Author's Notes: Greetings miserable flesh beings, I Starscream have commandeered this section in order to relay information to those following the exploits of my noble Decepticons. And they are Mine now that Megatron is out of the way, ah glorious days at last I am Decepticon Leader in more then just deed... However you are not here to hear me prattle on like an old rustbucket or that war hero Kup who is unfortunately an Autobot slagheap.
Ahem, it has come to my attention that our exploits are proving to be most entertaining and also you are aware of my long term plans; if you relay this information to the Autobots in any way I shall destroy you. We Decepticons do not befriend flesh beings like other Fanfictions would have you believe, I don't even like the name Alexis, that was my Armada counterpart from some reality I've never even been to, nor care to since I am not as ruthless as I am here in this Movieverse created by the people in Hollywood... Oh yes I should mention more about this chapter for the sake of clarity.
In this chapter you shall bear witness to our glorious arrival on your miserable dustball planet, although I suppose technically we should be insulting you by calling it a liquid filled deathtrap or something because I do believe Shockwave stated your planet is more water then dirt. Oh I digress, I'm sure you'll all enjoy this chapter just as well as the others, Sithicus seems to have a handle on our natures quite nicely, but then again how can he not considering he is akin to us Decepticons in more ways then one.
You will find the disgusting human Gregory Brass in this chapter from the other fanfic titled Fix You featuring the ignoble Ratchet and his mewling charge Ella, rest assured Sithicus has permission to use this character from CareBear1, he also wishes to state right now that he does not own certain scenarios seen here, or I should say he did not create them. They were created by IDW Comics Company in their Prequel Comic featuring the Movieverse and thus he has borrowed them for the sake of completness in this Fanfic, which I completely endorse as the one true tale of the Decepticons might over the Autobots... All you other Fanfic writers out there may claim otherwise, but... What?
I have been asked to read the following statement and cease badmouthing Sithicus' compatriots in the Fanfic creating universe.
Lde Chs Yroma
Itallics means inner dialogue, such as my private thoughts concerning how much I wish to torture the leaders of your world, or flashback sequeces depicted via Decepticon memory files during stasis cycles.
Now this Chapter is...
Chapter Five: Do Decepticons Dream?
What the slag, well of couse we dream. Stupid flesh creature. Starscream transforms and takes off leaving you to enjoy the next chapter in peace.
The trail of fire alerted them to the presence of the unknown inbound, it was not from their ship which was currently located in orbit of the barren red world. Multiple optic sensors watched it fall, part way down engines flared slowing its descent until at last the curious construct landed.
A small multi-wheeled vehicle disembarked a few seconds later instrumentation of a visual recording nature obviously attached; someone was exploring this world for the first time. Ponderous steps followed and before it could move out of range he kicked it over and then crushed it beneath his massive foot, inwardly amused by this he watched in silence recording it all.
"Primitive." Starscream sneered.
"Yes. But evidence of intelligent life nonetheless." Blackout commented thoughtfully.
"We'll need to proceed with caution." Barricade observed, the others shared looks of annoyance or disgust.
"Fine." Starscream relented in annoyance. "As long as we get to kill something along the way." He added almost to soft to be heard.
"At least they didn't get scans of the ship." Shockwave commented thoughtfully entering the scene and picking up a portion of the miniature device. "Notice how it almost resembles our own technology, yet thousands if not millions of years in the past."
"Study it later." Starscream growled. "Thundercracker, plot trajectory and locate planet of origin." He ordered, the lowly subordinate nodded and initiated a quick scan multi-optics turned at the sound of approaching footsteps weapons charging out of reflex. Blackout reached a calming hand down to where he perched on the red rock of this world.
"Third planet from the stellar mass at the center of this galactic body."
"Who do we send first?" Shockwave questioned, Starscreams' optics glowed brightly as he turned to the new comers.
"The four of you will go first, reconnoiter and report back in three orns." He ordered; bowing their heads they converted to stellar transport mode and took off, for once he was grateful he traveled within Blackout during such trips he hated flight.
The four comets took over a day to reach the planet forced as they were to conserve Energon, as it was no one saw their fiery trails as they entered the planets atmosphere in the middle of the solar zenith. One ricocheted off a giant mound of rock and ice and crashed into the middle of a car dealership inadvertently killing several locals. Another plowed into a train yard tearing up metal tracks in its wake, witnesses were limited to a few homeless people and a stray cat.
