Disclaimer: I only own my OCs and nothing else.

Authoress: Hmm, this is getting interesting.

Pandimala: What? What's happening?

Authoress: *chuckles evily* All in time my young bot.

Ch. 20: Get Ready…

Pandimala woke up with a gasp. She had experienced the same nightmare that had been plaguing her for many stellar cycles. She didn't understand why she was having it again. She hadn't had it since she had graduated from boot camp. About thirty seconds later, Chaom woke up and sat up next to Pandimala. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder before saying, "What's the matter 'Mala?"

Pandimala looked at Chaom before saying, "I had the nightmare again."

Chaom gave Pandimala a light kiss on the cheek before saying, "You should just remember that you are here now and you have me to protect you." Chaom was upset that his bondmate was upset. She had told him of her nightmare when they bonded and he was scared by it by just hearing it. She had to live the stupid nightmare whenever her subconscious decided to make her.

Pandimala smiled at her mate before saying, "I know dear. I love you." And she gave him a quick peck on the cheek before getting up.

"Why are you getting up?" Chaom asked. He wanted to sleep some more but whenever his mate was up, he couldn't stay asleep for much longer.

"Because it is already eight in the morning and I want to go and see if the Autobots left any messages." Pandimala answered.

Chaom groaned before getting off the berth and saying, "I might as well come with you. If Sentinel left you any hate messages, I am going to see just how high he can squeal."

Pandimala laughed and finished getting ready. Once they were both set, they headed off to the control room. Not surprising, Remcy and Whirlwind were already up and sipping their morning energon. The two looked up at the triple changers before Remcy stated, "I will take a guess and say that you are here to see if there are any messages."

Pandimala nodded so he typed in some commands into the console and soon Pandimala was sifting through all of them as Chaom went to get their energon. They were all junk mail. Pandimala sighed to herself. She really hated junk mail. It was one of the most annoying inventions of humanity.

Remcy then turned off the messages and returned to the welcome screen. Chaom then returned and handed Pandimala her energon. The two of them got about halfway done when a call request came through from the Autobots. Pandimala nodded and Remcy answered it.

"Pandimala, I see that you are awake." Ultra Magnus said on the other side.

Pandimala was surprised that Ultra Magnus was calling this early in the morning. He was not the type to normally call when most bots would still be in recharge. Plus the worried look on his faceplate added to her suspicion. "What's wrong Ultra Magnus?"

"You always knew how to tell when something was wrong, couldn't you?"

"Nah, you just make it too easy." Pandimala responded with a playful smile.

Ultra Magnus sighed before saying, "Pandimala, what do you know about human building taxes?"

The question threw Pandimala. Why in the pit did he want to talk about building taxes? Since she was taking so long to respond, Chaom said, "We actually own what the humans call a mansion so we can keep our disguises up and we have to take out of the human funding left with the house regularly. Why do you ask?"

Ultra Magnus' worried look returned as he said, "We received a notification today that if we did not pay the building tax on our new station here when they come out, we will have to give it up. I contacted the leader of this country and he made sure that we wouldn't have to pay anymore but we still need to pay the one coming up."

Pandimala knew that something was up so she asked, "When is it and how much do you have to pay?"

"We have two days to pay five thousand dollars. How are we going to pay for it 'Mala?" Ultra Magnus responded.

Pandimala thought about it for a bit before saying, "I have an idea but you will have to trust me. I think I have the perfect way for you to get the money."

Ultra Magnus nodded and said, "I trust you Pandimala. Contact me if you need any help. Until then though." He then signed off.

Chaom glanced at Pandimala before asking, "What is your plan dear?"

Instead of answering him directly, Pandimala stated, "Gather the rest of the Scouters in the control room.

Chaom nodded and said, "Sure, but I hope your plan is a good one. It is very hard to collect five thousand in just three days." He then went off.

Once everyone was in the control room, Pandimala said, "I believe that you have all been informed of the current situation. Since the Autobots will hopefully become our allies, we need to help them as much as we can."

"Chaom said that you have a plan. What is it?" Asked the newly awakened Scale.

"Well, I plan on having the Metal Aliens have a comeback concert." Pandimala stated.

"But 'Mala, how will the Metal Aliens be able to raise five thousand dollars?" Stormfire asked.

Remcy now saw how this could work and said, "We send out advertisement right away. Contact all the major news networks and papers as well as radio stations and we have to make sure that they have a day to travel for the concert. We will say how the Autobots have saved 'us' multiple times from Decepticon attacks as well as our own criminals like Angry Archer and Meltdown and they have always helped repair the damages that their fighting has caused. And now the city of Detroit is forcing them to pay this outrageous tax."

Boombox, now seeing the idea, said, "We would then ask them to come and watch our concert that will be pay by donation and we can say that at the end there will be a drawing for one person or group to come on stage and sing the last song with us. We would sell those tickets for a dollar each or six for five dollars."

"So, are we all agreed?" Pandimala asked.

The chorus of yeses that rang through the room was Pandimala's answer so she turned to Anvil, Rev, Boombox, and Breaker before saying, "You four, get on the phones and, as a soliform self, contact any and all new sources that you can."

Hinge then said, "I will call the city council of Detroit and ask if we can set up our stage in the park." He then ran out of the room.

"Blackbit and I will go and get the materials to build the stage." Chem stated before the two of them ran out.

"What are us non-members going to do during the concert." Blockade asked, wanting to help.

