*Intense grumbling* It's a day late because I don't wanna post it...I don't like it...sorry...

Step on me if you dare, oh "great" and "powerful" mech
I may be dainty, I may be a small
But I am by no means weak, nor am I a toy made to please you
My voice is thunder, my Spark and will are diamond
So step on me if you dare, for soon it shall be I who walks on you

~Megatron's POV~

Intensive training, Moonbeam said. It'll be good for us to let off some steam, especially after the incident with Red Giant, Skyquake and Dreadwing, she said.

I really didn't think anything of it, so I said yes.

But then Nebula decided to tell the entire crew about it. Soundwave has been frantic for the past three orbitals, trying to clear the roster enough so that there's only the bare minimum of the crew on duty. Because whatever the Seeker femme told the Vehicons, it was exciting enough for them to beg Starscream, then me and finally Soundwave to let all of them watch. My poor apprentice got two glitches and a horrible helm ache from trying to redo the entire roster at such short notice, the second glitch had him in Hook's medical bay for a joor. Yet as I look at the training grounds I can't help but feel slightly nostalgic.

Every seat is filled, some mechs even sit on the lap of a close comrade. I lean back in my seat and sigh at the sight, the Arena completely packed, just like the gladiator arenas in Kaon. I still remember the match where I faced Soundwave, bots were even sitting on the edge of the walls at the top and bottom of the stands. They'd called it the match of the decavorn, which had lasted three groon, it ended with the Target Master falling to his knees and bowing his helm as he accepted his fate. But I denied the crowd's cheers for death. I pulled him to his pedes and shook his servo, the crowd roared with delight. Then Soundwave had collapsed against my chassis and I carried him to the medical bay.

Good times.

I watch the four Seekers stretch their limbs, with Moonbeam standing in the middle of the Arena floor, her optics offline and her frame relaxed. White Dwarf grins as he bounces up and down on Breakdown's knee, Knock Out sits on his mate's other leg, chuckling with the little Seeker. The pale mech gasps as Red Giant waves up to him, the large Seeker gives his brother a thumbs up as he nods.

"Ready, ready, ready!" White Dwarf shrieks, wings fluttering with excitement.

With a roar the crowd cheers, eager to see what the grounder raised fliers have to show them.

"She needs quiet!" the little mech whines.

"Silence!" I bellow, and that's exactly what follows, I address the soldiers on the Arena floor, "If someone could tell us what you are planning on doing, I'd be grateful."

All the Seekers, apart from Moonbeam, look at Nebula, who's staring at Solarflare, "...Oh, slag it all!"

"But you explain it so well, dear sister," the fiery femme chuckles.

"Fine," the spy sighs and looks up at the crowd, "This is an exercise we've been practicing for vorns. Star, could you get the blindfold."

The youngest femme pulls a long strip of cloth out of her subspace and walks over to her Commander, then ties it around her helm so that it covers her optics.

"So," Nebula continues, "the exercise is designed to help us enhance the sensitivity of our audio receptors. One of us wears the blindfold and must concentrate on listening for the rest of us. We act as the enemy and have to try to take the blindfolded one down."

"How is this helpful?" Starscream huffs.

"Quiet," I hiss at him, unlike the Prince I can see the value in this sort of training.

"Imagine you're fighting a group of Autobots," Nebula sighs, "suddenly, all the lights are out and you can only see the glowing optics of your enemy. That means they can see yours, anyone can tell the difference between friend and foe because of the optic colour. But what if you off-lined your optics, they couldn't see you, yet you couldn't see them. This training exercise ensures that, in such a situation, you'll have the upperservo."

"But what if you're not the only Decepticon there?" someone calls out.

"That's another reason these exercises are good," Solarflare explains, "Red Giant has a larger engine compared to the rest of us, I have a heavier step than the rest of my sisters and Starhopper's frame sometimes makes involuntary squeaks when she teleports. This exercise helps you to learn the sound of your comrades."

"Moonbeam's meditating right now in order to enhance her focus, since the large crowd means there's hundreds of engines running right now," the spy mentions to her eldest sister.

I watch as the hexad leader's frame goes limp, her arms hang loosely by her sides and she leans forward a little, her knees buckle but remain steady.

"In this state," Nebula huffs, sounding a bit exhausted with all the explanations, "she can let her tactician coding take over a little, showing her what actions she can do within a microklik, then she chooses the most appropriate one to execute."

The crowd roars again as Moonbeam leaps up and backflips over Starhopper, who ends up knocking her helm against Nebula's shoulder.

"Frag!" the spy staggers back and clutches her arm as she bares her denta at her eldest sister.

Even though her visual sensors are covered the hexad leader still manages to fight with precise accuracy. The only attacks of her's that don't land are the ones that are dodged at the last moment. Movements liquid like, flowing in a display of vorns of training. She bends back, servos taking her weight as she flips. Over and over the Seeker goes, her siblings stop, watching cautiously as she heads right for Solarflare. I tense, claws digging into the arms of my chair and denta clenching as I resist the urge to cry out a warning to her.