A third literally struck down a small passenger plane over a mid western city, both crashed outside the local Air Force base and a call went out immediately for rescue crews. The fourth impacted in the bottom of a muck encrusted gully outside an industrial waste facility, climbing out of the muck the lone alien eyed his filth encrusted body.
"Disgusting." He complained climbing out of the gully, sitting on the edge of the long cracked paved roadway was an abandoned vehicle of some kind. Low to the ground a flat bed and additional covering unit serving as rear compartment he studied it briefly scanning it in seconds, his body changed and compressed shifting forms from thirteen foot robot into low-rider pickup. Blue in color he started his engine and pulled out onto the road, time to begin examining this planet.
The MIG-29 sat gleaming newly polished on the tarmac currently absent one pilot, systems picked apart hundreds of signals within seconds as they scanned a world wide hub of data compressed and transmitted wirelessly similar to several of their own devices used for eons.
"Aliens walk among us." An old broadcast was picked up stray bits still floating in the ether; chuckling to himself the fighter lit up his engines and blasted into the sky.
A Bulldog-Two armored car pulled out of the ruined train yard passing a similar vehicle parked next to a building with the letters B A N K spelled out above the entranceway, going through a red light the vehicle moved just above the posted speed limits ignorant of such things.
"Carbon based life." It commented disdainfully. "Why must we be the only perfect creations of this Universe?" He wondered almost philosophically.
"Ugly, not me, disturbingly sensual. Considering they're carbon based and most likely sexually reproduce I'm not surprised. Good sweet Primus who designed this atrocity?" The red uni-opticed robot tossed the Ferrari aside, the vehicle admittedly had seen better days; considering it had been a junker when the dealership bought it. "None of these things suit me at all, maybe those inferiors Runabout and Runamuck." He complained with a sigh and a laugh at his own little joke, who even knew if those particular Decepticons were still functional these days. "Time to get creative." Scanning the entire lot the visitor from the stars made alterations to a base design similar to a Countach in certain respects, in a matter of seconds he had what he wanted, an unassuming, unrecognizable form that fit him perfectly and made him unique from all the identical automobiles in the lot. "Now this is what I call style, none of the Autobots would ever attempt anything like this, they simply aren't gifted enough artistically speaking." He exclaimed to the ghosts of the dead flesh beings. The engine purred and he pulled out onto the highway leading away from the small time dealership in the middle of nowhere, now was the time to study the locals and get a bead on the Allspark. Provided Starscream wasn't pulling his sparkplugs again and could be trusted this time.
The four had reported back with news of the most astounding, not only was the Allspark on this planet, but an Autobot scout sought information as to its whereabouts. Starscream had been ecstatic, with the Allspark at last found Cybertron could become whole once again. Sending Thundercracker to pick up specimens of the local life forms Shockwave sealed himself in his lab; meanwhile Starscream initiated plans gathering the rest to the bridge.
"There are creatures on this planet who are aware of us, Dropkick reports he was forced to destroy a building housing these individuals when they attempted to capture him." Starscream revealed, his four optics blinking in silent frustration he crawled slowly up Blackouts' back.
"Attempting capture, interesting they obviously know very little about us." He remarked ignoring the sensations on his back. "And yet enough to neutralize our systems if Dropkick is accurate." Blackout added twitching briefly until he could settle his multi-limbed arachnid form in a place of comfort.
"Who cares?" Devastator demanded. "I just want to blow stuff up." He growled.
"Single minded as always." Hardtop commented twirling his rifle. "Do we have plans to send any more?"
"Yes, you and Incinerator will infiltrate two key branches of their military." Starscream stated. "The United States Air Force and a branch known as Sector Seven."
"Any reason in particular or are you simply tired of looking at us?" Incinerator wondered disinterestedly, they'd been stuck for so long in the stasis hold he was eager to be free of the Nemesis and soaring through the skies again.
"Basic tactics. Always know everything you can about any planets military might." Starscream quoted, this caused the rest to laugh even Scorponok as he clung to Blackout recording everything. "This Sector Seven knows of us somehow, they tracked the others on descent. Jam all transmissions when you initiate planet fall I do not trust these beings they remind me too much of myself and others… They scurry around like Insecticons, Dropkick was obviously compromised and I don't particularly find this amusing. Ensure that no one suspects your arrival not even the others." He cautioned, Incinerator nodded with a smile and proceeded to leave. Hardtop stowed his weapon and eyed Starscream amused by his rantings.
