Chapter 11
Firefly tossed around during her recharging. The comforting nothingness of recharge was lost to her images, snippets of past and future desires danced through her head. A recurring dream floated passed her mind's eye.
She could see herself on a throne beside Megatron. Together they looked regal and strong. No one could possibly take down their joint power. The Decepticons knelt at their feet, each one pledging loyalty and subservience. Triumph swelled in her spark at finally having achieved her goals. The Autobots were destroyed and she controlled the powerful force in the universe.
The dream changed.
She now sat on Megatron's lap, her legs draped over the armrest. His large silver hands roved over her in a sensuous pattern. She was vaguely aware of the other Decepticons still in the room but their presence didn't really matter. His strong mouth nibbled at her neck and Firefly arched to allow him more room. Hands closed possessively on her hips and the lips trailed up to her audio.
"I didn't know you liked an audience."
Firefly froze when she realized it wasn't Megatron's voice. Her optics moved and locked onto a silver face surrounded by red.
"What the frag?"
Sideswipe grinned. "Isn't this what you wanted? To be with me?"
He claimed her mouth in a searing kiss.
Firefly jerked online with a cry. She cycled air harshly as her mind tried to process what had happened. Her hand trembled as it came up to her lips.
What the slag had brought that on? She usually dreamt about ruling the Decepticon army but never had Sideswipe made an appearance. It must be because she'd found that painting again.
Her optics strayed to the picture that had brought on the disturbing dream. It had been so long since she'd seen him, she didn't even know if he was still alive. Something tightened painfully in her chest at the thought of his deactivation but she forced it away. That she still thought about him in any fashion except deactivated was bizarre by itself, they hadn't exactly parted with sweet words.
No, she had no reason to want him back in her life. At this stage it would definitely get her killed. Megatron didn't like it when someone touched what was his, and he considered her his property. At least he had before he'd gone off following the Autobots.
Firefly rose and started pacing. She had to step up her plans for organizing the government she'd leave behind, then she could join Megatron and take her place at his side. Hopefully putting a stop to any more disturbing dreams at the same time.
Shockwave stood at a console. In moments he would have to explain to Megatron that the Space-Bridge wasn't functioning.
"Shockwave. Activate the Space-Bridge."
But first he would have to deal with the cargo. Shockwave turned to face the new-comer. "There is not enough energon to power it."
Anger and frustration entered the husky voice. "Then how are we to get to Earth?" The red and silver femme gestured towards the mechs behind her.
"I have outfitted a ship to take you and your command..."
Suddenly the screen above the console came to life. "Shockwave. Report."
The purple Decepticon spun to face the screen. "Lord Megatron there is not enough energon to power the Space-Bridge."
"What!" Megatron's voice was harsh.
"Do not fear, my lord."
Shockwave was surprised to hear the femme attempting to calm down the outraged leader.
"Shockwave has provided us with a ship. We will arrive on Earth as soon as possible."
Shockwave watched as she approached the console with smooth, graceful movements.
"Though if I may make a suggestion my lord? We could use the ship to transport as many Energon Cubes as possible back to Cybertron since the Space-Bridge is not operational."
The image was thoughtful. "Very well. Depart Cybertron immediately."
"As you wish, my lord." She bowed along with Shockwave as the screen went black.
"Why?" Shockwave asked, he couldn't calculate why she had saved him from punishment.
Her cold red optics glared at him. "I want you alive for when I return." She then spun on her heel and left, followed quickly by her rag-tag team of soldiers. Had Shockwave been able feel it, fear would have run through him.
Firefly roamed the corridors of the ship as she waited for it to be prepped. She was avoiding Barricade. He'd noticed something was wrong with her the day following her disturbing dream about Sideswipe. To make matters worse, he'd seen the painting in her quarters before she'd returned it to its place in her vault. Firefly had brushed off his presence with an excuse.
He knew only a little of what happened in Tyger Pax, and if she had anything to do about it he wouldn't ever know the rest.
Had Sideswipe wanted to kill her that last day? What had happened to Sideswipe after she had blacked out? Did 'Sides leave her there to die? Was he even still alive? What would she do if Sideswipe was dead?