All the soldiers are on the edge of their seats, waiting for the final blow from the SIC. With just one more flip from being tackled to the ground Moonbeam suddenly stops, stands and spins back on her left pede. She kicks the other up and delivers a hard blow to Solarflare's elbow.

The fiery Seeker grunts and staggers back a few paces, clutching her arm as she glares at the hexad leader. Nebula charges at Moonbeam, who times her next move perfectly. She swings her right leg back at the spy and the extra momentum slams the younger Seeker in the chin, sending her sprawling on her back.

"Solarflare, remember to take the opportunity when you can and when it's wise, don't wait till it comes to you or said opportunity may bite back," both her opponents managed to make just a grunt when she hit them, yet she still knows exactly who she attacked? "Nebula, as usual you're cocky; strike when it's good to do so, not when your anger tells you to."

She doesn't lose her rhythm though as the aqua Seeker leaps up at her. The eldest Seeker spreads her arms till her digits are level with her hips, there's a loud click as her swords uncouple and the hilts fall right into her waiting servos. Moonbeam buries the tips of the blades into the ground and swings up. She does a perfect servostand on the hilts as Nebula soars between the swords and crashes into Solarflare's legs.

"Too loud for a spy," the balancing femme growls.

She flips back, pulling her arms over her helm; wrenching the blades out of the ground in the process, spinning around and swinging them at a charging Red Giant. The crimson mech somehow catches her wrists. He holds them tight, looking stunned at the fact that he's managed to immobilise his unstoppable sister. Moonbeam wastes no time, kicking off the ground and slamming her pedes against Red's chassis, knocking the air out of his intakes. He stumbles back, claws rubbing his dented plating as he takes a shaky breath.

The femme spins again and delivers a low kick just as Starhopper leaps in front of her. The younger femme shrieks and stumbles back, clutching her scratched waist. Solarflare charges at her leader's back, Moonbeam spins and their swords lock. Metal screeches on metal as the two femmes slowly circle each other, the flats of their blades pressed firmly together. The fiery Seeker hisses, flexing her wrists and pushing forward, forcing her sister to lean back. The SIC grins triumphantly, I grin as well, but only because I know this trick. I used it more than once in Kaon.

Deception.

With her opponent wallowing in her own ego, Moonbeam sees the opening and kicks one pede up, scratching her sister's shin.

"Scrap!" Solarflare screams and hops back, swords clattering to the ground as she clutches her leaking leg with both servos.

The hexad leader jumps, spinning in the air and kicking the flame coloured femme in the helm. The younger Seeker is sent sprawling on her back with a screech of anger and shock. Moonbeam strides up to her and swings her sword back, my Spark twists in horror for a moment as I think she's going to kill her own sister. The blade slices down and...stops a wire's breadth away from Solarflare's neck.

"Out!" Everyone, including myself, flinches at the sudden cry from White Dwarf.

"Good try, Solar," Nebula sighs and pats her sister on the back as she sulks over to the entrance to the stands, the crowd cheers for her.

Starscream purrs his whisper to her as she slumps down next to him, "Ithink you were specular~"

Solarflare snarls, baring her denta as her wings quiver with rage and her claws scar the seat she's on, "Shut up, pleasure drone!"

"You should learn to keep your mouth closed, Starscream!" Moonbeam shouts, sword arm still frozen in place.

"How do you know if it was me?! It was Knock Out!"

"Knock Out isn't a pleasure drone!" The hexad leader laughs and the crowd joins.

"Resume!" At the sound of the white mech's vocaliser the battle immediately continues and the laughter dies down.

Moonbeam spins on one pede, but she's too slow this time. Red Giant swings his fist and her pained, frustrated scream echoes off the Arena walls as she's sent flying into Nebula. The spy grabs her wrists and nuzzles the back of her sister's helm. There's a chorus of whistles from the crowd as Nebula rubs her chassis against her leader's wings. The older femme hisses and stomps her pede back, crushing her sister's toes.

"Glitch!" Nebula shrieks and staggers back, "Star! Servo needed!"

Just as Moonbeam is about to take her out like she did with Solarflare, there's a bright flash as Starhopper appears behind her limping sister. The youngest femme grabs Nebula and disappears with another bright flash. Moonbeam's kick meets empty air as her two siblings reappear on the other side of the Arena.

"Hey! That's my trick!" Skywarp shakes his fist and snarls.

Red Giant charges at his leader, swords away and helm down. He barrels into her chassis and she snarls, but grabs the back of his helm. The mech roars with rage and straightens, lifting Moonbeam off the ground as she clings to him. She kicks his chassis and bites the black fin on his forehelm. Red bellows with, literally, blind fury and leans forward, shaking his helm in an attempt to throw her off. The femme let's her swords fall to the floor and she digs her claws into his shoulders, hauling herself over him while keeping her death grip on her brother.

Her weight switches from his front to his back, and in Red's doubled over position the sudden change causes him to lose his balance. His right arm becomes trapped between the ground and his side, causing him to screech in agony at the unexpected stabbing feeling it brings. As his helm hits the floor Moonbeam snatches a sword up and pushes the tip between his wings.