"Silent or regular reports?" He questioned.
"Go deep faithful spy even if you find the exact location of the Allspark itself break no radio silence until we come in force… I have certain communications to send out and plans need to be finalized… Attempt nothing without us." He replied with a dangerous edge to his voice. Nodding with a crass salute the second shortest of the group next to the currently absent Frenzy left following after Incinerator.
"I want action, how long we gonna wait?" Devastator demanded angrily.
"Not long, give them time to believe others won't be following. Sector Seven strikes me as unnecessarily paranoid compared to certain similar establishments on other worlds. It is possible they believe unlike those others foolish enough to pay little attention to us, that we are here to conquer them." Starscream smirked at his own bout of cleverness, he burrowed into storage ignoring the rest. Blackout could fill him in later right now he needed a recharge, besides he'd heard Devastator complain numerous times before and then Bonecrusher and Wreckage would start in and next you knew someone lost a limb or an optic, Shockwave wouldn't be pleased either way.
The low-riding pickup drove along the dirt road ignorant of the patrol cars tailing him demanding his halt; he hadn't bothered to learn the native language. Dropkick was in Mexico scanning for any sign to hint at the location of the Allspark, the energy signature had called to them upon initial landing on this world and now its presence remained unknown, silent.
Dropkick found he enjoyed the solitude of these long roadways; they offered the chance to be free from the rest of the Decepticons. If not for fear that Megatron could return and destroy him for abandoning them he would have left vorns ago, after all without a body it was foolish to believe that Megatron was dead.
"Swindle to Dropkick, what part of low profile did you fail to grasp?" A familiar voice demanded as a red sportscar of nonspecific origins appeared beside him. "You've got three quarters of the national police force on your tailgate."
"They are meaningless." Dropkick returned coldly. "The Allspark is everything."
"So how do you propose we find it with them dogging us?" Swindle chastised. Dropkick growled.
"Fine, how do we get rid of them?" He demanded irritably.
"Simple, see that gorge?"
"I am not visually deficient." Dropkick snapped.
"Fake your demise." Swindle ordered, with a low rumble of fury the Decepticon pickup swerved wildly flying over the edge and vanishing into a fiery conflagration assisted by a well timed shot from Swindles' cannon. "Simple and elegant, doubtful any of the so called criminal element could be as efficient." Swindle remarked with a dry chuckle as he continued along the road ignored by the police as they began examining the crash site.
"Agent Gray." A feminine voice asked approaching the middle aged African-American man; he was of a muscular build that filled his black business suit out nicely. He was bald though intentionally as he shaved it regularly and had rich brown eyes, he also happened to work for a government organization known as Sector Seven.
They were so classified that only the President and a few trusted outsiders knew of them, and more importantly what they did. However several others were now aware of them including the Decepticon currently listening in to this conversation via enhanced audios.
"Yes." Gray returned closing his laptop to keep the image currently on the screen secret, not many were supposed to know about either the Beagle two fiasco or the current identity of N.B.E. two.
"I'm Agent Daniels." The flat-chested red head informed holding up a set of keys. "I have orders to present you with official transportation and sealed documentation. You are to report to Hoover Dam." She explained, Gray nodded and accepted the keys while climbing to his feet, retrieving the laptop he followed the shorter Daniels out of the office. Being assigned transportation meant he was being given a new role with Sector Seven, one that most likely meant he was cleared to join the task force tracking N.B.E. two.
Waiting outside was a dune buggy with a large cannon-like weapon attached to the rear left hand section and standing beside it was another man he hadn't seen before. With dusty blonde hair and a build that signified athleticism was a favored pastime of the gentleman, he also had gray eyes and one of the most infectious smiles Gray had ever seen.
"Armed?" He questioned indicating the weapon and ignoring the other man.
"You and Brass here are being assigned to Simmons' goon squad specifically." Daniels informed with a curl in her lip that signified this Simmons character wasn't one of her favorites. "You'll be tracking the recent sightings of N.B.E. two, three and four."
"More of them arrived?" Brass exclaimed incredulously, Gray didn't wish to admit it, but he was surprised as well.