The last question brought Firefly out of her thoughts and she would berate herself for even considering the slagging Autobot. If he were still active she'd destroy him herself. She might even bring him back to Cybertron and torture him. Polyhex. It was surrounded by the Smelting Pools and the Dead End, the perfect places to dispose of Autobot prisoners.
Her team was now 'comfortable' on the ship Shockwave had arranged for them. It was large enough to hold at least another thirty warriors, but Firefly knew that there were no other mech's she could trust to follow her orders. She was a femme and respect for femmes was alarmingly low, renowned Decepticon commander or not.
Boredom had quickly caught on though as they'd started their long trip to Earth. Stormcloud and Blackout had hidden away, experimenting with the explosives they'd brought. Misfire stayed mostly in his quarters or muttering darkly, he didn't like leaving Cybertron. Barricade and Firefly could usually be found on the bridge keeping track of their progress.
"How long until we arrive?" Blackout asked from behind her.
"Too long." She replied, her fingers twitching over the controls. Barricade looked at her in understanding.
Seven Weeks later
A light flashed on the control board. They had entered Earth's solar system.
"Not too much longer, gentlemechs, and we'll be kickin' Autobot aft again." Cheers greeted Firefly's announcement. "'Cade, land on Earth's orbiting moon."
"Why?"
"Because we don't want the Autobots or humans to know we're here. And because I said so." Firefly's patience was beginning to wane. She had been separated from the war for four and a half million years and was itching to feel the kick of her gun during a fight again. It was too bad she hadn't had more of a challenge gathering up the Autobots on Cybertron.
"Yes, Commander." Barricade smiled as he focused his attention on the planets passing by. The three mech's behind them continued to celebrate the end of their journey.
Firefly drew forth all the information she had received on Earth. The moon was a good landing place. The humans vision didn't range that far and the Autobots wouldn't have any sensors positioned that far from their base. They tended to have their security systems close to home. From the moon her troop could make the small jump to Earth in their pods and from there join up with the Decepticon army, while the ship remained safe. She had received the co-ordinates of Megatron's base before leaving Cybertron and hoped to Primus that they hadn't packed up and left.
They approached the moon quickly. Landing on the dark side they deactivated the systems. Firefly was just downloading the co-ordinates when Misfire ran onto the bridge.
"Firefly! The escape pods aren't functional." He reported.
"Blackout run a diagnostic, find out what's wrong with them?" Firefly ordered.
The dark blue Decepticon hammered away at a control panel. "It looks like Shockwave 'forgot' to repair the escape pods. They're completely off-line."
"Can we repair them?" Stormcloud asked.
Data filled the screen. "Not unless we have a repair hanger and a complete set of maintenance tools in the cargo bay."
Firefly's fist slammed into the wall. "Damn that fragging glitch! The next time I see Shockwave his head will sit on my wall."
Barricade gave his leader several minutes to control her anger before speaking. "What do you want to do Firefly?"
Firefly breathed deeply, causing her fans to whirr loudly. She removed her fist from the concave dent in the wall. Only she, Stormcloud and Blackout were designed with space flight technology. "Prepare to detach the front quarter of the ship. Get all the essential supplies from the cargo hold and secure them in the empty chambers."
"Does that mean all the weapons?" Blackout asked.
Firefly smiled at his enthusiasm, her anger easing. "Yes, All the weapons." The young were always interesting. "Bring up a pair of emergency thrusters and half the energon stores too."
"Why the thrusters?" Misfire asked next to her.
"Because we need to be able to get back here and I don't trust Shockwave to have checked the thrusters on the bridge's hull." Blackout and Stormcloud came back carrying crates of munitions under each arm.
"You couldn't have brought the energon first?" Firefly asked. Her bad mood dulled as the brothers grinned and raced away. "'Cade, I want the bridge ready for separation by the time they have finished emptying the cargo bay. After we've finished here on Earth, we'll return to Cybertron and deal with Shockwave."
Firefly's smile promised vengeance, Barricade's and Misfire's answering grins were just as dark.
"Attention. Increased Decepticon activity." Teletraan I alerted.
