A/n: I hope none of you are squeamish of needles...

Wheeljack woke up at the feeling of a warm hand shaking gently his shoulder, but he turned his head away and made himself comfortable again. At least, as comfortable as he could under the circumstances. The motion gears in his neck moved slowly and painfully, as though they had been locked for hours in an uncomfortable position. Even so, the engineer was too tired to care. He just wanted to sleep a few more moments.

"Wheeljack?"

Wheeljack onlined his optics at once, stunned to hear a femme's voice so close to him, and looked up. The voice didn't belong to a femme, though. He blinked dazedly at Faera, who looked back at him in a perplexed manner.

"Hey… What time is it?" he asked.

"Just past daybreak," the Sadjen answered. "I apologise for the inconvenience, but you said I could pass by at about this hour for the transmitter."

"Uh… right," Wheeljack rubbed the slumber off his optics and sat up on his chair. "Did Perceptor let you in?"

Faera shook her head with a small smile and pointed to another desk. The red and teal scientist was sprawled all over it, oblivious to everything as he was still in recharge. "I guess you were both really worn out," she said.

That, however, had Wheeljack frown, and he looked back at Faera in confusion. "Then how did you get in?"

Faera scratched her head embarrassedly. "Neither of you answered when I knocked or pressed the call button, so I let myself in."

Wheeljack mentally chided himself. He had completely forgotten about Faera's ability to activate any electronic device at will, or that it included locks as well. If Red Alert ever found that out, he was in for a computer crash for sure.

Still, this wasn't the time or the place to think about that. Today, after Primus knew how many hours of hard labour and an endless series of trials and errors, the two scientists would attempt to place the transmitter on Faera; they had to see if their invention worked.

"Get Perceptor up and tell him to prepare the syringe," he instructed Faera. "I'm gonna run one last diagnostic on the chip."

Faera nodded her compliance, although Wheeljack noticed a brief frown crossing her features at the word 'syringe'. But, he dismissed matters at once as he became focused on his task, which was checking the systems on the tiny chip so as to make sure everything was functioning properly. In less than five minutes, he was done, and he glued the chip on the silicon-based lamina Perceptor had already made.

"Are you finished?" Perceptor asked at that moment, holding a metallic syringe in his hands.

"Yup," the engineer replied, and he handed Perceptor the lamina.

Murmuring his thanks, Perceptor inserted the lamina in the syringe with experienced ease and then motioned his hand to a surgical berth next to him. "Lie down, Faera."

Faera did just that, her eyes fixed on the two Autobots. Though she tried not to show it, she was quite apprehensive of the procedure; both Wheeljack and Perceptor could tell.

"There's nothing to be scared of," Wheeljack said in reassurance, patting Faera on the shoulder. "Perceptor won't hurt you."

"Actually, there's a slight chance that the foreign object could--"

Wheeljack glared at Perceptor, making the red scientist clear his vocaliser and correct himself.

"I mean… no, I won't hurt you. But you might want to look away while I inject the chip on you."

"There's no need, I want to look," Faera said.

"Are you certain?" Perceptor asked, regarding her closely.

"Yes."

Wheeljack and Perceptor exchanged a glance, the same thought crossing their minds. Though Sadjens were powerful soldiers, they were by no means immune to fear; they simply braced themselves with enough courage to endure their fear. That was why Perceptor nodded in understanding, deciding not to insist any further, and examined Faera's chest-ridge. Once he found an ideal spot, he pressed the needle gently inside her chest, then injected the lamina. Faera watched the whole thing, and only rested her head back on the berth when the needle was out once more.

"You okay?" Wheeljack asked in a kind tone.

"I'm fine," she answered with a smile. "It just stung for a moment, that's all."

"That's fortunate," Perceptor said. "However, perhaps it is best that you remain lying down for a while."

"How come?" Faera asked.

"The solution that I injected in you along with the chip is a type of adhesive that hardens with heat," Perceptor explained. "Your core will provide the required heat for the chip to stay in place, but it will be a rather slow process."

"So if I stand up now, the chip might drop off," Faera said.

