Last and Alone – Secret
Title: Part 11
Rating: T
Characters: Jazz, Perceptor, the Monolith Team,
Warnings: Mech x Mech hinted at/mentioned occasionally

Universe: G1-ish/Last and Alone/Monolith
Disclaimer: I, in no way, shape, or form, own the Transformers© franchise or the characters it contains. They belong to Has/Tak, No infringement intended. Any OC's to my knowledge are solely mine.
Summary: Perceptor was once part of a gestalt, but the others were destroyed. Since he should never have survived the deaths of his teammates, it's a secret he has kept for thousands of vorns. Now Jazz is tracking it down.

FYI "Speaking" "Speaking on a comm" :Speaking in a bond:

Part 11

/\/\/\

The feelings of puzzlement and a sense of vague denial had been trickling into the teams bonds for the past several breems; slowly like a rocky pebble working its way past armor and wiring till it settled as an annoyance against the base proto form. The emotions had just reached that point of settled annoyance when the bonds exploded in uncontrolled grief, shock, sorrow and denial staggering each team member. It was instantly obvious to each the direct source of the emotions and with the surprise and immense depth of the emotions, the bonds became flooded with unshielded worried and panicked inquiries.

:Slider!:

:Slider! Status?:

:Slider what's wrong?:

:Are you ok? What has happened? Slider?:

The disbelief, shock and now strong denial continued to radiate through the bonds from Slider as Perceptor plowed through it all into Slider's spark and processor, quicker than the others in responding; and given it was Slider, less concerned about the perception of privacy the team had learned to give each other over the vorns. Perceptor reeled back and flooded the bonds with his own denial. :No! Impossible!: Which in turn only set the rest of the team off in more of a panic as he failed to broadcast what he'd learned and instead wrapped himself around Slider within the bond both giving and seeking comfort.

:What!:

:What!:

:Cep? Slider?:

:Enough! Calm down! Were acting like we're newly merged!: Cavalier waded through the surprising and thankfully atypical onslaught of uncontrolled emotions that had come so unexpectedly. With difficulty he shoved walls in place around the bonds in his own spark and processor and took charge; bringing his own emotions under control then sending that control out to the rest of the team while at the same time arriving on the Seeker's bridge. No alerts blared and nothing seemed out of place to give him any hint at the cause of Slider's and now Perceptor's distress. Only Gazer hovering over Slider where the Communications Officer sat at his station.

"Slider, report." Cavalier called as he felt his mental control finally penetrate the uncharacteristically panicked mass mind of the team. At the same time he felt rather than saw the remaining team members arrive on the bridge and make their way to their own stations.

Slider looked up at his leader his expression of disbelief, his tone void of any emotion but puzzlement. "Totality is destroyed."

"Hold it!" Cavalier immediately commanded the rest of the team and reinforced the order through the bonds.

The team settled but shock and disbelief flooded the bonds again, though not at the uncontrolled amateurish and damaging levels of before; Cavalier was pleased to note. Questions flooded as multiple conversations engaged simultaneously in the background through the bonds even as they all focused on the main conversation that continued verbally.

"Slider, you know this how? I need the full report. We need the full report."

Slider seemed to collect himself. Then with a more professional attitude, devoid of any emotion he reported. "We received a communication from Command. They don't really know much, or they're not telling us if they do. Totality apparently answered a distress beacon from a Regular Patrol Team that was assisting Colony CCOE43-B. The colony had initially summoned help to chase off an attack by unknown forces. Totality was only a couple of cycles travel time away from them so responded. Totality reported arriving, but could not locate the Patrol frigate and they received no response to their hails. They chose to land. The last report received from Totality themselves was retrieved from a message packet capsule that they had located survivors and were assisting with defenses since the attack was still underway. The only thing mentioned about the attackers was that no clear images had yet been captured, though they appeared to be Cybertronian, so the assumption was possibly a new pirate group."

"Unlikely." Foist interrupted. "We've haven't seen a group of pirates in a couple hundred vorn."

"Yes, but with CCC funding cut, their fielding less patrol teams. The fact that an RPT was near enough to respond in the first place is actually surprising, let alone that a second team was in response range. It's a good time to look at being a pirate again. Less of us to avoid." Added Perceptor latching onto the side topic as a distraction.

