Author's Note: In response to a review concerning Barricade's 'demise'...Barricade made it all the way through the 5th Michael Bay Transformers movie "The Last Knight". This story is taking place between the 2nd movie, "Revenge of the Fallen, and just before the 3rd movie, "Dark of the Moon."

Bumblebee was venting heavily. His frame rattled uneasily, his engines letting out an odd, low noise. His chassis felt heavy and cold. Warning messages flashed across his vision, alerting him that his energon reserves were low due to ruptured fuel-lines.

It was a trap. It was a Decepticon trap. How could he not have realized?

The scout had found the energon mine, filled with the cerulean crystals. There were even entire caverns full of refined cubes, waiting for transport. And there was only less than a handful of Vehicons to guard it all. He dispatched the first two Vehicons easily and quietly, and no one was there to stop him when he neared the piles of perfectly stacked energon. He had been so deficient, so hungry, he eyed the fuel source with gluttonous greed. Bumblebee had thought he finally had a stroke of luck.

As a scout, he knew he should have properly surveilled the area, knowing that the Decepticon energon mines were always under heavy guard. Already suffering from energon deprivation, the young bot threw caution to the wind, intending to quickly refuel and then contact the other Autobots to let them know about his discovery. It was a good thing they never got his message or else they'd be just as slagged as he was when the Eradicons attacked.

They must have been hiding in the upper reaches of the caverns, out of Bumblebee's sight. Their EM fields must have been cloaked, or masked by the energon signal covering the scout's systems. Or the youngling was too caught up in his victory to notice. Crimson, superheated energon rained down on him, striking his armor and wires.

Outnumbered and outmatched, Bumblebee had no choice but to retreat. Especially when Shockwave and Starscream arrived. The Autobot scout hated to compliment the enemy...but he knew that their clever little trap, was strategically brilliant.

He had barely gotten out with his life. Now he was on the run. It was difficult to hide when he leaked a clear energon trail and at the rate he was going, he would burn through his reserves before he made it back to the Autobots' last known rendezvous point. There was a human city near the mine, full of thousands of humans and cars and structures to hide in. Bumblebee just had to lay low for awhile, out of sight, until the Decepticons grew bored in the hunt and moved on.

But the Autobot had nearly gotten in several accidents on the highway. His energon was redirecting to primary functions, trying to keep his chassis functioning, making it difficult to steer. It did not help the world began to mix together in a buzz of color and noise and lights. Right as he made it off of the exit ramp, the first warning flashed in his HUD that stasis lock wasn't far off. He knew he could make it deeper into the city before that happened. It was the third stasis lock warning he had to worry about.

He sent an encoded S.O.S message on a scrambled frequency that the Decepticons would not be able to decipher or even intercept and then powered down all of his unnecessary systems as he rolled into a nice, suburban neighborhood. He parked beside the curb and performed one last sensory sweep before starting protocols that would shut him down into emergency repair stasis. His internal systems would be able to stop the worst of the energon leaks but he would have to remain in a very deep recharge for at least three hours for that to happen. In the meantime, he was going to be left in a very vulnerable state. If a Decepticon found him while he was in the midst of emergency repair stasis, he was as good as dead. With his last conscious thought, Bumblebee sent up a prayer to Primus, asking for his protection.

He didn't just need an answered prayer...he needed a miracle.

Orion was bored. He had been confined in his room for an entire week, cut off from the outside world. No TV, no video games, no phone, no internet. The Earth could be ending, and he would never know.

The teen tried to be good since Kate had bailed him out of jail…He had abided the rules, and he had gone the extra step and helped around the house instead of brooding. From washing the dishes to vacuuming the floor to taking Keith to his soccer practices and Selah to her dance recitals. It seemed to please Kate, but she still held him on a tight leash, analyzing his every move, every intention. After an entire week, he was choking on it. He had to GET OUT.

