Moonbreaker did not have to be on Cybertron long to see Starscream lose the deliberate manner that hid his more talked about disposition of unpredictable mania. The base's alarm sounding, he followed the yelling and sounds of things breaking to a hallway he never traveled before, but knew exactly where it led, Starscream's quarters.

The doors were wide open; sounds of discord ebbed into the hall. Taking the chance he peered into the room. A large table flew past his shoulder plate, one that crashed against the wall behind it, but somehow managed to remain intact.

"Where is she?!"

Thundercracker and Skywarp were there. Skywarp hung back as Thundercracker remained at Starscream's side. The blue seeker spoke; his voice was deliberately calm. "I haven't seen these energy readings before, but there is not doubt that Alexis was taken. By whom is unknown."

Moonbreaker's gaze shifted to the wall that was positioned in front of the Seeker's berth. A wide, burned hole was melted onto the surface of the once impervious metal, smoke still rising from the edges. Some sort of fabric hung limply from the shallow hole, tattered and cut cleanly in half.

"I've seen this technology before," Moonbreaker spoke up. He had no qualms about entering the private quarters, but Skywarp saw differently. Bouncing from the wall he was leaning against, he blocked the mech. "Fine," Moonbreaker said loudly to make sure Starscream heard him, "you don't want to know who took your human, it's all the same to me."

Twisting around he exited. Or was about to when Starscream spoke up, "Wait a moment." He pushed Warp out of the way. His chassis was heaving while his optics burned bright. "Speak, and I warn you that if you are wasting my time it will be the first and last time." Starscream's voice was severe, his tone crackling with dark emotions that he didn't bother to hide. The threat was a valid one. Moonbreaker saw it in Starsscream's optics, knew it from the way the Seeker twisted his hands with an expectation for violence.

"It's portal tech: an interdemensional gateway. However, I have only seen one species use this kind of technology that produces such results because of the distance."

"Distance?" the Supreme Seeker inquired with acerbic impatience.

"Wherever the human was taken is not in this solar system. And finding where she was snatched to is not going to be an easy thing, not if the Quintessons are involved."

"Ludicrous!" Starscream raged. "Those creatures fled from Cybertron long ago after the Great Uprising, and have not been seen or heard of since. They are nothing more than a myth, of a history better forgotten."

"A myth perhaps to you, but I have traveled long and far, and have heard enough tellings of these creatures to know that they are as real as you or I."

"Thundercracker?"

Thundercracker narrowed his optics while his calculated attention fell on Moonbreaker. Unnerved enough that a tingle went along his circuits, Moonbreaker stood firm. Thundercracker would not recognize him; he had had too many upgrades and paid too much for the tech that changed his life signature. Still, a part of him cautiously, superstitiously, warned him to limit his contact with that Seeker all the same.

"I have also heard rumors of their return." Thundercracker stated flatly with his optics still latched to Moonbreaker's. "But they are just that, rumors from mechs with too much time."

Starscream turned his attention back on Moonbreaker as his right hand extended. Talons slid from his digits which dug deep into the wall along his right side, traveling down while metal peeled away, deep grooves left behind.

"Do you want to die?" Starscream asked, his head tilted to the side as his optics brutally grazed over Moonbreaker's armor, ready and all to enthused about finding a weakness. "Perhaps you are not aware, but in matters concerning my human, I do not tolerate being misled." His inflections lowered in tone, the words turning soft and dangerously methodical. "I can only conclude that you are trying to misdirect me, that you, Moonbreaker, are trying to cover up the truth behind what really happened."

"Why the slag would I care what happened to some..." Breaker paused for a moment. Now was not the time to say what he felt, unless he did want to die. Despite the intolerance he felt, and the contempt he contained, he initiated further caution. Lowering his gaze submissively, he felt the danger he was in, and knew if he didn't bend as the situation called for that he wasn't going to leave the room. Forcing down the rebellion that twisted his servos, he answered free of emotion and with an ease that came from mega-cycles of dealing with scum and reprobates. "...your mate. What I speak is the truth, and I can offer you proof if you give me access to your terminal."

"Let's just end him here." Skywarp advised, a smile stretching along his mouthpiece as he reveled in that thought.

"No, not just yet," Starscream said. He backed away from the mech. Waving his hand; he motioned toward the terminal. "Do as you said, and know that what I see will decide whether I give you to Skywarp, so he can dispose of you in a way I promise will not be quick nor pleasant."

He walked slowly through the Seekers. A cable extended from his wrist guard that found and plugged into the terminal's port. He uploaded what data he had. Starscream shoved him to the side. Skywarp grabbed onto him from behind, a blade folded out from his hand and extended along Breaker's side.

