Resonance

by Guardinthena

When Optimus Prime faces termination on the battlefield, Phage makes a desperate gamble to turn the tables on the Decepticons. Her plans go awry when she's taken hostage by Megatron, who believes she has the Matrix. Despite Decepticon concepts of hospitality, Phage objects to the claim that she has the sacred relic. What she does have and will not say, is Optimus Prime's spark.

18. Elusive

Fierce trepidation gradually coiled around Phage-One's spark.

The abrupt inaction and dreadful silence behind enemy lines settled heavily over them. That black seed threatened to grow into full fledged fear, fed as it was by Pandora Endurus's anxiety and Optimus Prime's paranoia. Two terrible traits that had time to fester and feed off of one another while Phage-One was confined to the cramped cabin that comprised Sea Spray's hovercraft alt, with naught else to do but watch the surreal sunken scenery of the Decepticon seabase slide by. Their entangled consciousnesses conjured up one terrible scenario after scenario, one dreadful question after question with Optimus and Pandora's inner voices echoing their demons and answering in turn they slid down the rabbit hole together; :Megatron and the Decepticons are simply not going to allow us to leave.: Worried Optimus Prime.

:They hardly did.: Countered Pandora.

:Megatron has to have some means of stopping us.:

:Megatron is finished.:

:Death does not mean the same to us that it does to humans. You have been told this time and again. In all probability, we should assume that Skywarp has teleported Megatron straightaway to their Repair Bay, where he has once again received the medical treatment that restored him near instantly before so that he could meet with us. Megatron understands the threat that a Prime poses, and given that he knows of your status due to Soundwave, he will not leave you to explore your newfound powers without molestation. I fear Megatron will soon be bearing down on us with a vengeance.:

:We severed his hamstring, struck his T-Cog, and slit the fuel line. Short of puncturing the spark chamber and liquidizing his brain module, that sounds like termination to me.:

Optimus Prime's consciousness drew up at her response. :Putting aside the cold, calculated nature with which you just said that-:

:You heard what he said.: Bit back her Send. :You were as horrified as I was. As appalled. Scared and furious.:

:I am not denying that. The coldness with which you are handling all of this is worrying me.:

:How did you expect me to feel? Scared that I defended myself? Horrified that I struck out? That I aimed to kill? Please. Father drilled the right to self defense at an early age. Or next time shall I bend the knee and accept the atrocities he wishes to heap upon me and beg for more? He assaulted me on numerous accounts and threatened to rewrite me.: Her Sends grew hard and cold as steel. :I would do it again. That he simultaneously threatened not just me, but you, and Jazz, and the entire team-I really wanted to test Rumble's throwaway remark if I could phase out a spark chamber.:. Optimus drew distinctly quiet as Pandora's Sends filled her mind, growing harder and colder on the surface while beneath roiled a wrath that burned like a planetary core. :Nobody threatens my family and gets away with it. No one. It is practically law within the Witwicky family to stick together, defend and protect one another. You have been told that time and again.:

Optimus prickled at having his own words thrown back at him, but let it slide. :Pandora.:

:Yes?: Came the long drawn Send, with an edge that meant she could and would bite.

:I am not your enemy.:

:Of course.: She scoffed. :I would not be risking life and limb otherwise.:

:Yet you are lashing out.: She drew quiet then, in a sudden moment of self reflection. ::Pandora.:

:Yes!:

:I am worried. About you. I am worried for you. How you are handling everything: the resonance, the kidnapping, the fighting, the reformate, Primus, that you have a matrix that has dubbed you Endurus, because I Sense that you have gone cold and numb. I am not worried that you defended yourself. I am proud that you have the strength and courage to do so, because Primus knows, freedom will always require great sacrifice and leave the scars that proved you stood to defend her and her kinsmechs. I am angry with myself that I could not take that burden for you, that I could not shield you nor protect you.:

:Optimus.:

:Let me finish. I am worried about you, Pandora. You are wound up tighter than a loaded spring.:

:I am fine.:

:No you are not.:

:What do you want to hear from me? I have a frenzied alien energy coursing through my veins, coupled with nervous adrenaline. I want to scream. And I cannot. I want to destroy a sparing drone. And I cannot. I feel caged when all I want is to cut free. I am trapped leagues under the ocean, behind enemy lines, and all I want to do is explode. And the ticking bomb on top of it all is I have no idea what I did to Spike.:

:We revived him.:

:Is that all? You said it was too much energy for what was needed.:

:Aah, there is the wrench in your gears. I did say that, but let us focus on the facts: Spike is alive. He is breathing.:

:But is he well?: Stressed Endurus. ::There is a line. A large, bright, flashing line. It is not enough for me that he is alive. Is my cousin alive and well?::

:You will run yourself down with hypotheticals. I should know. But, in small doses, coupled with facts, they can help prepare you. It is a trait you must learn to keep you on your pedes. To prevent you from being blindsided. Always ask. Always probe at the truth until you know it is the truth and not a falsehood in disguise. Spike is alive. This is fact.:

:You were the one who voiced worry first.:

:Yes. Because I know what happens when Cybertronians are introduced to new energy sources. We are either fueled, empowered, or drained. I have no frame of reference for what happens when organics, particularly humans, are introduced to energy sources. And I do not like unknown variables.:

:You are worried we have turned him into a monster.: Sent Pandora, and even her thoughts belied her strain and worry and sick at the thought.

:Clearly we can see that is not the case. I was not even considering that. ...Does that happen with humans?:

:In fiction... Like yourself, I have no real world frame of reference. But, I feel, with the matrix within me, that I have left what I knew to be reality and entered into a realm of endless possibility.: Pandora relented. :It frightens me.::

:Hm.:

:Prime?.:

:We have to work with facts. What we know to be concrete. On the other servo, do not empower the possibility by giving it much thought. Just prepare. Keep optics on Spike. As time marches on we can deduce. That is all we can do. Keep our fears to ourselves until they are founded or dissuaded.:

:Like me.:

:Pandora Endurus... If Ratchet had informed me of everything at the start everything would be different...: His Send tapered off, and rose again, grumbling, :I need to speak with Ratchet when we get back.:

:How different?:

Optimus Prime's Cybertronian script skyline tinted pink. His next Send was an obvious deflect. :When we return to the Ark, there are a number of matters I must oversee and set right.:

'Set right', he says.