His curfew had been shortened, and he wasn't allowed to leave the house without an excuse. And it wasn't like he had any friends he could go meet. He had kept his head down during the month at school Kate had dropped him in, so he hadn't met anyone he could trust. Well, he didn't trust anyone, anyway.

So Orion waited until everyone was asleep to make his move. He popped open the window in his room, cringing as its hinges let out a high-pitched squeal of protest. Apparently it had not been opened in a very long time. Slowly, carefully, the teenager pushed the window open, having a draft of cool air pour into the door. Every time the window would let out a creaking cry, he would freeze and listen for a solid minute, waiting for Kate or Keith or Selah to storm into his room and catch him in the act. However, it never happened.

Orion climbed onto the lip of the slanted roof, zipping his jacket to his chin as he felt a slight chill in the air. When he made it to the edge of the roof, he glanced down to assure himself that the drainpipe was right below him and then swung his legs over the edge. He slowly lowered himself down until he could feel the pipe between his feet. Hanging by his hands, he reached one arm down and did not let go of the roof until he had a firm grip on the pipe. He slowly shimmied his way down and sighed in relief when his feet touched the ground.

He stood still for a long minute, waiting for Kate's angry screech, blaring alarms, or a beam of light to shine down on him. Nothing happened. There was no sound, no shout, only the whisper of the wind and the distant song of cicadas. Orion realized he shouldn't ligner anymore than he had to.

He would walk around the block, just to stretch his legs and get some fresh air. Time to himself, without curious eyes boring into him or his so-called mother breathing down his neck. He couldn't get in trouble for that, right? Besides, he wasn't going to be gone long. He planned to return within the next couple of hours.

The teenager took a light jog down the sidewalk, his breath turning into mist in the cool air. Freedom never felt so good! His jog quickly turned into a sprint as an invigorating burst of energy coursed throughout his body. Once he was far enough away from his foster house, he let loose a victorious laugh. He kept running until his lungs began to burn and slowed to a brisk walk. Orion didn't really have a particular destination in mind. He did recently find out that their suburban neighborhood were supporters and members of neighborhood watch.

The teen wasn't worried though. It was in the middle of the night and from the dark houses around him, everyone was asleep. If there was someone awake just to call on late-night joggers, then they really didn't have a life. It was an upper middle class neighborhood, with two-story identical houses lining the road on either side. Each yard was trimmed and perfect, with flowers and the trees no higher than the home association allowed.

Despite every house had a garage, cars lingered in driveways and on the street, from hand-me-down Fords to shiny Mercedez-Benz to a bright yellow Camaro. Orion blinked and paused. He crept closer, intrigued by the sporty model. His eyes widened when he noticed that the car was covered in a multitude of various dents and scratches. He couldn't help but wonder if the Camaro's owner attempted to compete in a demolition derby. Who would be so careless and negligent and allow such a sweet ride to suffer such abuse?

Hmph. The owner didn't deserve this car. With a sly grin, Orion crept over to the driver's side door and stuffed his hand in his pocket. He cursed beneath his breath, when he withdrew his hand to find lint within his grasp. He shut his eyes and mentally kicked himself. He left his lockpick back at the house! That was just his luck.

Orion nervously glanced around to assure himself that the coast was clear and decided to do something he normally didn't do. He reached down, grasped the door handle, and was shocked when the door swung open. The car was left unlocked?!

The boy just stared, shocked. Did this guy just not care? This car had to be worth-

Red and blue lights flashed.

Orion's reflex to bolt was overpowered by frozen terror. No! Not again! He was going to stay out of trouble this time, too! He was even going to bring it back!

Slowly, stiffly, the troublemaker turned, only for his stomach to drop to confirm his suspicions. A black and white cruiser crawled out of the darkness of the light. Sinister shadows clinging to it and the light of a nearby lamppost reflected off of it in a sadistic gleam. Before Orion could peer through the tinted windows to meet the driver's eyes, suddenly the low headlights turned bright.

