Alright. Another update since I had just returned home and am currently in a good mood. Oh how I missed you, Internet! Spending an entire week without you is literally torture of the worst type-!

So… yeah, moving on.

This chapter is short too, but I try to make it up with more witty dialogue between our favorite couple. As you can see by the chapter title, there will be a new turning point possibly in the next chapter, probably an action packed one. To be honest, I'm better at writing these than the slash content. But anyway, enjoy!

Many thanks to MiniAjax, fan girl 666, Guest, and moonlightnight1 for reviewing!

After his visit to Shockwave and receiving his ominous warning, Megatron researched about this exclusive "Project Omega" in desperation. He had a feeling that this was something deadly, perhaps an ultimate weapon that the Autobots hoped to use against them. Megatron couldn't have that happening. His forces were stretched thin enough already, and he didn't want to deal with a super weapon along with that.

Any other information gathering attempts were unsuccessful. Whatever the Autobots were working on, it was kept under careful cover, probably even concerned highly classified information. Shockwave was very fortunate to learn of it, and Megatron planned to question him more when he awoke.

"We have to do something about Project Omega." Strika concluded in a strategic meeting.

"But how? The Autobots have concealed everything about it. No information could be found." Scrash pointed out.

"We could use infiltration," Megatron suggested, "A spy could be sent to provide us intel about Project Omega."

"Bad idea," Hook shook his helm, "Remembered what happened to Barricade? The Autobots would be especially cautious during the war and will certainly cross-check each of their soldier's records. It is near impossible."

"What about asking for Lockdown's help? That bounty hunter has a knack for bounties, rewards and success." Strika had another idea.

"Lockdown can be considered," Megatron agreed, "I will contact him this solar cycle and offer a few upgrades in exchange for information about Project Omega. But this may take time we do not have. Is there anything else we can do?"

"What about Shockwave? He has that handy size-changing ability of his. Get him to change into an Autobot and send him in." Oil Slick drawled.

"He is still in stasis," Hook shot back, "I will not have him back on duty until he can at least move himself around. If you truly wish for Shockwave to do the job, then you will have to wait."

"We can't wait long. The Autobots have already begun to make their move against the colonies we captured. Unless something is done about this, soon we will be too outnumbered to prevent them from taking the colonies back. We would lose our resources eventually." Sideways said quietly.

"And not to mention a possible super weapon being developed." Straxus muttered.

At this the assembled Decepticons broke into disorganized talk, whispering about the main crisis they were facing and the possible outcomes. Megatron sighed, propping up his helm with one hand. This wouldn't do at all. Some kind of action had to be taken.

"Look, whatever problems we are facing right now can be put aside temporarily. I want all Decepticons concentrating on the researching of Project Omega. Abduct some Autobots. Break into their processors and interrogate them. I don't care what you do, but I want more information about the project by the end of this orbital cycle." Megatron concluded tiredly.

"That would be a step in the right direction," Hook agreed, "We'll take in some prisoners from the next battle."

"But what about the colonies?" Sideways asked.

"We will do what we can to keep them from falling back into Autobot hands. I will be sending you and Scrash to oversee them. However if we do fail, they can keep the colonies. Hopefully by that time we are mobilized for a full scale assault on Iacon. The Autobots will never have enough time to call in reinforcements from their allies."

"If we can ever mobilize." Straxus remarked.

"I want none of your pessimism," Megatron said coldly, "We must mobilize and also find a way to combat the Autobots' newest super weapon. We must win this war at all costs. Meeting dismissed."

Starscream was in a bad mood. But again, when was he not lately? Everyone could tell from his dark scowl and murderous glint in his optics that the Seeker was to be avoided. They did not want to buffing scratches out of their armor for the rest of the megacycle. A furious Seeker was a violent Seeker.

In his mind he was going over what Megatron had hinted previously and about his loyalty as he proceeded down the main hallway of the Trypticon base to his lab. Starscream didn't want to be loyal to anyone for that matter. He didn't want to be ordered around like a common slave. He was Starscream, esteemed head of the science division and servant to no one!

But still… was a declaration of loyalty enough to make him second? It seemed too easy. Or maybe he could just fake it and hope that Megatron would take the bait. No, that wouldn't do though. The warlord was unusually perceptive and would notice that something wasn't quite right.

But Starscream wanted to be second, slag it! Why wasn't Megatron content with a hard-working subordinate when he wanted his loyalty as well?

As he passed by the command center, the double doors suddenly flew open and a straggle of Decepticons poured out. Starscream recognized them all as the members of Megatron's inner circle of advisors, who must have just gotten off a strategy meeting only for the higher-ups. They were also known as the S Team, for the majority of the mechs in there coincidentally all had names that started with the same letter: Straxus, Strika, Shockwave, Sideways, Skystalker and Scrash.

He scowled darkly again. He would have been among them if he had been promoted the other day.