A slight smile picked at the corner of her mouth. Phage-One's optics glanced aside before she was dragged back to the heavy conversation. :If you were not concerned about Spike morphing into a monster: drawled Pandora's Sending as she chewed on his worries and concerns, :then you are concerned that Spike could be...empowered? What does that even mean?:

Prime was all too grateful for the shift back to tactical territory. :I do not know, and that is why I am worried. In Cybertronian biology, unique energy sources jolt our sentio metallico frames, typically resulting in strengthening our frames further for better performance. Ratchet and Perceptor could explain the details. From what I have observed, energy usually harms organics.:

:Depends.: Drawled Pandora carelessly, then, considering, her thoughts trailed into muttering worrisome scenarios; :There was a green light. What does that mean? Radiation? Cherenkov light is blue, emitted by nuclear reactors when fired up. Does that mean the Matrix produces radiation when you tap into it? Have I poisoned Spike with radiation? He revived but is his body going to decay?:

:Still your thoughts and silence your fears. The Matrix is not radioactive.::

:No?:

:No.:

:...But mine-:

:First of many lessons I must instill in you, Endurus, is that the concept of fear is poison itself. Remember that. Always. It will weaken you when you need to be strong and continue to fester so long as you feed it doubt until it becomes a crippling disability.: Sent Prime crisply. :Focus on the miracle that Spike is alive. What comes after we will deal with in stride. Prepare as we must, brace ourselves, but do not succumb. Bolster your resilience, do not tear down. ...Does this compute?.:

Pandora processed. Silent. Quiet. Pondering. Then, at last; :Yes.:

:And yet, your wires are still crossed. Not so tightly knotted, but still a mess...: And, to Pandora's surprise, Optimus began searching within themselves, tracing the myriad emotional cables and with masterful grace, began unknotting the mess, inspecting over each strand for how it had become incorporated into the greater whole so he could understand the root cause and how it had drawn so many cables into its hold. Within a short spell, Optimus had worked out the knot of her tension, the source of what had her at a razors edge. :This fear, it is deeper than just Spike.:

Pandora suffered through one of those simple yet magical Aha Moments, a sudden eureka that one does not realize is truth until it is spoken. Or, in Phage-One's case, when it was Sent by the mech timesharing her brain module.

The Prime's Send laid her fear bare and forced her to analyze the true source. Her Sends spilled across the mindscape small and wretchedly, :I could never forgive myself if anyone was hurt because of me. The extraction team came for me. Because I ran out of the Ark. Because I interfered. Spike was killed. He's permanently scarred. You saw his skin! That's my fault. Lord, how is Uncle Sparkplug going to handle this? Spike is all he has left. What if Uncle Sparkplug has a heart attack at the news?:

:Autobot's will be on servo to transfer him if need be.:

:Sparkplug is going to hate me for this.:

:Hate is a strong sentiment. You know Sparkplug could never hate you. Spike is scarred, but he is alive.:

Endurus gave herself a mental shake. :Uncle Sparkplug is going to be mad. Distraught. I know it.: She Sent adamantly. :I am sick with myself. I-I couldn't think when Spike was hit. My whole world froze and then shattered. I cannot loose Spike. I cannot loose Uncle Sparkplug either. They are my family. What am I...: the thought trailed off and started anew. :Spike died trying to help me.:

:And we managed to revive him.:

:At what cost? I cannot get that question out of my head. I am sick worrying what if I have harmed Spike worse than what Shrapnel has. I could never forgive myself. And you.:

:Me?:

:I tried to save you and yet I have accidentally forced an entanglement and resonance on you. I am sick with myself. I am sick at the thought that I have hurt my family.:

:Hm...and there, I believe, we have hit in the root here: family. You have not hurt me. Megatron did that. You stepped in to help.:

:I feel I have done more harm than good.:

:No. You have not. ...You are still upset, because you have caused unintentional harm on your family. I understand that you are upset. I have seen firsthand the heavy emphasis the Witwicky's place on familial bonds. It is written deep in your coding to look out for and help each other, due to generational trauma experienced by your forebears. Your family is small, and fiercely protective of one another. It is an honor that the Witwicky's have included the Autobot's as an extension of your familial unit. We, in turn, have reciprocated that sentiment by making the Witwicky's honorary Autobot's. Such being the case, I am certain that, just as you felt you had to step in to help your two families -the Autobots and the Witwicky's, Spike felt the same sense of duty when he signed on with the team to come rescue you. I am certain that the same sentiment is true for Jazz and Bumblebee, and all the Autobot's that signed on.:

Her optics watered over as realization dawned. Sudden relief flooded her. Pandora Endurus basked in the clarity the Prime's words brought, finding a kind of solace at last. The horrid knot of emotional distress had nearly undid itself, but the root remained. At length, Pandora addressed it too in a small Send; :I cannot loose Spike and Uncle Sparkplug...Not yet. The thought, it has crossed my mind time and again, but I keep shoving it down. They are more than just family. They are my last two links to my humanity. When they are gone-that is it. I would be severed. I thought I had about a century to straddle between the two world's. Seeing Spike fall...I-I felt my whole world halt. I realized I had to rearrange my sense of reality, and fast. I...am scared to loose the little family I have left.:

:We too share a very real and similar fear, Endurus. As a species as a whole, we Cybertronians have seen too many of our kinsmechs fall. Most Houses are decimated. Familial units annihilated or left in ruin. I understand your fear all too well. The desperation with which you fight to protect your family is shared by every Autobot for their comrade. The majority of Cybertronians on Earth are not brothers by design, but by choosing, and we will fight to the bitter end to protect those few bonds we have left.

That said, your human perspective on time gives you a strange little gift in this situation. From a Cybertronian perspective, a vorn passes quickly. In a blink really. It would be more favorable to hear you have earned an eon in a difficult situation as this. A vorn is...just tragic. Count your blessings that you do not view time through a Cybertronian lens just yet. ...I suppose what I am trying to say is that you should shelve your fears, Pandora. You have bought precious time with your family. Cherish it.:

She nodded mutely, struggling to keep herself together as she grappled with the emotional rollercoaster. She digested his words, but still teetering on worry, Sent a lonely question; :Optimus?:

:Yes.:

:What if it did change him? Such as a mutation?:

:Mutation? Is that what humans call an exposure upgrade?:

Her smile was weak but pleasant at the familiar long standing cultural barriers that stood between their languages. :Oh, Optimus. Yes, I suppose that is an equal translation. It is just ...what if Spike outlives a normal human lifespan? Or he starts flying and shooting lighting or something equally crazy?:

:Are you afraid that this exposure has triggered an outliner flare?::

::An outliner...is that not what happened with me? When I began phasing?::

::That is what I said.::

::Oh, I...yes?::

::I do not see why you would be worried about something as special as that but, only time can tell us that. For now it is as I have said, we will stay vigilant. Let the concern sit in a spare drive, but stay vigilant. It is the only thing we can do for Spike now. In the meanwhile, once we get back to the Ark-and everything has settled-I will have to find a secure location where I can try to teach you to channel this power effectively. Till then, do not access it again. It is too wild. You experienced its overpowering will. There is no telling what could happen next time, especially if I am not here to help reel it back.:

:How are you to help me channel later? You will be extracted..:

