I vented a soft exhale that was lost in the wind. I sat atop the tallest tower in Tarn. The bottom was torn to shreds, but it was still standing. They bombed Tarn. One of the oldest cites on cybertron aside from Kaon and Iacon. I was raised to be ggentle and understanding. To uphold another's life before your own. It wasn't really Enforcer material. So my commander, Prowl Moved me to be his secretary along with enlisting me in special training. He always said i needed to be stronger. To stand up for myself. I was a mech who tried to be peaceful. I hated my commander as much as i could. He pretended to be rough, emotionless and tough but as his Secretary i knew he had meetings with his friend Jazz. though most thought Jazz was a criminal. Though i disliked my life as it was intended way to soon.

A breeze blew softly over the fallen city of Tarn. The once great city of a mass population. I closed my optics remembering Seekers, Rotaries, Ground-pounders and more. Now the city is nothing but ash, dust and a mass grave for neutrals, decepticons and autobots. My expression went from neutral to a frown. Autobots say they fight for the good of Cybertron. Decepticons Say they fight for the freedom of all Cybertronians. I vented softly. Tarn wasn't the nicest city to live in but that didn't mean the autobots had to bomb it.I have been looking for survivors. I have found none. I heard this was supposedly Started in Kaon. A rebellion against the council. A fight for freedom. Well, it turned out to be a war. Praxis, Vos, even Crystal City Obliterated. This is insane. The autobots are led by Sentinel Zeta Prime, while the decepticons are led by Megatronus. Well, now he is called Megatron. If you ask me both sides are hypocrites. They both lie and try to rule over Cybertron in there own way. Its just wrong.

I have found a survivor. It was a small mech. Not even out of sparkling years. It seemed he was a Insecticon build. I had heard they lived underneath the surface for years. I just never believed it. Its creator was blown to pieces. They must have been traveling under the ground when it was hit. The mech was staring at me with acid green optics. "Whats your name, little one?" I asked softly as I picked him up. He hissed softly as my servo touched him. Acid showered my servo lightly. I winced a little as it burned the metal alloy my hide was made from. He looked at me and clicked when I finally had him in my arm. He put his servo and helm on my chest-plates a listened to my spark pulse. Soon he was clicking, buzzing and whirling while bouncing up and down in my arms. I smiled slightly. This is what they should be fighting for. Not destroying. The sparkling care-centers where the first buildings in each city destroyed.

I walked quietly searching the underground tunnel for any survivors. I held the little one, that I designated Acidbite, closer to my spark. I smiled as he purred quietly. Then as suddenly the peaceful quite was shattered as peaces of the tunnel stared to fall for the top. I held acidbite close and shielded him form the debris. In the corner of my optics I detected another mech moving. When the debris stopped falling I jumped to the other side of the tunnel to put as much distance between the mystery mech and me. When the dust settled I noticed the mech was another insecticon. It had two large antenna-like spikes on its shoulder.I didn't relies it but I had started to tremble slightly with fear I would be killed. A fear that I wouldn't be able to protect Acidbite. When he took a step closer in my direction I backed up into the wall holding Acidbite a little closer.

Instead of stopping and leaving me alone the other insecticon came even closer till he was faceplate to faceplate with me. He slowly, as if not wanting to startle me ran a clawed servo over my faceplate. I looked up into his optics slowly to make sure he didn't mean any harm. He was purple, black and silver with a red visor over his optics. He seemed to purr when my optics looked into his visor. I flinched when he moved his servo again, only to find he was trying to pet my helm. "you protect little one, one? Not your own, own." His voice box seemed scratchy. I let out a shaky vent I didn't even know I was holding. "Its still a sparkling it needs to be cared for." The insecticon looked at Acidbite then at me. "Come come" he said as he started running down the tunnel. Looking down at Acidbite I took vented and ran after the weird insecticon.

When I fallowed the insecticon I never figured it lead me to a local swarm. When I looked at the sheer number of insecticon I nearly had a spark attack. The repeating insecticon walked up to another and started buzzing and chirping. The others stared at me. I shifted lightly trying to blend into the wall behind me. Suddenly the insecticon ran in front of me and shouted in Insecticon cant. "I believe this mech is capable of being the hive leader, leader. He takes care of a young brother even though they are different, different. he shows promise of being a good leader, leader. We need order, order. Are you with me, me. All hail, hail?" Then the repeating mech stopped to look at me again. I looked at him with confused optics. "What is your name, name?" He asked softly. i looked around the room slightly. Even though I had calmed down I was still a little scared. "Starfall" I answered quickly. He paused for a astrosecond then nodded. "All Hail Starfall, Starfall. Hive Lord, Lord." Then the whole swarm started chanting what he said. As the chanting continued two insecticon got up and pulled me over to a... Throne? I looked around confused as the two insecticon backed away. I saw the repeating mech step over to me. "I am Shrapnel, Shrapnel. Your advisor, visor." he said slowly. My vents hiccuped as i asked "Advisor, for what?" He smiled, while his antenna things light up with electricity. "You protect and lead our hive, hive. Then hive will protect and serve you." he said with confidence.

I stood up so suddenly my hub flashed red and Acidbite whined a little.. "I cant lead your Hive or whatever I am just an enforcer. Or i was before Tarn was bombed but still it doesn't work like that!" He turned his helm to the side like he wasn't in the least surprised by my outburst. while the rest of the hive went quiet. "You would protect a sparkling of another kind, kind but not jump to have your own army, army? Why Most would kill to be where you are, are?" I vented softly he had a point. "I just don't want it. I'm not like that." I looked at the young mech i held in my arm-struts. I looked away from the hive and Shrapnel. "I'm was the weakest of my team of enforcers. I was the loose end." I said softly. Shrapnel frowned slightly. "Then we make you stronger, stronger. We make you faster, faster. We will make you the best, best." I turned away totally this time. "I can't lead what i don't know anything about." I mumbled weakly. I heard movement and felt a servo on my shoulder plates. "Then we teach, teach." I was pushed back into the throne. "You protect and lead, lead. We protect and serve, serve." I blinked my optics off then on slowly. Shrapnel smiled. "You protect and lead, lead. We protect and serve, serve." He then bowed his helm slowly and got on one knee strut. The other insecticon fallowed his lead.

I watched as they chanted. I listened and learned. I learned they grow at a faster rate then normal mechs, but the live a lot longer. The more i learned the more i felt needed. they taught me how to fight. they taught me how to lose what i learned on the surface. they upgraded me to be more like them but still be what i was. The day i joined their little band of survivors was the day i stepped up to evolution. I became stronger and faster just like they said. They replaced my gastion chamber with one that could recycle anything into energon. I became more self confident. Acidbite grew so much he toward me. He was large but he had a speech deficiency. He is able to speak in Insecticon cant, but nothing else. Anyone who judges him on that will suffer. As lived with the insecticons i learned to be one of them. The small and weak enforcer was gone. Now i am as ruthless as the very Insecticons I lead.

Translations through the chapter:

Shrapnel: I believe this mech is capable of being the hive leader, leader. He takes care of a young brother even though they are different, different. he shows promise of being a good leader, leader. We need order, order. Are you with me, me. All hail, hail?

Shrapnel: All Hail Starfall, Starfall. Hive Lord, Lord.

Shrapnel: You protect and lead, lead. We protect and serve, serve.