Author's Note: I am so, so, so sorry for this! It took me so long to update and I honestly have no excuses other then the usual. Thank you for sticking with this story and do feel free to keep pestering me if I take too long to update. On another important note, this story has moved from the K+ rating to T for certain reasons. Nothing explicit, I just feel better with that rating.

The predacon dug his talons into Bumblebee's damaged armor. He yelled in pain, feeling his vocalizar nearly break from the strain of the screaming he had previously unleashed. The wet substance he felt trickling down his armor was no doubt the precious fluids of energon leaking out from his many wounds.

If Cybertronians could cry, he would be sobbing from the torment.

"Do you wish to beg?" Predaking sneered, snarling in Bumblebee's face.

Bumblebee narrowed his optics, focusing as much as he could with his hazy vision. Despite the pain that fogged up his mind and the agony flooding his system, he managed to focus on one, flimsy thought.

"You are no king," he spat out.

The predacon let out an enraged roar, flinging Bumblebee across the room. He landed to the ground and continued rolling until he slammed into the far side of the wall. He let out a pained grunt, but laid there, limp. He could do nothing else.

His bold thought that he had expressed to the haughty beast may as well be his last.

"I am supreme! I am from a powerful, indestructible race that your kind tremble at the pedes at!" he bellowed. "Even now you submit to me." A clawed peg slammed into Bumblebee's helm, burying the side of his face into the ground. "Even now, I shall show you your rightful place."

"You are a king," Bumblebee groaned. "Who submits to those who imprison him. You are a king who does not dictate his own actions. You are a king," here, he managed to lift his helm to stare into predakings gold optics. "Who bows to the powers above him. You are a king in nothing but name only."

The pain, as he expected, did not cease. But Bumblebee could care less. He could not fight, he was useless and leaking energon. At this rate, he would bleed out as the predacon toyed with him while he had his royal fit.

Predakings self-entitlement nearly disgusted him and left him sick. But Bumblebee kept his mouth shut, feeling his strength leave him. He let out a defeated sigh, closing his optics.

"Please," he muttered, straining his arms to force himself to rise. "Please," he coughed out.

"Hm, so you finally beg," Predaking noted.

"If only to get you to shut up," Bumblebee bit out.

That earned him a kick in the face. "You don't know what is good for you," Predaking growled. "You best learn your place while you still can." He kicked at Bumblebee's bleeding sides. "Transform!"

"I will not take part in your prison of a kingdom!" Bumblebee shouted. "What kind of king learns his place in his own kingdom?"

"Transform!" Predaking roared.

"I can't!" Bumblebee shouted, desperation clawing at his spark.

Predaking thundered towards him, clawed servos reaching out, ready to strike. Bumblebee did his best to scramble back, yet his legs gave out from him. He felt his insides react violently, and energon dripped from his mouth as his tanks heaved. His alarm grew as Predaking grabbed him by the throat, lifting him up into the air.

"Transform," Predaking ordered. "Leave this fragile shell of yours behind. Join your brothers." His face leaned in closer. "Join your king."

Bumblebee choked out the energon gathering inside his mouth. "I can't," he gasped.

Elsewhere, observing from a safe point of view, two Cybertronians watched the scene with interest, albeit, different expressions. One watched everything with growing glee and fascination, while the other, observed with mild concern.

"His levels are decreasing," Sentinel noted.

Antagony glanced at the stats that monitored Bumblebee's current condition. As of now, they were in the red zone. She quickly tapped on a key on the console that showed Bumblebee's current condition. She frowned when she noted the multiple injuries he had sustained, and how his spark was giving off weak signs.

She hummed. "Yes, they are."

"He could bleed out," Sentinel said.

Antagony let out a sigh before she arose from her seat, a tad annoyed. "Yes, he might." Grabbing her staff, she trudged out of the room with narrowed optics. As interested as she was in the interaction going on between Bumblebee and her pet, she had no intention of losing her new toy.

Sometimes her predacons took things a bit too far with their new playmates. It was why there was only three of them, out of the many others she had created, that had survived.

But the predacons up rooted the weak ones. But in sending the new creations on the first day of their programing, she was setting them up for failure. She learned by watching and experimenting that Predaking was the best to send the newest prisoners out to, as he usually broke them and forced them to transform.

If they didn't die first.

Normally, she would leave things be and watch the inevitable outcomes. But Sentinel was adamant about keeping these particular three prisoners alive.

"Looks like you three are getting the special treatment," she hummed to herself as she activated the code to the doors before transforming and flying into the area where Predaking was currently beating the yellow mech to a pulp.

"Enough!" she announced, landing behind them, her staff activated as the dust cleared. Her voice boomed in the circular arena, carrying on loudly.

The predacon glanced at her with mild interest and observed her. He still held the other mech, and she noticed with a small note of concern the energon trailing down him. It looked as if someone had dipped him in the fluids before rolling him in dirt.

Yep, that was her fault.

She shrugged. Nothing she couldn't fix. She was eager to try out her new healing technique anyway.