Balm smiled and said, "Well, Joint and I will be in a nurse's station because there are usually casualties with a concert. Breaker and Boombox will be on site electricians to make sure everything keeps running and fix anything that has problems. And the rest of you will be security."

"So we are going to be making sure that everyone is behaving properly for a concert. As well as making sure that no one goes back stage without permission and we kick out anyone that you guys want us too?" Ness asked.

"Yep." Balm answered.

Stormfire than smiled and said, "Of course there is a downside."

"What?" Joint asked curiously, even though it didn't affect her.

Balm and Stormfire smiled at each other and said, "You all have to wear uniforms so everyone can tell that you are security."

Zarron then turned to Pandimala and asked, "So, does that cover it?"

Pandimala nodded and said, "Ok, everyone dismissed. Except for you Chaom."

The other bots chuckled at Chaom as they left. Once it was just Pandimala and Chaom in the room, Chaom said, "I am guessing that we are going to talk about what music we will be preforming?"

Pandimala nodded and said, "I think we should do a mixture of everything."

Chaom smiled at that and said, "And we should have the performers wear a special outfit for this return."

"I couldn't agree more." Pandimala said with a smirk.

Powell and the Galloways were eating at one of the most expensive restaurants in town for their lunch meeting. After Powell had told them what he had gone through since the last time they saw each other, Henry told Galloway what happened at his mother's funeral and the will reading. Powell was shocked that his great aunt had given her fortune to some stranger instead of her own flesh and blood.

"So, this boy Ashland got the entire thing but he hasn't been heard from for about ten years? That is cause for some worry. What is that boy doing?" Powell asked.

"That's what I want to know cousin. I know that little twerp is doing something dreadful with our money." Henry stated.

Just then, it seemed that the entire restaurant went silent and one man yelled for one of the waiters to turn up the TV in the center of the room. Powell and Henry turned to the screen and saw a reporter say, "Good after noon everyone! We have all heard of the wonderful deeds that the Cybertronian Autobots have done for us in Detroit under the command of Optimus Prime. Not only protecting humanity from the Decepticons, but helping us with our own criminals like Meltdown and Angry Archer and they have always repaired the damages that they both sides have caused. Just recently, the rest of the Autobot faction has agreed to have a treaty with humanity and they were allowed to build a rest station here on Earth for their troops. And how have the people of Detroit decided to show their thanks? They have put a five thousand dollar tax on the station and have said that the Autobots have to pay it in two days! The government tried to get it stopped but all they can do is make sure that they didn't have to pay anymore."

"Humph, they make that sound like having them pay is a bad thing." Powell grumbled, though not loud enough for the people around to hear him.

"But all hope is not lost. As you all know, the band, The Metal Aliens, disappeared ten years ago after their Christmas concert. Well, they have come out of hiding and have decided that they were going to do something about this decision. They have decided to hold a comeback concert in Detroit. All funds will go to help paying for this ridiculous tax. If any of listeners want to help, come on down to Detroit on the day of the tax and make any size donation to enjoy a full day full of musical entertainment. Also, my sources have told me that there will be a drawing that will be held that at the end of the concert, any one person or group, will be able to sing with the band. Tickets for this drawing will be one for a dollar or six for five dollars. So if you are wondering what you are going to do for the weekend, come on over to Detroit and help us out. This is Sandy signing out."

Powell looked furious, but he was surprised when he saw that Henry and George looked just as upset. "Why are you two upset?" Powell asked.

Henry pointed to the TV and said, "That band they mentioned, well Ashland Val is a part of that band."

Noticing that people were starting to stare at them, Powell stated, "We should head back to my place. We can talk more openly there."

The three agreed so they paid their bill and went to Powell's, feeling very defeated.

Megatron, Pandemonium, and Malice were standing around a table that was showing a 3-D projection of the Earth. They were trying to figure out where they were going to attack the Autobots. Before they were able to get a solid plan in though, Anarcum ran into the room and he looked like he was shocked.

"What is it Anarcum?" Megatron asked annoyed. This young bot had really bad timing. They had almost figured out how they were going to attack the 'Bots.

Anarcum bowed to Megatron before saying, "Turn on the news."

"What channel?" Megatron asked. He was now curious about what Anarcum had seen. It had better be worth his time.

"Any of them. There is something on about the Autobots." Anarcum stated.

Megatron turned on the closest monitor and was shocked to hear that the human leader of Detroit was trying to get rid of the Autobots by making them pay a tax. Even though he would never admit it to his bots, but he couldn't afford for the bots to actually leave this planet. Some of them actually gave him a challenge in a fight, especially the red and blue one called Optimus Prime. He was a worthy opponent. He almost let out a sigh of relief when the news lady said that there was a group of humans that were holding a concert to fund raise money for the bots so they could stay. The news even said when the concert would be held and asked everyone for a donation to come in.

"So, what are we planning on doing about this sir?" Pandemonium asked.

Megatron paused the monitor before saying, "We are going to attend this 'concert'. And here is how we are going to attack." He then gathered all of his Decepticons and told them his plan.

Authoress: Well, the upcoming chapters are going to be very interesting.

Chaom: Authoress, we hate it when you say that stuff about the future cause we have no idea what in the heck is going to happen.

Authoress: Well, that comes from my Decepticon heritage. I'm seventy five percent Decepticon. =)

Pandimala: Somehow, that doen't surprise me.

AN: Hey everyone, sorry for being away for so long. Had vacation, work, and I got a little sick. Feeling better now though. Hope you all liked this. Please read and review. But no flames.