"You'll be fully briefed by Agent Simmons." Daniels explained, Gray silently nodded and climbed into the drivers' seat.
"Understood, get in Brass." He ordered, reluctantly the other man followed joining him on the passenger side inserting the keys Gray felt a slight kick as the engine turned over. Roaring to life the dune buggy made loud almost growling sounds, eyeing the gages thoughtfully Gray wondered at the almost imperceptible delay when starting the vehicle, but dismissed it as he stowed his laptop. Laughing at the beings within him the disguised Hardtop allowed the human to actually drive him, the lowest of indignities for any Decepticon. If they knew just how much closer they were to a member of the alien group they would soon be hunting they might not have been alive much longer.
"Incinerator to Hardtop, we're in." The other Decepticon reported via private communications channel, this mission was going to prove all to amusing.
"So, do you have any kids?" Brass wondered striking up a conversation with Gray, Hardtop groaned inwardly as the man began to ramble on without Gray even acknowledging the comment. Starscream owed him big time for this one.
Agent Simmons was waiting outside when Hardtop drove up, Agent Russell Gray and Gregory Brass climbed out, Hardtop was not impressed by this Simmons character his build wasn't as large as Gray and he had the facial features of what the internet called a Weasel.
"Sir." Gray reported with a salute, Brass followed suit silently.
"Gray, Brass you've been selected to help me in tracking down our recent N.B.E. arrivals, so far all we know is that they can adapt Earth vehicle forms like mimics or shape changers." Simmons began taking a laptop from a second Agent beside him; on the screen was a classic yellow Camaro with black racing stripes. "This is N.B.E. two we've been tracking him off and on in the Southern states heading west. N.B.E. three has been classified as a MIG-29, N.B.E.s four, five and six have yet to be identified." He informed, Gray nodded however Brass seemed uncertain.
"Didn't N.B.E. four attack and destroy our Michigan office?" He asked, Simmons shot him a piercing glare and brought up an image of ground zero, definitely Dropkicks' handy work.
"All data on N.B.E. four was erased by the type of weapon used." He informed. "There were conflicting reports some claimed it was a pickup others an armored car. It's possible there were two involved in the attack, but we have no images to go on so we're going to draw them out. If you'll follow me." He stated walking towards the entrance to Hoover Dam, Hardtop tried to follow them with his sensors but he couldn't penetrate the concrete. Whatever was down there was a mystery and reporting it to Starscream would get him slagged, not to mention ruin his cover, he could help Dropkick and the others better from inside Sector Seven.
"If I have to listen to that Brass being go on again about his mewling offspring or his pathetic spouse I'll slag him myself." He complained inwardly tapping into the laptop in his rear seat and reading all files he could find, there weren't many however he did witness the arrival of the Autobot first hand. "Looks familiar, but I can't quite place him yet… Maybe if I get to see more shots of him at closer angles I'll recall the name of this target."
"Two days now and nothing." Gray commented from the ditch the three of them had been waiting in, Hardtop stirred at the noise and perked up his audios. "Maybe only the real deal will do." Hardtop smirked inwardly at the comment, if only these flesh creatures knew how close they actually were to their so called N.B.E.s.
"Patience, patience. We've waited over a hundred years for this, another day or so won't hurt." The one called Simmons stated. "We've already had hard contacts in Louisiana, Missouri and Colorado. He's close now… I can sense it."
"Uh-huh." Gray muttered almost imperceptibly, Hardtop chuckled to himself. Bumblebee was the one they were tracking he knew that much now, his form had changed, but he could never forget that Autobot. It was thanks to him that the Autobot suffered so much pain in his ruined vocal circuits, Megatron may have crushed them years ago, but it was Hardtops' unique ammo that had coated them in a powerful corrosive. Yes he knew his old foe anywhere and took pride in his work.
"Why don't we just try the diplomatic approach with this one?" Brass wondered eyeing their armed escort with something indecipherable in his eyes. "He hasn't attacked anyone yet."
"N.B.E. three killed thirty-seven people, I hardly think they're interested in diplomacy and I don't care if N.B.E two hasn't attacked anyone yet, we know nothing about them." Simmons shot back resuming his study of the bunker via binoculars. "This way at least we can learn all we need once we have them in custody."