"Hey, if you two are finished, I'd like to know what's going on. We can debate funding and pirates later." Cavalier nodded at Slider to continue as Foist and Perceptor mumbled apologies.

"Um, let's see. Nautical and Greyling were badly damaged and Regraft was unsure if he was going to be able to save them. This is all from the report on account from the CMO of the colony, apparently the entire Regular Patrol Team were also deactivated and the frigate destroyed."

"That would take a fair amount of strength and firepower. And yet the colony survived?" Foist interrupted again.

Slider answered Foist's interruption "In regards to strategic information, all the reports we were given are pretty vague. Greyling was taken out within breems of the team joining the fight, so merging was never really an option. I can tell you that as soon as Totality was killed the colony managed to repel the attackers in what apparently was a last ditch effort that had been designed by Rock and Kite. That successful counter attack is the only reason we have received any reports at all. Actually, the colonies CMO was the highest ranked surviving colonial official, which may explain why his report is so detailed, he's used to writing them, while the action reports are… lacking."

Cavalier attempted to get the conversation back where he wanted it at the moment, knowing there would be plenty of time for speculation and theories later. "Yes, yes, I suspect that junior officers in the local colonial militia probably don't practice report writing very often."

"In point of fact, I don't think any of the militia officers survived." Slider interrupted this time.

"Tactics aren't my concern at this very moment, though I will want to see any information on them. Now you said the CMO submitted a detailed report?" Cavalier prompted.

"It's actually completely detailed if you're interested, but his opening summary page is enough. I'll just read you part of it."

…the warrior - designation Greyling - permanently off lined due to immense battle damage. This was followed by the immediate deactivation of the warrior – designation Nautical - also badly damaged. Simultaneously the medic, whom was standing next to me, collapsed into a stasis lock. The remaining three team members who at the time had been assisting with the colony defenses were brought in to the triage a short time later also in stasis lock. The reports of their collapse are exact in occurrence as to what I observed with the medic and are further described in detail in my report.

At this time I have been unable to determine a medical cause for the collapse of the remaining four team members – designation's Rockshot, Spinster, Regraft and Kite. Attempts to bring the mentioned mechs out of stasis lock failed as did energon feeds. By the end of the cycle, all team members with the exception of Regraft had off lined permanently. Regraft remained in an irretrievable stasis lock for two cycles longer than his teammates but in the end his spark also guttered out. Further attempts to bring Regraft out of stasis as well as continued attempts to start successful energon feeds were tried over the course of the cycles. All failed.

Slider looked back up at his leader. "The labbies own report which command so graciously chose to send, indicates they believe that because our sparks have all been surgically split and bonded for an effect similar to a split twin spark, that the gestalt would suffer the same effects a pair of twins do when one half of the pair is killed."

"Death for the remaining twin, so death to the remaining teammates." Tonic offered. "And I suppose with all the rest of the gestalt bonds breaking at the same time it's like a multiple hit for us. I would theorize that it would be a most unpleasant experience."

/\/\/\

Jazz, paused to consider what he had just witnessed and learned, a bit shaken by the panic and fear that had pervaded the memory. While he had become somewhat used to the emotions of the group mind in Perceptor's memories, merged or unmerged, particularly during intense action; over the long vorns the team had learned to control and use the mass mind in their favor. Not since the first five hundred or thousand vorns had the team been sucked into such a wholly encompassing and detrimental situation in regards to the group mind; though there had been a couple of close calls. Jazz resumed his search.

/\/\/\

"Command's recent update on colonies lost shows an increase this past vorn. CCOE52-A and CCOE52-B as well as CCM01. "

"Hmm. Whoever's doing this is getting greedy. It seems one energy colony a vorn wasn't enough."

"Perhaps, but CCM01 wasn't a colony.

"No, it was a mine. A mine producing weapons grade material. Something's going on here and I don't like it."

/\/\/\

"This has got to stop. It takes more vorns to establish a colony than it does to destroy them."

"True, but when recently has the CCC had funds to establish another colony? Funding's been cut by half at best, three quarters at worst. And that's off of the cut before that."

"Well we're being run ragged with these defensive skirmishes we keep getting in. There's not enough patrol teams either. And just what is Volatilus doing? Because I haven't seen or heard any evidence recently to indicate their playing defense."