"Let him go," Starscream said many nano-clicks later after he looked over the provided information.

"You can't be serious," Skywarp whined. "He obviously has something..."

"Let him go. Now!" Starscream yelled. He picked up a nearby nero-wrench and threw it at the rebellious Seeker.

Begrudgingly, and with a harsh push of resentment, Skywarp let him go.

Starscream turned to Moonbreaker. "Tell me all you know of these Quintessons and how I can find them."


Moonbreaker told Starscream what he knew, and when he was shoved out of the room by Skywarp, he knew that what he had told the Supreme Air Commander, would put him in a position of usefulness that none of the Seekers would be able to deny.

Exactly as he intended.

After all, it was he who had planet the mini power module and the homing device that allowed for the long-distance transport to take place. Planting the devices unnoticed wasn't the hard part, getting them inside the Seeker's quarters had been the problem he couldn't seem to get past. Until watching the human designated Alexis, and observing the way her body betrayed with each breath of her body the origins of her creation, an idea sprung. As impenetrable as the Seeker's quarters were, the human created a weakness. The oxygen required for her to continue to live gave him the means to get inside. Even with the ducts cleverly hidden and condensed, he found his access point. Using a mini spider bot that he had specially programmed, he planted the devices three days earlier than the time frame he had been allowed.

He was paid an obscene amount of credits. However, that wasn't why he did it. Using his profession to benefit himself; he knew getting the human out of the way was a good step toward making the overly confident Air Commander vulnerable.

One down and two to go.


"Windglider said you wanted to speak to me. Why not just come to me directly?" Skywarp walked into the loading bay while sparing an unenthusiastic glance at Moonbreaker's ship before directing his attention on the mech.

Breaker shrugged his large shoulder panels. "I needed to speak to you here where it is safe."

"Safe?"

"My ship is capable of blocking external and internal communications. What I have to say to you is for your receptors only."

Skywarp still didn't show any interest, his stance one of restless boredom. "What could you possibly have to say to me? Do you wish to beg for your life?" He smiled at that before he chuckled knowingly. "Have you figured out that when Starscream is done with you that your life means nothings?"

"Alexis," Breaker uttered the human's name and found the syllables repulsive.

"What did you say?"

"I said: Alexis. I know where the human is."

Skywarp huffed, "That's interesting, considering all the trouble you went to to make Starscream believe she was taken by the..."

Breaker interrupted, he was ready to get things started, "She wasn't taken, she left," he stressed while watching the purple Seeker carefully.

Skywarp's hands wrapped before his cockpit, his attention resting back upon the mech. "What sort of an idiot do you take me for?" he asked, shaking his head with incredulity.

On that particular subject, Moonbreaker was forced to keep his mouthpiece shut.

He spoke slowly while articulating his words dramatically, "I did have something to do with the human's disappearance... I..." The Seeker reacted swiftly. Breaker's words broke up when Skywarp pounced, disappeared and then reappeared right in front of him. Skywarp's hands stretched forth and grabbed Breaker's thick neck-piece before twisting tight. "I knew it!" He bent his head when Breaker tried to speak. "What did you say?" Moonbreaker made a motion with his hand, causing the Seeker to let up his grip just enough so that he could speak.

"I saw her leaving. I was curious and followed," he managed, his words strained. "But she was captured by Soundwave. I believe she was trying to get away to meet you somewhere." Momentarily, Breaker thought he stretched things a little too far.

Until he saw a flicker of belief dance through the Seeker's optics. Making a lie from the truth was always best to twist someone into believing. And using what he overhead when he spied on the two, only helped cement his lies.

"Even if I believe you, why exactly does she need my help? Why not go to Starscream?" Skywarp looked at him with suspicion, but did not seem to wonder why Moonbreaker would even be curious about a human's activities to begin with.

"I believe it was Starscream that she was trying to get away from. And you that she wanted to see."

Moonbreaker's words were enough to boost the already pride filled Seeker's ego.

"Take me to her."


"Starscream is going to terminate me for leaving like this. He is going to cut me open, tear me apart and extinguish my spark when he finds out. He is going to..."

Ever since their departure the Seeker had not shut up. The more Skywarp had talked, the more he convinced himself that the female needed him. It was deplorable how desperately the Seeker wanted to believe, incredibly humorous and entirely pathetic how the lies blinded him so easily.

"Are we almost there? Are you sure Soundwave has abandoned the area?"

"His purpose was to kill the human; he doesn't need to stay to watch that happen."

Soon enough he initiated landing protocols, the two exited Moonbreaker's craft.

"Follow me, there are traps," Breaker announced with more truth in that statement than there had been in anything he said to the Seeker before.