The teen couldn't help but wince as the harsh white light assaulted him, burning his eyes. He instinctively raised his hands to shield his eyes, but then realizing his mistake, Orion straightened once again. He lifted his hands above his head, trying to keep the tremble from his arms. He felt his mouth going dry and tried to swallow but it was as though his saliva glands had shriveled up. Nervously, he coughed and then finally found his voice.

"Is there a problem officer?"

He got no response. Technically he didn't commit a crime...yet. He only opened an unlocked door! Orion, still fueled by adrenaline, began to nervously ramble in an effort to avoid being arrested.

"I promise, I'm not stealing this car! I-it's mine...err-rather a friend of mine. An idiot who doesn't take care of his ride."

The police cruiser revved the engine angrily and inched forward. Orion's eyes went wide and he raised his hands higher in surrender.

"O-okay, I lied. I don't know the owner but the driver's side door was unlocked! I swear!"

Orion felt the hairs on his arms and neck stand on end but not from the cold. There was something very strange about the police car in front of him. It was just a feeling but it came with a logical question: why hadn't the officer stepped out of his cruiser yet to either ticket, reprimand, or arrest him?

"I-if you give me a warning now, I promise never to do anything like this again!" Orion began to feel a bit frustrated that the officer wasn't responding. "Um… officer?"

Then a strange sound came from the vehicle. It was metallic, like gears turning and grinding. Plating shifted and folded in on itself, pulling back to reveal extending wires and turing gears and rotating pistons.

And then the car just… stood up.

"Holy shit!" Orion cried, backpedaling so fast he tripped over his own feet

He fell onto his back, using his elbows and hands to crawl backwards as the ground shuddered beneath him with metallic groans. His eyes went impossibly wide and his mouth dropped open as he stared at the nearly twenty-foot tall robot looming over him. The metal plating-which looked like armor-ended in sharp, deadly edges. Doors were replaced by claws hands, round tires were replaced by taloned feet. Glaring headlights were replaced by burning crimson eyes.

The metal giant seemed to narrow its hellish gaze at him, giving him a nasty glare and accompanying growl, revealing a fanged mouth. The sound so loud it almost seemed to rattle his bones. Orion felt his body began to shake, unable to process what was in front of him. What the hell was this thing?

"So… the Autobots have a new pet?" it spoke, in a deep, gravelly voice, filled with an unnatural, metallic twang. It was a foreign, electronic sounding language. And somehow, Orion understood what it was saying. It was so grating, an ache spread across the boy's skull. As if to confirm it was true, the robot went on, "So, this is where you've been hiding, Bumblebee. One bug to another…"

Suddenly the robot moved forward, raising his foot over Orion as if to stomp him. The teenager screamed and instinctively covered his head, even though it would be no good. Then suddenly there was a tremendous thud beside him, so violent that the asphalt underneath him cracked.

Orion gasped, every fiber in his body screaming for him to run, but there was nowhere to go. He was boxed in between the Camaro and the monster's foot, the giant robot looming over him like a predator. Orion's eyes landed on the odd insignia on the robot's chest. It was a sharp, angled sigil, almost looking like a masked face with two sinister horns rising from it.

Suddenly the ache in his head bloomed into a migraine, so harsh and violent Orion snarled and gripped his head. The symbol flashed across his eyes, etching into his retinas. Like the talons of a beast, he felt it sink in his flesh, his heart, his soul. His panic gave way to an entirely different emotion as a wave of incomprehensible recognition coursed through him. He… knew that insignia…

The world around around him vanished. The Camaro, the monster, the asphalt, and the frigid air were replaced by metal walls.

Nightstalker considered it a rare treat to be allowed in the training room. He wasn't old enough to learn combat yet, due to his fragile frame, but his Sire let him watch from the sidelines. The young spark watched as a black and white Decepticon fought against the fearsome Decepticon leader. The new mech-in-training had doorwings, suggesting his alternate mode was ground-based. It seemed odd that he wasn't a flier like all the others.