"What's it matter whether it's one or two gestalt teams against whomever? The colonies are spread to far apart for successful defense against anything organized with the CCC this under powered. Gestalt's or Regular Patrol, whoever these guys are they have the advantage and I'm sure they're using it to pick and choose when to engage us so as to wear us down."

"Well, give them credit then, they're doing a good job of it."

/\/\/\

"The truth of the matter is this Cavalier. Whether the high command wants to admit it or not, the days of the CCC are over. As secretive as we are, a thousand vorn from now no one will even know the CCC existed. The political atmosphere here on Cybertron is changing. Colonizing no matter the reason was never popular amongst the populace. And that is the current feeling amongst those government mechs and politicians who are in the know. And face it, the way we function, is that we don't exist. What little funding we receive these meta-cycles have got to be used for the good of the many. The further out the colony, they are going to have to learn to rely on themselves in the very near future. Fortunately, most are already self sufficient, being too far out for rapid response help from Cybertron anyway. And that's actually where some of these problems come in. You know as well as I, your team has seen it first hand, 

that these colonies feel they should not have to send any portion of their energy crops back to a home world that offers them very little to nothing in return. The closer colonies and mines are less difficult and easier to control, but the resentment remains."

"Do you even have plans to tell any of them?" questioned Cavalier

"You know better than I they'll be better off if they just slip off the grid. They are not going to miss us so I don't think they're going to object."

"And what about my team and Volatilus?" And Cavalier watched as Reline flinched. Too many mechs it might not have been noticeable as a flinch, but Cavalier had for a very long time considered Reline in the upper echelons of the CCC Command a reliable friend within the CCC. Now, he recognized he'd unintentionally hit on a problem. His optics narrowed as he studied his so called friend; awkward comments and situations over the past few vorns came pounding to the forefront of his processor.

"What aren't you telling me?"

Reline, always confident and secure in his position fidgeted, refusing to look at Cavalier. "Look, Cav, you need to understand our position. We…"

He was cut off as Cavalier reached out grabbing hold of Reline's neck shoving him back against the hallway wall where the two of them had paused. His hand weapon appearing from subspace in his free hand was swung up towards Reline's helm. Cavalier realized he had reached his end.

"I may not be as observant as Perceptor, but I do see things. Every trip back to base the last I don't even know how many vorns has had you guys all jumpy and on edge around us. Almost eager for us to leave in fact. Now the conclusion to be drawn from that reaction is that something happened to change the status quo in regards to us. Then, on top of that, the support we're receiving from you as were out doing our job?" Cavalier rolled his head before quickly focusing back on Reline. "Ooohhhh wait, that's right, we haven't had any." He glared "We're bartering and buying supplies as we go. Nowadays my team doesn't want anything to do with the CCC. Yet I'm supposed to continue to convince them that the CCC is the way to go? My team doesn't exactly consist of stupid mechs, you saw to that with your tinkering. They can see the writing on the wall no matter how much I defend you. We are in possession of a good fast ship. We have a very good working record. And with Sliders skills, we'll have no trouble creating a history. Every circuit I have is screaming that I am not going to like what you tell me, so it would be better to get it over with now…friend." And Cavaliers optics flashed as he placed an almost deadly emphasis on the last word.

Reline twitched, weakly trying to free himself before finally giving in, "If the CCC can be lost in a thousand vorn, the gestalt knowledge can be lost even quicker, since only a mere handful know about it and the truth about your team. The gestalt technology has proven to be too dangerous, a mistake."

Anger flared and he paused to control it. "Dangerous? How are we dangerous? We have given thousands of vorns of service to Cybertron through the CCC and its colonies. Dangerous? What. Does. That. Mean?"

Reline seemed to shrink in on himself, whispering. "It means that we lost control of Volatilus nearly 50 vorn ago. It means we can't just turn you loose and hope you find jobs." Then he collected himself defiantly, glaring back at Cavalier. "You were all just tools anyway!"

"Hoooo, wrong thing to say." And Cavalier tightened his grip on Reline's neck and tapping Relines helm with his gun. Then his processor latched on to the first part of the explanation and his temper cooled dramatically as he fully processed what had been said, only to have it flare again once done. "You lost control of Volatilus?"