Optimus Prime's consciousness paused, caught by the dilemma. :Oh.:. Then, :Hm.:

The brewing storm within Phage-One's processor dispelled then, all troublesome thoughts and worrisome predicaments brought low by the matter at hand, and the unorthodox solution the both of them knew that needed to be done but was too awkward to voice. So they sat in Sea Spray's cabin, all internal turmoil brought to a null. One klik, two. Then Optimus Prime Sent; :You have come to the same solution as me.:

:Yes.:. Another spark pulse, then she continued, :I cannot do that to you.:

:To me?:

:If our minds have become entangled in a resonance, you want to use it to guide me and if things go wrong, you can quench the problem easily. It feels wrong.:

:Why?:

:I didn't mean for this to happen. The resonance. The entanglement. It was suppose to be a simple snatch and trade.:

:That road was not open.:

:I know. The medical datapad explained what a resonance was and how it happens, but not what it is for. After all this, this is too intimate. Too exposed. It feels... Are resonances for couples?:

:Well...:

:Optimus Prime: Pandora Sent in dismay, :Have I aggrieved you terribly?:

"Phage-One." Echoed Sea Spray's voice throughout the tight cabin space, startling them out of their bouncing worries. "Could you ease up?"

Phage-One jerked, unaware that they had been gripping the armrests so fiercely. They let go, stretched their numb digits, fidgeted, and then went right back to unintentionally abusing the armrests. The old M.T.O.'s sigh rushed through the cabin. "Everything is gonna be alright. Just you see."

"No. No, it is not." Said Phage-One tersely. They listened intently to the noises beyond the safety of Sea Spray's cabin as the cold sea water buffeted against his frame. Little bumps and scuffs were amplified eerily. "Sea Spray." Phage-One spoke into the dark. "Hurry. Get us back to the surface quickly."

"As the only Autobot here with an underwater alt, I could go faster, but I fear I would loose the team and put them in jeopardy if I sped off."

Phage-One closed their optics and tried to recenter themself. "Do not separate. But we must be gone from here as of yesterday. Pass the command along. Faster. We do not have time for caution." They said steadily. "We are in grave danger. If Megatron is capable of recovering to full functionality after the Ark battle, what do you think will happen now?"

In short measure, Phage-One was forced deeper into Sea Spray's chair as the mech put on a bout of speed. Sea Spray was as at home in the underwater realm as a Seeker in the sky, avoiding debris and taking turns and dives with grace and maneuverability. But where Sea Spray sped through the ocean via use of his alt mode features, Phage-One became keenly aware of heavy clanks and thumps that echoed ominously outside the cabin.

"What was that?"

"No need to worry, sir. Just Jazz and 'Bee getting an extra speed boost by pushing off against the walls."

"Can the team keep up?"

"They're right behind us. Don't worry, Phage-One."

"I cannot. Not until we are all safe back at the Ark."

"Then it's gonna be a long trip."

The fear, the worry and anxiety ate them alive as the extraction team swam through the winding halls of the Decepticon base, through old hallways, down elevator shafts, more long tedious halls and finally back to the Bar. Reentering the Bar was a surreal experience and one short lived as Sea Spray blasted off for the makeshift door they had blown in the glass window. Where once the window had provided a view of the Decepticon's sprawling base of operations, Superion's peeping face had taken to blocking the view. Of the two vistas, the combiner was certainly the better one.

Hope and joy burst through Phage-One's chassis at the sight of Superion; and they let out a rush of air through their vents in the elation.

Upon seeing the extraction team, Superion smiled and pushed away from the opening. Phage-One's lack of access to Autobot channels was steadily driving Optimus Prime mad, who wanted direct communication to be in the know and control their situation, but without little ado, the Autobots swam toward Superion, and upon some agreed upon plan, took hold of the Combiner's backside. Phage-One understood what was going to happen mere nanokliks ahead of time. :Hold on.: Optimus Prime warned unnecessarily.

---

The quiet of the Decepticon Repair Bay was disturbed when a shrill whine emanated from the midst of the room, immediately followed by a brief burst of purple neon light. As abruptly as the disturbance had begun it ended with the bright flash coalescing into Skywarp, Thundercracker and Megatron.

As Megatron had been left by the Autobot's in the hall, so he remained on the Repair Bay floor; on his knees, one servo grasping his neck cables to staunch the flow of energon that leaked furiously down his frame and between his digits, the other pressed against his side. His auxiliary vents whirled loudly. Skywarp crouched in front of his lord, one servo on Megatron and the other grasping Thundercracker behind the Decepticon Commander. As immediately as they materialized, utter enervation took its toll on Skywarp's energon depleted and battle scarred frame. The Seeker pitched forward and hit the floor. Unable to act, Megatron's optics followed Skywarp's plunge, tiredly noting his motionless frame before his optics jumped to the last mech standing-Thundercracker.

As soon as they materialized, Thundercrakcer broke off from the group. Aware he was in a desperate gamble against time, Thundercracker ignited his anti-grav drive and pushed off. The Seeker flew across the Repair Bay in record time and landed expertly before a section of the Repair Bay where the wall had been cut away into an alcove. Nestled in the alcove was a towering glass jar filled with a mercurial liquid. Thundercrakcer's servos were a steady blur, a farce to the raging nerves twisting his insides. He punched in his personal code into the nearby wall mounted computer to grant him permission to access the substance. From his subspace pocket he produced a cylinder tube and shoved it under the spurt of the jar. When the red light atop the spurt turned green, he twisted the top handle to pour the life saving liquid into the cylinder container.

/Thundercracker! This is Starscream. Report!/

Thundercracker shuttered his optics, pleading to whatever cosmic power existed to grant him patience. Resigned to his fate, he answered his commlink. "This is Thundercracker. Wh-"

/Why aren't you and Skywarp in Command?/ Snapped Starscream's shrill grating voice immediately over the comms. /Where has everyone been!? I've been trying to hail Command!/

To his credit, Thundercracker maintained a calm disposition in the face of Starscream's barrage. "Communications had been compromised in no thanks to Autobot Jazz."

/I don't want to hear excuses!/ Shrieked Starscream down the line causing Thundercracker to jerk away from his own commline in disgust. /I had a situation out here!/

Without missing a spark pulse, Thundercracker clapped back over the open line, his deep Kaonite drawl a stark contrast to Starscream's high Vossian whine. "You had a situation? You!?"

/Yes, me! Superion overwhelmed us! The damn Aerialbots picked off Dirge and Thrust, then used our own bombs against Bruticus!/

"Are they functioning?" Demanded Thundercracker, aghast at the prospect that more comrades had fallen, and sharply cutting into Starscream's building rant to end it before it could start. To Thundercracker's mounting frustration and shock, Starscream had the gall to come off flippant.

