After the very fun reviews I've been getting from Bunnylass and you others (who I wish I could glomp, you rule), and to get my 'writeyblood' flowing again, I thought I'd continue this one. Mwahah.

(4)

After the coffee-bath incident the remaining Decepticons (the ones over four feet tall at least) decided that if the two coffee-sparking-giggling mini-mechs were going to harass anyone into complete madness, it should be the Autobots, not them.

It took 20 minutes of planning, five minutes of convincing Blackout (who really didn't mind their presence) that it was a good plan and another five booting Bonecrusher out of the base before they broke it to the spastic couple.

"Barricade will transport you to their new base tomorrow and pick you back up again in the designated area three days hence." Blackout explained to the two half-conscious mechs who even now floated in their tub of coffee, which had long gone cold. They were beyond caring, little metallic bodies still buzzing with leftover overloady goodness.

Barricade liked the idea of getting a small vacation from the skittering couple, but was displeased with being their elected transportation. He liked his interior clean and scratch-free. He leaned somewhat casually against the wall and tried not to be jealous of Frenzy for getting laid so much, instead tried to think of the chaos being unleashed unto the Autobots instead, and of the peaceful days ahead. Mission objectives were secondary in his mind.

"B-b-but there's nothing of any significance happening therrrrre!" Frenzy protested feebly, waving one of his hands around and creating a mini-wave in the tub of dark brown liquid. Xbot shook her head in agreement, glaring suspiciously at the two larger mechs.

"He's right, guys. Why the hell should we risk our necks for this obviously bullshit mission?"

Blackout and Barricade nearly shrivelled to nothingness under the gaze of the mistrustful and obviously irritated female, and Blackout began to reconsider Bonecrusher's original plan of just shooting them both into space… at least there the female couldn't rend him limb from limb.

Strength. The single word transmitted to Blackout along with a quick look from Barricade was obviously supposed to be supportive but it could never defend him from a fragged off female, no matter how small she was, and Blackout transmitted his thoughts on the subject back to Barricade, who'd unknowingly taken a small step back out of the room.

This was your idea, coward. You answer em'. With that, Blackout nabbed the black & white cruiser's arm and yanked him in front, right in full view of the now rising mini-mech and her very twitchy mate. Even dripping coffee and still spurting static from various orifices, they were intimidating. The larger mechs knew not to underestimate the two, despite their size.

With the ease of someone who's been lying all his existence, Barricade drew out a whopper, and a rather plausible one at that. The smaller mech eased himself into a knelt position, leaving himself vulnerable to attack but conveying a beleivable sincerity, and placed one clawed hand on the edge of the tub. Blackout half-admired him for a moment there, Barricade sure could pull off the drama when he wanted to, and he hadn't even spoken yet!

"When was the last time we even got a sniff of an Autobot? Three weeks ago?" He spoke softly, looking each of the two directly in the optic.

Frenzy appeared to think a moment, then chirred his affirmation.

"What have they been doing since then?"

Xbot's fight drained from her body and she leaned back into Frenzy, stroked his upper right arm. "I don't know."

"Where have they been? Have they heard any signals from anybody in space? If so, was it theirs, or one of ours?"

Frenzy blinked. He was still waiting on Soundwave, pining for that monotone voice and the warmth of his creator's mind. What if he had already arrived, and the Autobots had gotten to him first…

"What have they been working on? New weaponry? New energy sources? A way back to Cybertron?"

The coffee-soaked couple both hung their heads. Frenzy, in a moment of rare calmness, spoke quietly. "We don't know."

Barricade gave them a smile of sympathy that Blackout could see right through, and gently placed a finger under their hung 'chins', tilting them up so he could see their faces. "You see, we need you to do this. You're the smallest of us, the most cunning, you can sneak in and out and get information we need to survive, and possibly rescue our comrades. Right now, you two are our most valuable assets."

Oh, he's good. Blackout nodded in both admiration of Barricade's seduction and to back up his plea.

The two mini-mechs fell for it immediately, and agreed.

"Let's go." Said Xbot, gripping her mate's hand and standing, determined and ready.

We're going to the Pit for this…

LOL, one of these days i'll have to, ya know, go through and edit my shit... *snerk* Next chapter... not sayin'. :D

(hugs&coffee)

~Caz