A/N: Happy Valentine's Day everyone still reading. I believe it to be small but I don't care. This is my story that is stuck in my head. I'm going to put it out here for anyone who wants to read it and hopefully enjoy it. As I'm sure some of you are aware, but today is also the release of the Mass Effect 3 demo, and for those with Battlefield, multiplayer too. So I'm going to try and continue but expect a long hiatus, especially after the game comes out.

Astrosecond~ .498 seconds, milli-cycle~1 sec, cycle~1 min, breem~ 8.3 minutes, mega-cycle~1 hour, meta-cycle~1\2 hours, solar cycle~1 day, day~ 20 hours, orbital cycle~ 1 month, gigacycle~ 1 year, deca-cycle~10 years, vorn~ 83 years, stellar cycle~400 year, mechanometer~ 1 meter, vun~ hectometer, hic~ 1 kilometer

Thoughts, 'binary code', (alien language), "talking"

Within the Ark's hangar, Powerglide and Air Raid left Dropshot with Ratchet as they flew off to join the others against the Decepticons. As Fixit patched up Jetfire for combat, Ratchet wasn't sure there was anything left he could do. The shot when clean through his spark chamber and it was clearly empty, yet his instruments still detected an energy signature within what should be an empty shell.

But Ratchet's first priority was to ensure as many Autobots continued to function. "Hold on Dropshot, I'll get you back on your feet in no time."

"Uh…If Vibes didn't take that sniper out I'd give him a pounding." Dropshot was still functioning despite the injury to Ratchet's amazement. "Ouch doc, watch it."

"I'm going to expect a full explanation as to why you don't have a spark later." Dropshot quickly shut his mouth as he let Ratchet continue with the repairs as more injured Autobots were being rushed back into the Ark for repairs.

As the Special Operations team continued through the Presidium to the checkpoint, a small red unmanned motorcycle started to tale the team. "Jazz…"

"Yeah, I've noticed too. Override, Vibes, keep going to the checkpoint. I'll deal with him."

Override wasn't going to let Jazz, "No way! He's mine!"

Before she could slow down, Overhaul had already maneuvered himself to take on the motorcycle alone. "Time to sign off, Decepticon!"

The red chopper braked as he shouted, "It's you who should be saying 'goodbye'." Out of the water jumped a massive green robot as his fists slammed down onto Overhaul's chassis.

For good measure, the green Decepticon rammed his fist into Overhaul's hood as he exclaimed, "I love sending Autobots to the scrapheap!" The bot transformed into a three-wheeled vehicle with two turbine thrusters attached to the back and continued to chase after the team with the motorcycle driving next to him. "Come on little buddy, we've got more Autobots to smash!"

"That's it!" Override broke formation as she let the others pass her. Now she was in front of the two Decepticons, "Come on boys. Let's race!" Override drove over a bridge to a new area as the two Cons followed her.

Vibes tried to contact Override, "What are you doing? We have a plan to follow! Don't do this! You've got passengers, remember?"

"Sorry Vibes, but these two Cons have been asking for it for some time now. I'm not letting them get away after offing Overhaul. If you're worried about my passengers, don't. I'm going to need them for this."

"Alright Crumplezone, I'll get next to Override and have her try to sideswipe me. When I pull back, you give her a boost into the liquid stuff."

"Then we can smash her, right Ransack?"

The red motorcycle popped a wheelie for a few seconds, "That's right CZ. You and me…"

"The best duo on all of Cybertron."

Ransack caught up to Override as he tried to implement his 'brilliant' plan. "Hey Override. I think you're actually slowing down in your old age!"

"Nah, I'm just let you guy catch a break. Now Kasumi!" Override's canopy opened as one of her passengers jumped onto Ransack.

"Hey, hey, get off me! Let go!" The small organic in black was now able to manipulate Ransack's controls as he drove.

"Ransack. You ok little buddy?"

"What does it look like? I've got a pest driving me! Of course I'm not!" As Crumplezone was arming his weapons Ransack shouted to his partner, "Wait, wait! Don't do that! I'll get caught in the blast!" With that argument, Crumplezone's weapons shut down.