"Put him down, there's a good boy," she cooed, watching how Predaking lowered the mech to the ground, slowly. His golden optics narrowed, yet he eyed the staff with wariness. She smirked. It was the small, subtle hints of defiance, and she let them have those moments. Yet she always reminded him who really was in charge here.

She knew how he thought. After all, she had created him, molded him into the savage beast he was.

He may think himself the King, but she was the Queen standing behind him with a dagger at his back.

The yellow mech fell to the the ground with no sound at all, and she calmly strode over. She clucked her tongue as she stared at him. Looking up, she stared at Predaking. "Bring him to the lab," she ordered.

Predaking nodded and transformed. With a flap of his wings, he picked up the mech and flew upward.

Dusting off her servos, she transformed as well and proceeded to head back to where Sentinel was. She did not like leaving him alone to his own devices. Not in her territory.

She was not fast enough in getting to the lift. As she entered the room, she noticed another tall mech conversing with Sentinel in low tones. She smirked when she noticed who the visitor was. She strode forward before opening a door to reveal a slumbering predacon. The beast raised his helm slightly, yet he closed his optics when she touched him.

She smiled when the Dark One became submissive. There was a reason she kept a predacon around, and it was not for protection. It was to display her power to Sentinel and the others, to remind them of how dangerous she was.

She smirked as she approached the mechs silently, Sentinel taking note of her presence. She trailed a finger down the other mechs shoulder, causing him to shiver slightly.

"Dirge," she purred as the mech turned to regard her. "What a pleasant surprise."

Dirge narrowed his optics. "Get your servos off of me, witch."

She pouted. "Is that any way to treat a lady?" She sighed, putting her staff down. "Ah, I guess you will have to come by more frequently. It can get very lonely for me down here with the beasts as my only company." The Dark One glared at her at that point, huffing.

"Shut your poisonous mouth," Dirge growled.

"Antagony," Sentinel spoke up. "You may take your leave. Whatever we are to discuss does not concern you."

She leaned against the wall, the mechs taking note of the resting predacon in the room with her. "It most certainly does," she said. "It is my work, my lab, and my creatures that you need. I am an important, influential part of the plan. I think whatever you have to say should be heard by me." She cocked an optic ridge. "Does this have anything to do with the cortical psychic patch?"

Dirge bristled, but Sentinel looked unfazed at her comment. "We have located where the psychic patch is," Sentinel stated. "Stealing it should not be a problem. But it is heavily guarded, and the extraction may take a couple of weeks."

She shrugged. "So send Dirge. He's good at blowing stuff up and causing a messy scene." She grinned. "Or send my predacons. They make destruction an art."

Dirge scowled. "I am the most wanted Cybertronian in the whole system. Not to mention your beasts are not exactly stealthy."

"No one is aware of the predacons," Sentinel said. "And I would like to keep it that way. All those Cybertronians during the attack are dead, and it suits our cause." he folded his arms. We have other means of stealing the cortical psychic patch, and I am well aware of the layouts in Kaon."

Antagony laughed suddenly, causing both mechs to stare. "Do not tell me that you," she chortled as she pointed at Sentinel. "Are going to be the one to steal it!"

Sentinel frowned. "But of course," he said. "There is no other way that I would have it. I do not need your greedy paws all over it."

"My spies are already stationed in Kaon," Dirge said. "They are awaiting further orders."

"Tell them to hold their ground," Sentinel ordered. "With the psychic patch, we will be able to extract the information we need quickly and efficiently from our prisoners."

"Not as much fun," she muttered. "I find it more enjoyable to extract the information through their bloody screams."

"You have two weeks at the least to have your way with them," Sentinel said, causing her to brighten up. "But see to that yellow mech, I cannot have him dying on us when we need them all alive."

Bumblebee was not even aware of being submerged into the healing tank. He felt his broken gears being twisted and turned into their rightful places by some supernatural force. He screamed and withered as the painful healing process began. It was then he realized something:

The witch was trying to heal him.

Quickly and painfully, but she was still trying to heal him. For whatever reason, she needed him healed and alive.

Did she wish to send him back to that destructive beast? Was this some sort of twisted game? Would he remain here for all eternity as nothing but a playtoy for the mythical beasts?

He rested his helm down on the berth when the pain ceased for a blessed moment. He was still bound, and his spark was beating erratically, but he tried to take this moment to gather his wits.

He distinctly heard the sounds of a door swishing open, yet he did not even open his optics.

"I am going to repeat what I have told the others," the voice said, startling Bumblebee. "Where is the Key to Vector Sigma?"

Bumblebee sighed, not answering as he fell limply.

A rough servo grabbed at his helm, forcing him to look up into fierce, blue optics. "The Key to Vector Sigma," the mech hissed. "You know where it is, don't you?"

Bumblebee blinked his optics before faintly muttering something under his breath that could not be understood.

The mech leaned in closer. "What?"

Bumblebee lurched forward, sharply head butting the mech in the helm. The mech released him and let him go with a startled, pained growl. Bumblebee instantly regretted the move as his own helm exploded with pain from the impact. Ironhide had always warned against using headbutting as an attack, as it would cause both the attacker and the victim pain and delirious. But at the moment, he felt triumphant with his move.

