The huge Decepticon warship The Nemesis, retaken from Autobot control after the Omega locks destruction loomed over earths curved horizon. The silky quilt of space freckled with glowing stars silently twisted behind Earth.

Starscream managed to retake the ship when Shockwave and he landed their escape pod near Cybertron. They traveled back to earth to find the corpse of Megatron but later, found the Autobots instead.

Starscream walked along the bridge deck towards the awaiting Shockwave, his one big cherry red eye scanning Earth's rotation.

"And what news do you bring Shockwave. Hopefully something...logical?" He mocked. Shockwave looked over his shoulder at Starscream.

"It is entertaining that you would mock me, when you lost two of your hands appendages...to a small Autobot"

"At least I have two hands" Starscream laughed, waving both at Shockwave. The huge purple Decepticon grabbed Starscream by the throat, lifting the choking being off the deck.

"I find your taste of comedy Illogical. You are no Lord Megatron, nor will you ever be" He snarled, throwing Starscream to the ground. The Decepticon slammed against the deck, sparks flying.

"You do that once Shockwave. Only once" He growled, pointing at him with two fingers and a thumb on his right hand. Shockwave turned back to the screen.

"I have been working on something. Something that would make not only I happy, but lord Megatron"

"Oh. And what is that?"

Shockwave chuckled evilly as he pressed two buttons on the control panel before him. A ground bridge opened behind them, illuminating the room in a green aura. The swirling vortex of light was glitching, flickering red occasionally and shrinking and growing. Starscream looked at it, backing away.

"What have you done Shockwave?" He muttered, not taking his eyes off of it. Shockwave walked past Starscream, looking into the vortex.

"I have manifested a way for our trapped ally to return...from the Shadowzone"

A tall slender purple Decepticon stepped out of the vortex, long, thin arms down its side. The feet slammed against the deck, back in the correct dimension. Three slim fingers tightened into a fist on each wrist and a voice sounded from the eyeless face.

"Soundwave Superior, Autobots Inferior"

Starscream cowered and backed away behind Shockwave.

"Wha...you waited this long to bring him back through?" Starscream cried out.

"This was not a simply task Starscream. He was trapped aboard the ship, meaning it was a moving target. I had to pinpoint the perfect location after several tests to make sure Soundwave survived the dimensional cross"

Starscream stepped out from behind Shockwave, tip toeing nearer to the silent, still Soundwave. He reached out, tapping one finger against Soundwaves torso.

"Is it real?"

"Affirmative. That is the original Soundwave"

"Excellent! Welcome back Soundwave! And welcome back to Lord Starscream-"

Starscream found himself being interrupted by Soundwaves claw around his throat. Soundwave replayed what Shockwave said prior to use as his own sentence.

"You are no lord Megatron, nor will you ever be" Soundwave quoted, throwing Starscream back. He clutched his throat, spluttering.

"Can we all stop doing that?" Starscream wheezed.

"You miss understand Soundwave, We are here to try and find our lord Megatron! But Autobot presence is still strong"

Soundwave stepped forward, his monitor like face displaying a location fix on Bumblebee and Bulkhead.

"yeah Bee, this patrols boring. Nothing's happened for weeks" Soundwave picked up Bulkhead's speech.

"Ah well, allow us to liven up your little patrol. So Soundwave, do you still hold a grudge against what the Autobots did to you?" Starscream chuckled. Soundwave simply nodded slowly and sinisterly.

"Excellent. We will prepare a trap. One the Autobots would never be able to ignore" Starscream laughed demonically, rubbing his injured right palm against the left.

...

Bulkhead and Bumblebee returned to the Autobot base, driving inside and transforming, sliding along the ground from their momentum. Ironhide and Jazz stood with Ratchet and Optimus walked over from the monitor. The broad Autobot leader greeted them back from their patrol.

"Bumblebee, Bulkhead, how was your patrol?"

Bumblebee, now enjoying the luxuries of having his voice back smiled to prime and shrugged.