"You got it," Wheeljack replied.

"And how long do I have to stay like this?" the Sadjen asked.

"I'd suggest about half an Earth hour or so, in order to keep things on the safe side," Perceptor said.

"I guess I can live with that," Faera noted with a shrug. "But how will we know that the transmitter works?"

"That will be the fun part of it. When you get up, we'll--"

"Optimus Prime to Wheeljack. Wheeljack, do you read?"

The engineer activated his communication frequencies at once. "This is Wheeljack. I read you loud and clear, Optimus, and I even got some good news for you. Perceptor and I have just put the transmitter inside Faera."

"Good work, both of you. How's Faera?"

"She was a most excellent patient," Perceptor cut in. "We're currently taking a short break before proceeding any further."

"I see," Optimus replied. "However, I'm afraid I need to have a word with you in my office, Wheeljack. It can't wait."

Wheeljack was quite surprised at that, and he didn't even bother hiding it. "Okay, sure thing, Optimus. I'll be right there."

"Prowl and I will be waiting."

With that, the transmission ended. Frowning, Wheeljack also closed his communication frequencies, all the while trying to figure out what could be the meaning of it all.

"If both Prowl and Optimus are waiting for you, it must mean matters are quite serious indeed," Perceptor said.

"One of your companions, Bluestreak, told me that Optimus and Red Alert were attacked yesterday by a Decepticon called Soundwave," Faera said. "It could have to do with that."

"Oh no…" Perceptor said.

"That means I shouldn't stay here any longer," Wheeljack declared, already heading for the exit. "If I'm not back in half an hour, continue without me."

"Understood," Perceptor said. "I'll keep you informed."

"Thanks!" Wheeljack replied, and he stepped outside, the door closing behind him. He jogged down the hallway, not minding the curious glances he got from his fellow Autobots who were currently circulating in the Ark, and he reached Optimus's office in no time. He didn't even press the call button, aware that he was expected. He simply walked in, and saw that both the Autobot leader and the tactician were indeed waiting for him. Yet the thing that almost unnerved Wheeljack were the worn and troubled expressions the two officers were carrying. Apparently, things were really serious.

"Ah… Wheeljack," Optimus said, and he beckoned the engineer to sit down. "I apologise for calling you here at such short notice, but it couldn't be helped."

"Don't worry about it, Optimus," Wheeljack replied, taking a seat next to Prowl. "What seems to be the trouble?"

"Prowl?"

The tactician nodded, and he started telling his part of the story first. "Yesterday, at approximately 13:15 hours, Soundwave ambushed Optimus and Red Alert on their return trip to Base."

"Yeah, Faera mentioned that," Wheeljack said, casting a brief glance in Optimus's direction. Fortunately, there were no visible damages on the Autobot leader – not at first glance anyway.

Prowl raised an optic ridge. "Did she now?" he said. "But what she certainly didn't know was that Red Alert's memory databanks were hacked."

"What?!" Wheeljack exclaimed. "Is Red--?!"

"He's fine," Optimus replied. "He'll be able to take up his duties again after some proper rest at the medbay."

That was an encouraging though, Wheeljack had to admit. He sighed in relief.

"However, the problem remains," Prowl intervened, cutting into the engineer's train of thought. "We have reasons to believe that Megatron will make use of the information he had extracted from Red Alert, and attack the Boardman powerplants northwest of here. There's also a chance that he'll use Ebon in the particular attack."

"Whoo boy…" Wheeljack said, for he understood what Prowl was telling him. "Do we know when the Decepticons will attack?"

"Yes and no," Prowl answered.

Wheeljack blinked in confusion. "I don't follow."

"Knowing Megatron, he will plan his assault as soon as possible, but we can't figure out when that will be," Optimus explained. "That's why we need your help."

"What can I do?" Wheeljack asked.

Optimus opened his drawer and dug out from it a small datapad which he gave to the engineer. "One of Elita's spies managed to recover these blueprints of a machine the Decepticons intend to build here, on Earth. Megatron has already asked Shockwave for the necessary parts for it."