If she had pushed in it would've torn through the core of his Spark.

"Out!" White Dwarf yells again.

Moonbeam steps back to allow her brother to get up. He goes to use his right arm, but ends up biting back a whine and he collapses on his good side, clutching the injured limb.

"Assistance Commander," he growls, optics shut and denta clenched.

She sheaths her sword while taking a step forward, with the blindfold still on and her helm looking up as she bends down to hold out a servo for him. The bomb-specialist grips it and keeps his bad arm pressed against his chassis as he pulls himself to his pedes.

"Good fight brother," Moonbeam smiles at him as she pats his good arm.

He nods, cradling his dislocated limb and walks to the stands with his helm held high.

The pride of a warrior.

He sits beside his sister and rubs his wounds, glaring at the battle field with longing optics.

I lean forward and turn my helm to look at him, nodding in respect, "You fight like a gladiator."

Red Giant returns the gesture, "Thank you, my Lord."

"Your Sire would have been proud."

The Seeker flinches, but the corner of his mouth twitches in a repressed smile.

"Resume!" Dwarf yells before he gets off of Breakdown's lap and climbs onto his brother's, then begins to tend to his broken arm.

Nebula suddenly vanishes as Starhopper disappears in a flash of white light, the youngest femme reappears two espe from her original position before immediately teleporting again. Moonbeam unsheathes both swords and snarls as her little sister zaps about the Arena. My audio receptors quiver with annoyance as they pick up a low frequency sound.

"What is that noise?" Starscream growls as he rubs his audials.

"Soundwave," Solarflare smirks at my TIC, "be a dear and play back a recording of Star teleporting, but in slow motion."

My apprentice looks at me for permission, I nod and he plays the clip as the youngest Seeker continues to dart around. I watch the slow motion clip carefully, a ball of light expands from Starhopper's chassis and engulfs her frame, then it zips to the other side of the Arena before shrinking to reveal the femme.

"She's not teleporting," I mutter, "but what is she doing?"

"It's a hyperdrive," Knock Out gasps, I raise an optic ridge at him and he grins as the clip ends, "it's a miniature hyperdrive with a short warp distance, it makes her move so fast that it creates the illusion of teleportation and the noise is the very same one that a hyperdrive makes when it's activated."

Down on the Arena floor Moonbeam shakes her helm and covers her audials as Solarflare roars with laughter, "How?! How did you work it out so fast?! That was insanely fast!"

"Eh...my ex was a real techie," my CMO mutters, gritting his denta and glaring at the Arena floor.

He's also a real aft, a complete jerk and a cheating bastard, I clench my denta and struggle to not say it out loud, he is my best hunter of course...just a perverted berth hopper when he's not hunting for credits.

Moonbeam shrieks as something unseen grabs her around the throat and pulls her off the ground. Nebula finally shows herself, she's standing with her chassis pressed against her sister's back, one arm around her neck and the other around her waist. The dark silver femme growls as she struggles. The arm around her neck accidentally slips up over her mouth and she sinks her denta into the delicate metal.

"SCRAP!" the spy screams and lets go, clutching her leaking arm.

The eldest femme wastes no time, she spins back and kicks Nebula in the helm. The aqua Seeker falls to her side, but doesn't get up.

"Out and offline!" the ex-hacker calls out.

"I got her," Starhopper pulls Nebula up and teleports into the stands.

She passes her unconscious sister to Solarflare, I quickly grab the spotted femme's arm to stop her from leaving, "I'm curious, how did you know where not to teleport if you couldn't see Nebula?"

The femme gives me a blank look, "Split Spark," with that she tugs her arms from my grip and teleports back onto the Arena floor.

White Dwarf stands and begins to explain the terms of the final round.

I lean over and look at Solarflare, "What did she mean by 'Split Spark'?"

"It's not uncommon among Seekers," the femme smiles and shrugs, "we were originally a trine when we were still newsparks. All three newsparks split and, well, here we are."

"Moonbeam and Solarflare are of one Spark," Red Giant explains, "Nebula and Starhopper are another, the last one is White Dwarf and myself. It is very common for a trine of newsparks to split, but rare for all of them to survive the carrying. Ultra Magnus's large frame ensured our survival."

"...Knock Out," I growl at the grounder, "you need to tell me these things."

"Patient confidentiality," he mutters, avoiding my gaze as he shifts about on Breakdown's lap.

"So, in short," Dwarf's voice brings me away from my thoughts and my anger subsides, "all weapons are allowed, but cannon and gun power are not permitted."

"Then how can they use all their weapons?" Starscream huffs to himself.

"Ever been hit in the helm with the barrel of a servo cannon?" Solarflare chuckles, "A well aimed, strong swing can actually kill someone. Although, out of the six of us only Red has the strength to do that."

"Begin!"

