Megatron smirked, uncrossing his arms and recrossing them as he waited in the control room. Starscream's shift was about to end, and he couldn't help his need to see the air commander's humiliation. At least, he wanted to ensure the twins had rubbed his faceplate in his errant stupidity. Megatron could deal insults if needed, but he knew the twins were better at it.

The only other Decepticons awake at this hour were Frenzy and Rumble, who usually took the odd hour guard shifts. The two miniature robots were sitting across the room, chatting amongst themselves, not really paying attention to Megatron.

The Decepticon leader looked towards the monitors to see that it was becoming light on the surface. He frowned. Starscream's shift was over nearly ten minutes ago. He turned to the two smaller robots. "Has Starscream reported in?"

The two looked up, then began checking their screens. "No," Rumble reported.

"Maybe he went straight to recharge," Frenzy suggested.

Megatron groaned in disagreement. "He may be an idiot, but I know he isn't one to shirk a report," he thought on it. "Unless those two Autobots really did 'rip him a new one', as the Earth creatures say." He grinned. The two smaller robots mirrored the grin. "I'm going to go find him and…"

The base rocked, and the sound of a muffled explosion reached their audios. The three braced as the tremors passed and the alert alarm sounded. Megatron growled at the two cassettes. "What was that?!"

"It felt like it came from below," Frenzy replied. He looked up, his expression showing his panic. "It came from the lower levels!"

"The brig!" Megatron growled as Soundwave, Skywarp, and Thundercracker ran into the control room. His fists clenched as one person failed to make an appearance. "Starscream! Frenzy, go down to the brig and report! Thundercracker, Skywarp, find Starscream!" He paused as another explosion rocked the ship. "Soundwave, find those miserable Autobots and bring them to me!"

His scowl deepened as his minions moved out to obey his orders, with Soundwave releasing Ravage and Laserbeak to search for the twins. When Starscream was found, he was going to ensure the jet would remember the punishment for the rest of his pitiful and hopefully short life.

…..

Frenzy clung to the wall as another explosion rocked the ship. "It sounds like something's clawing its way up through the levels," he muttered, moving down the corridor cautiously. He pushed open the doors to the brig hub and was instantly enveloped in black smoke. The lights flickered as another explosion rang out. "Great!"

The smoke dissipated, moving up. For once he was glad for his small size, as this meant he could move easily without having to worry about smoke clogging his intakes. He was not glad, however, when he spotted the motionless form of a very battered Starscream on the floor. The smaller robot ran into the cell to see it empty, with the force field down and blaster discharge pockmarking the walls. He ran back into the hub and accessed a communications link to the control deck. "The Autobots have escaped!"

"That's very astute, Frenzy," Megatron growled back.

"Starscream is here! It looks like he got all shot up!" He paused as he heard Megatron yell something about checking the twins for weapons, and then heard threats being made towards Rumble, who had been in charge of disarming the two. "What are your orders?"

"Get Starscream online and return with that incompetent fool to the…co…shhhhhhtzzzxzt…"

"Uh…Megatron?"

Static was the only thing that came back at the smaller bot, who only shrugged and ran back to Starscream. He delivered a kick to the air commander's helm. "Wake up!"

The next thing he knew, the smaller bot found himself flung against the far wall as Starscream raised his optics and struggled to stand. "The Autobots…are going to destroy the main computer! We must…warn Megatron!"

Frenzy looked at the monitors of the brig and shrugged. "I think we're going to have to tell him ourselves."

The door opened and Thundercracker appeared with Skywarp close behind. The two waved away at the smoke, their optics meeting Starscream's, who gave the barest of nods. "Get me out of here!"

The two obeyed without question, each one grabbing up one of their commander's arms. As soon as he was turned away from Frenzy, Starscream couldn't mask the smirk he had been hiding.

…..

Sideswipe peered around the corner and then hurriedly sat back. They were right outside the main control room, after crawling through service corridors and ventilation pipes, and blasting their way through whatever else. Along the way he had found a better gun for himself, and one for his brother, who was now slumped against the wall with him.

The yellow Lamborghini, for the most part, had to rely on his twin to help him through the impromptu maze, but he wasn't out of it yet. Recently refueled, he managed to push the pain from his knee to the furthest corners of his processors, and sat waiting with gun in hand, as if this were just any other battle.