"They were all battle models!" Reline said quickly, desperately. "We wanted some 'nasty' in the ranks. It was felt that you and Totality were two peaceful at core, and in a true battle situation, you wouldn't measure up if called upon. The problem was we didn't really understand what we were making when we made them. Please Cav you have…"

"It's Cavalier. My friends call me Cav. And you most certainly are not a friend. You played me all these vorns. I was a fool to hold belief and respect in this Command. My team and I served Cybertron and the CCC for nearly 6000 vorns before you created Volatilus, over 7200 now and Totality gave you almost 6000 total vorns of service yet you didn't think we could do the job? Our track records should have spoken for themselves. First we're not tough enough, now we're too dangerous? The CCC is a complete glitch. We may have been difficult at times, but we have never wavered in our loyalty to Cybertron for nearly the entire slagging time we have been the CCC's and this is how you repay that?"

"Totality proved you were weak. Proved we were right. Proved that when facing a real battle situation your two teams weren't capable. Proved we were justified in making a war model."

"Did you just hear yourself? A war model? What in the pit were you thinking?"

"I've already answered that." Was the imperious reply as Reline drew himself up around Cavalier's grip.

"This is a bunch of slag. I've seen the report. The battle that cost Totality was no different than ones before, or the ones my team has fought since. Skirmishes with pirates and wanna be mercenaries. Someone just got lucky with Totality when they took out Greyling. And in battle, that happens."

As Reline averted his gaze over Cavaliers shoulder once again, the Gestalt Leader glared. Thinking over everything he knew. Then for some reason, something clicked like a switch being thrown as he pieced together the scraps and hints spread out over time and numerous reports, meetings, and conversations, plus what had been revealed in the past few kliks. His voice low, cold and filled with disgust Cavalier challenged the CCC Officer. "You know something more. You afts left something out of the report on Totality's last fight. You might as well tell me because I'm about to give Slider free reign in the base systems and he'll find it anyway.

Reline remained defiantly silent.

"Fine." Cavalier thumbed the setting on his gun and sent a low charge burst into Reline's helm, temporarily off lining him.

:Slider!:

:Yo Cav.:

:Find out everything you can on Volatilus, and I mean everything! Then strip everything you can and want from the base system, we're leaving.:

:Tonic, Foist, Gazer, Cep, start gathering from supply anything, and I mean anything we need, may need or want. And that includes anything that can be used as capital for barter with colonies. We aren't going to be welcome here much longer, so the quicker you are about it and get the Seeker loaded, the better.:

Cavalier turned with disgust to the mech at his feet. He needed to tie Reline up and stash him someplace while the team cleared out. He'd been played for a fool and at the moment he was furious.

/\/\/\

Jazz could feel Perceptor twitching more and more, his shattered defenses making more determined yet still unassisted efforts to route him as Jazz countered with his own commands, he wanted to see how this all played out.

/\/\/\

"You all right Cav?"

Cavalier looked up as Tonic offered a cube of energon before taking a seat across from him in the Seeker's small lounge area. "What, can't tell?"

"You know I can't, your shielding to well. Shutting us all out."

"Ahhh!" Cavalier began in frustration. "I have spent what? More than seventy two hundred vorns, defending CCC command only to learn that of my entire team, I'm the blind glitch loyal to an entity that deserves no loyalty? An entity who actually had logged plans on how to dispose of us? An entity who can't even tell us that one of their own destroyed our friends? I should have lumped associating and making friends of CCC High Command Officers in the same category as Foist's playing and berth gambols with labbies. But no, I was too blinded by my martial training that taught me to respect the command structure. I lead an extremely specialized team. You'd think after all this time I could see beyond my training in regards to High Command."

"As far as your loyalty to the High Command? I suspect in your deepest core programming and spark from good ol' Vector Sigma is a line or two that emphasizes that respect. You were after all designed for CSF Command. If not for your chassis, processor and sparks predisposition to accept the gestalt process that is what you would have done."

"And my respected High Command's keeping the truth about Totality and Volatilus? You have a defense for that?"

"Cav, none of us, even in our glitchiest visions would have pictured a gestalt setting a trap and destroying another.

"Hmpf, sure, that's not why Foist wanted to build that slagging rifle. Nor is it why I let him."

"You may have Okayed the rifle, but you have always held doubts about that choice. Be glad we have Slider's skills or we'd not have one quarter of the info we've now got."

