Warnings include: Mech Preg, non-consensual touching.

His stomach was cloudy, swirls of silicone and endomatter floating through his emergence chamber. He hated watching his flooded chamber, but he couldn't bring himself to look at anything else. Every time he looked up, all he could see was that red optic boring down on him.

And then the memories would come back.

The fast, unforgiving pace, the feeling of being so powerless, begging for it to stop and it. Never. Would. Hours had bled together, a haze of pain and sickening pleasure each time Shockwave manipulated his body into wanting it, into accepting it. The only relief would come at intervals when the mech refilled the spike, but those moments were a pale reprieve as each time the fog lifted he was so suddenly aware of everything happening that he wished stasis lock would take him instead.

But it didn't. Shockwave would climb back on top of him, and the horror started all over again.

The hatred Jack felt for Shockwave only grew, further overshadowing any disdain he had for Knock Out and Predaking combined.

Jack grimaced as he thought of them. It was hard not to wonder what was going on outside these walls, if…if he'd even been a blip on the Autobots radar. They had to know he was captured by the enemy, right?

Unbidden, another thought cut in, sharp and clear. It's just like being back on the Nemesis; they'll find you too little too late. Jack squashed the thought immediately. His emotional state was a mess, jagged and brittle after having been violated so deeply for hours on end that he wanted to lash out at anything he could think of.

And the Autobots were always on his mind, always there even as the past several days seemed to go on forever…

…and they only found the Nemesis because the 'Cons had Ratchet.

Jack flinched, his whole body aching. He hissed as his sore valve throbbed, but clamped his mouth shut immediately. It was too late though, he could hear the footsteps along the ground and his spark dropped as each click clack got closer until Jack felt the looming presence at his side.

"The salve has run its course again, has it not?" Jack gritted his denta, optics focused on the cloudy emergence chamber in front of him as he remained stubbornly silent. The pop of a lid made him tense, the sound quickly becoming both something he dreaded and hated.

His not-stomach lurched as two digits rubbed that green solvent into his still spread lips. Jack clenched his fists and waited for it to end, to not have to focus on the fact that for all Shockwave degraded his body as being 'primitive' and 'outdated'-

-he spent a lot of time touching him. Heavy strokes rubbed the solvent into the lips in circular motions, slow and deliberate. Savoring it.

Jack squeezed his optics shut, knowing as humiliating as this was, what would happen when his valve was no longer at risk of tearing was not something Jack wanted to go through again. That was why he refused to speak, to not allow this piece of scrap any angle on how his valve was healing.

Being seen as only a warm body and nothing else pissed Jack off to no end, but that very notion was the only thing keeping the spike from tearing into him anymore.

Damaged valve equaled pain which would be counterproductive to mating protocols; Jack wished he weren't serious, but that likely wasn't far off the mark regarding Shockwave's 'carefulness'. Jack scowled-if it could even be called that.

True relief only came when the digits left, and even then there was revulsion mingled in as he felt the solvent activating, creating a tingling in his valve as it worked on his self-repair. Jack knew what was coming next even before Shockwave returned with the Geiger counter-like device.

After applying the salve each time, the mech would use the counter to check his stomach and see if Jack 'took', with each result being a steady 'no change'-

The counter let out a high-pitched squeal.

Jack's optics widened, his spark sinking as he focused with laser-like precision on the emergence chamber. The murky gray-green substances swished around, but he could see no-there! Jack's optics sharpened, not wanting to believe what he was seeing, but knowing deep down he couldn't deny it.

Through the cloud, he spotted a strand of silver along one of his chamber cables attached to a tiny, clear ball that shimmered the same green-gray as the rest of the chamber's contents.

No…I…I thought I'd have more time. Desolation wormed its way into his spark as he stared at the ball, the new life inside him. It didn't lessen when he saw another thin silver strand, spread further out and another tiny ball attached-the despair only got worse.

"Starscream," Shockwave's voice made Jack flinch, wanting nothing more than to shrink into himself but unable to, "bring in the energon, the specimen has conceived."

Jack scowled as he fought the urge to glare at him. It was strong though, but the fear of being shoved back to those hours of violation was stronger. His optics flashed green, gritting his denta when he felt claws pressing into his forearm, the tips digging into his seams.