But Starhopper shows that she's capable of being far cockier than Starscream. She teleports directly in front of Moonbeam, who lunges and pins her to the ground. I may not know a lot about hyperdrives, but I do know that if she warped now it'd just take her sister too. Meaning that-

"Uh...? Out!" the ex-hacker frowns and shakes his helm at his little sister.

"Silly little one," the hexad leader chuckles as she helps her sister up, "too much ego."

"Hey, that was...that was..." the youngest femme just huffs and teleports into the stands, slumping in her seat as she blushes furiously.

Moonbeam removes the blindfold and bows to the cheering crowd.

"The reining champion for three vorns," Solarflare laughs and mentions to her eldest sister.

"And I challenge said champion!"

The roaring and clapping dies down, everyone looks at the speaker as he leaps onto the field. I'm surprised he doesn't roll an ankle with his oddly shaped pedes.

I sigh and cover my face with a servo, "Starscream...you damn glitch."

"No swords or guns," the silver mech growls, flexing his claws to show his choice of weapon.

Moonbeam looks shocked for a moment, then she grins and laughs, shaking her helm while waving him away, "Typical Seeker."

"I'm very certain that my ability to fight with just my claws is far more superior than yours," my SIC boasts with a smirk.

The femme huffs and rolls her optics, "We shall see how a Seeker mech raised with a silver spoon in his mouth fares against a war hardened Seeker femme."

"He's screwed," Solarflare mutters.

White Dwarf waves to Moonbeam, she looks at him and he shrugs, the dark silver Seeker gives him a devious smirk as she nods.

The ex-hacker gives her a blank look, but then nods back, "Um... Begin!"

Moonbeam flinches, preparing for an immediate charge, but it doesn't come. Starscream just stands there checking his claws with a cheeky smile on his lips. The femme stares at him in confusion. She should know what he's doing, it's what she did to Solarflare. The mech's smile broadens, obviously pleased that he can best Moonbeam at deception. Despite what everyone thinks, the Prince of Vos is by no mean incapable of looking after himself, he simply prefers to avoid getting his servos dirty. Unless it's a situation like the current one, when he's trying to prove that he's not a pampered Prince.

"Well?" Moonbeam chuckles, a hint of nerves and confusion slipping into the jeered syllable, "You gonna fight or get a pedicure?"

"No, please," my SIC purrs, beckoning to her with a single digit, "femmes first."

"I know," the confusion is more evident in her laughter this time, "so come at me!"

Starscream lets out an exaggerated sigh, "Oh, if you insist."

The other Seeker tenses again, but anger flares in her optics as the mech just struts over to her, hips swaying and smile inviting.

"Hey, wait," Moonbeam holds up her servos and scoffs, "do you even know how to fight?"

He stops walking and juts his hip to the side, draping a servo over it as a spine shivering chuckle falls from his lips, "Why don't you come over here and find out?~"

Ah, so now he's moving from deception to exploiting the fact that she's a virgin, showing off his frame like he's the most expensive pleasure-bot in history. And her light blue cheeks indicate that it's working.

Solarflare whistles, "Looks like Nebula has a rival."

"Hm, what?" the spy groans as her optics online.

Knock Out chuckles, leaning over to tap her on the forehelm, "Wakey, wakey Neb's."

"What's this about a rival?" she snaps, ignoring the medic completely as she pushes his claw away.

"There can be no rivalry when there is no chance in one party winning," Red Giant mutters.

"Aww," Starhopper giggles, "that's nice."

"The losing party that I was referring to is Nebula," the red Seeker huffs.

"What?!" the spy hisses, "No one is hotter than me!"

"No one but the sleek, shining, alluring mech down there; who is displaying himself like a whore would for the world to see."

"...Red...is attracted...to Starscream," Solarflare actually whimpers as she stares at her brother, "...And so the deepest levels of the Pit froze over."

I switch my attention to the battlefield, noticing that Moonbeam is now circling Starscream, her pede skates moving gracefully and her expression one of a baffled youngling.

"Like what you see?" the mech purrs, flaring his wings and smirking over his shoulder at her.

"She's gonna get pissed when she realises what's happening," Nebula growls.

Breakdown chuckles, "Why? Because she hates getting flustered?"

"It's worse than that," Solarflare mutters, I watch as Moonbeam's expression slowly turns from baffled and confused to annoyed and acknowledging, "she hates it when mechs treat her like a toy, a thing that they can use for their own pleasure whenever it fancies them. She also hates being beneath a mech, whether it's physically, mentally or emotionally, and right now Screamer is walking all over her with his ego...he's a dead bot walking."

The hexad leader snaps.

With a shriek that makes the entire crowd jump she lunges at Starscream. The mech sidesteps by spinning, at the same time he lashes out and his claws slice her left arm. Moonbeam screeches and doubles over, stumbling slightly then falling to her knees as her pain receptors cause several glitches in her movements.

Starscream huffs as he stalks over to the injured femme, "Typical Seeker indeed."

He reaches down to grab her neck, but Moonbeam gives another shriek of rage and twists around to leap up at him. The crowd roars and eggs them on as the Seekers scratch and kick at one another; with Starscream simply trying to stay alive as Moonbeam attempts to kill him in a hundred ways. Yet in her blind fury none of them succeed.