/Dirge and Thrust are./

"The Combaticons are terminated!?" Mounting alarm and horror edged his words. The running tally in his cranium ticked down their forces from the Constructicons, Stunticons, and Frenzy, right down to the Combaticons, and he started to worry gravely for their future.

/How am I too know? I called a tactical retreat after Superion tricked Bruticus!/

"You left the Combaticons out there!" Roared Thundercracker over the comm so harshly his voice carried across the Repair Bay and back. During their exchange, he deftly shut the spurt off, clapped his servo over the top of the cylinder and flew back to Megatron's side as quickly as possible.

/Don't take that tone with me!/ Shrieked Starscream back so shrilly that the commline popped. /It is hardly my fault the vorners are inept! And certainly not my function to drag their frames back into the base!/

Thundercracker landed neatly at Megatron's side, knelt down in a hurry on one knee and gingerly took his Commander into his arms. Full of nervous energy, Thundercracker was desperately careful to pry Megatron's digits away from his neck to pour the mercurial liquid into the wound. All the while, Megatron's crimson sun optics quietly watched him, gauging and judging him by some scale of measurement that made Thundercracker uncomfortable. He tried to ignore the weight of Megatron's boring gaze by clapping back at Starscream. "It is your fault the Combaticons fell! You forged them! You aided in crafting their personality weaves!"

/I did the best I could with the limited resources we have! I cannot be held accountable for their actions!/

"You certainly do when they perform their duties well."

/The Combaticons strive to live up to the Decepticon code of honor. It is worthy of praise, but as you well know Thundercracker, it also dictates only the worthy progress. Thus it invites fierce competition to prove worthiness over and over again. Though they have proven themselves willing to comply, what the Combaticons have truly proven time and again is that they are inferior to Superior./

"So you left valuable comrades out there?"

/Did you not just hear me? If they are strong they will survive./

An overwhelming sense of sickness swept over him. He glanced between Skywarp and Megatron and could not help knowing that Starscream would, by his own words, leave them to terminate if given the opportunity for his own benefit. "Gave the Combaticons the best you could?" Thundercracker found himself carelessly saying in his mounting anger, frustration and anxiety. "What about the Stunticons?"

Megatron and Thundercracker's optics locked as Starscream proceeded to verbally vomit over the commlines. The Seeker was clearly triggered by the suggestion he was terrible at anything, and tried to deflect the subject. /None of this would have happened if Megatron had just listened to me! I told him the bombs were a terrible idea! How are we to see them when we're defending the base!?/

"-You know the area they were planted!" Thundercracker interjected.

/That there is why you and Skywarp should have been out here with me! You have a good cranium on your shoulders, TC. You remember the nitty gritty. I should have liked that in the heat of battle. But the rookies...Why was I straddled with the rookies to defend the base!? I needed you and Skywarp! Where have you been!/

"I am not your-"

/You know, Thundercracker, I think I can forgive you./

"What?"

/When I needed you the most you weren't at your post. You allowed a single Autobot to flush you from your position. I needed your optics on the screens and an open line of communication to inform me we were drawing close to the mine field. I thought you were better than that. But I guess I was wrong./

"You weren't-"

/I am willing to forgive you, Thundercracker and keep this between you and me./

"You forgive me?" The ridiculousness of Starscream's entire attitude struck Thundercracker hard in that moment. Clarity shown true, grounded him, as he worried over Megatron and Skywarp's injuries.

/Of course! What is our trinemate history after all? I can look pass this, but I need your help with the Combaticons. You're much stronger than Skywarp or I./

At that moment, something deep in Thundercracker broke. It was years worth of accumulation of abuse, mistreatment, and underappreciation from Starscream. Years worth of Starscream shrinking his duties onto others, shifting blame, outright lying, humiliation, threat of blackmail...having Starscream talk down to him and trying to make him feel as though he were the crazy one that should appreciate a second chance, when it was him who had fought the Autobot's off, him who was struggling to save his comrades and commander lives while Starscream admitted he had fled battle and left allies behind, worse of all, that the clown was somehow second in command, a stain on the Decepticon name and who twisted the code of honor to fit his current objective.

As Starscream's words sank in, as the past blended with the present in stark contrast, Thundercracker ground his denta together. When Starscream had finished, he snapped. "It was five to eight, oh Starscream, Lord of Voss! If you can't defend our home against five Autobot's no wonder our ranks were decimated at Solhura Storm! The only time you taste victory is when you shoot your targets in the back, you conniving coward!"

/How dare you! How dare you speak to me like that! I am Aerial Commander! I am Last of the Great House of Voss! You will respect me!/

"Respect you? What is there to respect? You are a petulant, self absorbed noble-forged. You betrayed your own class when you joined Megatron's crusade. You terminated your own creators to seize Voss as your own. You played victim to garden sympathy from the masses. Then had the gall to claim it all in the name of righteous justice for all Cybertronian kind and the honor of the Decepticon cause. The truth is you have ridden on the pedefall of Megatron's success ever since and been nothing but a poison to the cause. You claim victories that were never yours and shift blame to deflect from your massive failures- who can forget the Fall of Voss."

Radio silence slapped back for priceless seconds. Then, once Starscream regained his composure, he replied low and cold and frighteningly calm. /You insolent drone. You will regret your words yet./

Thundercracker knew he was dancing with an acid viper and could not care. Adrenaline and realization that Starscream was toxic gave him a certain type of liberation that made him feel invincible. "What are you going to do, Starscream? Whisper your Vossian venom into Megatron's audios? Have me demoted? Whose record stands clean and which of us flees at the drop of a lugnut? Will you shift all your work on to me as normal like how you are trying to do now by trying to convince me to rescue the Combaticons so you can look good? When was the last time you got dirt on your digits? You are a copy of your creators: a deceitful, lying coward."

/I hope the Autobot's singed your wings. I struggled-/

"You... That's all I keep hearing is you, you, you. Well, you look here Starscream, you fragged up. You had one job and that was to deal with Superion. You outnumbered the Aerialbots. You should have been informed on the bombs locations. You should have kept your team safe! Now who is suppose to stop the Autobot's escaping?!"

/Hah! So you failed to stop the stupid Autobot's from retaking Phage!/

"EVERYTHING WAS UNDER CONTROL UNTIL SHE SLIPPED THE NULL RESTRAINTS YOU MADE!" Thundered Thundercracker, all at once out of patience.

/Don't you dare take that tone with me! There is no way she could have slipped my null restraints. She had to have assistance./

"You insufferable-Because of your failure, the glitch cut Megatron!"

/Again? Hah! Oooh, the glitch cut Megatron!/ Mocked Starscream down the line. /Why does he insist on getting close to a phaser. The drone! Did he learn nothing from the Bar brawl?/

Beside him, Megatron's optics contracted, the pupils burning with a bright red hot light. "Has it occurred to you at all that possibly Lord Megstron thought it should be safe to approach the phaser when she's suppose to be suppressed!"

