Chapter 6: Uncontrollable

Waking with a surge of pain, Perceptor found himself in a dark room. He could see but the lights were too dim to see beyond the strand of lights. He pulled at his hands. Or tried at least. He couldn't move at all. His lips moved and eyelids but other than that he was frozen. Something weighed on his hands. He recognized what was happening all of a sudden.

"Stasis cuffs!" Perceptor shouted.

"Correct. Glad to see you're just as smart as you were."

Perceptor put a name to that squeak voice quickly. Starscream. Perceptor's eyes narrowed, seeing Starscream enter Perceptor's shallow light. Perceptor tried yet again to move, hoping he'd get the chance to grab the Con before anything else could happen. It didn't work so he took a closer look at Starscream in his human form.

Starscream had the traditional red eyes for each Con. He had similar red hair as Perceptor himself, if not neater. He had a long sleeved white shirt, with blue from his elbows down, with the traditional seeker yellow over with crossing white lines. He had a no sleeved, red with black pocket jacket that went to mid chest. Dog tags fell from his neck. He had small blue gloves that almost looked like they connected with his blue sleeves. He had the similar Decepticon imprinted belt. His long white pants had red near the top.

"What do you want from me!?" shouted Perceptor, his voice trailing.

"You were the Autobot tracking the vortex that affected us, correct?" Starscream hummed.

"Maybe. What about it?" Perceptor had learned a thing or two from watching Sam.

"As you may have noticed it's changed us and scattered us across the vortex plane of this planet. You were not only the closest; probably the most affected, but you were tracking it and the main vortex areas…" Starscream stated slowly, pacing around Perceptor.

"Why do…wait a minute! You're just as lost as I am! You don't have Megatron!" recalled Perceptor.

"Who needs that arrogant leader, when we have such a gracious, magnificent leader such as myself," Starscream smirked.

"Don't forget humble," mumbled Perceptor with the rolling of his eyes.

"Hmm. Anyhow, it's come to our attention that you could be the biggest threat," Starscream went on.

"Are you kidding me!" gasped Perceptor, "I'm a scientist! Nothing more!"

"You're in this war that makes you a warrior," Starscream hissed, turning to face.

"I had no choice in that matter!" countered Perceptor.

There was an awkward silence that followed. Perceptor turned away, looking into the darkness. He had tears streaming. He was missing his friend more than ever at this moment. He looked up at lights. Even if he did have these powers, even if he could control them, he wouldn't be able to move much less escape. He trashed the idea.

"Starscream." Perceptor looked up to see Thundercracker enter.

"What is it?" snapped Starscream, twisting around.

"The humans…" offered Thundercracker with a smirk, looking at Perceptor.

"What an idea, Thundercracker," bellowed Starscream, looking back at Perceptor.

"Don't hurt them," Perceptor hissed, "Or so help me I'll-"

"You'll what?" Starscream interrupted, "You're only a scientist."

Perceptor was lifted from his chair, the cuffs removed. The weight was lifted but still Perceptor found it hard to move. His legs were stiff, his arms were sore and it hurt to move a single step. Sadly he had to move several as Thundercracker and Starscream, eventually Skywarp, led him to a new area. They stopped in front of a closed door with one small window near the top.

"Ready?" Starscream hummed, peering back at Perceptor.

The door opened and Perceptor was pushed inside. He fell to the floor. He quickly looked back, watching the three seeker snicker as they closed the door. Perceptor hastily got to his feet, rushing the door. It slammed in front of him. He ran into it. He slowly slid down it, whispering a quiet "no".

"Get up, Autobot!"

The voice from the speakers higher up startled him. Perceptor turned around. There was a bullet proof glass that could fade into the wall behind him. Perceptor stood up and walked to the glass. It was only Starscream that was watching him, that scared him. Perceptor punched the glass out of sheer anger and frustration. His hand made no dent against the hard glass. Perceptor glared into the red eyes of the seeker.

"What do you want from me!" repeated Perceptor, backing up.

"You've got a secret power, we've discovered. And we intend to find it," Starscream stated plainly, pressing a button.

Another glass wall appeared on the wall to Perceptor's right. He turned and peered through. He saw Freddie and Sam. He gasped, pounding on it. He was hoping to gather their attention but it seemed impossible. He backed up, looking back at Starscream. Perceptor knew what was to happen.

"Please no," begged Perceptor, leaning on the wall opposite the one he saw Sam and Freddie through.

"All in the name of gaining the upper hand," shrugged Starscream, pressing another button.

