Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

Author's notes: This chapter is a little short...

Glass Shatters

"Optimus, I think I just found the Decepticons." Jazz said and pointed at the main building's roof. Blitzwing and the Coneheads.

"Why did those four attack this power plant alone?" Ironhide wondered.

"And more importantly, why haven't they attacked us? They must have seen us approaching from a distance." Mirage said.

"I don't sense any other energy signals. They are alone." Blaster said.

"Yeah, and that's because they have Soundwave blocking the other Decepticons' energy signals." Ironhide said, glaring around.

"Negative, man. Soundwave can't block that many energy signals. I have experience. Three or four is the limit, I think." Blaster rubbed his chin.

"But three or four is too many if it includes Megatron and Soundwave." Jazz said.

"The only thing I am worried about, is if they have combiners hiding here somewhere. I'd hate to have a Devastator-surprise." Tracks stated.

"They know it's dangerous to fight near that power plant. Maybe they expect us to stay back long enough so that they can gather all the energon cubes." Optimus said and rubbed his chin. "But I don't see any energon cubes. And they haven't done anything yet. See how the buildings are all unharmed?"

"You think this is a trap, Prime?" Ironhide asked. "Possibly. We have to approach them, despite the danger. They might have humans in hostage. We must check it out. Spread out and check the buildings. I'll keep an optic on those Decepticons."

XXX

"That was the last of them, Megatron." Hook informed as they carried the energon cubes to Blastoff's cargo deck.

"Good." The silver mech's gaze turned towards the sky. "Get them in, hurry! We need to leave immediately."

No one questioned him and the energon cubes were swiftly moved inside Blastoff. Megatron took off, the others behind him.

"Blastoff, Astrotrain, full speed. I don't want anything to happen to those energon cubes." The two shuttles obeyed him and soon turned into small dots in the horizon as they flew farther away from the others.

Megatron kept glancing behind him, as if expecting someone. Or something.

"Oh, come on! It's not that bad! He only took one cube!" Vortex shouted as he caught the silver mech. Megatron glanced behind him again. Swindle sneered in guilt and tried to hide the cube behind his back. "Sorry, Megatron. Couldn't resist." He said and chuckled nervously. Megatron snorted.

"That's not what I was looking at, but thanks for the information, Vortex."

Behind them, Swindle growled. "Tattler..." He muttered.

"Then what were you looking at? Is someone on our tail?" Vortex asked, completely ignoring Swindle's statement. Megatron glanced behind again.

"The storm. It's nearing." The Decepticon leader said. Now Soundwave turned to look behind them, too.

Swindle grimaced, guilt visible on his face. "I said I'm sorry!" He exclaimed.

"Storm? I don't get it, why are you so worried about a little wind and rain?" Vortex asked. Megatron turned to look at him.

"I am not talking about a 'little wind and rain'. I'm talking about a sandstorm."

Soundwave shivered in disgust. He had had enough of sand for one day.

"Are you joking? We already have our joints full of sand, a little more won't bother me." Vortex stated smugly. Megatron sneered.

"Oh yeah? Even if the sand is moving at the speed of 62 miles per hour? That's not a 'little wind', that's a storm. The sandstorm will reduce visibility, it affects on us too. Don't you want to see where your heading?"

"I'll just use my radar." Vortex said.

"And if the sand gets into your systems? Your radar won't work."

"Pfft. I could fly high enough to avoid the sand." The helicopter stated.

"The storm raises loose sand at the height of one mile. And above that one mile, the wind is stronger. You wouldn't be able to steer, little helicopter." Megatron spoke like to a sparkling. And a sparkling Vortex was, not in body but in mind.

Vortex made a snort. "I could aboard Blastoff." He stated childishly.

"Blastoff's far away now. Besides, his cargo deck is full of energon cubes. You wouldn't fit in there anyway."

Swindle caught them. "Were you two just talking about a storm?" The yellow jeep asked, barely able to keep up with them. "I mean, I'm not exactly a flying ace, I'm a jeep. I don't like the word 'storm'."

"Don't worry, Swindle. You can always drive." Vortex said. Megatron chuckled. "Yes, that sounds even better than flying in a sandstorm. The storm moves even big dunes. You wouldn't be able to drive at all. You would sink in and get covered in sand. You wouldn't get out and no one would ever find you." The silver mech said.

Swindle frowned. "I think I know what's going on in here. You're trying to scare the slag out of us. There's no fragging storm coming, you made it up so that we would work faster." The jeep glanced at Soundwave who shot him a glare.

"I think I'm gonna land and go on driving. All this flying makes me tired." Swindle said. Megatron glanced at the cube in the jeep's hands.