Override was leading the Decepticon duo toward the Krogan Monument not too far from where they needed to be. Kasumi pulled Ransack up as he hit a small incline. With little Ransack could do to alter his run in with the stone statue, Kasumi jumped off the motorcycle as Override opened her canopy again to allow her to return. Legion now had a part to play as it aimed the Widow rifle at one of the statue's legs. Milliseconds after Ransack crashed into the monument, Legion fired, destroying the leg. With the vital support for the statue gone the monument's weight played against itself as it fell into the Presidium's reservoir, taking Ransack with it.

"Ransack!" Enraged, Crumplezone charged at Override believing Ransack had been killed. With Override's canopy still open, Legion reloaded quickly as it targeted one of Crumplezone's turbine engine. Legion waited a moment for the engine to reach its peak specific speed, having calculated it through all of its runtimes, Legion took the shot. As Override predicted, the resulting explosion caused Crumplezone to lose control as he spun out and crashed into the wall.

"Nice shot, Legion. Now let's get back to the others."

As Override drove off, Slipstream had watched the two goofs fail at stopping them. She dragged Ransack out of the lake and tossed him at Crumplezone and reappeared from being invisible, "You idiots! I practically hand those Autobots to you on a silver circuit board and you end up only taking one out! One! I should have relied on the Insecticons from the beginning." Even though they weren't dead, Slipstream was tempted to fix that. "You two are a waste of a spark, but finishing the job would only be a waste of energon." With her final insult to the duo she left them to return to more urgent battles against the other Autobots.

As Jazz and the other raced off to find the source of the Decepticon control over the Citadel, the majority of the Autobots had started to evacuate as many citizens as possible.

Wheeljack's modifications were working as expected, allowing Shepard and his teams to effectively aid the Autobots against the Decepticons. As the Citadel Council and other civilians were loaded onto Broadside, Shepard and his team helped keep the Decepticons at bay along with Ironhide and a few of his trainees. Ironhide had taken a few hits to the leg, but he wasn't slowing down, ripping one of the Decepticons in two with his bare hands.

Grunt had found a kindred spirit in a rather loud Autobot named Warpath. "Boom!" Grunt and Warpath both fire off powerful attacks against the same target, easily putting the Con down for good. The team was using their biotic powers to their full advantage as well, Jacob and Samara working together to pull in the Cons for the Autobots to blast or for Thane and Miranda to crush.

"Move! Move!" The C-Sec agents continued to evac the politicians and civilians as the Decepticons continued to press the attack.

With their defenses spread thin, the Decepticon seeker Dreadwing, along with two escorts, planned to level the entire area with missiles and bombs. This cowardly act would have succeeded too, were it not for the surprise attack launched by the glorious Sky Lynx intervened, blasting one of Dreadwing's escorts. "As long as I am around, Decepticons, your plans shall not succeed. For I, the marvelously Sky Lynx, shall find a way to defeat you!" As Dreadwing fled, Sky Lynx shifted from his shuttle form into the aviary one and took a bite of wing from the second seeker while dropping his lower half into the thick of the Cons, pouncing its full weight on one as the claws of the cat like form started to tear into more.

Executor Pallin found Shepard as he used the Widow to shot out the optic of a Decepticon. "Commander! Think we can keep this up?"

An Autobot next to the Commander fell to a Decepticon missile as another was blown to bits by a tank's cannon. "I don't know. If my team can get control over the Citadel again, we might."

The Dynobots continued to decimate the Decepticons brave or foolish enough to stand in their path. Soundwave continued to fight off against Grimlock to allow Megatron the opportunity to battle with Optimus on his own. Soundwave was starting to have difficulty against Grimlock's new monstrous form. Unexpectedly Starscream provided aid to Soundwave, driving Grimlock way for a time.

With these few moments of peace, Starscream approached Soundwave with false orders, "Lord Megatron has ordered for the next phase of the plan to commence. And that I was to personally oversee it."

Soundwave however was suspicious of Starscream. "Negative. Megatron has not contacted me."

"With his current battle with Optimus, he has asked that I inform you myself. He wanted to ensure that the Autobots did not become aware of our true intent here on the Citadel."