"Deploy Sky-Spy." Optimus Prime commanded. He was soon joined by the others in the control room; Jazz, Ironhide, Prowl, Elita-1, Chromia, Bumblebee and Sunstreaker. They immediately broke into speculative chatter.
The video sent back by Sky-Spy caused confused looks the circle the room. The Decepticons were gathering around a large metal structure.
"I've never seen that before." Sunstreaker said staring at the screen.
"Could it be an energy converter?" Jazz suggested.
"Where are they?" Prime asked.
"Sixty kliks northeast." Teletraan I reported.
"Who's near there?"
"Bluestreak and Sideswipe." Prowl answered.
"All right Autobots, let's find out what the Decepticons are up to. Transform and roll out."
Sideswipe received the communication just as he and Bluestreak were finishing their patrol circuit.
"Sunstreaker to Sideswipe, come in."
"I'm here."
"Sides, there's some Decepticons fifteen miles from where you are. Follow the co-ordinates and meet us there."
"Gotcha." Sideswipe relayed the message to his partner and they altered direction. The place they were headed to was well outside their defensive border but still too close for comfort.
"What do you think the Decepticons are doing so far from their base?" Bluestreak asked as they traveled.
"I don't know but I hope they don't mind if we crash the party." Sides replied with a grin in his voice.
Megatron moved through the ship in search of Firefly. It had been well over four million years since he had laid eyes on the dangerous femme. He was ready to renew their alliance.
Shockwave had informed Megatron before he'd left Cybertron that Firefly was in the middle of repairs. Megatron had doubted the truth of those words but when he had received the communication from his highest ranking femme officer several months after re-awakening on Earth, he'd complimented Shockwave on a job well done.
Finding the only energy signature in the detached head of the ship was easy enough. Firefly was in her quarters. Megatron stood in the doorway and watched as Firefly moved around the room. She turned smoothly.
"How can I help you, my lord?" She asked with a smile.
"You are missing your welcoming party."
"I will be there shortly, my lord." She was obviously waiting for him to leave. "Is there something you wished to discuss with me Lord Megatron?"
Megatron smirked and entered the room. "Yes there is. The arrangement we were…negotiating on Cybertron. I believe it will work just as well here."
Firefly nodded and approached him carefully. "I think that can be arranged." She smiled. "But there are new rules now."
"What rules?" Megatron asked with a frown. He didn't like it when his plans were interrupted and he had lots of plans for this femme. Most of them included his recharge berth.
"Nothing that can't wait." She replied huskily. Megatron only hesitated for a moment before pulling her against him and kissing her roughly. She responded sensuously, wrapping her arms around his neck. The kiss lasted several moments before she pulled away. "We have company."
Activating his sensors he noticed the blips approaching their location. He nodded and left her chamber to deal with their visitors.
Firefly breathed deeply as Megatron left her quarters. The Decepticon leader was an intimidating mech and as such demanded respect. It was too bad she couldn't give him what he wanted. If she still had a spark she would be tempted to share it with him, there was something very attractive about the power he wielded.
Rolling her shoulders, Firefly left the relative safety of her quarters.
*'Cade get ready. The Autobots are coming.*
*What do you need?*
*Guard positions, you and Stormcloud. Have Blackout and Misfire be prepared to provide back-up if needed.*
*Do you expect trouble.*
*Of course. Especially if Elita-1 is with them. You know she wouldn't have been very happy when we raided their headquarters.*
*And captured her femmes.* There was a smile in his voice.
*Exactly. Be ready for anything.*
Optimus rolled to a stop. He and the Autobots were at the top of a slope, transforming he got a better look at the activity below him. Surprise filled his features, in the middle of a scorched area sat what looked like the front of a ship, in front of which he saw that the Decepticons were having a party. Or at least they were celebrating something with music and cubes of energon.
Elita-1 and Jazz appeared next to him, they were also watching their enemies with disbelief. They watched as Thundercracker and Skywarp proceeded to dance unsteadily around Soundwave, who was blasting out music while Dirge and Thrust poured energon into his tank. Ravage lay curled around Laserbeak, both were covered with energon and both were obviously unconscious.
