper.

Astrotrain rolled his optics, doing as the Constructicon commanded. "It's slagging bends alright?"

"Any discomfort?"

"None. Now can I leave?"

"No, we still have a few more tests," Scrapper said.

Thundercracker, Dead End, Breakdown and Starscream were also being attended to by the other Constructicons. All as equally bored and as the Triple-Changer, but Starscream surpassed the shuttle-mech in the complain department.

"My systems are performing perfectly Constructicon! I see no reason for them to be checked up upon—especially by a mech that is less than qualified to examine MY systems!"

Bonecrusher snarled, unnoticed by the Seeker as he continued to work on him diligently; the look on his disgruntled face reading as if he was contemplating hitting Starscream over the helm with the tool in his hand.

"You're late," called Hook by an unoccupied medical berth. Frenzy and Ravage proceeded, passing by the others to the far side of the room. Frenzy activated his anti-gravity and hopped up the berth, Ravage doing the same. Frenzy approached and swung his legs over the side. Ravage sat on the far side of the berth, allowing Hook to work on him but also keeping him within close range.

Hook began his examination, plugging a medical cord into a slot in Frenzy's helm. The data transferred to his monitor, Cybertronian characters scrolling down and searching for any defects or viruses in his mainframe.

Frenzy wasted his time by looking at the others being examined. Thundercracker was ongoing the same process and the others were being tested for flexibility and motion. Frenzy's optics had just landed on Dead End until he found them ripped back to Thundercracker...

The Seeker was leaned forward like a ventriloquist's dummy, his arms hanging usually by his side and his optics offline. Scavenger approached behind the Seeker, his visor changed from crimson to jet-black. To Frenzy's horror he watched as Scavenger reached inside the back of the Seeker helm and plucked out the blue mech's processor with a sickening snap. The Constructicon brought it up to his face, and grinned in Frenzy's direction...

A frightened gasp escaped Frenzy's vocalizer, those all too familiar feelings returning back to him. He cried out in surprise when he was suddenly pushed off the berth, the medical cord detaching itself from Frenzy's helm. Frenzy hit the ground with a grunt.

Frenzy sat up, shaken and his optics stinging painfully. He rebooted his optics and dared to set them back on Thundercracker and Scavenger.

The Seeker was fine; his processor had not been ripped out, he was online and Scavenger's visor back to normal; staring at him with the same look everyone in the Med Bay possessed.

He didn't blame the mechs who gave him looks of confusion and shock, wondering if he was malfunctioning—he asked the same question himself.

Did that really happen? Did Scavenger really rip out Thundercracker's processor? No, he was hallucinating—Thundercracker was fine.

Oh Primus... it's getting worse; now he was seeing things...

"Aww," chided Starscream from his berth, who never missed an opportunity to criticize and tease another mech. "Did Soundwave's sparkling fall from the berth?"

Frenzy narrowed his optics under his visor, his fists clenching. "Cram it Screamer—I didn't fall!"

Starscream scoffed. "Then oh wise one what do you call it?"

Frenzy's mouth opened; preparing to defend himself... instead he wisely shut it. Not about to tell the mechs in the room that he was pushed. Frenzy activated his anti-gravity and jumped back on the berth were Hook awaited him. Frenzy grabbed the medical cord and plugged it back in the port in his helm.

Dead End and Breakdown glanced at each other and shrugged, dismissing it as the others did.

Frenzy sighed and placed his chin in his hand and rested his elbow on his leg, waiting for his examination to finish. His processor ached again; it had been ever since he arrived at the Med Bay. Frenzy, trying to be optimistic, assumed it was probably the mainframe scan that Hook was performing and ignoring that it was anything paranormal.

Still... it had seemed so real. The whole crazy hallucination and what frightened Frenzy the most was that when Scavenger had grinned at him he couldn't help but feel that it was his ghostly doctor smiling at him through the Constructicon.

Nausea swept through Frenzy and his optics dimmed slightly. He felt tired again...

Ravage's olfactory sensors sprang to life. He narrowed his optics and he growled as quietly as he could muster.

The intruder was somewhere in the Med Bay—very close to him.

Ravage scanned the room, trying to pinpoint where the smell was. His optics fixed on Frenzy. Casually, so not display to Frenzy that there was something wrong, he stood and walked on the berth.

He passed by Frenzy but stopped when he found the source of the smell. A red indicator locked in, making Ravage growl even louder.

It was coming from Frenzy.

Hook sighed loudly, adverting Ravage's attention for the moment. His monitor had gone blank in the middle of the exam. Ravage returned his optics back to Frenzy and found himself narrowing his optics at what he saw.

Ravage wasn't looking at Frenzy, it didn't feel like Frenzy. The expression on the red and black cassette's face didn't belong to him, but instead to someone dark and malicious. He looked over his shoulder at Ravage and flashed a large grin. Then he looked away from, as if giving the cat moment to let the look sink in and register that something was definitely wrong.