"It's her biggest weakness."

I look at White Dwarf and frown, "What do you mean?"

"Her pride," he sighs with disappointment as my SIC manages to doge another lunge, Moonbeam lands on her back, adding to the dents in her wing, "her ego and stubbornness. She's a good Commander, but she...she just...hates it when someone's better than her; when a mech thinks that, just because she's a Seeker femme, they can just walk all over her."

Moonbeam jumps and kicks up, ready to take the mech out as she did with her SIC. However, Starscream's seen the trick one too many times. With precise timing and incredible accuracy, he manages to catch her leg just above her ankle. The Air Commander sneers and holds her out at arms length.

"Ah, not so ferocious now, are we dear Moonbeam?" he purrs and laughs down at her.

The femme snarls and struggles as she tries to reach him.

Solarflare flinches as she mutters to herself, "Stop looking down Screamer, you're gonna get yourself killed. Don't look the beast in the optic, it'll go full on feral."

"Of course a pure Seeker would be able to best a mutt such as yourself," my SIC sighs, not realising that he's also insulting the five Seekers in the stands as well as every grounder, "it was a lost battle from the beginning, really. As they say, the old have more experience while the young are simply brash..."

Starscream continues his rambling, not realising that the femme is chuckling to herself.

"Talk too much," she huffs.

There's no warning, no sign.

The femme twists her pede and her wheel spins, scraping Starscream's wrist. He snarls and let's go. The pede he was holding hooks behind his neck as Moonbeam puts all her weight on her servos and swings her other pede around his neck. Her ankles cross and her knees press together.

The mech shrieks as she flips backwards, pulling his frame over as she does. He lands on his back and she keeps moving, allowing herself to fall back and land her aft on his chassis as her knees press against his hips. At the same time she pulls a dagger out and pushes the blade against his neck.

"I yield! Please, please don't kill me! Have mercy!" I cover my face with a servo as my Spark shudders with embarrassment at the sound of my first lieutenant, my Second in Command, my Air Commander, the Prince and only heir to the throne of Vos screaming like a young, weak femme in front of the entire crew.

Moonbeam laughs, "A simple 'I yield' would've sufficed, your majesty."

I stare at the ebony femme as she stands and pushes a pede on Starscream's chassis, then drapes an arm over her knee as she bends forward to grin triumphantly down at him. All in one fluid like motion, looking like a hunter posing for a picture with their kill. The crowd cheers, booming and echoing like the ones that once roared for me.

My processor lists the aspects of her personality, abilities and frame: graceful in all her movements, wide range of weapons, basic training in all martial arts, ambitious processor, gorgeous lips, loyal, cunning, strong for a Seeker femme, beautiful chassis, obedient, natural leadership instincts, slim hips, smooth vocaliser.

My Spark throbs.

Born to be a natural leader, strong, fast, independent, perfectly coordinated movements and a merciless fighter. Then she has the added bonus of being the eldest sparkling of my Master, which means she has a great gladiator's Energon flowing through her lines. All excellent and desirable qualities for the mate of a warlord. Yes, Moonbeam. You will be my...no, you are the only Bond-Mate for me. You are the living image of the perfect Decepticon, and I shall make you their Queen, one way or another.

"Knocky, darling, where do you keep your buffer?" Nebula's vocaliser is the first thing I hear as I enter the med bay.

"I think I saw one the other orbital, in the box that's next to the container filled with nuts and bolts," my CMO laughs as he patches up Starscream's torn wing.

"Ohh, I see what you did there, you naughty medic~" the spy coos and she bends down gracefully, showing off her shapely aft for the world to see as she pulls out the buffer from a box, she grins, dangling something else on the end of a digit, "Ah! A very naughty medic~"

"What do you m- holy slag! How'd that get in there!?" the cherry grounder's cheek plates flush with embarrassment as he snatches the cuffs from the giggling spy's middle digit and subspaces them.

Red Giant is the first to take notice of my presence, he quickly stands and nods, "Lord Megatron," he salutes, then hisses in agony as he clutches his patched up arm, "a-apologies my L-Lord, I did not-"

I take pity on the Seeker and hold up a servo to silence him, "Sit, you have no need to explain your injury."

"Ah, hello Master~" Nebula purrs as she buffs her scraped thigh, dragging the device in small, slow circles while keeping optic contact with me, "Did you enjoy the show?"

"Yes, I did," I mutter, breaking my gaze from her frame and turning to the one that's far more enticing to my optics.

The hexad leader sits calmly in the corner, silently watching her younger siblings with a faint air of amusement. I can't help but stare at her scratched finish, the small dips of the dents in her right wing and the patch on her upper left arm covering the shallow, yet long gash from Starscream's claws. Pursed lips, crossed legs, claws drawing invisible shapes as they drag on the ground as if they have their own separate form of control to the rest of her frame, optics fixed and un-flickering. So calm, so silent, so patient, so deadly.

So beautiful.