"Oh trust me, I fully appreciate Slider's skills. That he snagged an entire copy of the CCC mainframe, I am more grateful than I can say. Hmpf, thankfully he already knows and I don't have to." And Cavalier tapped his chest armor where underneath lay his spark. "If not for him we wouldn't know that the CCC had lifted those designs from Foist's memory." Cavalier paused then added dryly, "And, even better, that a copy of those specs along with an actual rifle was given to Volatilus."

"Cav, what may or may not come of the GN Rifle will be. Do you really think that some labbie somewhere wouldn't have figured it out eventually?"

"Oh Tonic… I don't know what to believe in that, only… No you're probably right, the potential weakness of the spark merge point would not have remained secret. And yet… I can't not realize that it stayed that way up till we designed the rifle. That's 6000 vorns that no one figured it out."

"Beating yourself up over that which is out of your control will help none of us. Especially Monolith. The rifle plans were still secure at the time Totality's team was taken out. And it is impossible to say what would have happened had we been told the truth of Totality's destruction. All the actual reports Slider has dug up so far indicate that it was merely a hypothesis at the time. They didn't break with the CCC for another 52 vorns. And even though we're treating it as fact, it's really still just a theory."

"Tonic, whatever may come, I hope it is done quickly."

"We all do. But they've had just over 100 vorns to prepare. This game is going to be played on their terms."

/\/\/\

"We've found them Cav."

"Where?"

"One of the messages I stripped off the system message buoy was for us. Its origin is Colony CCOEM9. The message is for us specifically."

"Specifically?"

"Yeah, here. Listen."

"CCC Team Monolith, or should we just say Team Monolith now? Yes, we know all about your little disagreement with those fools. We think that you and us need to have a chat now that you've had a few vorns to yourselves. Why don't you all make your way here? If you don't I'm afraid of what might happen to the good little colonists out here. My mechs are eager for some target practice. Oh and you better get a reply to us quickly. Wouldn't want an accident happening due to a…misunderstanding."

"That was Scythe."

"Yeah, the voice print matches what CCC had on file."

"Gazer, what's the location of CCOEM9?"

"It's up on the starboard screen Cav. They're the furthest out established colony. Pretty small actually. Only one settlement. Never really developed as hoped. Too far out to be practical for exporting. And while we're pretty far out ourselves at the moment, we are luckily in the right direction. Though we are still looking at several orns at top speed, so they may have destroyed the colony by the time we get there. And that's assuming it hasn't already been done. Time is against us."

"Oh it gets better than that Gazer," Slider added before looking at Cavalier. "They obviously have at least one inside source, plus I don't think its coincidence that the message was left specifically on this individual system buoy for us, rather than the colonial wide buoy system. And they can obviously still access CCC equipment the same as us, because this message was buried so as to not be noticed during routine maintenance by the buoy. Primus only knows what other resources they have."

"I know, but it's the best lead we've had in meta-cycles. Send our reply. Tell them we're coming."

/\/\/\

:Slider, in all the vorns we've been on the team, I never have told you I'm sorry:

Slider tilted his head to look up at Perceptor from where he lay on the berth. :Sorry for what?:

:For getting you involved in all this. For messing up your life.:

Confusion filtered between them :when did you mess up my life?:

:You once told me that the last thing you wanted was to be stuck on some stupid remote outpost guarding a bunch of low life colonists and yet that's what you ended up doing essentially.:

:What I have is greater than anything I could have imagined. You know I had no real plans for my life except to frag off my creator. And I'm old enough I can admit I never would have made it in the artistic profession. Slag, as much as I hate to admit it, the CCC probably saved me. And I in no way resent you or the team. How could I? You must know this, we have no secrets amongst us. Besides, we may have guarded low life colonists, but I was never stuck anywhere.: Slider finished and sent the equivalent of a smile through the bond.

Perceptor in turn sent a mental sigh :True, we have had a very mobile life haven't we?:

:What's really wrong Cep?:

:Do you think we can beat them?:

:Them? Volatilus? We don't even know for sure if they're there.:

:Slider, that's a bunch of slag and you know it. Now please answer the question.:

:Fine. In a fair fight? Without a doubt. But I don't think this is going to be a fair fight. I don't know what their planning, but it won't be fair.:

:No, I don't think it will be either.:

/\/\/\

"Well there it is, colony CCOEM9. What are your orders Cav?"

"Establish orbit, get a message capsule ready to send back to the CCC just in case and put in the call."