/That is not my fault that he failed to use his own optics!/

"You built the null restraints!"

"Tch! Again, how is this my problem that you let her fall into Autobot servos where they could help her remove them? Hrumpth! All this fuss over another poor scratch./

"SCRATCH?" Once more, Thundercracker lost all semblance of patience. As he tended to the remainder of Megatron's injuries by pouring the last of the mercurial liquid into the cut in his waist and then his ankle, he thundered down the commline. "SHE SLIT HIS THROAT WITH A VIBRO DAGGER!"

The line was silent from Starscream's end for a spell, before he managed to mumble out in disbelief. /...what?/

"I am with him right now in the Repair Bay!" Thundercracker shouted down the line.

/Your with.../ His words trailed off, hushed and mumbling to himself before he spoke up again. /Megatron is critical?/ The Air Commander's once superior tone had melted instantly into a meek squeak. /How is Lord Megatron?/

"Oh shut up with your false sympathies!" Snapped Thundercracker. "He would be terminated if not for Skywarp and I! As for you, it was your null restraints that failed! Your lack of concern over the security of your null restraints could be construed as a conspiracy to assassinate Lord Megstron via Autobot servos. Translocks are near impossible to break, but you restraints rather than to modify a translock and then vouched for the integrity of your null restraints. You see how this looks?" Starscream began stammering but Thundercracker did not hear a word of it. "It was your job to stop Superion and thwart the Autobot's escape route! Instead you failed miserably and retreated rather than fight to the bitter, honorable end and left valuable allies to fend for themselves." Sneered Thundercracker. "The Autobot rust are fleeing right now with the phaser. In fact," he added, "weren't you the one who voiced to retreat from the battlefield at the Ark rather than press our advantage? ...You tell me Starscream, if this doesn't scream a long drawn conspiracy to undermine Megatron's ultimate victory to make him a fool so you, as Second, could ascend?"

The line was silent for so long that Thundercracker thought Starscream had hung up. "Starscream?" He snapped into his commlink whilst he oversaw that the medical liquid repaired Megatron's neck cables. The mercurial liquid seeped throughout the wound, stitching it back up with the complex metallic structures before sealing completely. Once healed, Megatron pushed away from Thundercracker's embrace to cough up the energon trapped in his main air vent. The warlord's frame was tense, curled on itself. He gave off the aura of a wounded but very dangerous predator. Wisely, Thundercracker gave him space and moved to check Skywarp's injury.

"Starscream!" Thundercracker barked once again, his deep voice echoing in the dreadfully quiet Repair Bay. "The fragger." He growled disdainfully as he shot a glance at his commline and then fixed his gaze on Megatron, who was glancing his way. "He hung up!" His commline beeped just then and immediately Thundercracker answered it so he could continue to chew out the pompous Seeker.

/He's going to blame me!/ Crackled Starscream's voice suddenly over the commlines, accompanied by harried pededalls before the distinct whine of Starscream's thrusters. Thundercracker paused before he could utter a full word, thrown off by the bizarre audio. He glanced funnily at his commline while he moved from Skywarp back to Megatron. He hovered over his Commander, at first trying to dab at the energon staining Megatron's throat with a rag but Megatron swatted his efforts off, until Thundercracker simply offered it. Megatron eyed it suspiciously, then Thundercracker, before accepting it to clean himself and cough into the towel. The blue Seeker turned his attention back to the commlines and spoke into it. "Starscream, what are you doing?"

/This is Thrust./

Thundercracker had an immediate sinking feeling in the pit of his fuel tanks and did not miss the distinct look of disgust Megatron shot his way between vicious coughs. "Thrust, I thought you were injured?"

/Just a little dinged up, Dirge and I./

"That lying-Where the pitt is Starscream?"

/He took off!/

"He left? Again."

/He didn't leave the base. He just...took off down the hall ranting something about Megatron and punishment and...proof? Whatever that means./

"Proof?" Stressed Thundercracker. "What proof?"

/Something about releasing Piranacon to prove himself. Didn't make sense. ...Whose that?/

Distress immediately writ across Thundercracker's face. Beside him, Megatron coughed violently. When Thundercracker looked over, Megatron was vehemently shaking his servo in the negative. He quickly turned his attention back to the commline. "Thrust, Dirge-Stop him!"

/Stop...Starscream? How? He's so fast./

"Damn it!" Thundercracker cursed. "Stop him! Last time Piranacon was let loose he nearly destroyed the base!"

/He did?/

/Who is that?/ murmured Dirge's voice over the comms.

/Thundercracker./

/I know that. I meant Piranacon. Never seen 'em around./

"STOP STARSCREAM!" Thundercracker roared, his voice booming off the walls in the Repair Bay. "That's an order!"

He could practically envision the two conehead Seekers leaping into stance. /Sir, yes sir!/

---

"He went this way didn't he?"

"He had too." Said Thrust. The Coneheads cautiously traversed a long glass tunnel that ran straight from the sea base, through the side of the cliff, and came out into a sunken valley. In the midst of the clearing was a nondescript circular room.

Dirge glanced around uncertainly. "You're sure?"

Thrust vented loudly. "We followed his energy signature out this far. Who else could it be?"

"I just never knew this tunnel was out here."

"I think I saw it on patrol."

"But why is this Piranacon out this far? Why would Starscream even want them?"

"We're about to find out." Answered Thrust as they came up on the bulkhead to the chamber. It has been left wide open and within the room behind, they could hear Starscream ranting to himself and the clak-tap-tapping of digits flying across a control panel.

Silently, the Coneheads argued with each other over who would step in first and eventually decided to enter together. "Starscream?" Thrust called out tentatively. "Excuse us sir, but we were sent by Thundercracker too-"

They did not get more than five feet into the chamber when Starscream whipped around from the control panel and null rayed the Coneheads without so much as a forewarning. They dropped to their servos and knees, their bodies wracked in excruciating pain. The surprise null ray attack left them prisoners in their own bodies, wholly unable to call for help.

Starscream turned immediately back to the panel to enter in a series of final commands, cursing Thundercracker's designation all the while.

---

"Is that a whale?" Phage-One's expression slipped into worry as they glanced anxiously about the interior of Sea Spray's cabin, trying desperately to pinpoint the exact location of the long, sorrowful moan.

"It's summer, so whale migration would be heading back north." Echoed Sea Spray's voice.

"That did not answer my question."

"Hm, no." Sea Spray said gruffly, then added. "No aquatic fauna comes near the Decepticon base."