My vocaliser decides it has a processor of its own as I call out involuntarily, "Moonbeam."

Her helm jerks up and she flinches as her concentration is snapped away from her thoughts, "Yes, my liege?"

I clear my throat and clasp my servos behind my back as I straighten up to my full height, trying to look as professional as possible, yet there's a very foreign feeling of nervousness slowly claiming all my systems, "There are several matters that I wish to discuss with you, would you care to accompany me to my quarters so we may speak in private?"

*cough*Sorevalveinthemorning*cough* Starscream avoids my glare and taps his long, sharp digits together as both of Knock Out's servos fly up to stifle the loud laugh that was just beginning.

The femme just stares at them for a moment, helm tilted to one side in confusion, then she turns back to me and nods, "Of course sir."

The Seeker goes to get up, but I take three quick strides and extend a servo for her. She looks at it curiously, then gives me a smile as she takes it and I pull her to her delicate pedes. I give my sniggering SIC and head medic one last glare, then escort Moonbeam out of the room. Before the door closes behind us I hear her sisters muttering and giggling amongst themselves while Red Giant questions them all on what's so funny.

"I would like you, and any of your capable siblings, to train some of my officers," my pedes take long, strangely eager, strides over to my desk and I pick up the data pad I'd placed there this morning.

"Us?" she sounds more shocked than I expected her to.

"You brought my Second in Command to his knees, after you'd defeated four of your siblings blindfolded. This may surprise you, but the only other Decepticons to ever take him down are Soundwave and I," I chuckle as she gives me a modest smile.

"His technique is sloppy and he relies on his claws like a normal Seeker," she mutters without thinking, the femme realises her mistake, blushing and looking down, "I...um...I criticise him with respect of course my liege."

"And I'd like him to improve, he's my Second as well as my Air Commander," I hand her the data pad and mention to the berth, "shall we sit?"

Moonbeam freezes as her blush deepens, looking at the berth with a suspicious gaze, "Um...very well."

Deadly and equally innocent, but by no means a fool. By every means complicated though. Then again, she's a femme.

The hexad leader turns the device on as I sit, pulling my legs onto the berth and crossing my pedes behind her back, the Seeker raises an optic ridge at me for a moment but looks back at the screen.

"Starscream, Breakdown, Lugnut, Blitzwing and Knock Out," she looks at me again and frowns, "why them in particular?"

"I already gave you Starscream's reasons," I explain, mentioning to the data pad with a servo, "Blitzwing is the only active Triple-Changer in the war, if he can learn to fight even slightly like you can, then we'd have a fearsome solider on our side. Lugnut...let's just say that simply learning the meaning of discipline, from someone other than myself, would do him good. Breakdown used to be-"

"He's an ex-Wrecker," Moonbeam's optics scan the blue bruiser's profile.

"Indeed," I nod and cross my servos over my waist, starting to feel more relaxed, "but he's been in the medical department for too long, he hasn't seen a fight since the tasks I set for him and Knock Out."

"How many did you give them?" she mutters.

"I'd normally give three," I growl, "but they Bonded without telling a superior. So I made an example of them, they had five."

"But they Bonded before they joined the Decepticons."

"That's no excuse, they didn't tell us that they were Bonded," I may have a kinder Spark than most gladiators, but I still have an army to keep in line.

"On which mission did Breakdown lose his optic?"

"They told you?" Breakdown's usual excuse for his missing visual sensor is that he'd lost it in a recon mission before the war, while he was still a Wrecker, it's difficult to believe that he'd tell any outsider the truth.

"No, it was simple deduction that lead me to that theory. He looked distant when he told us about the missions, like he was in pain, almost longing for something he'd lost," Moonbeam sighs at my confused look, "when you live with five younger siblings who refuse talking about their problems, you learn to read facial expressions."

"He lost it on the fourth task," I look away, feeling the regret welling up in my Spark.

There's a short moment of silence, until the femme breakes it, "But what about Knock Out, he's your CMO, and a One-Third. You think it's wise to put him on the field."

"We need as many field-medics as we can get, and I see potential in him, even if he does have a terrible case of vanity," I chuckle, "so, which of your siblings should train these candidates?"

She gets up and paces the length of the room as she stares at the screen for a klik, then looks back at me, "White Dwarf is out of the question. So that leaves you with five students and five teachers. Lugnut's size means the only suitable instructor would be Red Giant. Starhopper seems to like Blitzwing, and the feeling is mutual from what I've seen, I trust my sister can deal with his changing personalities since she can deal with the rest of our siblings. Breakdown is quite large, but Solarflare would love the challenge and I'm sure he could take one of her beatings with no trouble. Does..." She frowns, "does Knock Out like to dance?"

Of all the questions...that one has never come to my processor till now, "What?"

"His flamboyant personality would confuse Red Giant, it would make Starhopper feel uncomfortable, it would enrage Solarflare and I'd tire of it quickly. But Nebula is basically your medic in a Seeker femme's frame, her personal training envolves dancing though," Moonbeam smirks at my baffled look, it took her only a klik to analyse the situation and figure out the perfect trainers for my warriors.