He watched with intrigue as both warriors engaged in combat, their fluid movements well-practiced and mesmerizing, like a dance. The small mechling flinched when his sire expertly performed a takedown maneuver, effectively pinning his opponent beneath his massive pede. The silver titan had his armblade against the loser's throat and he growled at his subordinate.

"ALWAYS keep up your guard! You expect your opponent to be fair?!"

The Decepticon leader removed his pede and allowed the Con to rise to his feet for another match.

"Again, Barricade! Remember...show no mercy…for none shall be given to you."

Nightstalker soon got bored with watching and eventually began to try and copy their fighting moves. Soon the mechling was kicking and punching an invisible enemy. Releasing a shrill growl, the little one felt shamed that it sounded more like a pitiful mewl, not at all intimidating like the other warriors. He was surprised when a tiny arm-blade protracted from his right arm. A natural weapon that would continue to grow as he aged. He stared at it with awe and began to stab and swipe the empty air with it, unaware that the sparring match between the elder mechs had ended. He was disappointed when the tiny weapon suddenly disappeared back into his arm guard. He shook the appendage, unsure of how to get it to pop back out. He wanted to show his sire! Grunting in frustration, the mechling froze when a large shadow fell over him. Craning his neck to look up over his shoulder, he was greeted with his sire's fangs, glinting in an amused smile.

"Ah, so it seems my heir has developed his first weapon," Megatron said in a pleased purr.

Barricade stood a little behind him, surprise in his optics. "He's… quite young for his natural weapon to emerge so soon."

"All the more reason he will be a worthy heir. You see yourself a fighter, little one?"

"I am a fighter!" Nightstalker retorted proudly. "One day I will be as great as you!"

His sire's optics flickered at that in a rare expression of surprise. Then that smile returned, appearing almost pleased.

"Then you will be my Champion, dear Nightstalker." Talons reached down, and suddenly the youngling was plucked up from the ground.

Megatron's thick, protective arms wrapped around him. Nightstalker found himself pressed against his sire's chest, against the purple, proud emblem of the Fallen. The powerful, steady thrumming of his sire's spark-beat against his audial soothed and relaxed him. Gentle claws stroked down his back plating and the mechling could feel through their spark-bond, his sire's protective, possessiveness for him, and the pride he felt for Nightstalker's rare achievement.

"Champion of the Decepticons…" the former gladiator purred.

Orion was pulled out of the vision just as quickly as it had started, the sensations of his surroundings hitting him like a wall. A wave of disorientation washed over him, pierced by a strangled noise of hitching gears. There was a sputtering engine and a terrible grinding sound as the ground trembled underneath the teenager's fingertips.

Orion's vision was blurry, and his mind felt like it was disconnected with reality. Unaware that in the midst of his incoherent babble, he'd screamed out a name. A weakness washed over him and Orion saw darkness quickly filling his vision. His hearing began to fade as consciousness left him, but not before he heard the startled roar of the black and white mech.

Suddenly yellow filled his vision and for a moment he felt weightless. Then everything went black…

Megatron glared down at the sorry excuse of a Decepticon before him. Barricade's servos hung by his sides and his helm was bowed low, optics trained on his pedes, not daring to look his leader in the optics. Instead of a beaten, mangled frame, Barricade's armor was nearly pristine, with only a few scratches to tell there was a scuffle.

Instead of an execution.

"I gave you one simple task," Megatron growled lowly, reverberating across the bridge like ominous thunder.

"M-Master," Barricade started, a shudder coursing through his chassis, only to be interrupted by his lord's furious roar.

"Bring me the head of the scout! Who was cut off from all communication with his cohorts. Who was half-dead, thanks to the combined efforts of Shockwave and Starscream." Megatron gestured to his lieutenants, who stood off to the side, their EM fields hot and dangerous. Yet, you return with NOTHING!"