"Not only that, but Teletraan-I informed me personally, yesterday, that he picked up energy readings that showed the Decepticon spacebridge was being activated," Prowl added.

"So Megatron got the parts he wanted," Wheeljack noted in a musing tone, optics locked on the blueprints as he studied them meticulously. "Hmm…" He frowned, stared at the blueprints from up close, only to shake his head. "Nah, it can't be."

"What is it, Wheeljack?" Optimus asked, sitting up on his chair.

"These are the designs of some sort of energy magnet," the engineer answered. "But standard energy magnets normally have to be the size of buildings. This thing here is about the size of a small box."

"So it's portable," Prowl said.

"Yeah, but it doesn't have half the power of a regular energy magnet. In order for it to work properly, the source of energy would have to be really close or… attached to the machine." Wheeljack's optics widened, for it was in that moment that realisation caught up with him. "They want to keep Ebon's energy in check."

Prowl tilted his head at that. "This doesn't make much sense. Ebon is of more use to the Decepticons if he's able to use his energy."

"Not if there's a chance he might attempt to short-circuit them," Optimus said. "Megatron wouldn't want to leave that to chance."

Wheeljack nodded. "This thing here works in two phases. It first drains the subject of its excess energy and stores it in a small compartment here," he said, pointing at a small spot on the blueprints. "When a switch is activated here," he pointed to another place on the blueprints, "the excess energy is released and ready to be used accordingly."

"But that means Ebon can activate it as well if he puts his mind into it," Prowl said.

"Not if he can't reach it," Wheeljack replied. "Sadjens can only pass energy through their flesh-like areas of their exoskeleton, such as their hands."

"That means the activation switch will be placed on Ebon's back," Optimus said, catching on.

"You got that right," Wheeljack said. "There's still a catch, though."

"And that is?" the Autobot leader asked.

"This storage compartment is too small," Wheeljack said. "The machine can only drain a specific amount of energy before it reaches to a point that it will short-circuit."

"What you are saying is that the Decepticons will have to make sure the storage compartment never reaches its limit," Prowl said. "Like keep sending Ebon in battle against us in order to use up the stored energy."

"Or even place the stored energy in energon cubes," Wheeljack said. "A sip of a Sadjen's energy can be more invigorating than normal energon."

Both officers flinched, the idea of milking a Sadjen's energy in order to feed appalling them to no end. Truth be told, Wheeljack felt disgusted at that notion himself. It sounded too much like feeding from another creature's blood, like those vampire creatures Spike sometimes talked about.

"Do you think that machine will work?" Optimus asked at that point, cutting into Wheeljack's train of thought yet again.

"The Decepticons certainly believe it will," the engineer answered.

"I see…" the Autobot leader said softly. "And how long do you think it will take them to build it?"

"Let me think…" Wheeljack said, rubbing his chin in thought. "If I were to build it, it would take me about a day. It could take the Decepticons longer though."

"So we have one day at our disposal, at least," Optimus said. "Thank you, Wheeljack. You've been great help."

"Any time, Optimus," the engineer replied, and he stood up in order to walk out.

"Wheeljack?"

Wheeljack faced the Autobot leader once more. "Yeah, Optimus?"

"Don't tell Faera anything before I talk to her first."

Wheeljack nodded his understanding, then turned on his heel and walked out. He was sure Perceptor and Faera had left by now anyway, and it was time he started fixing the Ark's defence systems. He just wasn't sure how he would do that with his processor drifting to that energy magnet and its vile work.

----------------

Starscream walked into the medbay, sparing only a brief nod of greeting to Hook before approaching the only other form present in the room. Ebon, however, was pinned face down on one of the surgical tables, another set of electrum rods keeping him in place, and he didn't seem to notice what was going on around him. He certainly didn't react when Starscream poked the Sadjen with one of his null-rays.

"He's still unconscious, I see," the air commander noted.

"Yes," Hook said, casting a momentary glance at the alien creature. "Then again, Bonecrusher and Long Haul weren't gentle in their… treatment."

"I don't care what those two did, as long as it had results," Starscream said, waving his hand dismissively.