Phage-One leaned forward in the chair. "Then what-"

At that exact moment, Superion activated his thrusters and, using the Decepticon seabase as an impromptu launchpad, accelerated full speed towards the surface. Phage-One slammed back into the cabin chair under gravitational pressure. Their servos abused the integrity of the armrests at the sensation of their fuel tanks dropping out, and could not focus on anything but the gnawing fear that the Decepticons would attack again, impede their escape, launch torpedo's- something. Prime's paranoia was nothing short of prophetic.

Beyond the measure of safety provided by Sea Spray's very living frame, beyond the roar of the dark ocean water rushing by at unprecedented speeds, and rising above the thunder of Superion's thrusters, the long ethereal moan Phage-One had heard a moment before gave way to a startling primal cry. A cry that was far too close for comfort. A cry that could have been right outside. The animalistic screech ended abruptly with a loud submerged crash into what they could only assume to have been the spot that Superion had just been occupying before blast off.

To say that Phage-One abused the armrests was an understatement. To say that their cranium hurt because their new omni-hair had coiled so tightly was no exaggeration. "Sea Spray! What's happening!"

"We're being pursued!"

"By who?"

"A beast from the darkest pitts!"

"What!?"

"Damned thing is a massive swarm of limbs and flailing tentacles! And hellfire for optics!"

Phage-One threw a confounded and anxious look. "We're being chased by Cthulhu!?"

"Who?" Then, not a nanoklik later, Sea Spray displayed a visual of the entity that was chasing them on a small display screen embedded in the console before the chair. The live feed image revealed a hideous monstrosity half veiled by the inky ocean depths and Superion's bubble trail. The massive swarm of limbs and tentacles and fins surged through the ocean close on Superion's trail. Sure to Sea Spray's clipped account, hellfire eyes burned through the darkness full of malignant intent.

Despite the live feed, Phage-One could not determine one crucial factor. Over the next horrid scream the thing screeched, Phage-One shouted desperately to Sea Spray; "Native fauna, sub-Atlantean or Cybertronian!"

"I've never run across a local aquatic life form that looked like that!"

"Sub-Atlantean or Cybertronian? ...Sea Spray!" Phage-One demanded.

"Trying to scan!"

"Sea Spray!"

"I can't get a read!"

Phage-One grit their denta in frustration. "Tell Superion to punch it!" They commanded with utmost urgency.

"With all due respect, I have no need."

Relegated to the sidelines and unable to help in any form, cold dread poured through Phage-One's circuits as they were forced to simply sit and watch the impending threat encroach on their team. Its haunting scream penetrated Sea Spray's cabin and bored into their audios, a dreadful song they would not soon forget. The armrests whined in protest under their white knuckled grip.

---

Above the watery depths, the sun had sunk beyond the elusive horizon long before and it was long since the moon had risen in the night sky to take his place. The heavens shown with all their glory down upon the serene world, illuminating the gentle roll of ocean waves and high craggy cliffs and cast the windswept forest sea of Douglas firs and Sitka spruce in a dark and mysterious veil. Then, abruptly, the calm of the world shattered as the metallic gestalt Superion exploded from the ocean depths. In his wake, millions of water droplets scattered and captured the moonlight, glittering like diamond rainfall against the night sky. The gestalt climbed ever skyward, engines roaring; and then they were above the world, not below it, being carried ever higher and higher.

Phage-One's fuel tank lifted from their pedes into their throat, and still their optics were only glued to the display screen. They saw what Sea Spray saw, the thing pursuing them broke free of the ocean with such momentum that the massive creature launched itself up into the air after Superion. Dazzling moonlight caught off the creature's body, exposing the distinct smooth sheen of a metallic frame, vibrant colors of coral pink, pale grey, aquamarine and navy blue, sharp corners and sleek angles, omni-tentacles swarming on its left leg and a mechanical shark for its right arm. From the maw of the shark there outstretched a servo with long sword-like digits and each one caught the celestial light and bent it into moonfire. The servo reached to bite deep on Superion's pede and drag him back into the inky ocean depths...

Between the sheer size of the Cybertronian, and the horrid amalgamation of aquatic lifeforms, it was easy to conclude that what they were seeing was a new Decepticon combiner, which meant five unknown Decepticons for whom Optimus Prime had no designations, no knowledge- Nothing. Every battle on Earth had been fought with hard known variables, until the Battle of New York. Until the Earth Generation. Every new Decepticon face worried Prime greatly for how they could affect the carefully balanced scales of their conflict. Five new Decepticons-a combiner no less, frightened Optimus on a personal level he was not willing to openly admit. And so, he actively noted every fine detail he could about this newcomer.

The distance it cleared of the saltwater was terrifying. Phage-One's fuel pump clenched painfully, their audios straining to filter out all the racket of the wind, the water, Superion's thrusters, strained to detect the metallic crunch and readied for the inevitable jerk as Superion would be weighted down by the second new combiner... Yet time stretched and held, then slowly glued itself back together. The combiner started to fall back as its momentum wore off and Superion kept speeding ever skywards. As the Decepticon combiner fell away its hellfire optics burned into them and left a mental imprint Phage-One would not soon forget. And then the monstrosity disengaged.

Phage-One's optics flew open as the combiner burst apart, without any clear indication of why or how. Six distinct Cybertronians plummeted back into the ocean, diving effortlessly beneath the rolling waves and disappearing from scanners altogether. Despite the Decepticon combiner's apparent retreat, Superior continued to soar ever skywards. It became readily apparent that he was not just satisfied with putting the necessary distance between himself and the nautical combiner, but rocketed heavenward with the intent to outdistance all manner of threat or retaliation and so was not content until the cliffs were but mounds beneath them and the Oregonian forests sprawled out in a great dark green sea beside the glittering ocean.

All throughout, Phage-One's fuel tanks had dropped to their pedes then lifted again and settled in their proper place as Superion cut the thrusters and hovered midair. A long relative quiet came thereafter in which all thought was swallowed in the wake of the brain module processing the last few intense minutes. In that breadth of time, Phage-One distantly heard Jetfire's voice beyond the cabin walls rise up on the lull of racket and lament how he, a flyer, needed a lift. If any had sought to assuage Jetfire's bruised ego it was drowned out as Superion picked his direction and boomed towards Portland, and then beyond that, Phage-One knew instinctively, the Ark.

"We're going home." Sea Spray announced. A rush of air escaped Phage-One's vents then, one which they had been unaware was holding them up. As Phage-One deflated, utter exhaustion hit them hard. They eased into the chair and lulled their cranium onto their shoulder strut where their omni-hair promptly fell across their face and shoulders in a curtain. "...Sir."

One of the omni-hair's lifted off their face so they could peak out. "Yes, Sea Spray?" Sighed Phage-One.

"I am not going back down there."