"Nothing. Quiet Optimus, real quiet" Bulkhead walked past and saw Ironhide. The big red Autobot walked over to him.

"Bulk, how are you mate?" He said, slamming their fists together, sparks flying.

"Ha good, besides nothing happening. Patrol was dead"

"Are you itching for a fight Bulk?" Ironhide chuckled.

"Maybe. Hey Optimus, where's Arcee?" Bulkhead asked, looking around for his little blue friend.

Optimus tilted his head towards Bulkhead.

"She has taken some much earned and required Shore leave"

"Oh, well fair enough" Bulk chuckled.

Optimus was suddenly disturbed by the monitor beeping.

"Decepticons!" Bumblebee smiled, slamming his fist into his palm.

Optimus checked the monitor with great pace.

"No. It's an Earth matter" He said.

"What? What do you mean?" Bumblebee asked. Optimus scanned the information with his gleaming optics.

"It would seem that there is a large fire in which at least a hundred humans are trapped"

"What? Optimus we can't show our forms to the humans? How can we help?" Jazz asked, walking over to Prime's side.

"It appears to be a large warehouse, similar to a hangar such as this. Once inside we should be fine to transform and help the injured" Optimus explained, stepping back from the console.

"You think its Cons?" Ironhide inquired.

"I don't think so. From what the documentation said, it was a simple malfunction. But that does not mean I would rule it out. Autobots keep a close eye out for Decepticons"

"So who's coming?" Bumblebee wondered.

"You all will. I will require as much help as possible to save as many lives as possible"

Ratchet walked over, holding a small device he had recently tested and finished.

"Optimus, I can come as well. I'm testing a new Ground bridge remote. It will allow me to come with you and still reactivate the bridge"

"Excellent. All hands on deck. Autobots! Roll out!" Optimus bellowed, transforming into his truck and all the others dropping to their knees and morphing into their vehicle modes. Optimus rolled forward, followed By Ironhide's cherry red pickup truck form and Jazz's racing Porsche form, white with blue and red stripes and the bold black number four on each door. The other Autobots, Ratchet, Bulkhead and Bumblebee followed as they left the base to head to the fire, the loud bellow of their united engines ripping through the afternoon silence.

...

Meanwhile Jack and Arcee sped through the town of Jasper, stopping at every traffic light as it blinked red. Jack put his foot on the ground to steady his girlfriend as they waited.

"So, what'd you wanna do today Cee?" Jack asked as he rolled his shoulder blades. Arcee's suspension bounced slightly, as if shrugging her shoulders

"As long as we're together Honey" She said in a sweet voice.

"Okay, stop it! That's not the Arcee I know, you're scaring me!" He chuckled.

"Yeah, not good at that lovey dovey stuff yet" She laughed as the light turned green, slowly racing forward.

"Ah you'll get it Cee. So what should we do? I mean we can't exactly walk hand in hand, and it's not fair for you to be stuck as a bike all day" Jack explained to her.

"Erm, well we could...no that's illegal for humans. Err we could...no...Oh I know!" She suddenly had an epiphany.

"What?" Arcee whoa!" He clung for dear life as she pulled a sharp turn and headed towards Jasper's outskirts.

"Cee where are we going?" Jack asked; hand on her blue metal skin.

"You'll see" she sexily stated.

...

Meanwhile the Autobot convoy reached the coordinates. A huge warehouse, smoke bellowing from the roof, corrupting the clean blue sky.

Optimus revved and sped up, honking his horn and slamming through the front of the warehouse. Light pierced in a solid beam through the smoke. Optimus transformed, slamming his fist into the concrete and standing up. the other Autobots all filed in, transforming as well. They all stood together.

"Hello! I am Optimus Prime and we are here to help, do not fear!" Optimus shouted into the smoke. No response.

Suddenly a huge cattle prod stuck out from the smoke and stung Optimus in the neck, knocking him out cold. The Autobot leader collapsed to the ground and the Other Autobots aimed. Into the dark smoke fog.