The Decepticon could not help but flinch at the harsh tone, but did not dare move from his spot. Megatron saw Knock Out in the corner of his optics, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest, grinning in amusement at his comrade's misery. The floor trembled as the Decepticon leader paced back and forth in powerful, dangerous strides. Like a predator. His bristling armor was further testament to his dark mood.

"So tell me, as leader of my enforcers, how did you manage to allow a youngling to escape your grasp?"

Barricade shifted his weight, knowing he was standing on dangerous ground. He could either continue to remain silent and await his inevitable execution...or dare to save his life by presenting his lord with the intriguing details of his encounter with that strange human boy.

"The… the Autobot was with a fleshling, my liege," the mech answered cautiously, only to shudder when those crimson optics flashed.

"So you mean to tell me you were thwarted by an insect?" Megatron snarled.

"The human youngling understood our language. Something strange happened to it. It KNEW my name...," Barricade quickly spoke, praying he wasn't making a mistake by further risking his master's wrath.

Standing behind Megatron's right shoulder, Starscream rolled his optics as he tucked his talons behind his back. "Oh, please. If it was an Autobot pet, it's heard our language before! And you're name is not all that special."

However, Shockwave's antennas were tilted back, his single optic brightening. "Humans are not physically capable of speaking Cybertronian."

"It is unlike you to try such a pathetic ploy to save your own spark, Barricade," Megatron snarled, looking down at his subordinate with disdain.

Barricade focused his full attention on his master. He humbly knelt on one knee, with helm bowed and one servo held high, and presented a flat, silver disk to lord Megatron.

"Here is proof, my lord. The boy had no knowledge of who I was, did not even recognize me."

"You're depending your claim on human eyesight," Starscream drawled. "There are blind Insecticons that have better-"

"Silence!" Megatron snapped over his shoulder. The second-in-command flinched at the violent order, wings going flat on his back as he stepped away from his leader's deadly glare. The Decepticon leader turned to Barricade, optics narrowing as he growled harshly, "And what would be the worth of this claim?"

"More than an Autobot head," Barricade boldly replied. "I would stake my spark on it."

"Then if I am disappointed, I will take it."

With that ominous threat, the Decpeticon leader snatched the disc out of Barricade's frozen servo. Turning to the terminal taking up the center of the bridge, Megatron uploaded the disc into the server. Barricade continued to bow humbly, too stiff to move, while the other Decepticons neared the screen with interest. Even Knock Out craned his neck from his spot, eyeing it with a single optic.

/Designation: Barricade - Surveillance Protocols: Initiated/

Barricade crept down the darkened streets of a human city, tiny structures on either side of him. His scanners were working overtime as he followed the energon trail that Bumblebee had leaked during his attempted escape. The trail ended on the outskirts of the city, near a human housing district.

Trusting his hunting instincts, the disguised Decepticon decided a quick sweep of the area would give him a valuable clue as to Bumblebee's current whereabouts. His camera soon zoomed in to see a yellow Camaro with a black racing stripe parked innocently next to the curb. His scanners detected a human presence. Setting off his lights, he attempted to scare the human off, seeing as how many were frightened of law enforcement. Rolling to a stop beside the injured Bumblebee, Barricade encountered the human attempting to steal the damaged Autobot. An Autobot pet?

The human looked startled and raised his hands in surrender. It started babbling then, chattering that guttural language, English. Something about the fleshling really thought the Cybertronian was an actual human. The Autobots were really desperate for entertainment, to pick up such an aggravating insect.

Barricade transformed, eager to squash both the bugs.

"So… the Autobots have a new pet?" he cackled, enjoying its trembling form as it stared up at him in shock and terror. "So, this is where you've been hiding, Bumblebee. One bug to another…" he spoke in rapid Cybertronian.

The Autobot didn't reply, either locked in stasis or still trying to online. The enforcer detected an EM field radiating from the vehicle. Weak, but steady. Not for long.

Barricade marched forward, ignoring the human's existence. Until it let out a shrill scream.

