AN: (wave) Greetings. Here is the first of two updates-Guns will have an update by Sunday. And while I'm not one for long author's notes...I feel that in this situation, one is called for.

I am running into many problems on Guns. Without spoiling much of the major plotline...let's just say I've discovered I've stepped into an canon minefield with what I had in mind/was drawing information from. So much so that I'm considering switching the continuality where I was getting more of the information from. (And no, it's not the movieverse). So all I can ask is that you bear with me-I want to get Guns out and written as much as you all would love to read it.

This chapter of System was also a minor experiment-VioletLight and I are venturing into the path of joint fanfic, and she volunteered to write the very first scene of this chapter, and I'd write the rest. If you haven't read any of her work, I reccomend Vapour Trails and Prayer. The characters Nemesis, Nightshade, and any relationships they have are her ideas.

And once again, I don't own Transformers, I just only play with them.

Long Way Down

--

Does anyone know what happened to Jetfire?

With that name, the spybug turned its antennae towards the two Seekers. Its master's interest was piqued.

The last I heard, he somehow was able to overpower Thrust's trine and head north … towards Autobot territory.

You don't think he'd side with the Autobots, do you?

… I wouldn't blame him if he did. Primus knows they'd treat him a lot better. From what I hear, their leaders actually care about their soldiers.

Yeah. They do care…

Sitting in front of his personal computer terminal, which took up an entire wall of his quarters, the Decepticon Communications Commander listened to the Seekers for a few more breems, but his interest quickly deteriorated as it became obvious that continued conversation was the last thing on their CPUs. From what he knew about Thundercracker and Downpour (which was likely more than either Seeker would be comfortable with), he doubted either were actually treacherous. No, this was nothing more than the idle musings of two flying petro-rabbits. Still, continued surveillance of Uraya would be wise.

"Laserbeak: Eject." The cyberraptor-shaped symbiote obediently flew out of her partner's hold and perched expectantly on his forearm. "Operation: Surveillance." No further words were needed as the information necessary for her mission was downloaded directly into the symbiote's processors. Upload complete, Laserbeak hopped over to the exit chute built into another wall specifically for occasions like this. Her master watched through her optics as she sped through the chute, shooting out over Kolkular like a bullet from a gun, on her way to Uraya within astroseconds.

Even if the Seekers proved innocent, their conversation could still be useful if their … cooperation was ever needed.

Knowing wasn't half the battle. It was the whole war.

At that thought, Soundwave's visored optics turned towards the small desk set up at the opposite corner of his spartan quarters. The rhythmic hum of powered-down systems sounded from behind a small wall of bookcubes and datapads. Soundwave walked over to the desk, where, as he suspected, his sparkling apprentice had fallen into recharge in the middle of her studies.

Nightshade … in a rare display of emotion, Soundwave gently stroked his young student's helm with one finger. The little femme, barely the size of Soundwave's hand, let out a soft, newspark-like peep in her recharge. Behind his ever-present mask, a small smile formed on Soundwave's faceplates as he lifted the sparkling up and carried her over to her little recharge berth, placed beside his. Perhaps he was giving his apprentice too much work …

Nightshade suddenly cried out in her recharge, and instinctively snuggled closer into Soundwave's chestplates. Alarmed, Soundwave quickly scanned her CPU.

Nightshade's unconscious processor was a blur of broken images and terrified emotions, with one image repeating itself over and over in her mind – an Autobot insignia, splashed with spilt energon …

"Ravage." At the sound of his designation, Soundwave's oldest symbiote padded quietly to Nightshade's berth and curled up around the sparkling. Soundwave felt his silent inquiry.

More nightmares?

"Nightshade: Still afraid from Autobots' attempted abduction."

First that and now Jetfire turning traitor. Ravage expressed his disgust at the current Kaon security level with a low growl.

"Agreed." This situation was spiraling out of control, and if there was one thing Soundwave could not abide, it was lack of control. He would step up his apprentice's training, make her capable of defending herself. As for the other matter -- "Buzzsaw: Eject." It was time to bring it to Megatron's attention.

He was not pleased. And when he was not pleased, Megatron noted, everybody and everything seemed to disappear. This was probably a good thing, as at the moment he felt like being alone. Now if somebody were to come in-say Starscream… The familiar surge of anger at his second-in-command's desgination made Megatron grit his dental plates, resisting the urge to online his fusion cannon and blow a hole in the wall.

No good flying piece of slag! Thanks to Starscream, the Decepticons had lost one of the very few intelligent 'bots in their ranks, and to make the situation even worse, he had been working on some secret projects to be used against the Autobots. For the past two and a half lunar cycles, Megatron had ordered numerous missions to search for the missing Seeker. The assumption-based on personnel files and testimony from those who had known him- had been that Jetfire would have hidden among the Neutrals.

In which case, Megatron mused, it would have been easy to find the mech and get him to rejoin the Decepticons. The Neutrals were nothing-worthless pieces of scrap. His orders had been to find Jetfire and bring him directly to Kolkular. There Megatron would have offered leniency-looking over the attempted defection, offering the mech his own labs-a command even!- in return for an oath of undying loyalty to Megatron and the Decepticon cause.

He's not a troublemaker. In fact, him leaving us is the…well, the first real rebellious thing he's ever done! The Decepticon leader frowned. He'd been so wrapped up in his dealings with Starscream that he'd neglected his occasional searches in the ranks to find those rare few who were truly trustworthy. Had he noticed this Jetfire sooner, perhaps rewarded him for his diligence… Primus damn Starscream to the Pit!