"We can't assume to know anything about these aliens." Brass pointed out. "We've kept N.B.E. one frozen for as long as we've known of its existence, not once did we try to communicate." He shot a glare between Simmons and Gray. "I'm not saying we should have, I think N.B.E. one is as bad as they come, but why didn't we at least attempt thawing out his head casing and chatting him up for info?"
"N.B.E. one doesn't exactly look like a conversationalist." Gray noted.
"We're not supposed to question how we operate; for all we know the N.B.E.s could be an advance for an invasion force. Better to be safe then sorry Brass, considering you're a family man I'd think you'd rather keep those children of yours protected." Simmons remarked in a low almost smarmy tone of voice, Brass did not like that tone at all.
"Y'know something, Agent Simmons, the more time I spend with you, the more I think this is, well, personal somehow." Brass shot back softly doing his best to reign in his emotions; personally Hardtop would have preferred witnessing a slugfest over this boring conversation.
"I do have a lot to live up to." Simmons remarked. "You could say bagging N.B.E.s… Runs in the family."
"I don't." Brass shared a confused look with Gray and trailed off.
"Wait, you aren't…" Gray began something niggling in the back of his mind, Hardtop was intrigued now; he'd figured out for sometime that the so called N.B.E. one had to be Megatron problem was he couldn't get into the systems without alerting them to his presence and thus couldn't find out where Megatron was being kept.
"He was my Great Grandfather. Sector Seven often recruits within the same bloodline. My father served, as did his." Simmons stated, curious slightly Hardtop ran a quick scan of the personnel files he'd managed to hack while the men were in the dam and was surprised to find four generations of Simmons had existed since the year eighteen ninety-seven. Such a short lived species, how could they be so advanced, so readily capable to grasp the technologies they were pirating from Megatron.
"And now it's come full circle. Is that it?" Brass demanded eyes narrowed.
"Something like that." Simmons agreed with a smirk. "Ever since that first one came out of the ice, under the watchful eye of my Great Grandfather… It's been a waiting game." Hardtop wanted to transform and kill the man after saying that, not for any particular reason, he was just getting tired of hearing the almost fanatic tone of voice emanating from his vocal processors. It was beginning to remind him too much of his former partner Mindwipe, he half expected him to start spouting off about ESP and mystical mumbo jumbo… Didn't help him in the long run, Omega still scrapped him when he caught up with them on that junk pile of a planet in the outer rim of Mirtona.
Dreadwing knew this was to good to be true, the real Allspark could not have just suddenly appeared on sensors, but he had to make sure and so had contacted Dropkick, Swindle and Payload. As they approached the location a fifth signal was detected following the energy reading from the supposed Allspark.
"Autobot's mine you go ahead." Dropkick insisted revving his engine and pacing the Camaro.
"Sir… Delta-Seven Eye reports a positive sighting. N.B.E. two is within the perimeter." One of the humans reported.
"Alert all tac-teams. But tell them to hold position; no one is to engage until I give the signal." Simmons ordered.
"Yes sir I'll…" The human paused. "Go ahead Delta-Seven." He spoke into his headset, Hardtop grinned he'd already picked up the inbound signals of his friends and his favorite punching bag. "Understood."
"What is it?" Simmons demanded impatiently.
"A low-rider pickup is in pursuit of N.B.E. two and firing a strange weapon at it." The communications officer informed, Simmons growled slightly at that.
"N.B.E. three." He grumbled just as an engine roared and a strange red sportscar leapt over the ditch spinning around somehow in midair so its' tailgate was facing the bunker, several humans watched in fascination as the license plate area folded up and a strange looking crystal-like cannon popped out.
"Or more." Gray remarked concernedly. The sportscar opened fire with its strange weapon on the bunker where they'd stored the false Allspark signal device causing it to explode and destroying the source.
"So much for the element of surprise." Brass remarked a little too smugly.
"All teams converge on the acquisition site!" Simmons ordered. "Target is now a red sportscar make unknown. I repeat… Unknown model red sportscar."
"Well whatever's down there it is not the Allspark." Swindle noted; suddenly twin Apaches appeared in the sky tracking him. "It's a trap!" He alerted the others.
"Intelligent and prepared." Payload observed. "This screams Sector Seven." He noted almost casually.
"I'm starting to like it here." Dreadwing spoke up with a laugh as he circled the site out of the limited range of the humans' sensors and began an attack run.