The mech glared at him, optics narrowed as energon dripped down his face from the split Bumblebee had caused. His good feeling grew a bit.

And then it vanished when the mech raised his servo, flicking his fingers. "Show him," he ordered.

Bumblebee's optics widened when the doors in front of him creaked open. Something large inside paced around as its claws scrambled against the ground, but it took him a moment to realize that it was not pacing, but rather, struggling.

The doors opened to reveal a bound and chained predacon struggling against its restraints. Its golden optics flashed between different colors of blue and yellow, as if undecided on what to settle on. The predacon froze when its optics landed on Bumblebee before it lurched forward with a shriek when electric shocks ran through it.

"This is our most successful, new prisoner," the mech said simply. "She has learned to transform between Cybertronian and beast rather quickly. We are pleased with the results." He shook his helm, letting out a rueful sigh. "It is shame that we must reward her with pain."

"Stop it," Bumblebee pleaded.

"Where is the Key?" the mech demanded. "You know where it is. Tell me!"

Yes, he did know where it was. In his room at Kaon, hidden in a secure case buried beneath a pile of datapads and sensor blocks.

But he could not, would not, tell anyone that.

"I don't know," he said instead.

The predacon screamed in pain as electric waves tore through her once more.

"I don't know!" Bumblebee screamed, struggling. "I don't know where it is!"

"You either can't tell me, or you won't," the mech said simply.

"Stop! Let her go!" Bumblebee screamed. He then watched in fascination as the predacon crumbled within itself, rapidly transforming into a recognizable Cybertronian. Her armor was different, her structure taller and larger, more beast like. But Bumblebee still knew her.

"Firestar," he croaked out, causing the femme to look at him with narrowed optics.

"I'll kill you!" she screamed, struggling against her chains, her roar thunderous. It took Bumblebee a terrifying moment to realize that it was not him she was threatening, but the mech.

"I swear to Primus, I will kill you!" she screamed, her face twisted in rage as she focused her blazing optics on the mech. Her screams of rage and pain became more uncontrollable as she lashed out promised threats to the mech. "Traitor! Murduer! To the Pit with all of you!"

"The power of a Prime in that structure," the mech mused thoughtfully. "That is why you were chosen to be brought here."

Firestar breathed heavily, panting as she seemed to calm herself down, yet the promise of death was still raging in her optics. "I will kill you," she promised, her voice low, yet still carrying more promise then her screams of revenge. She looked up. "I condemn you to a painful death and to the pits of Unicron. This I swear, Sentinel."

Bumblebee's helm jerked up at that name, his optics wide with shock. In that instant, rage filled him once more as he narrowed his optics. What had he done? Had Sentinel, the most respected mech in Cybertron and a mentor of Optimus Prime, simply betrayed them all to be warped into mindless beasts?

Primus, Bumblebee thought with growing horror. Had Smokescreen met the same fate as Firestar and himself?

Sentinel straightened up. "I have given you something to think about," he stated simply. With a nod of his helm, the doors lowered down and Firestar vanished from sight with a condemning 'thud'.

"I'll kill you," Bumblebee promised icly.

"Get in line," Sentinel said simply as he strode away, leaving Bumblebee once more.

Smokescreen groaned as he was dragged outward and left on the ground in a useless heap. He did not even move as the sound of beating wings overhead descended on him. He flinched when claws wrapped around him and carried him away.

His spark hammered in fear of being dropped from such a dangerous height, or being devoured by the winged monsters. But all that was dashed away when they entered a wide circular room. He was dropped down from a safe height, yet his healing wounds protested against the unfair treatment.

He rolled over and groaned before staggering to his pedes, his mind racing. What was he doing here? What was happening? With every question, his spark raced on even faster in panic.

He took in a deep breath to calm himself down. Analyze, he told himself firmly. What do you know about the situation?

Sentinel was involved, that much was certain. And he was in league with some crazed femme who took great joy in poking her victims with painful needles and horribile electric shocks. Whether such torment was for her pleasure or for some other reason, he had yet to figure out.

Then there were the armored, winged beasts that breathed fire. Smokescreen had yet to figure out what they were. Yet he remembered the legends and lore of a mighty race of such description before.

He swallowed nervously. Was he in the presence of legends coming back from the dead, rising from the ashes of history?

He shook his helm and tried to banish such disturbing thoughts from his mind and focus on something else. Sentinel was looking for the Heir of the Autobots and the Key to Vector Sigma. With the Key, he could possess all the knowledge on the Primes and use it against the new government.

His spark froze as an unpleasant thought came to mind. Would Vector Sigma reveal to Sentinel how to kill a Prime? In the hands of the likes of Sentinel, anything was possible.

After all, knowledge was power.

Something descended from up above, and Smokescreen looked up with growing dread as the winged beast landed in front of him with a roar, its silver and blue armor glinting in the light. The beast reared up before transforming and taking the form of a mech. The mech sneered at Smokescreen as he rose to his shakey pedes.

"I am Skylynx, the Wild one of the Sky," the mech said. His golden optics narrowed as he regarded Smokescreen "Transform, now."