"Suit yourself. But I want my cube back before you leave." He said. Swindle pulled the cube protectively into his arms, like a sparkling holding his favorite toy.

"I changed my mind! I like flying! Whee!" Swindle dove low and lost his balance. He began to circle towards the ground.

"Swindle, watch out!" Megatron cried out. The jeep found his balance and stayed underneath the others. He waved his hand cheerily.

"I'm alright! Wow, I didn't know you cared about me Megatron!" He shouted.

Megatron growled. "I don't care about you, fool! It's the energon cube that I am worried about!"

Swindle glanced at the cube in his hand. "Oh..."

"Now, try to keep up with us, or you'll get caught in the middle of the storm."

XXX

"Prime, I've got a bad feeling that this is a diversion." Ironhide said.

"Hmm... You might be right. But where would the main force attack?"

Blaster ran to them. "Optimus, I just got a message from headquarters! The Decepticons attacked an oil field in the Middle East!"

"Autobots, transform and-"

"Wait, Prime! We're too late. The Decepticons have already left the oil field with Blastoff and Astrotrain's cargo decks full of energon cubes. Someone had blocked all radio contact between us and the headquarters for hours. Wheeljack says that someone sabotaged Teletraan 1. He got the SOS-message an hour after the attack. The humans are infuriated."

Optimus sighed. "Then there's not much we can do. Let's go back to headquarters."

XXX

"Megatron, the storm is only five miles behind us. We cannot outrun it." Soundwave said in his monotone.

"Primus give me strength... Alright, everyone." Megatron said as he stopped in the air. He glanced down. "You too, Swindle! Come here!"

The yellow jeep flew up to them. "What's up?" He asked cheerily.

"The sandstorm will reach us soon. There isn't much of a choice. We need to land and seek for cover and quick. We have about five minutes. Follow me."

They all landed. Megatron heard muttering about his logic chips and processing.

'They should be scared... These terrestial storms are much stronger than the ones on Cybertron. They won't be prepared.' He thought.

"Constructicons, form Devastator. Others, hide under him and beneath the sand. You should be just fine." He said. Soundwave winced.

"What about you, Megatron?" He asked, worried about his leader's safety. "Devastator won't cover us all, even though he is a big mech. I'll seek for cover nearby." The silver mech stated and began to search for a place as far away from the sand dunes as possible.

Persistently, Soundwave followed him. "I'll stay with you." He stated. Megatron flashed him a soft smile.

Swindle shivered in disgust. "Look at the lovebirds. Ugh."

He had no idea how correct his statement really was.

XXX

"Hellscream, what's going on?!" Starscream screamed. His body began to merge with the bigger mech's, his spark casing still open.

"Oh it hurts! Please, stop it!"

"If I knew how to stop it, I already would!" Hellscream yelled, he too, shocked about this.

"What went wrong?!" Starscream shriek, now his body disappeared into Hellscream's. Then it stopped.

"Starscream?" Hellscream questioned carefully, looking around.

"I'm fine. But I'm also inside of you. How is it possible? I only wanted to merge our sparks, not our bodies." The smaller Seeker answered a little sourly. Hellscream looked at his own hands. "You're inside of me? Of course..." He glanced at his weapons.

"Our minds have merged, Starscream. Our bodies are not here in reality, and neither is your spark. It's our minds that entwined."

"Oh? Good. I thought I lost my beautiful body forever."

Hellscream smiled. "And now we need to get out of here."

"Yes." Starscream said. "How?"

Hellscream was still staring at his weapons. "I can feel the power..."

"What power?"

"Yours and mine entwined... Alone we wouldn't stand a chance against that sparkling..." Hellscream looked at the inactive little Seeker sitting on the cliff. "But together, entwined, we can do it." The black Seeker said.

"Do what?" Starscream asked. Hellscream sneered as he began to walk towards the sparkling.

"Destroy him." The big Seeker rumbled. Starscream panicked. "No! You can't kill him! He's me! And only a sparkling!"

"Would you rather spend the rest of your life trapped in here?"

Trapped. The whole word was disturbing to a creature that was use to being free.

"I... Alright. But do it quick. I don't want him to suffer." Starscream said.

"Fine by me, dearest. Let's do it..."

As Hellscream approached him, the sparkling turned to look at the big Seeker. He was crying. It was almost like the child knew what was going to happen to him. There was fear and sadness in his optics.

With one powerful blast, the glass between the sparkling and Hellscream shattered. Hellscream grabbed the sparkling by the nape of his neck, much like a mother wolf lifting up her cub, but without the love and care.

Hellscream pointed his gun at the sparkling's helm.

"Goodnight, little Starscream..." He murmured. Then he fired.