/\/\/\

"The message buoy is away with the packet, but I don't know if it escaped undamaged!"

"Let's hope so, it's our only chance that anyone will ever know what happened to us!"

"Dorsal and aft shields are at 18 percent and weakening, power transfer protocols not responding!"

"Rotate us on the center axis and get those ventral shields in play."

"Frag it, we just lost stabilizers, all controls have gone sluggish, correction there gone and A-Grav is at fifty percent, not that that's going to matter momentarily, were entering the atmosphere! And we need our ventral shielding for that. We're landing whether we want to or not! Foist, I need power to the surviving engine and I need some helm controls or we're going to be cooking here in a moment!"

"I'm re-routing helm to my controls, get you're aft over here!"

"Where are they Cep?"

"I have nothing! Sensors and scanners and exterior cameras are all down!"

"Foist!"

"Sorry Cav, either I give Gaze the power to keep us from becoming a flaming meteorite or I give Cep some eyes to locate the fraggers! And based on the continued pounding from their laser batteries against our hull and shields, I think we can guess where they are!"

/\/\/\

"Gazer, you got us down and we're all functioning and on line so, it was a good landing, but you've done better."

"Yeah Gaze, I think the Seeker has flown its last flight."

"Alright enough. Cep, I need you out. Go get us some info."

"Right, Gazer or Slider with me?"

"Not yet. For now, just figure out our situation in regards to terrain. After that, I'll send you and Slider in, if they haven't come to pay us a visit by then."

/\/\/\

"There're ours Cavalier. This entire colony. They want nothing to do with the CCC or Cybertron."

The two gestalt teams stood spread out behind their leaders, who stood paces apart on the wide plains before the colony where it lay nestled against the mountains. Beyond Volatilus' team though, a number of mechs from the small local militia had arrayed themselves.

"Well that's just fine Scythe, we want nothing to do with the CCC either and the CCC doesn't care about this colony anymore."

"Then why won't you and your team join us? You have no place to go, we've taken out your ship."

"Join you? You're the very thing we've spent the last seventy-two hundred vorns fighting."

"Cavalier, my team, we're all warriors. Battle models. You can't beat us. We can destroy you just like Totality, or you can join us. You might find this hard to believe, but I'd much rather have you with us."

"Totality is why we're here."

"Totality was weak."

"You were lucky."

"It wasn't luck. It was planning. Just like the events leading up to today." And Scythe waved his hand towards one of his team, and Cavalier absently noted that it was Mace who stepped forward, a familiar looking weapon appearing in hand.

:Don't. We already knew they possessed the knowledge:

"Your team can't win Cavalier. Are you willing to consign them to deactivation?"

"I see no advantage to you yet. We may be at risk if we form Monolith, but you're at risk if you form Volatilus. And if it's a gestalt fight you really want, your colony and supporters are very likely to take some damage.

"Collateral damage is the risk you take when gestalts fight Cav."

/\/\/\

Jazz was confused now, this 'rifle' had been mentioned plenty of times and yet he had found no information on it within any memory. And how could such a small weapon be a threat to a gestalt? He was unclear about that as well. Yet unease and worry and a bit of fear were the definite emotions present whenever it was mentioned. And those emotions felt amplified as Preceptors team faced the other gestalt.

/\/\/\

"Ah slag Cav, they're going for their own people."

And it was true, the team was taking the moment to rest on and behind a formation of hills while the Volatilus team had fallen back, the few mechs from the local militia who had backed Scythe and his team and were still on their feet had dropped back as well. Now though, Volatilus had formed and was turning 

his attention not on them, but on the primary colony. And sure enough, the com channels quickly filled with multiple pleas for assistance and offering pretty much everything they had in an attempt to entice the Monolith team to help.

"They chose they're side Cep, I say let them reap the rewards."

"Slider, you know we can't do that."

Slider turned on Gazer and stared. "Why the frag not? We aren't part of the CCC anymore. They aren't part of the CCC anymore. For all we know this is some kind of trap. In fact, I'm sure it's a trap to force our merging. We already know they don't play fair, or else we'd still have a ship and not be trapped here!"

"He's right Slider." And Slider whipped around to face Cavalier in frustration as his leader continued. "Even if the colonists chose Volatilus, I can't believe they knew that this fate awaited them. We have to come to their defense."