The reasoning behind it sounded like Megatron, but where it from Lugnut or nearly any other Decepticon Soundwave might believe it. "I will continue as Megatron previously ordered. I will not precede until Megatron degrees it."

Starscream seemed to be getting desperate, "At least provide me the frequency you use to control the Citadel. Should Megatron decide to continue and you were preoccupied with the Dynobots to execute within the time required. A second operator if you will, as a precaution."

Soundwave always operated with backup plans. But this was something they could not risk failing. "Agreed."

Just as Soundwave gave Starscream the frequency, Grimlock returned charging head on at Soundwave. Starscream returned to the skies to evade the clash. The seeker leader was contacted by Skywarp, "Starscream, we're getting slaughtered out here! Where the pits did you go?"

Grimlock was biting into what was left of Soundwave's rifle as he tried to punch back the Dynobot leader. Starscream escaped the fight by jumping into the sky. "Sorry to leave you in such a mess, Soundwave. But I have seekers that need my aid." And a new partner to bring into play.

The others had already reached the waypoint and were waiting for Override. "Sorry we're late." She waited for Legion and Kasumi to rejoin Tali before transforming herself.

Jazz nodded, "As planned, we'll hold our position so you don't worry about the Con's when you coming back. Good luck in there."

The three nodded as they began their decent into the true heart of the Citadel. Bluestreak personally had little faith in the plan as it stands. "Are we sure we shouldn't have asked Blaster for a few of his little buddies to escort them? I mean we are dealing with the unknown here."

"I think they'll do just fine on their own. We just have to hold out for them." Having worked with them the longest, Vibes was confident in both Legion and Tali.

Override felt the same way, "I think we should ask Prime to make them honorary Autobots after all this. Though I think a recommendation from Jazz would go a long way to—"

The sound of buzzing started to fill the air as the Autobots prepared. Tracks had only heard of rumors, but Override and Bluestreak have seen firsthand the devastation left behind by the creators of this sound. "Get it off me! Get it off me!"

Jazz turned the bot around as he crushed swatted the nibbler and crushed it under his foot. "Insecticons…"

"Insecticons! Swarm!" Hundreds of Insecticons started to infest the area as some started to eat away at the Presidium while the majority of them started to attack the Autobots themselves.

Without hesitation the Autobots started to destroy as many of the Insecticons as they could while keeping themselves free of the little buggers. The swarm had become almost impossible to simply shot down as one of the drones was being consumed alive by Insecticons. Vibes was the first to replace her rifle for her blades as she began slicing through the Insecticons.

Megatron and Optimus had continued their struggles away from the populated areas clashing mace and ax. "Look Prime, even now, far from our own homeworld, our struggle continues as fiercely as it did before. Are you truly willing to die for these worthless creatures, Optimus? They see us as abominations, creations that should never be. I ask you again, my brother, would you be willing to die for one of these fleshlings?"

Optimus tried to drive his ax into Megtron's spark as the mace deflected the swig with one of its spines. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, Megatron. We will not let you or any of your Decepticons endanger any more lives. We will win. We must win."

Megatron easily pushed Optimus back as he tried to convince his former friend. "Listen to reason, Optimus. Look around you. Lives are being lost even as we speak, both organic and Cybertronian. We can end this now if you submit or flee. But if you chose to fight, one shall fall."

Optimus was hesitant for moment. The ability to end all of this needless death…It was for half an astrosecond that this thought went through his processors but in his spark he knew better, "No. I will not leave the chance that you will back out of your word. We will protect the lives of as many as we can with ours."

Megatron was displeased, "If that is your choice. You will suffer for it!" bringing down his mace in a mighty swing.

Kasumi couldn't help but feel weird about all of this. "Man, to travel into a place only the keepers go through, and I thought I'd been in everything…"

Tali was rather reluctant to even ask but she was hoping Legion might have more insight, "Legion, do the geth have any data about the internal workings of the Citadel?"

Legion continued down the path as it coldly replied, "No. Our data on the Citadel is limited to data recorded by geth prior to the Morning War and open extranet files. Heretic geth have yet to integrate back with us. We doubt they will have data not already available to C-Sec officials."