Frenzy stood and suddenly yanked the cord out of his helm. Throwing it on the berth so hard that delicate plug nearly broke.

"I don't wanna have a check-up!" Frenzy yelled before he jumped off the medical berth, attempting to storm out of the Med Bay, once again with all optics focused on him.

"Get back here we are not done," called an angry Hook, who didn't lay down for fussy patients, "Soundwave wants a—"

"I don't care what that stupid fraggin' telepath wants!" Frenzy snapped, turning to face the Constructicon, inconsolable hatred upon his faceplate.

Ravage growled loudly, sinking into a menacing stance on the recharge berth. That was not Frenzy.

Frenzy's optics fixed on Ravage and lifted a threatening finger at him. "You quit following me! I'm sick of you! Next time ya follow me I'll knock ya fuckin' head off!"

If Frenzy's hostile and unpredictable uproar wasn't enough to raise optic ridges, the human expletive certainly did the job. They stared at him like a dangerous alien specimen; some alarmed and some repulsed.

Frenzy shivered slightly, a small gasp escaping his vocalizer. Ravage could see the twin start to resurface again...

Ravage jumped from the berth, approaching him cautiously. "Frenzy—"

"I said NO! You just make things worse for me! You stay away from me you stupid cat or I'll kill you!"

Frenzy flinched. His mouth opened and closed in horror like a fish out of water, as if realizing what he had said.

He couldn't explain it, it wasn't him. He didn't say those things. It was if someone else was doing the talking for him, making him look like an aft. Terror swept through him, it was as if he was losing control of everything, his processor, his vocalizer... his body.

"I... I..." he couldn't find anything to say.

"Leave," Hook ordered bluntly. "But perhaps I should prescribe a sedative before you go? You appear to need it—"

He interrupted him, an unknown anger surfacing in him. "Perhaps I shoul' drag ya down the hall before I go?"

Hook's jaw dropped, not only because he was insulted, but also because he was alarmed; the memory of being dragged out of the Energon Storage Room resurfaced—but how did Frenzy know about that? Hook never told anyone.

Hook narrowed his optics and took a menacing step forward, hiding his discomfort. "Repeat that to me. I implore you to."

Panic set in and Frenzy trembled, he didn't even know why he said those words, they just flew out. "No..."

Frenzy's glance fixed on Ravage, embarrassment and fear creeping into his spark. Ravage made his way to Frenzy and looked him over with stern optics.

"Soundwave—NOW," he communicated telepathically.

There is was again, that anger. He didn't know where it was coming from, there was no reason for him to be angry, yet he couldn't control it. It boiled up...

Frenzy's vision suddenly went dark, as if a veil had been placed over his visor...

He rebooted his optics, trying to wake himself up and return back to the land of the functioning.

Ravage lay in front of him... a small line of life-blood trickling from a small dent by Ravage's right optic as his fellow cassette lay on his side unconscious.

His gaze fixed around the room and the looks had only gotten worse, but one mech stood out more than the others...

He never recalled Astrotrain being so furious at him.

He backed away, giving each a glance, as if looking for a companion; someone to help him.

Unfortunately he left the Med Bay alone.


Soundwave's visor never left the monitor and the dozens of smaller screens that covered it as he continued searching for evidence.

The entity was clever. He had discovered that when he looked over the security cameras from the Energon Storage Room; there was a pattern...

When Dead End, Dirge, Thundercracker and Skywarp were searching for the circuit box, when Hook had entered the room later, and lastly when the Insecticons and Ravage had ceased fighting, the cameras either shut off or froze. Soundwave found it interesting, especially when they would return to normal status when the room was no longer occupied. He also discovered this in the other halls when the Decepticon's recharge cycles were disturbed.

He knew what it was doing. It was concealing itself, hiding its tracks. The being was creating malfunctions throughout the base from flickering lights to malfunctioning cameras and also from jumping from hall to hall in an untraceable pattern.

What confused Soundwave was why it was choosing to hide itself, yet be so exaggerated when it came to attacking out at others. Ravage had told him that he had been lifted up in the air and thrown at the Insecticons and Frenzy had already been telepathically attacked.

So why did it continue to hide itself when it clearly had made an impression?

Ravage's voice came over the link, halting Soundwave's work.

"Frenzy is getting worse," Ravage said. "He just had a rather interesting episode in the Med Bay. I think the being was communicating through him; Frenzy reeked of that odious smell and his behavior was hostile."

"Did he say anything?" asked Soundwave.

"Yes," Ravage came. "First he told me to stop following him and that he would lash out at me if I continued—using a human expletive even."

"Continue," Soundwave encouraged.

"When I attempted to confront him and suggest that he see you, he hit me."

