Yo! articmadador here putting up this chapter real quick because I forgot to do it yesterday. Yeah...oops. Sorry everybody. I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Hasbro does. I only own Claire and the squad, and whomever else you don't recognize. Please review and enjoy!

"Collect and crush the rocks. Don't stop until I say so."

The command constantly rang in 712's drone processor. She could not disobey her trainer. She had to obey his commands, even if he was not present. In fact, she had no idea where he was. All she knew was that he had given her a command, and although the explosion had frightening her and caused her to go into flight mode, she had finally come to her senses must continue to follow the command.

At first she could not do so, considering the fact that she had flown away from Africa and ended up flying over two oceans. She had flown over the Indian and Pacific Ocean, completely missing the islands in between. She had reached California just a day ago. She had been forced to continue her journey when the humans had launched missiles at her. Eventually she had reached the safety of the desert, which was just so happened to be in Nevada. This was unfortunate because she was only a few miles away from NEST's new base. Even worse, they were heading straight towards her, and neither party knew it yet.

712 took another mouth full of rocks and destroyed them. She was a Jawbreaker 4000, so breaking rocks was her specialty. She had a large head, and her jaw was not unlike a snake's. It could unhinge and stretch far enough to fit things bigger than 712 herself was. Besides this, and the sharp Cybertanium spikes on her wings, that was the only true abilities she had. She was actually a collector, not a fighter. Her legs were just long and sturdy enough to navigate slightly rough trails and withstand a lot of weight, but she could not run with them. Her wings were an impressive size and sight, but hindered her ability to maneuver on the ground. Watching her walk was like watching a seabird navigate on land. It was an odd sight, and she had too much experience with falling.

712 wasn't exactly smart, but she had began to develop as little personality. It was most likely her human soul that caused this. The only true individuality she had was that she was more tolerant than most of the Predacon drones, and she communicated better than most. Unfortunately, her senses were very weak. Her olfactory sensors were terribly weak, so she could not detect things that were even a mile away. She did have small door-like structures that allowed her to completely shut these sensors to avoid getting dirt and other debris in them. Still, that didn't help her weakness. Her eyesight was nothing to marvel either. Her optics were less complex than most Cybertronians'. She could see well enough to fly in light rain or snow, but once that picked up she would go down. As for her hearing, that was practically the only thing she had going for her. She could hear things that were nearly two miles away, but she didn't exactly pay attention to those sounds. Usually she ignored them, or would be alerted, then completely forget it and go about her business. This time, though, she did not ignore the sound of a helicopter. Her trainer's alt mode was a helicopter. Perhaps that was him, returning to give her more commands. Although she could not push the command she was currently following aside, it did automatically postpone itself and her processor prepared itself for new commands. She took off towards the noise, not knowing that all this time her trainer was offlined. He had been killed in the blast, as well as crushed in the rockslide.

On the plane

"Why do I hear a helicopter?"

"You can hear it already, Sideswipe?"

"Yeah. Miles, you would probably hear it better if you took those cotton balls out of your ears."

"Oh! Right!"

"Why did you have those in anyway?"

"A few of the soldiers were trying to sing. It wasn't going too well."

"What were they singing?"

"Beyoncé."

"Oh Primus. I caught Sunny trying to sing Beyoncé a once. It sounded like a dying Hydro-weasel." Both of them laughed, then Miles leaned against the wall of the plane and signed.

"Something wrong?" Sideswipe asked him.

"What the fuck is a Hydro-weasel?" Miles replied with a smile.

There was a sudden roar, and everyone froze. The Autobots all seemed to stiffen in their alt modes, and those who had been recharging woke up.

"Was that Mirage's pet!?" Miles choked.

"She can't roar. She has a muzzle on. I'll check in with him just in case."

::Sideswipe to Mirage.::

::I'm here. I heard it too, and it wasn't Illusion. She was recharging until she heard it.::

::What is she doing?::

::Her optics are pale blue and purple. She growling lowly, but her tail is swinging back and forth. Whatever just roared has her attention.::

::Do you think it's another Predacon?::

::It might be.::

There was another roar, then yelling from onboard the plane. Suddenly things went silent, and Miles ran away from the Autobots' area to see what was going on. It was quiet for a few more seconds, then there was a loud crash. Miles came running back with a pale face.

"What happened?" Sideswipe asked.

"The helicopter that was supposed to led us to base…something tore it apart."

"Tore it apart!?" Ironhide half asked.

"Something's out there."

There was more yelling, then something hit the plane. Jolt rolled down his window and Claire stuck her head out. She looked around with wide eyes, but said nothing. It was silent again, then someone yelled again, breaking the silence.

"It's a Predacon!"