"Ooohh." Jack's optics widened, horror clutching at his spark as he shut his mouth. Feeling one digit brush over a bundle of nerves had caught him by surprise, and he berated himself for not remembering that's exactly what Knock Out made him do during his time as his 'pet'. Untying high-strung wires and being so very suspicious as to why the red mech had acted like he was aroused.

"It would appear," Shockwave began as Starscream walked in, wheeling in a cube plugged into a strange boxed contraption, "that you have pleasure sensors outfitted along the rest of your body as well."

Starscream huffed, but that caused Jack to glare over at him. "Don't scoff now," he said coldly, "'cause you certainly didn't then when you made me play with your wires."

The seeker glared at him, but it faded into unease as he looked at the scientist. "Yes, well, that was when he was Knock Out's pet." He cleared his vocalizer. "And I don't suppose you would…appreciate me tampering with your trial-run."

Jack sneered, flexing his claws. "I'm surprised you care about that. Why don't you release me and I'll show you how much better having me in your wires will be." He winced when he felt a digit press into the nerve bundle again, clenching his jaw shut.

"There will be no tampering of this experiment from either of you." Shockwave said evenly, and then without missing a beat he ordered, "Starscream, leave."

The seeker crossed his arms, scowling petulantly at the scientist. "I do everything around here while you're holed up and committing crimes against Cybertron."

"As if he already hadn't crossed that line." Jack muttered, but winced when digits pinched his wires, sending shots of pain up his arm. "It's true!" he snarled, still not looking at him but rather at his pedes. "Tell me to my face what you did wasn't rape!"

There was a heavy silence, and Jack glanced over at Starscream, whose optics had widened. "You…" he stared at Shockwave, but then a look of disgust slowly came across his faceplate. "You actually fragged your abomination?" his wings hitched and he sneered derisively.

"I knew you wanted this new Project Predacon off the ground, but I assumed even you would have some standards!" Starscream smiled mockingly. "Or were you so devoted to your research ventures that nothing short of something you created would ever be enough satisfy you?"

Jack's optics were wide, and his expression scrunched. Shockwave…lied about what he said? He didn't know why that surprised him, as he detachedly realized he should be horrified by this revelation. The knowledge that there was no sexual gratification from these terrible things being done to him didn't make it better to deal with, but it at least let him anchor himself.

Now…now he was forced to see everything that had transpired didn't need to happen. Jack didn't need to be pregnant for there to be protoforms, these Decepticons already had incubation chambers. Those horrible hours of being raped on and off didn't need to happen, and there certainly was no need despite the scientist's excuse to want to feel it. In fact, Jack could probably think all the way back to the Nemesis and piece together from his blurry memories that he didn't even need to be a Predacon.

Though the chilling part was the answer to a question Starscream had asked. "You…" Jack felt energon rise in his throat, but he forced down what precious little of it he still had, "wouldn't mute me because you wanted to hear me, didn't you?"

"…has your valve been repaired?"

Jack snarled fiercely, his optics flaring so brightly they almost turned white. "I'm gonna fucking kill you!" he shook his arms, straining against the bonds as every part of him burned with enough fury to feel his restraints buckle under his renewed strength.

Starscream backed away, wings twitching rapidly as he looked at the door. "If he escapes, you're on your own!"

"He will not escape." Shockwave said evenly, but Jack only glared at him furiously.

"The hell I'm not!" he snapped. "And then I'm gonna do what I should have done before and rip your damn spark out!"

Jack felt fear flood his spark as he looked at the scientist, feeling the revulsion of being touched, of being made to enjoy his torment, but that only made his rage fester and burn brighter. He grinned viciously when the restraint on his left arm snapped-

-before a blistering pain erupted in his wrist.

Jack screeched, his arm seizing and he stared horrified down at his wrist. Now that the restraint was gone, he saw a second band was wrapped around the joint, sharp pin-pricks of pain shooting up his arm. He clenched his fist, but cringed as what felt like dozens of needles were stuck inside his wrist. "What the hell…did you do to me?" he rasped. His head began to feel heavy, his vision blurring and he had no choice but to fall back.