If I did not need that glitch, his head would be on top of Kolkular's gates… The soft sound of the door opening caught his attention, and Megatron looked up. Then a smile seemed to cross his faceplates, and he leaned back in his seat.

"What have you found, Soundwave?"

Soundwave bowed slightly, Buzzsaw nodding on his shoulder cannon.

"Final report: Jetfire not among Neutrals." He began, having learned quickly not to bore Megatron with excessive amounts of detail. Holding out his arm, Buzzsaw obediently hopped onto it. "Probability: Very high he is with Autobots." Megatron's faceplates darkened at the news.

"I see." He said. "This is very troubling…more so that he was privy to several classified projects Shockwave and Nemesis were working on."

"Nemesis: Certain that Jetfire would not betray us."

"And Shockwave?" Megatron asked. Seeing that Soundwave had no answer, he straightened in his seat. "Therein lies our problem. Shockwave was Jetfire's commanding officer, and he will not vouch for him. Nemesis is our CMO, had little contact with Jetfire, and she vouches for him. None of the Seekers he worked with will vouch for him-though I suspect Starscream had something to do with that-" Megatron trailed off, considering his next statement, and then continued.

"Then there is the matter of our law-associations with Autobots are punishiable by death."

"Shockwave: May have not been pleased with…competition Jetfire possibly represented." Soundwave replied. "Starscream: Dangerous idiot." Megatron cackled at that, the mood lifting for a moment.

"Heh!" Falling silent, he eyed Soundwave and Buzzsaw for a moment, and then nodded to himself. "I need some time to think on this. Leave Buzzsaw with me, I'll send him with my decision." Soundwave bowed in reply, Buzzsaw leaving him to take up a position on a perch that was near Megatron.

For a Decepticon outpost, the Kolkular medical bay was extremely well organized. This was due in part to the Decepticon Chief Medical Officer Nemesis, who treated the labs as her own personal property. Under her strict optics, the Decepticon stance on the weak and injured had changed slightly…though some would attribute that fact to her being Megatron's current mate. Not much was known about her-save for that she had showed up in Kolkular one orn, with a sparkling-Nightshade- in her arms. A few orns later she had been named Decepticon CMO-and had become Megatron's femme a few lunar cycles later. This orn the Decepticon leader was lucky-Nemesis was present in the main medical bay. Red optics looked up as he entered, and then back down to the tools on the nearby berth.

"What is it?" Her voice was low-almost a growl. Megatron paused. While it was normal to see Nemesis in a grumpy mood, her attitude today was downright vile.

"Are things well?" He asked.

"Well enough." Nemesis answered, giving him a considering glance. "Rumor has it you had Soundwave report to you about Jetfire."

"And would that rumor have come from Hook?" Megatron asked. He turned his head to look at the younger 'bot. Hook, who was reading a datapad nearby, quickly deemed it best that he go and work on inventory.

"You had better not do what I think you're going to do." Nemesis warned.

"And what is that?" Megatron countered. "Tell me, why are you taking this so personally? Is it because he left you with all this work?"

"You're right I'm taking this personally!" The femme snarled, whirling around to face the Decepticon leader. "I'm angry because he left me with this work, but also that he's a good mech, and here you're about hang him out to dry!"

"To begin, I haven't even decided anything yet." Megatron said, crossing his arms. "In fact, I came down here to ask you why youseem to be the only one who even cares for this mech." Nemesis huffed, looking to the side. She could hear it-the thinly veiled threat of what could happen. Megatron didn't like it when she noticed other mechs, and it was a very dangerous thing to make the Decepticon leader jealous.

"You know you don't have that many trustworthy 'bots to begin with." She finally said, turning her head back to look at her mate. "Soundwave yes, Shockwave-well, I trust him as far as I can throw him, and Starscream…Starscream all but just screams trouble! You can't tell me that he's the sole cause of this situation all because he got it into his stupid processor to abuse his power as Air Commander! You know that situation could have been handed better!"

"I admit Starscream is a problem…" Megatron began. Nemesis snarled at that, causing him to start.

"Problem?! Problem?! No. Your brother is a problem. The Autobots are a problem. Starscream is a FRAGGIN CRISIS!!"

"Compose yourself!" Megatron barked. "This is highly unbecoming of you, Nemesis!" The Decepticon CMO calmed down-marginally, though her gaze was still sharp.

"I know Jetfire." She said. "And yes-I admit, it looks bad right now-more so if he was with the Autobots. But he wouldn't betray us. He'd still be too upset with what Starscream did, Evensoar… And the Autobots in turn, especially if your brother is involved in the situation, wouldn't be pressing him for any information."

"For so long?" Megatron asked, raising an optic ridge. "My brother leads a band if idiots yes, but to be that tactically stupid…"

"If Optimus overruled his security officers, then yes, it could be this long." Nemesis replied. "But even he'd have to listen to them sooner or later." She sighed, shaking her head. "If you wanted to get him out-or find out anything, then now is the time. He's obviously in Iacon, you would have known by now if he was in one of their outposts."

"And Iacon presents a problem for us…" The Decepticon leader mused. Nemesis watched her mate.

"Do you have something in mind?" She finally asked.

"…Yes. I just might."