"I recommend, you lay down your weapons. Unless you want Prime here...to die" Starscream emerged from the smoke, holding the prod. The Autobots looked behind them and Shockwave blocked the exit. A large army of Decepticon drones appeared behind Starscream and aimed at the Autobots. They all dropped their weapons and raised their hands.

"Take them!" Starscream roared, and the Decepticons began capturing them. Ratchet dropped the remote and stamped on it, destroying it and anyway for the Decepticon to find their base.

"Wait, what was that?" Starscream asked.

"Nothing of importance to you" Ratchet smirked. Starscream roared and prodded Ratchet, stunning him like Prime.

"You won't get away with...whatever this is" Jazz groaned.

"Oh but we will. You see with you captured, we can focus on locating your base...and lord Megatron" Shockwave laughed.

"Oh scrap"

...

After a fifteen minute drive they reached the location she was heading to. It was the same place they stargazed. A place where no one can see them and they can spend some time together. Jack smiled within his helmet as they turned onto the bumpy stone lathered road.

"Nice idea Cee" He nodded, stroking her chrome gas tank.

"I aim to please" She giggled. Approaching the circular flat land they previously lay on watching the stars.

She came to a stop and Jack flicked her kickstand out. He swung his leg over and staggered back as she transformed to her robot form, stretching her back and her arms.

"Oh yeah, that's the good stuff" She sighed with satisfaction.

"Hey Cee" Jack's voice sounded. She stopped stretching and looked over to him. He was by the tree parting looking out over the horizon. He sat on the edge, dangling his feet of the cliff edge.

"Isn't it beautiful?" He said, looking at the sun over the distant mountain ranges. Arcee's footsteps sounded as she grew nearer. She crouched down and sat on the soft dirt, mimicking Jack by kicking her legs out over the ledge.

"Yeah. It is Jack" She smiled closing her eyes and trying to feel its warm rays soak into her polymer skin. She sighed and reopened her optics, looking over at Jack. She suddenly remembered what she wanted to do here.

"Ah, now the reason I wanted to come out here!" She said as she got up, brushing her hand along Jack's shoulder. He watched her go. She walked over to a pile of rocks she remembered seeing, previously. Jack was curious, so he got up and pursued his girlfriend.

"What's up?" He asked. She reached her left arm out to him and her blaster transformed, aiming at him. The gun spun around showing him the trigger and hand grip she'd upgraded for him.

"Whoa! You have a trigger and grip in there? I thought it was your arm?"

"It is, I just upgraded it for you to use" She smiled. Jack cautiously reached up, his hand going inside the gun. As soon as he gripped the gun, the blue metal around the gun transferred to his arm, locking tight and melding around his arm, tightly fitting and becoming a glove like blaster, almost up to the elbow.

The gun was now his to use, Arcee no longer had control over it at this time. He held it like a rifle, left hand supporting the barrel. It was surprisingly light weight, but still quite heavy.

"Okay...why give me this? You wanna spar?" He chuckled.

"No silly, we did this on Cybertron to pass the time. Tailgate and I would spend ages doing this waiting for objectives" She explained, her right arm forming a gun and her left returning to her hand form. She leaned down and picked up a reasonable sized rock. She felt the weight and walked over to the cliff edge.

"We'd throw rocks, or metal clumps, and try to shoot them" Arcee further taught Jack. With nothing below but empty desert, they had nothing to worry about.

"You want to go first?" she asked.

"Nah, you go. I'll go once I've seen what I'm up against" Jack chuckled, priming the rifle. She nodded with a smile.

Arcee turned very suddenly, launching the rock with a roar. It hurtled upwards into the distance. She immediately raised her right arm and aimed at the rock. Arcee closed one eye and fired a bolt of blue light. It flew upwards and impacted the rock, chunks of stone raining down over the desert. She smiled and looked back at Jack.

"Oh yeah, I still got it" She said in a seductive voice. Jack shook his head while smirking.