They heard Megatron barking orders, and Soundwave's impossible voice responding. Somehow all the accessways had been unlocked, and somehow the security system was offline.

Sideswipe motioned, not risking talking. There was no way they'd survive a direct attack on Megatron, but they needed to get into that room. They needed the main computer…they wouldn't leave without destroying it.

It'd be the ultimate coup. While the twins couldn't take down the Decepticons themselves, they could at least ensure they couldn't plot anything for a few months.

"I am picking up a message," Soundwave alerted. Instantly Thundercracker's voice echoed through the room, lined with static.

"The Autobots have escaped the base, Megatron!"

"What?! Are you sure?" Megatron sounded like he was about to blow a few circuits.

"Those explosions must have been them breaching the hull!"

Megatron turned to Rumble. "Anything on a hull breach?"

"No…"

"What is going on?!" Megatron roared. "They could possibly still be on board!"

"If they breached the hull, we will need to make emergency repairs immediately," Soundwave said. With a nod from Megatron he left via another exit.

Megatron scowled and turned to Rumble. "You stay here. The last thing I need is you doing something else to aid the Autobots escape!"

The little robot frowned at his commander. "I swear I searched them!"

"Not well enough! I'll deal with you later!" Megatron turned to follow Soundwave, but was halted when the door slid down before him. "What in the…?"

"Nighty night, Megatron!"

Megatron turned, gun arm ready, meeting the optics of the yellow twin…and then the twin's knee buckled, forcing him down as Megatron's gun went off, slamming through the doorway and into the corridor beyond. Sunstreaker's own gun went off, disabling the gun arm. Growling in pain, he fired more shots, two missing, one cutting Megatron right through his chest.

Smoke poured from the Decepticon leader's chassis. "There is…no way…!" He stumbled forward, his optics faltering as he glanced upon the yellow autobot, who lay crippled on the floor, his Decepticon weapon smoking.

"Megatron!" Rumble leapt to his feet, but found himself laid flat by a well aimed blast from the red twin.

Sunstreaker didn't bother masking his grin as the Decepticon leader fell flat on his face.

"Well," Sideswipe said, lowering his gun. "That was easy."

Sunstreaker scowled at him. "That was pure luck!" He looked back at his busted leg, as he was flat on his front. It was hanging by a thread, so to speak, and was leaking small drops of energon. "You have no idea how much this hurts."

Sideswipe just shook his head, aimed at the main computer, and fired repeatedly.

The lights in the base flickered, then turned off. Engines and generators stopped. The only thing they could hear was the groan of metal in the base.

"Are we…underwater?" Sunstreaker asked.

"I think so."

"How are we going to get out?"

"I thought Starscream said there was an elevator."

Silence.

"Which…I probably should have thought about before shooting the main computer and severing all power to the Decepticon base, right?"

"Yes, that would have been nice."

"I hope you brought your bathing suit." Sideswipe grinned as his headlights turned on, illuminating the area. The light met the scowling glare of his brother, to which he could only shrug sheepishly.

"Just get me out of here." Sunstreaker felt his systems flicker as his brother heaved him up and supported his weight.

"You're still here?!"

The two looked up to see Skywarp in the doorway. The seeker's eyes turned to the downed and smoking Megatron to the unconscious Rumble, then at them. His fingers twitched.

Sunstreaker raised his gun shakily. "Where's the exit, sleazoid?"

Skywarp fidgeted, as if weighing to really betray Megatron or if to change betraying Starscream. Something in his mind told him that dealing with Starscream and the twins wasn't worth it. He stepped back and pointed out the corridor. "You're gonna hafta climb now." He turned back and then hissed. "Someone is coming!"

Sideswipe took no chance, dropped his gun, and hoisted his brother on his back. They ducked out of the control room and down the corridor. They could hear Skywarp firing at them and missing, and then Starscream's own vile voice screaming something about not letting them get away…

And then they heard Ravage's snarl echoing down the hallway.

Sideswipe groaned and ran faster, finding the defunct elevator and ripping the doors open as they heard the metal cat running down the halls.

They slipped in and forced the doors shut right in time to hear the cat slam into the door.

Their laughter resonated up the elevator walls.