"The only way to do that is to merge! Two gestalts going at it on their front door is just as likely to destroy that colony. Only a whole lot quicker than if we just let Volatilus do it. And who's going to cover us when we do merge? In fact, I'm sure they have some glitch just waiting for us to do that. Then bam! Bye bye Monolith."

"Yes, and I'm sure that's why they're going after the colony. It's an attempt to draw us out. Being unable to beat us in hand to hand even with the numbers in their favor, they're calling in the big guns now, so to speak. However, if Monolith closes with Volatilus quick enough, they may not have a chance to get a clear shot."

"Ah Frag." And Slider capitulated, his tone, his body, his presence in the bond were clear. He knew in his spark it was the correct thing to do, but it didn't mean he had to like it. The team would go to the defense of the colonists.

"Fine. Now Slider, you need to activate that program of yours. We know they're getting ready to take us out."

Resigned to what was coming Slider answered Cavalier. "You know The Reckoning may fail. Probably will fail actually. It's not exactly something I could test before hand. And I don't think any programming I can do can alter the consequences of what we are."

"Slider, you've never failed, I'm sure this will work as you planned it to. Who is it?"

"I chose who I believe has the best chance of pulling it off. It's not me, but I won't say who I chose either. I'm one hundred percent positive it's going to be excruciatingly painful physically, and knowing the bonds; painful there as well. If you know before hand, you might be able to intentionally or unintentionally fight off the program, and it needs to be well integrated and working by the time the survivor realizes it. I…I'm actually deleting right now who I chose from my files. Even I won't know, so the merge will affect nothing. I just pray to Primus I chose well and I'm sorry, truly sorry."

"It's been and honor and a privilege to have been your gestalt mate. Now, merge and form Monolith."

/\/\/\

Nothing was working, optics, audios, HUD, vocalizer, motor function, stabilizing gyros were all off and he was falling, he was spinning, yet he felt ground underneath him, he really didn't know what he was doing actually. He struggled through the disorientation to remember. Monolith, they had merged and Monolith had been fighting Volatilus. Yes that was it. Perceptor struggled some more, frantic to overcome the disorientation…And then his world shattered.

His spark, the bonds, databases everything that he was gone in countless pieces. He was screaming in an agony that was absolute, flailing scrambling in confusion for his other parts. Offline, offline, he wanted offline; this much input should have overloaded him by now and sent him into stasis. He couldn't take it, he attempted to offline his systems to seek peace, to escape and found the commands disabled, something else was taking over. Then he realized he was The Reckoning. He was the one Slider had chosen. He was the instrument of Monolith's revenge and while he wouldn't have thought he could scream anymore physically, or within his CPU, or within his spark or the bonds, he found an anger equal to the pain as Slider's program entangled to deeply in his systems denied him oblivion and began to pull some parts of him back together. He thrashed physically and mentally in denial before painful acceptance came. He was Monolith's final ultimate weapon, and he had a job to do.

/\/\/\

Jazz was screaming. In the physical world, in his processor, in his spark, in his bond. Pain as he'd never felt ripped through his very being. And suddenly, amidst it all his own systems were being attacked forcing him to retreat from Perceptor. And when in pain he failed to retreat quick enough, Perceptor increased pace and level of the attack casting Jazz out of his systems.

Jazz staggered, falling from the chair to his knees as he was flung from the memories and smashed forcefully back into his own processor. His body shaking as he and Perceptor both crashed to the floor.

Jazz was disoriented. He was falling and floating at the same time, both mentally and physically. Then Jazz was looking up through hazy blurred and dim optics into a worried and panicked face. Who the face belonged to he could not register. The bot was speaking, saying something but Jazz couldn't hear anything over the screaming in his processor and the buzzing, hissing static in his audios. He shook his head and tried to speak. Nothing. Another shake of his head jarred everything into pain once again and then he knew no more.

Some notes:

So, I have a whole page of working notes for this AU up in my journal at LJ. If anyone is interested in taking a peak at them, the address is listed in my profile. Once in the journal, scroll down to the August 7, 2008 entry. Mostly you can see how I have envisioned the time frame of all of this since I have pretty much rounded numbers throughout the story. I think that all the potential spoilers listed in the notes are revealed by the end of this chapter 11. But be warned. I may eventually put the notes up here when this story ends also, but for now, that's where they are.

Thank you to all of you who have left the wonderful reviews. I do hope this continues to please.