"Ready catch nets and prepare for cryo-immobilization." Pilot one ordered.
"Roger that." Pilot two returned.
"Hn, not on your best day." Payload remarked already tuned to the frequency his rear compartment opened up revealing a missile launcher. "Remind me to thank Shockwave for these upgrades." He added locking on and firing on the Apaches.
"Sir… We've lost Apaches one and two!" The communications officer alerted stunned.
"Have the other squads move in." Simmons ordered.
"But sir." The com agent protested.
"Do it!" Simmons snapped. "And find out where those missiles came from."
"I could do this all day." Dreadwing laughed as he swooped in and out blowing the human controlled vehicles to pieces.
"Likewise." Swindle agreed running circles around the ground based units. "But it occurs to me… If these beings knew enough to simulate the Allspark's resonant energy signal, it's likely they know where the actual Allspark is." He pointed out, Payload chuckled.
"Good idea, you keep'em busy, while I find what amounts to a brain hereabouts." He requested pulling out of the area and opening up his sensor array. "Hardtop." He growled before picking up a new signal. "Ah… There you are." Hardtop laughed at the reactions of the humans as Payload began scanning their primitive computer systems.
"What's happening?" Simmons demanded clutching his ears in pain.
"Something's… Ehn… In our network." The com officer explained. "It's going through our security firewalls like they weren't there!" He shouted above the screeching Cybertronian dialect.
"Break our communication to the S-Seven mainframe" Gray barked taking a step forward only to stumble as the pitch of the computers picked up in volume. "Purge all on-site systems. Do it now!" He cried beating Simmons to the punch, Brass dove forward and pulled the plugs quite literally.
"Slag, they cut me off." Payload growled.
"Get anything?" Swindle wondered avoiding several dead bodies, his tires were already lined with human blood.
"Just the name of the organization, but we already knew that due to Dropkick's previous encounter." The armored truck grumbled. "Starscream sent Hardtop in, he's working with the flesh creatures."
"That piston-blown scraplet couldn't have warned us." Dreadwing snapped.
"Save your animosity for the Autobots." Dropkick cut in. "I've lost Bumblebee, to much traffic. If you're through playing air raid maybe you could pick up the trail and tail the Scraplet, he might know more then us."
"If you won't need me." Dreadwing began.
"I'm cutting out." Swindle returned initiating a U-turn and barreling out of the desert at top speeds spraying up sand and a few dried blood particles in his wake.
"Copy that." The Decepticon jet returned. "Locking on to Autobot signal and proceeding due west." He finished banking towards the slowly sinking sun.
"And to ensure the humans won't track any of us." Payload spoke up before unleashing a highly potent form of EMP which scrambled every non-Cybertronian electronic device in the area. Simmons threw his binoculars down angrily as the smoke from the carnage wafted in the growing dusk sky, shooting a glare at Brass he wondered what to tell the families of those men and women out there.
"Still think we should try diplomatic solutions?" He demanded darkly, for once Brass didn't have anything to say. Hardtop smirked maliciously at the humans' expression; it was deliciously exquisite to see them being put in their place.
Scorponok stirred in his regenerative state and his tail twitched, the dreams of the past and Blackout haunted him night after night. Just as all the Decepticons dreamt of the past wondering if they could have done something different to change the events of the last five years, but per the usual the past could not be undone.
To Be Continued Yay, hope you liked this, for the next couple of chapters we'll be jumping back and forth through time revealing more about the past and attempting a Retcon as it were of the events in IDW's prequel comics and those from the actual film. I just like the prequel comics too much not to use them in this instant, these scenes expand a little further on the Decepticons personalities and reveal what some of them were up to on Earth prior to the battle at Mission City and everything else that went down.
In case you're wondering, Hardtops inner dialogue concerning Bumblebee was an attempt by me to rectify the mention in his Tech Specs as to why Bumblebee had his vocals destroyed. According to Hasbro, Hardtop did it in the toyverse, while in the comics by IDW Megatron crushed them at Tyger Pax... So I decided to make it that Hardtop covered the damaged systems with corrosive acids during one encounter to explain away the reference. Because it's just too good of a character thing between the two of them. Anyway I've said enough, please be kind, rewind... Er I mean read & review. For ever review I get another notch of inspiration fills me with the power to create more.