Something hit the plane again, but this time it was followed by an explosion. People began yelling, and the Autobots' comm. links were alive with action. Jolt was the only one ignoring the constant questions. He had rolled his window up and was trying to keep Claire calm. There was another hit, and the entire plane shook. The engine sputtered, and the plane was alive with action. Epps came running in to the Autobots.

"I got good news and bad news! Good news is that we're practically thirty minutes from the new base, so walking isn't going to be a problem. Bad news is, the plane might be going down, and it lessen casualties everyone's going to be doing some skydiving. Grab your parachutes, and Claire is going to have to come with me."

On the second plane

"Illusion, calm down! I can't focus with you snapping and growling!"

Mirage was forced to transform and hold Illusion's head down while he tried to focus on the comm. links. Everyone was asking and answering questions, and Mirage couldn't make sense of it. It wasn't until the second explosion that everyone stopped, and everyone on the second and third planes froze. Mirage heard the engine sputter on the first plane, and this time no one was on the comm. links.

::Optimus? Ironhide? Sideswipe? Is anyone there?::

::Mirage, we might be going down,:: Optimus said suddenly.

::Going down? You mean the plane is going to crash?::

::Yes, but Lennox has some sort of plan. It involves Illusion.::

::What is it?::

::There is a Predacon attacking the plane. Lennox wants you to get Illusion to distract it and hopefully draw it away from us. We will all have to jump from the plane and hopefully land safely on the ground below.::

::How can Illusion distract the other Predacon when she's trapped in here and wearing a muzzle?::

::Hold on a moment.::

There was a loud crash, then the sound of multiple explosions. The comm. links turned to static, then cleared up. Mirage heard yelling on the plane he was on, and Jazz came rolling in.

::Mirage?:: Optimus asked suddenly. He sounded really alarmed, and almost like he was in a rush.

::I'm here.::

::You must remove Illusion's muzzle and get her off the plane.::

::S-Sir!?::

::Ask Ratchet and Wheeljack how far up they can drop her from the plane without damaging her, then do it. We need this Predacon to be distracted so that we can all escape the plane.::

::But her wings! She is still injured, and she does not know how to fight!::

::Anything can fight when it has to! Remove the muzzle and send her out! That is an order. If you do not, many soldiers are going to die, and one of us Autobots could be gravely injured!::

::Yes sir. I'm heading to Ratchet and Wheeljack now. Mirage out.::

"They're on their way, Mirage. I sent fer 'em when I hear tha second explosion," Jazz said.

As soon as he finished his sentence, Ratchet and Wheeljack rolled in. Wheeljack transformed and rushed over to Illusion to start working on the muzzle. Jazz was talking to a human not far off, while Ratchet transformed and moved over to Mirage.

"She should be able to withstand falling from this height since the plane is lower than usual," Ratchet began.

"How did you-"

"Optimus may have been talking to you, but the link wasn't private. Now, as for her wings, they began to self-repair the moment she refueled. Although she cannot fly, the cracks are sealing and are repaired enough that she most likely will not take anymore severe damage. Wheeljack, is the muzzle off?"

"Almost. Now, girly-O! Go out there and make us proud! Protect us and your master Mirage! Do this job well and the muzzle might be off for good! There you go! It's off!"

Illusion thankfully licked Wheeljack's faceplates, then trotted right up to Mirage like she knew he needed her to do something. He grasped both sides of her head and looked in her optics.

"You hear that Predacon, don't you? It's attacking us. It's possibly taken down one of the planes with our friends on it. We need you to distract the Predacon so they can get away. Kill it if you have to. Protect us, Illusion. Protect me. Do you understand what you have to do?"

Illusion made a grumbling noise and licked Mirage's servo. She kept optic contact with him, and Mirage took it as she was letting him know she understood. There was the sound of gear shifting, and the back door of the plane began to open. The humans ran so they wouldn't fall out, and Wheeljack moved back as well. Mirage looked at Illusion, then at the opening door. He didn't want to send her out there. There had obviously been no debate on sending Illusion out fight the other Predacon, and that thoroughly pissed him off. It did make sense since she was probably the only one who could take on this other Predacon. The decision had been made quickly, too quickly in his opinion. Unfortunately, he had been given an order, and he was not going to disobey it. Illusion understood what she had to do, and hopefully she would strive to complete her given task. Mirage looked at Ratchet, and the chartreuse medic nodded to him and laid a servo on Illusion's head.

"Protect us, and protect your master," he said to her. She licked his servo, then turned to the open door. Mirage vented deeply, turned the same way.

"Illusion, go!"

Illusion roared and galloped forward. She leaped off the plane, her wings close against her sides as she dived down to the ground below. Mirage felt his spark quiver, then he felt a sudden feeling of reassurance. Illusion was going to carry out her orders, but he wasn't worried about that. He just hoped that she would come out of it alright.

I've already started Chapter 35, so it's a work in progress. Gotta go! Hope you enjoyed and have a good'n!