By instinct, Soundwave began to search for Frenzy's presence in the link... and his finding troubled him. He could not feel Frenzy. Though his presence was there, it felt... artificial; like some sort of poor substitute to throw Soundwave off.

"Where is Frenzy?" questioned Soundwave.

"He was gone when I woke."

"Find him," Soundwave ordered. "Chance of another attack: 64%."

"That's the thing Soundwave," Ravage said. "I was able to follow his signature until a few moments ago... I think the being was able to block me from him. I was hoping you would be able to lock in."

It was able to block them from feeling one of their own—able to block Soundwave from really feeling and communicating with Frenzy. That only could only mean one thing...

It had already begun to take control of Frenzy; he was starting to become it's puppet.

He was starting to become possessed.


The dreaded recharge cycle came once again; only dreaded because that was the time when the unwelcomed noises that plagued Miscellaneous Hall were heard by the residents that lived in it.

Astrotrain had noticed an unusual pattern over the past couple of cycles. He noticed that the animalistic grunts would stop outside his door, increasingly grow loud and then eventually tire and cease.

Blitzwing would every other night become under attack by the inanimate objects in his quarters. He eventually got so flustered by the nightly disturbance that he eventually locked all the objects that had been thrown at him (since it was always the same ones) into his closet.

The Reflector Triplets continually reported seeing dark apparitions, but they could never transform quickly enough to get a picture; it always got away.

While the Triplets and Blitzwing continued to rack their processors about what was causing the phenomenon (both of them suspecting that it was an intruder) Astrotrain wasn't so sure. He couldn't help connect the events to his brief encounter with the paranormal when he and his sister had visited an abandoned house and BOTH had seen the mech that haunted it.

She had always doubted she had seen him, but Astrotrain never could doubt his optics or feelings. He saw him and he would never forget him.

He was tall—about as tall as a Seeker. Red optics, white face, dark and square helmet—half of which was missing. About half of his body was charred and damaged beyond repair, perhaps the victim of air raid or fire. The half that wasn't black and damaged showed that he was once a ground-roller with green and blue coloring.

The reason that Astrotrain could never forget the ghost was not because of the obvious reason that he was dead and shouldn't have been standing there. No, it was because the entire time the two siblings saw him, he only chose to stare at him. He never once acknowledged his sister's presence.

Later he had found out by overhearing a conversation vorns later in a tavern built over the ruined house that his name was 'Oversight' and the bartender and owner would see him from time to time.

The tavern is long gone now, but memories were not as put out.

Anger flared the memory of what had transpired in the Med Bay just a couple of breems ago...

"Oversight say's 'Hi' Astrotrain..."

How did Frenzy know that? How in the pit would Frenzy know one of his most well-guarded secrets? Not only that, it was the way that Frenzy had said it, right before he punched Ravage in the optic. He said it so... snarky and sinisterly. However it didn't compare to what Frenzy had said next before he left the Med Bay...

"You shouldn't spoil things ya know—not without my permission— it's bad..."

What the slag was that supposed to mean? He didn't like that—not at all.

It was the same phrase he had heard in the elevator after he and Blitzwing had checked the energon inventory. Except the voice he heard was gruffer, baritone... and sinister.

Astrotrain had just rounded the corner to Miscellaneous Hall before he was stopped by a peculiar sight.

Reflector, who had changed into their alt mode, was placed in the middle of the hall. Blitzwing exited his quarters when he heard Astrotrain's footsteps outside in the hallway. He went to stand next to his fellow Triple-Changer, sighing.

"He's been there all cycle—won't move," Blitzwing explained. "Not till he gets a glamour shot of the mech who keeps botherin' us."

Astrotrain shrugged and went to his quarters, it didn't bother him; Reflector was doing a favor for them (the sooner the mech was found, the sooner he would be banished, and the sooner he could get a full recharge.)

Blitzwing also retreated back, but not without giving Reflector a cutting remark. "Ya want me ta get you a tripod camera-bots? That way you're not takin' a picture of the slaggers feet?"

"No need," replied Reflector in his unison echo. "Go get your beauty sleep Blitzwing—you need it."

Blitzwing narrowed his optics behind his visor and kicked the camera causing the clunky device to roll down the hall. Blitzwing entered his quarters with a smirk, retaliation his.

Reflector transformed, the triplet's exhibiting equal hostile looks of contempt aimed at the Triple-Changer's door, and repositioned themselves back to the spot from where they were kicked.

Ready for the night that lay ahead.


It left him in pain on the floor, his fuel lines still aching slightly as if had literally tried to rip out his fuel lines out again. His forehead rested on the ground of the Energon Storage Room. He wrapped his arms around his torso and lay there, unable to get himself to stand up and leave, unsure it would let him...

He heard and felt the presence of two small feet near his face, but he didn't dare to look up, he didn't need to; he knew who the feet belonged to.