"So we're in the dark, and with no idea as to where 'it' is?"

Legion continued to lead the others, stopping at an intersection before turning left, "We are following the Decepticon energy signature detected by the Autobots. Our sensors indicate we will reach the external perimeter within the next minute. Alert. We will encounter a patrol within seconds. Advise we prepare our weapons."

The trio had their weapons at the ready as shadows loomed out of the hallway they were traveling. As they got closer the shadows became clearer until three keepers walked around the corner. Kasumi lowered her Locust, "Really? I was expecting Decepticons. So where are these Decepticons?"

Legion was not fooling, "They are the Decepticon energy signatures." The black eyes of the keepers now turned purple as the Decepticon symbol appeared on their chest. The three keepers charged at Kasumi but Legion and Tali were able to gun them down. "OK, keepers are evil now…good to know."

Even though the Decepticons had controlled the keepers somehow, the caretakers of the Citadel still disintegrated themselves upon expiring. "Well that explains the unusual spike in their numbers. Now we need to find a way of undoing whatever they did."

"We do not know. We must continue on and find the source of the corruption. Only then will the Citadel be out of Decepticon control." The geth continued on as though nothing had happened.

Tali helped Kasumi to her feet, "Are you alright?"

"A little shocked, but I think I'll live." She wasn't anticipating any danger from the keepers but now they have to be extra alert as Legion continued to the center of the 'corruption'.

The Insecticon swarm seemed to only be getting bigger despite the numbers the team was destroying. The Insecticons were consuming their fallen and sections of the Presidium to create more clones for the swarm. "Damn things just don't know how to stay down!"

Jazz sliced two more as he yelled, "Vibes we've got to find the originals. Think you can find them?"

"I'll try but I need time to sift through all of this noise."

"You heard her bots, hold 'em off so she can find the Cons." Vibes moved herself behind the others as they continued to destroy Insecticons. The noise was rather hard to listen to as the grinding of metal and chirping but behind it all there was a pattern. At least three very distinct patterns but the sheer numbers of them was distorting the sound the most.

"Got 'em. Three bots. Next to the lake. Override!" The two fembots rushed through the thick of the swarm as the others provided backup.

The swarm now focused on Vibes and Override but with the marksmanship and precision of the Special Operations team, the Insecticons were chopped down, clearing a path for them. Vibes identified the three Cons to Override before slicing another Insecticon trying to eat her face.

Override pulled out her rifle and took aim. Her first shot was blocked by one of the swarm but her second shot made contact with her intended target, disabling a third of the swarm by eliminating the one. Vibes was able to disable the third Insecticon, weakening the swarm incredibly. With so few Insecticons in their way Bluestreak took his chance to eliminate the one that was protected from Override before. Unfortunately the swarm now was moving to protect the last active Insecticon, spinning around it.

The Insecticon transformed into his robot form as the two large pincers around his head started to spark electricity. "You may think you have weakened us, but you are sorely mistaken. Mistaken. I alone can control the swarm. Swarm. You have only sealed your doom. Doom."

Bolts of lightning struck many of the disabled clones as they suddenly buzzed with life again and began their attack against the Autobots once more. "This guys really starting to get my gears grinding."

The Insecticon boasted as his strengthened swarm attacked again, "Yes, Autobots. I will make more Insecticons from your shells and soon this entire station will be used to create the largest swarm of all. All. Be honored to help in this glory. Glory."

"And I think you should get your vocal processor fixed buddy. That stutter thing is getting real annoying."

The Insecticon raised his arm, "Well see if this is more annoying. Annoying." The swarm that wasn't protecting him began to lift another member of the team into the air as they quickly ripped him into scrap metal and consumed him. "Now come, Autobots, join us. Us."

A/N: Can the Decepticons hold their dominance over the Autobots or will Legion, Tali and Kasumi be able to tip the tide against them. Also for those who couldn't tell, Shrapnel is the last surviving 'thinking' Insecticon. If you don't know who that is, look him up on a wiki.

For any interested in finding me on the multiplayer side of Mass Effect, PM me and I'll pm my gamertag.