Megatron was the last to exit, lingering behind a deep-in-discussion Hook and Oil Slick. Starscream was struck by how weary the warlord looked. It was like he had aged years within a day, the way he dragged his pedes along and the slightly stooped posture he held. However when Megatron saw the Seeker, his faceplates twisted into a wry smile as he went to join him.

"Hello, Starscream." He greeted neutrally.

Starscream harrumphed, crossed his arms and deliberately turned down to another hallway. However, this was done in the hope that his leader wouldn't see his blushing faceplates. Many times when he saw Megatron lately, he always remembered the encounter in the command center and how good their lip lock had felt. The Seeker hated the fact that he had enjoyed it instead of pushing the warlord away. He had all but fallen limp in the other's arms and had literally whimpered when they had separated from that lip lock…

Starscream increased his pace, trying to dismiss the memory away. But he could hear his leader already following him.

"What are you up to this cycle?" Megatron was now by his side.

"Frag off!" The Seeker snapped.

"Come now. I'm only trying to be approachable―"

"And you can stick it, Megatron! You are not touching me again even if it meant my promotion."

At this the warlord sighed exaggeratingly, "Try as I might, I cannot promote you unless my officers agreed to it. They've been less-than-pleased about it in the meeting the solar cycle before."

Now Starscream wasn't that familiar with the inner circle of Decepticon authority, but he knew his leader had to seek his advisors' approval and support before he could do anything major. Hearing that Megatron had brought up the matter of the rank of second-in-command before them and their disapproval didn't surprise him as much as it should. That fragger probably straight out declared that he nominated Starscream because of his thrice slagged interest in the Seeker.

"I don't even want to hear about how that went." Starcream scowled darkly at his leader, hoping he would take the hint and leave, "Aren't you higher ups supposed to discuss strategy instead?"

"I hate strategy meetings," Megatron groaned, "Whoever thought them up the first place should be subject to a five megacycles one."

Starscream suddenly felt the ridiculous urge to snicker at the warlord's uncharacteristic behavior. Who has ever heard of a war leader despising strategy planning when it was the key to winning battles? It was a miracle then that the Decepticons even gained advantage over the Autobots if this was true.

But he managed to hold that urge back with his curiosity on what they had been actually discussing. He tentatively asked about it.

Megatron waved a hand dismissively, "Same old. Planning the future for the Decepticons, finding a way to solve our energon shortage crisis, deciding what to do with the Autobots' super-weapon-in-development, wondering how we are going to keep the captured colonies from falling into their hands and all that."

Starscream stared. He hadn't been expecting Megatron to just blurt out the confidential details of the meeting like that. Did he glitch or something? Or maybe this was a test that was mentioned earlier.

"I didn't know we had that many problems," Starscream said cautiously, "But if I were you, I would address that energon crisis first. Can't run an army without fuel, can you?"

"Oh? Do you have a plan?" Megatron immediately perked up.

"Not exactly. A… suggestion, I would say." Starscream was becoming more confident that the other had shown his interest. It meant that he was going in the right direction.

"Tell me."

"We rely on the energon mines and raiding the Autobot supplies for our fuel," Starscream remembered some of the data he had gone over when he had researched new ways to process energon and began to recall them, "The mines are slowly being depleted, and now that they have less and less convoys traveling on the roads, we also have less chances to get more. This either means that they are also suffering from a shortage, or they had found a new way to transport energon."

"That makes sense." Megatron agreed.

"They must have a direct source where energon wells up straight from Cybertron's core. It could be transported by a network of pipes to Iacon and all the Autobot city-states. If we could find that source, which is probably located in a city-state, we could capture it and take the energon for ourselves."

"But where is this 'source'? The S Team has discussed this before, and though we came up with several theories, we are still at a loss on the location. Even if we did find it, it would not doubt be guarded by an army like so many of the Autobot city states."

"With all due respect, you can't plan to attack a city state before knowing which one will bring us a tactical advantage. I knew you don't like to strategize, but I didn't know that you are also an apparent hopeless idiot in doing so." Starscream scathingly mocked. He couldn't help it, considering that Megatron had never reprimanded him for it before.

Megatron actually laughed out loud, "Idiot, is it? Really, Starscream. I can't have a second-in-command who insults me more than he aids."

That shut Starscream up.

"Not that I mind, for a leader needs his daily dose of rebukes in order to remain impartial," The warlord said lightly with a wry smile, "Well, start work on finding this energon source then. If you do and successfully free us from this crisis, consider yourself well on your way to promotion."

Starscream was too caught off guard by that unexpected promise to protest when Megatron patted him affectionately on the back and gave him a light kiss on his helm before heading off the opposite direction. He didn't expect either that he passed the supposed test so easily. Maybe he had imagined the whole thing.

Or maybe not. Starscream realized that Megatron looked rather dashing when he smiled.

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