"Prime!"
All movement stopped as the Decepticons became aware of their visitors. Optimus turned his attention to the voice. Megatron had just exited the structure. "What brings you to our little gathering?"
"What are you doing here, Megatron?" Prime asked.
"We're having a welcoming party. Surely you don't want a fight." Megatron gestured to his inebriated soldiers. "Why don't you come and join us."
Optimus eyed the Decepticon leader suspiciously. Megatron was in a very good mood and that could only mean bad things were going to happen. Prime and the Autobots moved cautiously down the hill, their guns still in hand. They were at the edge of the blast area when a voice rang across the clearing.
"Welcome to my party, Autobots."
The Autobots tensed as they recognized the voice, many aimed their guns at the building's doorway. Prime's surprise was minimal, Elita had told him Firefly was back.
Sideswipe's optics widened as he watched the darkness turn into a beautiful femme. His engine growled but not for the same reason as the other Autobots. He was relieved; he had thought she was dead.
"This is isn't very nice. You're not going to shoot a lady are you?"
"You're not a lady; you're barely fit to be called a femme." Elita-1 declared coldly.
"Elita-1, long time no see. I did try to find you back on Cybertron but you left without leaving a forwarding address…I believe the last time we spoke you were running for your life." Firefly smiled. "Ah, the memories. I would have said followed more swiftly but I was…busy."
Firefly watched as fury passed over Elita-1's face. She hadn't forgotten.
"Where are they?"
Firefly studied her nails. "Probably in the Smelting Pools by now." She looked up and grinned darkly. "Or they're being put to use in the Dead End."
A shot exploded. Firefly stood calmly as she monitored the bullets' approach. At the last moment Stormcloud moved infront of Firefly and deflected the shot with his wing. Everyone in the area pulled out a weapon, even the drunkenly stumbling Decepticons.
Firefly placed a hand on Stormcloud's shoulder and he moved aside. As she moved forward Barricade and Stormy fell into step behind her.
"You seem upset Elita, do you need a hug?" A grin flittered across Firefly's face. "Blackout, offer your services."
The dark blue soldier moved forward with his arms open, after a couple of steps, blades emerged from his hand and spun with deadly force. Prime moved in front of Elita-1 in an obviously shielding manner.
"Prime you're such a gentlemech. So protective and caring." Firefly's smile was both threatening and seductive. "Would you like to look after me?"
Chromia glared before commenting disdainfully. "Are you so desperate for a mech that you have to steal ours?"
Firefly laughed as she moved alongside Megatron. "Don't worry Chromia, I'm not interested in that rustbucket you call a mech. I've already got what I need." She slid her hand up Megatron's back until it curved on his shoulder. Megatron's arm circled Firefly's waist as he placed his hand on her hip component.
Firefly was feeling very pleased with the reactions she was receiving until in the corner of her optic range she saw Sideswipe. Unwelcome guilt shot through her circuits. Even though she refused to meet his stare she could practically feel the emotions radiating from him through their old link. Betrayal, anger and, underneath it all, relief.
The last one confused Firefly. Was he happy or angry that she was alive? Firefly knew Sideswipe had thought she was dead. All the Autobots had believed that she had died that day went she'd been shot by Sideswipe's gun. That was the rumor the Decepticons had spread after the battle. Did he still care for her?
Firefly mentally shook that question from her mind. It didn't matter what he thought. She had stopped caring about him and his opinions a long time ago. It was because of him that she could only endure Megatron's embraces. It was his fault that she could never spark-bond with anyone, he had destroyed her spark.
"I don't think they're in the mood for a party." Firefly looked up at Megatron with big optics and continued with an innocent demeanor. "Prime's girlfriend appears to be fairly volatile and it wouldn't do to have a fire-fight between intoxicated mech's. But if they decide to stay I'm going inside, I don't want to have her glaring at me all night." She waved casually to the Autobots. "See you around Autobots."
Firefly laughed as Elita-1 scowled darkly; with a final look over her shoulder she entered the ship.
Welcome to earth, what sort of shenanigans will they get up to?
Please Review, I can only get better.
TammyCat