The planet they landed on was barren and dry. Wind picked up while dust ground against their armor. They headed to the only structure and entered it upon their arrival. Immediately, Skywarp saw the human. Alexis was standing in a cell; she screamed out Skywarp's name when she saw him and struggled against the cage.

Getting into the locked cell did not take the Seeker long. Running inside he reached down for the human, his hands twisting through empty air as the hologram of the human crackled off. The Seeker turned around, ready to escape, but it was far too late. Moonbreaker pressed a small button on his gauntlet, the real security measures activating as triple bars and energy barriers folded into place.

"This was the trap," Skywarp said, his tone calmer and more serious than Moonbreaker had ever heard it. "I suppose that now I am to think how foolish I have been and how clever you are. I should let you know though, this isn't the first time this has happened to me."

Admitting that he had been fooled before only made Moonbreaker balk at the mech's carelessness in both actions and words. Skywarp was far too cavalier and blithe, and those qualities were effortlessly used to bring about his defeat. Battle was not always necessary to bring about an adversary's downfall, and using treachery, deceit and cunning could be more fulfilling than using a fist, blaster, or a finely sharpened blade.

"But," Breaker stepped toward the bars. He was mindful not to lean to closely, or he would active the defensive measures in the security field. "This will be the last time. Consider this place your final dwelling. You will not be leaving here."

"The point?"

Breaker chuckled at that with a rumble that echoed out and around. "Past me not liking you? To get you out of the way of course. You may be the most heedless of your Trine, but you still hold a position of power with Starscream. Taking you away only clears a better path for me."

"I'll get out of here, and when I do I will end you," Skywarp threatened. His body was forced backwards when his digits made contact with the active security field. He cursed, tried touching it again, and cursed louder than before when the energy crackled painfully along his cockpit. Bending downwards as it continued to course through his armor, the colorful phrases of retribution continued to jump out of the Seeker's mouthpiece.

Moonbreaker could only shake his head at the Seeker's stupidity. "You are welcome to try. Consider it something to take up your time while your energon dries up and your circuits corrode. I apologize for not leaving you with any company, but I am fresh out of willing human females."

Skywarp's curses became more vulgar. The colorful, creative language fueled Breaker's steps as he made his way to the exit.

Two down and one to go.


Watching the chaos that followed after Skywarp's disappearance was discovered gave Moonbreaker distinct gratification. He could have used Soundwave's army for his retribution, but that was far too obvious. He enjoyed watching the Seekers come apart at their seams and seeing their arrogance slip away bit by bit as worry and anxiety took its place.

He also didn't trust Soundwave. Once the tactician discovered his true parental units, Soundwave's assistance would be revoked with Breaker's termination imminent. He wasn't Megatron's progeny, no matter what the mech thought. But how he came to that conclusion was a curiosity that he wanted to discover, which is why he didn't take out the tactician the moment he pledged himself.

Moonbreaker continued with his lies. And kept twisting the truth into colorful falsehoods until the Seekers believed him more and more.

"The Quintessons have been taking terminated mechs. They have been using deployed drones, but those who have seen even those will testify that their markings are of their origin."

"Taking off-lined mechs is one thing, why would they want Alexis?"

Truthfully, Moonbreaker didn't know, but that wasn't going to stop him from spinning doubt and paranoia into the Air Commander's processor.

"She is the first human to mate with a Cybertronian." Breaker said, letting his words hang ominously in the air.

Conflict battled along Starscream's face. Catching Moonbreaker's gaze, the emotion died quickly, replaced by forced confidence.

"And what of Skywarp?" Starscream asked.

"It is curious that the two disappeared at almost the same time, isn't it?" Moonbreaker let the words hover. He studied the Supreme Air Commander, mindful of his response.

Starscream stretched up and stood more firm. "Are you now implying that they left together? What of the Quitinsons?"

"It was just a stray thought, my lord."

"You would do well to remember to filter such thoughts. I may need you to help me find Alexis and Skywarp, but you are not the only bounty hunter available with useful tracking skills, and you can be replaced."

Still, Breaker was learning just how far he could push the Seeker; it was something he enjoyed, but the learning process put him in a precarious position. "I spoke out of turn."

"Yes, you did. Now, begin again. Tell me what you know, what you have heard, and what we are going to need to track these creatures," he heatedly demanded.

Hiding a victorious sneer, he activated his portable terminal. A projection grew between the two as he directed the Seeker. Moonbreaker knew as he spoke, that Starscream would not be seeing the human again until he wanted him to. Not that he knew where she was, but he could find out. Of course, there was no need if the Quintessons had already dissected the human. Either way, Breaker would use the distraction and put it to good use. Confident in the way things were going, Breaker directed Starscream's attention to some newly obtained maps.