"You should care," Hook replied coolly. "If that thing wakes up before I finish with the energy magnet you were supposed to help me build, we'll be done for."

"But I am helping you," Starscream replied, as if he was offended by that kind of accusation. "I suggested those modifications, didn't I?"

Hook curled his upper lip component in distaste. "Making my creation fouler in the process."

"Do you want your creation pretty or able to stop the Sadjen from terminating us?" Starscream argued, and he leaned forward to get a closer look at the energy magnet. "Did you add them?"

Hook turned over the magnet and pointed at the plating. Sure enough, Starscream saw three large thorn-like spikes standing out quite prominently, all of them so sharp that they could pierce anything that was placed on them.

"Are you sure these things will work?" Hook asked.

"Did you follow my instructions?" Starscream answered with a question of his own.

"I did, but--"

"Then they will work," Starscream cut in. "So you shouldn't complain… if you really don't want our slave to wake up before you finish with your work."

Hook grunted, nevertheless he focused on the magnet once more. Feeling quite satisfied with himself, Starscream turned towards the unconscious Sadjen again, fixing his optics on the creature's back. He rubbed his chin in thought as he scrutinised the gravely joints and back ridge, trying to decide just where he should attach the magnet; it would have to be a spot that wouldn't burden the Sadjen's movements, after all. Humming softly, he traced the black surface with curious fingers, only to stop on the area between Ebon's shoulders.

Perfect, he thought, a cruel smile forming on his lip components.

"You look troubled," Optimus noted, looking at Prowl. Indeed, the tactician's optics were dimmed slightly, and he was absentmindedly tapping his fingers on Optimus's desk.

"Merely contemplating on the situation," Prowl corrected, optics finally locking on the Autobot leader. "If Megatron intends to use Ebon on his next attack, then we'll have to dispatch Faera as well."

"Indeed," Optimus said, seeing what the problem was. "You think it's too soon."

"She has yet to work with the other Autobots as a team," Prowl pointed out. "Worse, she knows next to nothing about Autobot battle protocol."

"She knows about Ebon, and that should be enough for now," Optimus replied. "She won't go into battle, unless he's in it too."

"Very well," Prowl said with a nod, and he turned off the datapad in his hands. "I'll prepare the battle plan right away."

"Good. Thank you, Prowl."

Prowl smiled a bit and stood up, heading for the exit. However, he stopped on his tracks at the last moment, his door panels standing rigidly behind his back.

"Is something wrong?" Optimus asked, noticing the tactician's unease.

Prowl didn't answer at once. When he did though, he looked at Optimus straight in the optic.

"Were Smokescreen's conclusions correct?"

Optimus cringed mentally. He had already told Prowl about the files Soundwave had downloaded from Red Alert's databanks, so he probably should have seen that question coming. Still, he knew he couldn't lie to his second-in-command.

"Yes," he answered.

Prowl pursed his lip components in thought. "And yet she's willing to fight him now?"

"She doesn't want the Decepticons to use Ebon for their purposes any more than we do," Optimus answered truthfully. "Ebon's actions have already led to the demise of her home-planet; she doesn't want such a thing to happen again."

Prowl nodded his understanding. Even so, his features were still clouded in a frown.

"Perhaps she ought to hate him," he said. "It would make things easier for her now."

Optimus frowned at those words, puzzled at that statement.

"You still have to tell her about that energy magnet," Prowl explained.

With that, the tactician finally walked out, leaving Optimus alone with his thoughts. For the Autobot leader knew that Prowl was right. If Faera found out what the Decepticons did to her fellow Sadjen, she would be abhorred for certain. But Prowl didn't know what Optimus did. Otherwise, he would have realised that Faera wouldn't be just abhorred.

And yet, Optimus couldn't hide the truth from her. If he betrayed her trust, she wouldn't shut herself out only from him, but from the other Autobots as well. And besides all that… she was part of his ranks now. That meant she was his responsibility, just like the other Autobots were. So he wouldn't treat her any differently.

That was why he was prepared to offer his support as soon as he talked to her.

TBC…