"I...don't know," I frown in confusion, "I...I think I've seen him dance at some parties."

"Then she can be his instructor. So I'll train Starscream," the Seeker chuckles, "which will be very interesting after today's events."

"Very well," I nod, unable to hide my smile at the mental image of my SIC's face when he finds out about this, "I shall leave that to you to sort out."

"...But I don't have anyone's comm link," the femme frowns, drumming her claws in a thigh.

"I'll have Soundwave send the frequencies to you and you can send them to your siblings," I'd completely forgotten about that, but I try to not show it as I get up and walk over to the seat at my desk, "Now," I sigh, pulling the chair out, "one last thing, then you may go."

"Yes my liege," she smiles, obviously enjoying the one-on-one attention in her favourite gladiator's berthroom.

Gah, cease your existence you petty, vain thoughts!

"I'll fix your wings," I sit down with my knees firmly together and look at her expectantly.

"Um...excuse me Lord Megatron, but I don't fully understand what you're asking of me," Moonbeam frowns and raises an optic ridge.

"You sit on my lap, I massage the dents out of your wing," I explain with a smirk.

"Oh..." Her intakes hitch as she shifts from one pede to the other and wrings her servos together.

"Sit," I order, taping my claws on my lap to show her where.

Even though her right wing is dented and they're both scratched they still manage to quiver, "S-sir?"

I've been around Starscream and his trine long enough to recognise what the many movements of a Seeker's wings mean, I don't know them all, but I know all too well what this one is. I give the young femme a reassuring smile, although I doubt my sharp denta are of any help, and beckon her over, patting my knee as I do so.

"What Starscream said to you in the med bay and whatever he has said before then, I ask that you ignore it," I say gently, "I merely wish to fix your wings."

"But...Kno-... Knock Out could..." she wraps her arms around her middle and looks away so that I can't see the almost white crescent moon on her right cheek, yet even in the dim light I can see the deep blush against her dark silver finish.

"Is busy with your siblings and Air Commander," I smirk and raise an optic ridge, waiting for another excuse, when one doesn't come I decide to add; "I've fixed my Second's wings before, he actually prefers to give me the task rather than our Chief Medical Officer. If it makes you uncomfortable then you may sit with your back to me."

Moonbeam frowns and give my lap a nervous glance, then edges over in a very awkward fashion while scratching absentmindedly at one particular transformation seam in her left arm. She looks nothing like the Seeker I saw in the Arena. That femme looked older, hardy, steady, cordinated, graceful and so very confident. However this one is...dare I even think it, adorable, shy, younger, clumsy, frightened and unsure of herself. The difference is astonishing...does she show this side often? Does she show it to her own siblings? Do they even know about it? Or has this arisen recently? Am I the thing that frightens her, or is it something more complicated?

Questions later, right now I need to stop overthinking. With shaky legs and an equally shaky sigh the ex-Autobot sits down on the very edge of my lap, pushing her servos down on her knees to stop them from quivering. I huff in amusement as I wrap one arm around her waist then carefully pull one leg over mine, with a smirk I drag her back and her parted thighs straddles my legs. Moonbeam bites her lower lip as I nuzzle her shoulder, her engine stutters as I brush my lips against a sensitive neck wire. Her frame gives an involuntary pulse of heat and I force back a shudder of delight.

"I've seen the way you look at me, my dark beauty," I whisper in her audial, she gasps as I growl teasingly against the sensitive receptor, "you know how to control your anger, your pain, your sadness. But desire, love and admiration are an intoxicating mix. You can't feign it as undying loyalty and pure respect."

"M-my Lord," she twitches and wriggles slightly in my grasp, letting a soft whimper fall from her parted lips, "I, ah, I m-must respectfully pro-...protest against y-your ad-...ah! Advances."

I freeze at her last word and frown. Of course, she's never felt touches quite like these, so there lies the problem.

"I do apologise, I'm so accustomed to being with others that I forgot details like this, you still have your seal intact," I wrap both arms around her waist and rest my chin on her shoulder.

"I take it you prefer a partner with experience then," she mutters, I can't help but find it odd that there's a hint of disappointment in her vocaliser.

"On the contrary," I growl, pressing my chassis against her back, "I quite enjoyed breaking Starscream's seal, as well as Soundwave's. I merely prefer a willing partner, not a protesting one."

Moonbeam frowns as she stares at the opposite wall, all the tension leaves her frame and her shoulders slump slightly. How very curious.

"You want to interface with me then," I chuckle and rub her right hip, the tension immediately returns, this time accompanied by a needy whine.

"I...I don't know," she growls, obviously annoyed with her treacherous and confused frame.

"You interest me," I murmur in a matter-of-a-fact tone, "you inflict and take pain on the battlefield without a care, the only thing you strive to do is protect your siblings and defeat your enemy. You don't care if your opponent lays a servo or pede on your frame. But," I brush a claw tip against a thick wire beneath her thigh plating and she groans, frame shivering in a mixture of need and fear, "you shy away from the touch of intimacy."