He glanced down at the odd noise, only to see the thing fall to the ground, flailing and clutching its furry 's when he heard it. The fleshling croaked out but not in its native Earth language.

"Barricade, I'll be a Champion..."

The enforcer could only blink in shocked awe as the little thing continued to experience some odd malfunction in its processor. He was so stunned that he had forgotten all about the Autobot scout he was supposed to terminate. Barricade heard the sound of a transformation too late, snarling in rage when the yellow scout snatched the strange human and shoved him inside his cab. Barricade transformed back into vehicle mode and gave chase. Unfortunately he lost them fifteen minutes later, the scout no doubt hiding. The coward…

/Surveillance shut-down initiated/

The view screen went dark while the observers stood in stunned didn't last long, though.

"Impossible!" Starscream barked, slashing his talons through the air. "It's… it's-!"

"Illogical," Shockwave muttered, trapped in his own thoughts.

"Exactly!" Starscream sputtered as he turned wide optics on his leader. "That was nonsense, not Cybertronian!"

Barricade continued to kneel with his head bowed, awaiting his Master's final verdict. "I swear to you, my Lord, it is what happened."

Megatron glanced down at his chief enforcer with an inscrutable expression, but was rudely interrupted before he could reply.

"I know that fleshling!" Knock-Out blurted without considering the consequences of such a confession. He realized his mistake and stiffened when vermillion optics turned to him.

"And how, pray tell, is that possible?" the Decepticon leader questioned.

"Erm.. he… was the human that… uh... damaged me during the race-I mean, patrol."

The medic squirmed under Megatron's narrowing glare, and barely avoided leaking transmission fluid as he sensed his master's darkening EM field. Meanwhile Starscream merely shook his head.

"And how can you be so sure about that? How would you tell one human from another?"

"Because that filthy, disgusting, noisy vermin ruined my paint job!" Knock Out complained in a furious yell, stomping his pedes on the ground in a furious fit. "I should have known when he spoke Cybertronian then-"

The medic froze once again as he blurted out the words, glancing with a fearful gaze at Megatron without moving his helm. Those hellish optics narrowed a fraction. While the warlord remained deadly quiet, Starscream continued his assault.

"If that is true, why didn't you report it?"

Knockout scowled at the air commander and huffed. "I was a little busy receiving my punishment from Lord Megatron! It didn't seem relevant at the time!"

"It's standard protocol! Think its relevant now?!" Starscream's wings twitched as he snarled in annoyance.

"I would have reported it but I wasn't going to be stupid and risk Lord Megatron's wrath any further!"

Before the snarky air commander could retort, everyone present in the room stiffened at Megatron's unexpected bellow.

"SILENCE!"

All optical sensors immediately focused on their leader, Barricade daring to go so far as to minutely lift his bowed helm to see. A shudder rippled down his spinal strut when his master focused hellish red optics on him.

"Your spark shall remain where it is for now, Barricade," Megatron announced darkly.

Barricade dared to blink in surprise, but quickly bowed his helm in graciousness. "Thank you, my Lord…"

Several pairs of optics stared, but no one dared to question the warlord as he continued, "Should you fail me again, I will not be so merciful. The same goes for you, Knock Out."

Megatron's even tone turned to a savage growl, glaring at the medic savagely. The Aston Martin flinched with a small squeak, before bowing his helm like Barricade and placing a servo over his spark.

"I understand, Master."

"Soundwave."

It was then another figure stepped forward, from where they watched the meeting from the shadows of the bridge. The surveillance chief looked like a dark phantom, and Knock Out unconsciously stepped away from the mech.

"You learn all there is to know about the fleshling...I want everything," he emphasized before turning to regard his second in command, "Starscream, have your Seeker armada stand by until further orders."

Megatron turned to address all who were present with a wicked, fanged smirk. "Should the fleshling attempt to communicate with the Autobots...destroy them...and bring the child to me."