There is only one more chapter, after this, until we hit Predacon Rising!

We're almost done with this story, but stick around for the sequel!

Transformers © to Hasbro!

Katie © to Starlight837!

Major Foster © to me!

Chapter 36

Major Foster laughed as Eject played basketball with the soldiers, the little mech sure knew how to play.

"Major!" Jack came running over. "We need you and Eject in the base now!"

"We'll be there." Foster sighed. What could be happening now? First there was the Predacon army, which the Decepticons framed the Autobots for destroying and now Predaking had a vendetta to destroy them all. Then, Predaking destroyed Ultra Magnus's servo and crushed Steeljaw's hind legs. What else could be going on?

The man tensed as he entered the Autobot's building. Blaster stood far back, guarding the children, and holding Silver Star close. All the other bots stood rigid, weapons at the ready, and for very good reason…

The Decepticon, Soundwave, lay strapped to a berth. "You guys captured the Decepticon communications officer?"

"Yes," Elita nodded. "I'd stand back, if I was you."

"Soundwave, tell us what Megatron is planning," Optimus approached the prisoner.

"Soundwave, tell us what Megatron is planning." The mech played-back the Autobot leader's voice.

"Optimus Prime, the remix…"

Optimus repeated himself, but the Decepticon just posted a picture of a smiley face on his visor. Wheeljack clenched his servos. "Let me wipe that smile off his face!"

"Soundwave," Optimus stayed the wrecker. "Tell us what Megatron is planning, before we have to resort to more extreme measures."

The communications officer unleashed a high pitched sound, causing everyone, bot and human alike, to cover their ears/audio receptors. Soundwave leaned forward and spoke, in his own voice… "Soundwave superior, Autobots inferior."

With that, he laid back and data began scrolling across his visor. "Yea!" Bulkhead pumped his fist. "He's downloading data."

"No! He's deleting data!" Ratchet exclaimed. Before he could do anything, the Decepticon's visor went blank and he fell limp.

Foster gaped. "Is he…?"

"He forced a manual shutdown."

"Huh?" Fowler looked to his fellow soldier.

"Translation," the major explained, "Soundwave took a Cybertronian cyanide pill."

Elita sighed. "I wish he hadn't gone that far… but, it looks like we're back to square one."

Most of the Autobots went out on a mission, leaving Smokescreen, Bulkhead, and Ratchet behind to watch the shutdown prisoner. All the humans went home, save Foster.

Agent Fowler had gone out to buy takeout for himself, the major, and Silver Star.

"Ca' we cover 'im?" The sparkling stared at Soundwave's still form.

"Yea," Smokescreen moved around. "It feels like he's watching you wherever you go."

"Hey guys!" Fowler entered the compound.

Star clapped her hands. "Ora'ge chicke'!"

The men laughed. "Yep, orange chicken…" The agent handed her a little Chinese takeout box. Suddenly, the window over the door, broke open and Soundwave's little microbot, Lazerbeak, flew in, blasting at everyone in the room.

Fowler flew back as a shot came near, and Major Foster grabbed Silver Star. Lazerbeak attached itself on Soundwave's chassis and data ran across the mech's visor. The communications officer sat up, his tentacles shot out and caught Bulkhead and Smokescreen, sending electricity coursing through their frames, before the collapsed.

The Decepticon stood up, approaching Ratchet. The medic attempted to defend himself, but Soundwave shocked him into unconsciousness.

"RACHE'!"

"Star! Quiet!"

It was too late. Soundwave turned towards them; a tentacle rocketed towards the human and sparkling. Major Foster moved himself between Silver Star and Soundwave.

Silver Star offlined her optics. Her body tensed as she felt a warm liquid splatter all over her frame. As she decided to look, the little femme screamed. Major Foster hung limp, impaled on the end of the Decepticon's tentacle; his blood dripped to the ground and had splatted onto Silver Star.

A second tentacle pushed the body off and grabbed the stunned sparkling, spreading more blood across her frame, for she was too shocked and traumatized to struggle. Soundwave grabbed Ratchet's form and pulled them towards the groundbridge; Star barely registered the portal opening before she fainted…

The little femme onlined her optics, the hazy world became clear. She felt her arms and felt the stickiness of Major Foster's blood. Coolant began to drip from her optics as she remembered the dead human, who tried to protect her from Soundwave.

"We'll have to get some of that nasty, flesh fluid off you… it's disgusting!" She turned and saw Knock Out standing nearby. The mech picked up a little hose and drenched her in liquid, washing all of the blood off.

"Le' me go!" Silver Star coughed, her voice stammering from all the trauma she'd endured in the last hour. "I wanna go 'ome!"

The red mech smirked. "That's not happening. We need you for our little pet project. Oh, and by the way, let me introduce you to your new 'doctor'. "

Star trembled at the echoing footsteps that came steadily nearer. A single, glowing, eye approached. "So, this is the techno-organic."

"Kid, meet Shockwave."

The scientist looked her over. "For a vessel of the Allspark, she is very small. It would be easier to know the extent of her abilities, if I had more time." He reached out to grab the sparkling, but the femme narrowed her optics. A blue glow, coming from the sparkling, filled the room.

Shockwave pulled back his servo, completely encased in crystal. "Well, she certainly didn't like you."

"Her attack is logical, for she reacted out of fear." He looked to the medic. "Place her in the chamber. I will run some tests on her power."

Knock Out vented and leaned over Star. "Don't you even try to put me in crystal. I'm not going to hurt you."

"No!" The femme shook her head and retreated a few steps back, before the medic grabbed her. "Le' me go!"

Knock Out squeezed her, before she could use her abilities, and dropped her in a clear cylinder, attached to a machine. Shockwave broke the crystal around his servo, before approaching the computer. He pressed a few controls and the cylinder, holding the sparkling, began to glow.

"Now, we shall see what she can do…"

From outside the lab, one could a brilliant light and hear the pained screams of Silver Star…

CLIFFHANGER!

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Proverbs 4:23

"Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."