"Relationships, I fear having a relationship," she gasps and shutters her optics.

Oh...oh!

"So...you don't want to get close to someone, because you fear they could deactivate at any moment," now I see, it makes sense...well, at least part of this predicament does.

"I worry that if I get too close, I'll lose my family. They need me now more than ever," she hisses, "and I don't want my processor to wander from my one true goal."

"And what is that my dear?" I purr in her audial, touching her wing where a dent is.

She snarls in discomfort as I pinch the dent and massage it till the delicate metal flattens out. I trail my digits over the rest of her wing, pinching, rubbing, and massaging out all the dents. The dark Seeker squirms and groans softly in my grasp. I hum in annoyance as her aft rubs against my already hot interface panel and my frame shudders as my spike aches to be released.

"I. Didn't. Hear. You," I pant out, kissing her jaw between each breath.

"To fol-follow your cause, and to fight the Autobots," Moonbeam purrs and rolls her helm to the side with a growl, "I will fight till they're all deactivated, and then I'll rebuild Praxus from it's ashes, even if I have to do it by myself."

And there's the fire that captured my optics from the beginning, that lack of fear, along with the disregard for rank, creating a headstrong femme who won't take no for an answer, "You seem to have your priorities set then," I kiss her neck, earning a soft moan in return.

Moonbeam turns her helm to look at me, but her optics keep avoiding my gaze as she blushes deeply, "I'd be honoured if you'd help me my Lord, to rebuild Praxus when the war's over that is, if it's not too much to ask?"

"For you Moonbeam, anything," I nuzzle her jaw, my frame vents hot air out as I sigh, I can't expect a sealed femme to just throw herself on the berth and bare her Spark while begging for me to Bond to her; we may be in the middle of a war, but I still need to do this the right way. In honour of her Sire, my Master, "May I ask something of you?"

"Anything my liege," she whispers, managing to sound calm once more.

"You are beautiful," I murmur against her shoulder plating, choosing my words carefully, "but you are also deadly, strong, intelligent, cunning, resourceful, and you have a fiery determination that I have yet to see in anyone else. I ask but one thing, and your answer doesn't effect anything else. Not your siblings safety, not if I'll help you rebuild your home, or if you may stay on my ship. I will not think any less of you if you say no, and you are allowed to have as much time as you wish to think about your answer."

"Lord Megatron?"

I take her servo and kiss the back gently, "Will you do me the honour of allowing me to court you?"

Her frame freezes up and all the only sound she makes is a frightened, or possibly shocked, squeak. I patiently for wait for half a klick, knowing that, even with the sort-of warning I gave her, this must be a huge hit to her systems.

The Seeker's intakes finally suck in air as they rattle, "Mmm...mm...m-m-may I have s-...some time to...to think your o-offer over?"

"Of course," I place a soft kiss on her cheek, an idea suddenly takes flight in my processor, my claws take her waist in a gentle hold and I lift her up. She yelps as I turn her around to face me, her knees straddle my hips as I pull her close and rub my brow against hers, "but before you leave, may I give you something to help with your Energon for thought?"

She looks nervous, so very nervous, yet there's still an ember of that fire burning beneath her icy fear, "If...if it is a...a kiss...then you may."

I hum in approval as I brush my lips against hers, she whimpers and wraps her arms tightly around my neck, pulling me closer to seal our lips. My claws stroke her wing soothingly, the taught wires beneath her armour relax, her engine purrs as she lets me lead. Don't hold it, don't scare her. The kiss barley lasts half a klik before she starts to tense up again. With a soft growl I reluctantly pull away.

Moonbeam stares at me, optics hazy and vocaliser forming soft, confused whines as she quivers in my grasp.

"I...I...I should be going," she murmurs, avoiding my gaze and slumping against my frame as she relaxes.

But she doesn't move, not for half a breem.

After a while I nudge her, thinking she's slipped into recharge. Those thoughts are immediately eradicated as she flinches at the movement, the Seeker blushes, continuing to avoid optic contact as she gets up and bows.

"I'll...be going now my liege," she mutters, then walks to the door.

"Megatron."

"Excuse me sir?" She turns to look at the wall behind me in confusion.

I smile at her, "Please, just call me Megatron."

"...Only if my answer is 'yes'," there's a faint, yet sharp tone to her growl, she looks at me with an expression that the warrior inside her would give me, then leaves.

I sit there for a long time, trying to figure her out. How can she be two opposite femmes?

My claws curl against my thigh and I bite back a groan as my aching spike makes itself known once more.

I smirk at my own predicament; Starscream is in the medical bay right now and there's no reason to send him there twice in one orbital. He won't be happy about my offer to Moonbeam though, the little slagger will most likely be all over me once he finds out, treating every time in the berth like it's the last one from now on... But I do need to talk to Soundwave about sending out the comm frequencies, and I haven't properly thanked him for getting me out of the scuffle with White Dwarf's virus controlled frame. Plus, it has been a few metacycles since I've seen that gorgeous face that's always hidden behind the black mask.