Perceptor saw the door open in the opposite room. Sam and Freddie turned around, back soon were backing against the walls. Perceptor shook his head, not able to watch. He continued anyway, watching Thundercracker and Skywarp enter. Perceptor was wishing it to end there and for Ironhide or Prowl or even Optimus to come in and save the day as they do. Everyone knows them. He was in the background, never picked or chosen to do anything. Unless he knew something he wasn't supposed to.

"What do you two ugly mugs want?" snapped Sam.

"Sam! Don't insult the bad guys," whispered Freddie.

"If I'm going to get it, I might want to get it for doing something I enjoy," shrugged Sam.

"Sam…" whispered Perceptor, tears streaming down his face, "Freddie…"

Perceptor watched Thundercracker grab Sam and Skywarp grab Freddie. Sam stood strong, fighting as best she could. Freddie gave in quickly, being held tightly by Skywarp. Perceptor closed his eyes, not able to watch anymore. Suddenly there was a scream that tore Perceptor to look. Thundercracker was holding Sam up by her collar. She was screaming. He'd never heard her scream. And never again did he want to hear it.

"No!" shouted Perceptor.

The lights flickered. Starscream backed from the controls as they popped and fizzed. Thundercracker, looking up at the lights, dropped Sam. Freddie was also released. Starscream snickered, watching Perceptor, accidently, overloading the system throughout the base. Perceptor was screaming out of pain, sadness and frustration. Thundercracker and Skywarp snickered, walking out of the room.

"Hey kids," Skywarp called, catching the attention of the two away from the lights.

"Thanks for the test," Thundercracker finished, pointing the glass way.

Sam and Freddie looked at it, as the door closed to the room. Freddie frowned, seeing Perceptor. Perceptor was looked at his hands, unable to stabilize what was happening. Sam ran up to glass, pounding on it hard. Perceptor fell to his knees. He was in pain. The power he supposedly had and was using was overloading the systems and him. He looked at him hands. Blue electricity danced over them and up his arm. He was panting hard.

"Perceptor!"

Perceptor looked up quickly, remembering the familiar and friendly voice. He saw Sam and Freddie beating on the glass for his attention. Perceptor stood up, slowly walking to the glass. He didn't see Thundercracker nor Skywarp. Perceptor placed his hands on the glass. After seeing the electricity absorb into the glass, Perceptor stepped back. He looked to Starscream.

Starscream was leaning on the blown out control, a smile as big as a whale leaned on his face. Perceptor could barely see his own reflection in the shady glass. He looked normal, beside his scared expression, but his eyes were brighter. They were powered with the electrical charge going through his entire system. He was slowly losing control, he knew it.

"I…I can't…" Perceptor stuttered, looking back at Freddie and Sam.

"We're okay!" Sam offered, looking scared, "Calm down."

"I…" Perceptor choked, falling to his knees. He held his stomach, groaned in pain.

"Perceptor! You can control this!" reassured Freddie.

"No…I can't! It's overpowering!" sobbed Perceptor to the ceiling rather than Freddie.

"You've controlled this power up till now. You controlled it back at the school…you can't give in! You have too much to look after, to do!" shouted Freddie.

"To do…to look after," Perceptor repeated, eyeing the glass guarding Starscream.

"Ignore that red eyed freak!" ordered Sam.

Perceptor looked at her. She was sort of reassuring. The world faded into a black a white. He groaned, shaking his head. Looking back, he realized his view was different for the moment. He could vaguely make out the outlines of people but he could see the biological electrical energy in them. Looking at Sam and Freddie, he saw a white electrical current. He turned to look at Starscream. The color was red this time. He shook his head, closing his eyes and covering his ears.

"Make it stop!" he ordered, losing control more and more.

"Perceptor…you've got your friend to find, a way to get back home, to get back to normal, you've got…got…" Freddie listed, trying to pull Perceptor out of it.

"Us!" Sam shouted, tears rolling down, "You've got us!"

The lights faded back to normal power. The glass of both rooms cracked down the entire wall as the last sign of the power surge. Perceptor sat, quietly, hands by his side. He stared ahead. Sam and Freddie stood watching, begging for him to be okay. Perceptor closed his eyes.

"Thank you…" he whispered, falling onto the floor as his last effort.

"No!' hissed Starscream, leaving the control room.

"Perceptor!" Sam called.

Perceptor breathed softly, quiet. His energy was lowering quickly. He flickered his eyes open one last time. He smiled at the sight of Freddie and Sam, safe. He closed his eyes again and fell unconscious.