A large, dark blurry shape came up to his left side, red optic being all that was clear to Jack through the dizziness. "I installed a trigger around your wrists that were pressure-sensitive. In the off chance you managed to break free, the sedatives would be pumped into your energon veins."

Jack gritted his denta as a servo grabbed his arm. He tried to wrench it free, but groaned as he felt nauseas. "Let goooo." He slurred.

"Though I cannot keep you under the sedatives for the length of time required of your gestation, forced stasis lock will at the very least allow me…close observation with none of your resistance."

He's gonna put me into a coma? Jack's not-stomach churned, the urge to throw up stronger than ever. Being awake and so frighteningly aware of what was happening to him paled in comparison to being unconscious and not knowing what was going on.

Gritting his denta, Jack tried once more to pull away, but his limbs wouldn't respond. He crashed to the slab, and the sedatives overwhelmed him…

He…had had finally done it. Predaking felt a swell of triumph in his spark after he and his two new brethren had done away with Starscream for the indignities he had put upon them. New subjects, a new home, and a very tentative peace with the Autobots were all he'd gotten.

But…there was still one thing missing. Predaking's optics turned sadly down to the ground underfoot as he thought of a feisty little Predacon. Jack may have lacked the ability the breath fire, but his spitfire personality more than made up for it.

After the Autobots had taken the Nemesis, Predaking tried to circle back and see if Jack was safe, but he hadn't seen him and waiting while injured was not the best plan at the time. It was with a heavy spark he'd left, and now to find out Jack had never been with the Autobots all this time was a blow to his ego. He'd been so sure…

"Hey, boss?"

Predaking glared over at Darksteel. There was something deeply annoying about this one's continued defiance to show him proper respect. Skylynx at least knew better. "Yes, what is it?"

"Well, what are we supposed to do now?" Darksteel asked. "The only thing left to fight are the Autobots and we're like 'at peace' with them."

While Predaking knew his answer should have been 'create a new home', the one he gave was much more selfish. "We are going to look for another of our brethren. He has been missing and it's high time we found him."

Skylynx looked rather skeptical. "And we're just supposed to find this missing Predacon by ourselves?"

"As vast as this world is, he would only be land-bound for he cannot fly." Predaking said. "He is black and silver, and has a tail present even in root mode." When the two other Predacons glanced at each other, suspicion began to form. "You have something to say?"

"That sounds like carrier." Darksteel answered. "'Specially the tail thing."

Predaking stared at him, and then at Skylynx. He tried to comprehend what he just heard with what he knew. Only he possessed the capacity to impregnate Jack, and these two were too old, so…so how could they be Jack's…? He growled. "Explain."

"It's some kind of science slag we didn't really care about." Skylynx replied. Predaking glared at them both fiercely, and they shrank into themselves. "Not that we didn't ask, but Shockwave just can't say what he means and-"

"Shockwave?" Predaking repeated. Self-loathing began to wash over him; he could dare call himself the ultimate hunter when he'd passed off the whiff of Jack's scent on the scientist as mere 'contamination' and not thought beyond that? How much of a fool had he been?

Unaware of Predaking's darkening thoughts, Darksteel took over the explanation. "Yeah, him. Said he's not our sire even though he created us." He snorted derisively. "Probably gonna say that to the next one."

"Next one?" Predaking's suspicion was feeling more a cold certainty. "There are more of you?"

"Just one. It was still growing inside carrier last we saw it." Skylynx said. "Though even if it emerged it's probably not gonna stay a sparkling for long." He shrugged. "He put us in some kind of chamber and we grew real fast."

"And…just how were any of you conceived?" Predaking questioned, and it took all the self-control he had not to wring Darksteel's neck when the Predacon began chuckling.

"With lots of screaming and begging."

"And this does not anger you?" Predaking demanded.

Darksteel and Skylynx glanced at each other before the latter asked, "Why would it? Starscream told us that's all Carrier was good for."

A flash of anger washed over him. If Starscream were not already dead, Predaking would have killed him. As it were, the information he had been given did not make him any less enraged. If…if Jack were being treated so terribly, being forced against his will to carry sparklings…

His optics hardened. "Where is Shockwave now? I believe it's time I had a talk with him."