Jade was waiting on Grimlock's lap, kicking her legs lightly as he played cards with the other Dinobots. "Why do you think Steve asked us to meet him and the others here?" She eventually asked him.

"I still don't know, just like the first five time you asked me, Jade." The towering mech replied calmly.

"Full House!" Swoop shouted, slamming his cards on the table as he added rather smugly, "Read 'em and weep, boys."

"If we were playing poker, I'd be upset." Slug remarked nonchalantly, not looking up from his cards.

Snarl grinned a little at Swoop, "But we're playing Go Fish."

"... Oh." Swoop carefully moved his cards back to his servos. "Well then... Grimlock, do you have any fours?"

"It's not your turn, Swoop." Grimlock told him calmly. "Now... Swoop?"

"Yes, Grimlock?"

"Do you have any fours?"

"No."

"Then why would you ask for them?!" Grimlock threw his cards into the air in aggravation.

"I don't get cards, okay?!"

"Okay, guys, let's calm down..." Jade spoke softly, patting Grimlock's chest gently, "We already broke one of Swerve's tables, we don't need to break another one."

As if to add some validity to her statement, Swerve was watching from behind his bar, ready to pull the giant cannon mounted on the wall down.

Grimlock grumbled to himself, collecting his cards.

"Thank you." The tiny femme breathed out, kissing the side of Grimlock's battle mask.

At that moment, John's voice emerged from behind them, "And we have arrived!"

Jade looked over, optics widening, "John?"

John grinned, spreading out his arms and asking, "Whaddya think?"

Jade looked him up and down, optics still wide.

He went from being as tall as Sideswipe to being as tall as Warpath, with dual turrets extending from the back of each of his wide shoulders, a mighty impressive Ion Displacer on his back and ready to be pulled off for combat, and a set of treads in the back of each forearm and shin. Additionally, he went from sporting the standard red and blue to a sleek silver and gold.

"Nice new model, John." Grimlock remarked approvingly.

"Thanks, Grim!" John stated before turning around, shoving Mark forward, "Go on, show them the new you!"

Mark stumbled forward before straightening himself out. He was the same height, but sleeker with a faded sky blue and orange along with a more rigid cockpit on his chest and new wings extending from his back.

Jade stared with wide optics, "Dude, did you actually go through with the X-Wing alt mode? Because that is awesome!"

"Heh, thanks...!"

"Don't forget me!" Steve called, darting out in front of them and posing with his servos on his hips.

He had slightly thicker armor, but he wasn't much taller - though now he was sporting a small turret pointing downwards on either side of his chest and the wheels on his shoulders being positioned sideways to make them seem wider. He turned himself around to show off the fact that his back also had small jump thrusters built into it along with another set in the back of his legs, allowing for small bursts of flight.

Sludge gave him a thumbs up, "Nice!"

"Thanks, big man!"

Jade grinned at them, "You all look awesome! Did any of the other guys get new models?"

"Lots of them!" John grinned, pulling up a seat, "They just have to do their jobs right now."

"Ugh, work, amiright?" Steve remarked, sitting in his own chair backwards.

Mark took his own seat, "It's not too bad..."

"Says you! Your main job is doing air patrols!"

"And monitor duty, like everybody else...!"

The Crystal Gardens

Sonic tapped her chin thoughtfully, surveying the chess board. "Gotta say, Sounders, you're good at this."

"Praise: Appreciated." The spy responded monotonously, though there was a brief glint of pride in his visor.

Silver laughed as she tumbled with Ravage playfully, pinning him down before being tackled playfully by Ratbat.

Her mother chuckled lightly at the sight before moving another piece, "Check."

Soundwave didn't even pause before moving a piece, countering her check.

"Ah dang." She moved another piece, grinning, "Except now you're in check mate."

He surveyed the board briefly, "... Statement: True."

"Yup! Had you moved differently, you might've won."

Suddenly Silver and Rumble scampered across the board, chased closely by Frenzy.

The mech looked up at her, "Now we may never know who won."

"What?! No, I had you in checkmate!"

"Statement: Invalid without evidence."

"Oh that is so typical of you!"

"Point of Statement: Undetected."

"Oh I'll show you undetected!" She slugged his arm, grinning wide.

Soundwave pretended to be hurt by this, falling over, "Status: Vanquished by Sonic Boom."

"He's down!" Frenzy screamed.

"Petrohound-pile!" Rumble finished for him, jumping on with the other Cassettecons and Silver.

Sonic laughed at the writhing mass of mini Cybertronians on top of the mech, doubling over.

Soundwave simply sat up, the lot of them falling onto his lap in a fit of giggles and laughter.

The grown femme eventually regained her composure, sitting up and still smiling wide. "Gotta say, Soundwave, these are fun times with you and your cassettes."

"Likewise."

Shockwave's Off-Base Laboratory

Megatron walked into the lab, hands folded behind his back. "What is the status of my new army, Shockwave?"

"Nearing completion, Lord Megatron." The cycloptic mech replied, passing the multitude of chambers with grown Predacons to stand beside the warlord, "Thirty more specimens have been constructed. They should be ready for deployment in six solar cycles."

"Excellent!"

"Not quite, my liege. We still lack their alpha - if it is not recovered, it will surely turn the others against the Decepticon Army. As such, our time to collect it is limited."

Megatron nodded, folding his arms, "I encountered the Predacon during our last raid on Iacon. Rather formidable beast."

"It is imperative we collect it before it reaches maturity in the following solar cycles. It's armor and weaponry will be fully developed if we do not."

"Of course." Megatron turned on his heel, walking out. "We shall raid Iacon once more in the following solar cycle - I trust you will be joining the assault, good doctor?"

"Affirmative, Lord Megatron."

"Good." Megatron wore his sinister grin as he looked over his shoulder to look at Shockwave, "See to it that you are properly prepared."

Shockwave nodded, returning to his work.

And there we go! Another chapter completed!

Sorry that it's filler, but as Megatron said - there will be action soon enough.

Til All Are One,

- Alpha