"Okay. Whenever you're ready Cee" He grinned, aiming the blaster upwards, squinting from the sun's rays. She picked up a rock, growling as she launched it. The rock sailed over head, whistling through the warm air. Jack tracked it with his eyes. He aimed looking for it. He fired, the recoil, blowing him off stature slightly. The bolt of blue light flew up and clipped the rock, shattering it.

"Wahoo! Yeah! You see that Cee!" He cheered, fit pumping the air.

"Yeah, Yeah. Don't get cocky kiddo" She chuckled grabbing a rock and walking forward. She threw it as hard as she could and aimed her blaster, the barrel humming. The rock wailed through the afternoon air and she fired, blowing the rock apart. The desert ground pattered with the prickling of stone debris.

"Oh yeah! Eat it!" She fist pumped shaking her hips in joy. Jack shook his head and laughed.

"Okay then, my turn" He said, Arcee walking by to get another rock. She picked one up, bouncing it in her palm and turned.

"Throw!" He shouted, aiming as the rock sailed overhead. Arcee staggered from the power of her throw. The rock whizzed over the blue sky, now slightly tinted orange as the afternoon became evening.

Jack tracked it in the diminishing sun and fired, the bolt of blue energy rising and slapping against the rock, blowing it apart.

"Yes! I'm better at this than I thought!" Jack said, lowering the rifle and stepping aside.

"Yeah? Well, no one but the great Arcee has ever been able to do this" She smirked, walking by with a tiny rock in her hand. It looked like a big pebble in her grip but was actually a rock around the size of a fist. She twisted her spine and swung the rock, sending it hurling off into the distance barely visible. She aimed the blaster and fired, blowing the rock apart.

"Oh yeah! Chew on that Darby!" She smirked, walking by him.

"What! That's impossible!"

"Oh? Does Jack Darby...give up?!" She chuckled as she leaned down to be eye level with him, her voice practically dripping with seduction.

"Oh very funny. Throw the rock" He snarled. She smiled, walking over to the pile and grabbing a small sized rock, almost as big as her fist, but slightly smaller. She leaned back and had her arm back, ready to throw.

"Alright Cee. You're going down" He said, aiming upwards. She threw it and it sailed into the distance. A thought raced through his mind.

What if I hit this? Will it take away her pride? She's always been proud of her aim. I don't want to do that to her...damn I'll never here the end of this.

Jack sighed and fired randomly, missing the rock, watching the intact stone impact in the desert below. He lowered his head and knew it was imminent.

"Oh yeah! Oh yeah! My name is Arcee and I am the best shot on the planet!" She cheered, bouncing for joy.

"Well...the sun was in my eyes?" He tried to cover.

"I'm sure" She walked over to him, crouching.

"No really, I couldn't see it honest!"

"Yeah? Oh that's a shame" She whispered, getting so close to his face her eyes were glowing blue light against his face.

"No Seriously..."

They pressed foreheads and looked deeply into one another's eyes.

"Thank you" She whispered in his ear.

"For...for what?" He nervously said.

"For showing this old Autobot there's more to life than fighting. Thank you Jack for giving me purpose" She smiled to him. He gave her a smile back.

"Of course Cee. Of course" He lent closer, closing their eyes simultaneously and getting ready to kiss one another. Just as their lips neared, a static fuzzed voice over her communicator sounded.

"Arcee! Arcee this is Ironhide! Do you copy!" He sounded distressed. Arcee sighed and so did Jack as they reopened their eyes, being denied a kiss and quiet evening.

"Sorry Jack gotta take this" She said, standing up and putting her finger to her ear.

"Ironhide. What is it" She wasn't pleased, but her expression changed to shock.

"I'm sorry Ironhide can't come to the phone right now, shall I take a message?" the evil voice sounded.

"Starscream. What have you done with him?"

"Oh it's them. All of them. Right into our trap" He chuckled.

"And they'll be dead in twenty four hours unless you hand over the co ordinates to all the Energon mines, and your base"

Arcee staggered back.

"Jack...Shore leave's cancelled"