Optimus Prime tried to process the statement, as it took him quite by surprise. Sea Spray's service record was impressive and certainly not lacking in bravery. It was only a nanoklik before pieces snapped together. The Decepticons must have created the sea combiner to counter the Autobot's myriad attacks against the base. Why they had never used them before now Prime could not fathom. "I understand. I would never pit one Autobot against a combiner. Your recon missions will have to be reevaluated."

"Unless."

Phage-One paused, blinking owlishly up at a spot on the ceiling. "Unless?" They questioned with naïve curiosity.

"Unless I get three things."

"What are your conditions, Sea Spray." Queried Optimus.

"Equipment, crew, and hazard pay."

"...You're serious."

"Someone's going to have to track that thing down. Who else but me?"

"It is a naval combiner with unknown capability."

"Exactly. Keeping tabs on the Decepticons and Sub-Atlanteans was becoming mundane. I've just entered challenge mode."

:If that doesn't have the makings of Captain Ahab and Moby Dick I do not know what does.: Chimed Pandora across the mindscape. It was such a quick comparison with tragic implications that it made Optimus Prime wrinkle at the situation at hand.

"No." Rumbled Phage-One adamantly.

"But-"

"We will discuss this later, Sea Spray."

"Yes, Prime. ...Uh, erm, I mean, Phage-One." Inflected Sea Spray, but they had already sunk into the chair with a small shake of their cranium and the barest quirk of a smile. Just as Optimus Prime's consciousness was beginning to drift, use as he was to military procedure to snatch recharge when and where he could, Pandora could not settle. Her mind was wired from the adventure and overflowing with concerns. The first and foremost of her latest worries filtered across as an open Send; :Where did they come from? Who were they?:

Given her freshness to resonances, the open Send was likely meant as a rhetoric question for herself, and yet, in his exhausted state, Optimus found himself replying all the same. :The others from New York.:

:What others!: Retorted Pandora Endurus in alarm.

Optimus was pensive for a moment before responding. :Command and I have worried for many Earth years that Megatron and the Decepticons may have extracted more sparks from the Matrix than we surmised.:

:Heavens, Prime...: the Send trailed off as Pandora struggled which question to ask first and finally decided on one. :How many could Megatron have acquired?:

:Plenty.:

Her mouth pursed, displeased at his vague response. :Then why hasn't he rebuilt an army?: Optimus did not respond, and grew despondent instead, which only worried Pandora with his gnawing silence. Her optical ridges creased as she thought over the problem. :Megatron said something about difficulty with creating personality weaves. That the Earth Gen had horrible personality defects. But that cannot be all accurate. The Aerialbots are fine. Though, do you suppose that is it?:

:Perhaps.: Sent Prime despondently. :A great people, brought low. Our children, defective.:

Pandora's worry spilled from everything and everyone at large and immediately laser focused on to Optimus Prime. She gently brushed his consciousness with hers. :If you are trying to tell me something, then just say it. You do not need to hide behind cryptic lines. We keep going back to the topic of New York. You...shared some of your memory with me. What he did... Optimus, do you need to talk about it? Have you talked about it with anyone?:

She was startled when she Sensed him retreat on himself; felt the great glittering Cybertronian city shift and transform into lockdown from blast covers dropping over windows, doors magna-sealing and the lights dimming. :No.:

:Op...: she said gently as she softly repeated the soothing motion of brushing her consciousness with his. :You know you can always talk to me whenever you are ready too.:

:Hrmm.: The pensive noise that permeated the mindscape was a cross between a low rumbling engine and grumble from the back of his throat.

She smiled softly. :Come now.: She cooed soothingly and gently tried to cox him from his shell. :The Aerialbots are not defective.:

:No...: Admitted Prime slowly. :No they are not. But the Dinobots are.:

:The Dinobots?: She chortled carelessly. :It is just a speech impediment. They are all right.:

:No. It is not. And no, they are not.: Rumbled Optimus Prime angrily in such a rare fashion that she had only ever seen triggered whenever the Dinobots were brought up at the Ark. "It is a limited intelligence.:

:Megatron said personality weaves are hard to craft... Did Ratchet and Wheeljack bumble that when they coded their brain modules? Is it fixable?:

:It has nothing to do with personality weaves.: Snapped Prime. Within the mindscape, she withdrew from him. Wholly uncertain how to cheer him up or help in any way. A tense awkward silence settled between them, the melancholy souring the excitement of their escape. It was only when Pandora decided to withdraw her avatar that Optimus Prime spoke up suddenly. :Phage- I mean Pandora. I understand you want to help, but there is no repairing what transpired with the Dinobots. Or at New York. This... is not the appropriate time for such a dour topic. You should take this time to settle in for some recharge.:

:I cannot sleep.:

:You are restless.:

:Can I be blamed? My mind is always going a hundred a minute, but now...:

:What do you normally do.:

:Hm, calming music.: A slight twinkle crinkled Prime's optic as she added sassily; :I refuse to ask Sea Spray to play something. Also, occasionally high grade. Most certainly do not have that on hand.:

Once again, Sea Spray's hoarse voice resounded within the cabin. "You should try to get some recharge."

:I am beginning to suspect that Sea Spray may be telepathic.:

:Just observant.: Sent Prime.

"Rest." Mocked Phage-One as they settled back into the chair, digits clinging to the armrests, and cut quite a brooding figure then. "Rest is an elusive creature to me."

"Just speaking from experience, and Prime will tell you too, snag it when you can grab it. Things will be hectic for you when we get back, Phage. You are going to wish you had got some rest."

She grumbled in protest.

:I have an idea.:

:Oh?: Chortled Pandora facetiously.

A mischievous twinkle glittered in Prime's optic. :You should be careful to whom you give away your weaknesses too, Endurus.:

:Hark! Weakness!: Mock gasped Pandora. :Did I give any away?:. She questioned.

:You did.:

Her fine optical ridges crinkled together, but just as she was beginning to worry after Prime's mischievous nature, he tipped his servo. The mindscape filled with a beautiful slow music and was accompanied by the lovely melodious voice of a femme. Endurus laughed. :Really? What is this?:

:A memory of a song from Cybertron. You said you needed music to recharge. And you are desperately recharge deprived. So...:

Her aurora borealis thought patterns had smoothed over as her avatar lulled and swayed on her pedes. :Underhanded.: She mumbled. : Absolutely...No.: And the patterns spiked in alarm. :No! I-The nightmares will come again. I cannot rest here in Sea Spray. It would be embarrassing if I had one now.:

:I am here.: Said Optimus gently. :I will keep them at bay.:

Pandora smiled. :How... adorable. How do you intend to do that?:

:We just battled Soundwave in a mental duel and you are asking me how I can help with matrix induced night terrors?: His tone was light, jovial, but kind. :Rest, Endurus.: Sighed Prime patiently. :Claim the recharge you need. I am here.: He smiled reassuringly. For a few nanokliks she gauged him, processing, then droopily she nodded agreeably.