"Leave me the frag alone..." he managed to choke out.

He felt a slight pang in his processer, he shuddered, feeling it enter the very depths of his mind...

Frenzy could feel him, everything that made up the malicious doctor. As if they were one.

He heard a deep laughter echo inside his mind, hurting his audio receptors and fogging his vision. The dark filter returned and covered his optics. He couldn't see anything, as if he was offline but still conscious of everything. Then he heard the doctor's voice answer him...

"Never..."

Then it left; the filter, the pain, the presence. Shaken he stood, picking himself up, his legs like rubber. A heavy atmosphere still hung around him even though he knew he was gone for the moment. The doctor's word still hung in his processor, that single terrifying word that promised Frenzy that this was just the beginning to what it would do to him.

He tried walking to the door, venting much needed cool air to calm his overheated circuitry. His whole form felt as if it was on fire. He felt sick and tired, angry and frightened.

Static returned and he covered his audio receptors, choking out a pained cry as he leaned his head back. A cloud of darkness once again engulfing him...


Astrotrain woke with narrowed optics. Although he doubted hearing it the first time, he knew that he had heard it this time.

There was someone walking around his room. He felt optics on him, watching his every move.

He rose from his berth, his feet firmly on the floor. Slowly his scanners went to work, his optics brightening as his night-vision activated. There was nobody in the room, but that feeling was overwhelming. He knew that there was someone in the room with him.

He went to the other side of his quarters and activated his lights. They came on and Astrotrain backed into his quarters' door, and he felt like a sparkling again.

Oversight stood by his berth, staring at him with a penetrating and intimidating stare. There was no denying that what he was there.

Except this time Oversight gave him insight to his personality. He leaned his head forward, the corners of his mouth tugged into a grin. Astrotrain's hand touched the controls of his door and they slid open. Slowly he backed up into the hall, his optics never leaving the ghost in his room.

"Reflector..." he forcefully whispered through gritted dental plates."Get over here."

"Why?" called the trio in unison.

"Just get the frag over here!" he ordered.

Reflector transformed, all three mechs slightly annoyed that they were interrupted. "What's the matter?"

Astrotrain snapped his fingers and pointed to the ground, silently ordering him to come; his optics never leaving his room.

Blitzwing, who had yet to get to sleep, exited his quarters in hopes to tire himself by walking about the base. He raised his optic bridges in surprise when he saw Astrotrain already out of his quarters and the Reflector triplets approaching him.

Blitzwing and Reflector reached Astrotrain's side about the same time... and failed to see what had made Astrotrain stiffen.

Blitzwing nudged Astrotrain's shoulder, breaking his fellow Triple-Changer's trance. "What's the slag is wrong with you?"

A large thud caused them to turn towards their left... and down the hall Oversight passed, giving them a fleeting glance and disappearing into the wall. The residence stood in petrified awe at the sight of their new visitor, unsure what to make of him now that they knew who and what he was.

At the end of Miscellaneous Hall, Frenzy peeked behind the wall, staring at their backs...


Reflector had not been the only mech playing night guard.

In the Control Room Soundwave watched the activity in Miscellaneous Hall with great interest, his attention caught when Astrotrain had backed out of his quarters; a rare expression of fear upon the Triple-Changer's face. Then his sudden determination to have Reflector to come next to him to look at something inside Astrotrain's room and Blitzwing also joining them...

Then the next important thing…

He switched cameras in order to get a better view of what all of them looking at.

A faint dark spot in the camera moved from one side of the screen to the other, disappearing from view when it reached the wall.

Soundwave smiled slightly under his facemask... he finally had his proof. Proof that not only that there was a ghost haunting the Nemesis, but he also had witnesses the help validate his claim.

The Triple-Changers looked at each other, then to Reflector, speaking to him. Reflector transformed back into his alt mode, Astrotrain catching him before he and Blitzwing disappeared to search for the entity, obviously wanting to prove its existence in their hall.

Soundwave set to work, rewinding the recording and copying it to a disc to show to Megatron later. However he found his actions interrupted when it seemed that the activity in Miscellaneous Hall was not quite finished yet.

Soundwave found himself straitening himself in his chair when Frenzy came into view, his back to the camera, walking in a tired shuffle until he stopped. Soundwave watched with anticipation as Frenzy slowly turned to face the camera, glance at it, smile and then turn back around and continue to walk down the hall.

Soundwave frowned behind his facemask, his victory stolen away from him.

Realization hit Soundwave like a slap in the face...

The being was getting stronger and it wanted Soundwave to know.


A/N: Many paranormal experts believe that dark entities like to create confusion among their victims, ruin happy family bonds and do everything in their power to shatter all hope for help for the one they target the most. Which is what this chapter was about—the beginning to a very bumpy road now that the Decepticons have an 'idea' of what is really in their base...

Once again thanks for reading and review if you wish. :)