Sea Spray monitored Phage-One with growing bemusement as they drew in on themselves, intensely quiet, fidgeting every once in awhile. He wondered if the two consciousnesses trapped in Phage's cranium were having congress with one another. After a short span, the femme's right arm traced up her left then squeezed her shoulder and he wondered if that was Prime trying to calm Phage down, but then the matter-displaced femme hugged herself as she pulled up tight into the chair, tucking one leg under her aft, and then, between the lull of the roaring winds outside and sheer exhaustion from the days' events, Phage-One promptly drifted off.

Beyond the security of Sea Spray's chess cavity, the grizzled M.T.O. clung onto the back of Superion for dear life. Fierce cold winds whipped all around his frame, yet he smiled and chuckled amusingly. "Elusive beastie indeed."

---

"No! NO!" Screeched Starscream, palms of his servos pressed to his temples before he slammed the control panel that monitored Phiranicon. "No-! Those deficient drones! They had one function! One!"

Seemingly unaware to Starscream, the affects of the null ray began to wear off on Thrust and Dirge. Incrementally they were able to twitch a digit, then jerk a wrist, followed by the eventual relenting of their knee and elbow joints. Soon, the two coneheads were relieved of the painful affects of the null ray, yet they remained anxiously still as they watched their elder dissolve into a tantrum befitting a vorner. Cursing and screaming, Starscream lashed out violently at everything around him, throwing items against the nearest wall and kicking and punching the terminal.

Thrust and Dirge cast each other a slow exchange of worried looks. Then, biting the bullet, Thrust called out tentatively, "...Starscream?"

Their elder whipped around. His optics flared at the sight of them. "What?" He snapped off. "Still want to take me away? Try and I'll feed you more of my null ray you bumbling glitches!"

Thrust held his servos up in a placating manner. "We don't mean any harm! Thundercracker-"

"Weakling fools!" Interrupted Starscream as he lunged for them. The Coneheads locked up, completely unprepared for their elder to lash out at them outside of a training room. "Out of my way!" Starscream screeched as his long digits grabbed Dirge and threw him to the ground. "Thundercracker thinks he can usurp my power, turn Megatron against me! Me! He's going to blame all of this on me! I'll remind that grime flyer who has power around here!"

Thrust stared after Starscream in alarm and fear as he helped Dirge up off the ground. "I...don't understand our elders, Dirge. What the hell got him so worked up he flipped out like that?" He murmured.

"Failure." Bit Dirge as he glanced himself over. "Egocentric bolt."

"Think he's fleeing the base this time?"

"I don't care so long as he stays far away from me."

Thrust glanced around the round control room then, taking note of the six plain doors, ominous and reinforced, lining the walls. "This place has the feel of a prison. What do you think was in them?"

Dirge glanced sidelong at the doors. "Phiranicon I guess."

Thrust's optical ridges slid together. "Six doors? One designation." He looked at Dirge then. "Another combiner?"

Dirge threw a dodgy glance towards the doors. "Makes sense."

"Why would their quarters be all the way down here? I've never seen them."

"I don't care why, Thrust. Let's just leave. ...What are you doing? Don't go over there."

Thrust ignored him to inspect the area over, examining the entry pads, and when he knew he couldn't guess the security code he found access to a optic slit and peeked inside. Dirge glanced around nervously and kept looking back down the glass tunnel Starscream had fled down. "Let's just go." He grumbled.

After expecting four of the six rooms, Thrust turned aside sharply and carefully made his way back to Dirge, mumbling all the while, "Yeah, we need to go."

The Coneheads started back down the tunnel, both glancing anxiously at the glass tube surrounding them and into the darkness beyond. Somewhere in the distance they could make out the glittering lights of the sprawling seabase their elders had spent nearly two Earth decades erecting beneath the ocean, away from the interference of the primitive and volatile humans.

"So." Dirge abruptly asked quietly. "What was in there?"

"They were cells."

Dirge made a noise at the back of his throat. Then Thrust added suddenly, "Dirge?"

"Yeah?"

Thrust stopped and glanced around uneasily. "This tunnel is made of reinforced glass."

"Yeah."

"It is structurally weak."

"Well, yeah."

"And it leads to a prison cell removed from the main base."

"...yeeees."

"So, it isn't made for a scenic underwater walk. It was made with a purpose. Everything we construct is forged with a purpose."

"Yeah. And?"

"And, was it designed to collapse in case Phiranicon escaped?" As the seconds dragged on and Dirge continued to stare at him, Thrust added for clarification; "Because they would be crushed by the water pressure..."

"But Starscream just released them."

"I know. Just...Are they elders, too? Like Megatron and Starscream and Thundercracker and Skywarp and Soundwave and the Minicons? Is that why we've never seen him? Were they disciplined by Megatron because he destroyed the base? Did he try and usurp Megatron?"

"How would I know?"

"I know you don't. It's just...we didn't know about them."

"And?"

"The combiner technology came along with our generation. So, logically, wouldn't this Phiranicon be a vorner?"

"Why would you ask me if he was an Elder then?"

"I'm just thinking out loud, Dirge. Geez. When was the last time any of us, even the Combaticons, or Constructicons, did something so egregious that we were locked away like that and never spoken of again?"

"Never. There's been discipline, sure. But, well..." Except Dirge let his words trail off. "Damn it Thrust, what are you getting at?"

He had a troubled expression on his face since they had come upon Starscream, but in the last breem it had only worsened. Just then, Thrust was in complete troubled epiphany. "...Are we the bad guys?"

"How can we be the bad guys?" Dirge scoffed and linted skywards. "There is an entire world out there that wants to terminate us. A gross alien population of carbon sack bags that want to dismantle us for 'reverse engineering'. You know what they mean by that. You watched Independence Day with me and the Combaticons. You know it means torture. The Autobot's are idiots for trusting the natives. It's like Megatron says, one day humanity is going to turn around and bite them like the snake that they are and when that day happens, Optimus Prime himself is going to call on Megatron for help. So, how are we the bad guys? Megatron and our Elders keep us safe by their rules and laws. Anyone of us who steps out of line endangers us all. We-"

"-all lift together. I know the motto."

"Then." Said Dirge stonily, then pointed back the way they had come. "Whoever they are, they stepped so far over the line that Megatron had to punish them like this. Whoever they are, I don't care to know. They are nothing to me."

"Thundercracker said their crime was they destroyed the base. ...Or tried."

"And now you know the line. Solitary confinement for life."

Thrust made a face. "But why would Starscream unleash them then?"

"Pitt if I know!" Sighed Dirge dramatically. "He's a wierd one. You know what I do know though?"

"What?"

"We're probably gonna be sent out to do the grunt work of dragging the Combaticons back in."

"Oh...Do you think Thundercracker and Megatron would like it if we do that before they ask?"

"Maybe?"