Chapter 15

Lyn fidgeted badly as she sat in the corner of the rec room. She'd hoped that with the prospect of retrieving not only the lost seeker Thundercracker, but also the Allspark that perhaps Megatron would have allowed her to no longer make her 'public' appearances. But such wasn't her luck. She did her best to remain unseen. The last few weeks had been the hardest…there had been no voluntary information given to her about her creation Blade. All she knew was that Starscream was still calm and restless as usual and Megatron hadn't been overly irate except when something went terribly amiss with the base construction on the planet below. Lyn couldn't help but feel the excitement the rest of the mechs felt about being on a grounded base rather than inside the Nemesis. While the ship itself was monstrous to Lyn, with much of it still unexplored despite her various long walks around, to a mech the size of Barricade and Starscream it wasn't much bigger than the house that she and her twin Dawn had been living in prior to this mess.

Lyn snorted softly. This mess…when had she started thinking of it as that? But she knew when…Megatron had started to treat her more like a fancy pet on display, a mocking of those who hated her presence that he was in charge and nothing could be done against her without his permission. A huge shadow fell over her and she shrunk back instinctively.

A disgusted snort greeted her and a massive clawed hand reached down to scoop her up. "Come on, fleshling…" Relief flooded through Lyn as she clung to the loose hand.

"Thank you…I hate being in the rec room." Lyn said with a small shudder as she glanced back at the filled room, at least five of the mechs occupying it were openly glaring at Lyn.

"Don't be flattered, fleshling…I need to check you out more thoroughly and learn more about your physiology before something else horrible happens to you and I need to intervene in depth again." Bonecrusher answered gruffly, Lyn recognized the journey back to the med bay.

She stayed silent the rest of the journey. Inwardly counting all the mechs she knew that she could place some small form of trust in. Barricade hadn't hurt her; he'd protected her often and guarded her most days and nights. Starscream had proven to be of some semblance of a friend, even if he acted like she was nothing to him in public, in private they shared a more personal companionship that most aerial creatures did when finding another with their passion of the skies. Bonecrusher, while she wasn't sure of his true intentions, he'd not done her any harm, and had always taken extremely good care of her. Her cybernetic arm was proof of that. When she was in dire danger of death due to a massive infection, he'd risked everything on a lengthy surgery that had saved her life. He'd also never done anything to show her that he was anything other than a good medic. But at the same time, he'd given her time with Blackout's plaything, Nicolei…a small piece of humanity in the midst of a mess of metal. Lyn had never had the heart to tell Bonecrusher that she didn't need to be around Nicolei, that she didn't feel the absence of mankind, all she felt was the absence of her twin.

But still…aside from Barricade, Starscream, and Bonecrusher, there really weren't any others she could truly trust. The one person she felt she should be able to trust, she couldn't bring herself to fully trust. Lord Megatron himself. He gave her the chills, and it definitely wasn't the good kind. He looked at her with the same hungry look that Blackout did, but he seemed to show extreme restraint. So far, he'd done nothing to her except for look…but in a way…that was somehow worse. It frightened her because if he, Megatron that was, did do anything to her, she'd have no one to fall back on for safety. But so far, there was no founding in that fear.

As Bonecrusher walked into the med bay and shot a glare at the three other mechs working in the room. Each of them hurriedly made sure not to meet the gaze of the monstrous makeshift medic. Once he was satisfied that they were now ignoring him and his small companion, Bonecrusher put her down on the desk he made his office when there was nothing or no one to repair. He picked up a data pad and went over it, check the inventory of their current supplies and double checking that nothing had been missed that would be vital later. Lyn sat down near the corner, letting her feet hang over the ledge, she knew better than to make any annoying sounds or to click her metal fingers along the metal of the desk, so she silently swung her legs back and forth. "You would do well to fear Lord Megatron." Bonecrusher said softly in his gruff voice, drawing Lyn out of her distracted state.

"Why do you say that?" Lyn asked, not that she didn't already have a fair amount of respect for the monstrous leader of the Decepticons, she just wanted to have some form of conversation, even if it was only for a few short moments.

Bonecrusher gave her a sideways glance from his work. "He hates all organic creatures with a passion unlike any I've seen, even more so than our Autobot brethren." That statement gave Lyn a moment of pause. If it was true…which she had no reason to doubt that it was, the behemoth Bonecrusher had not lied to her so far…than it brought up a very interesting question…why did he keep her if he hated her kind?

Bonecrusher had fallen silent again; working intently upon whatever project it was he was busy with, leaving Lyn to her own thoughts. She sighed, while she did appreciate being away from the rec room and all the dangerous, angry-looking Decepticons, she didn't really like the endless boredom that was being stuck on the massive workbench of Bonecrusher's either.

Lyn was about to ask Bonecrusher if there was perhaps something she could do to entertain herself with and maybe help out at the same time when Megatron walked into the med bay. She felt him enter before she saw him. It was a deep darkening of the room, the sudden stillness and feeling of death that seemed to precede him everywhere he went. She suppressed a shiver, but only barely. "Why is she not in the recreational room as I have commanded?" The question seemed more like a demand than a true question, but Bonecrusher didn't seem to be as worried about his leader's wrath as the rest of his fellows.

"I needed her. I was walking past, saved myself the trip of going back to get her later." He answered shortly, his gruff voice sounding a little more respectful than when he usually did as he growled remarks and commands to other 'Cons.

Megatron studied Bonecrusher for a moment, and then grunted in irritation. "Your need for her is going to have to wait. I am taking her now." Bonecrusher grumbled some response in their native language, and shot a quick look at Lyn, almost as if to say 'remember what I told you'. "Come, fleshling." He said with a small hint of irritation in his voice, but opened his clawed hand to her regardless.

Lyn felt her heart pound harder in her chest; she struggled to slow it and remember to breathe normally. In the few rare times she'd been carried by the massive Decepticon, each time she felt an almost uncontrollable urge to run away before his claws closed around her. It made her feel so weak and made her wish for her small room and the safety within. As his claws closed around her, she suppressed the wince as his grip was almost too tight. The pressure and the pain reminded her that even her own quarters weren't as safe as they should have been. The attack she'd suffered a while back was a reminder that she was in enemy territory, no matter how much Megatron promised to punish others, she knew that if she told him of the attack, it would only backfire on her.

After walking for what felt like to Lyn several minutes, and the area started to turn unfamiliar, worry and fear started to sink into her. "Where are we going?" She asked, trying to make her voice seem steady, but quickly added: "Lord Megatron." At the end after his grip squeezed enough to cause real pain in silent reminder of the respect he demanded she pay.

"That is not of your concern." He told her shortly. The finality of the sentence made her realize that she was perilously close to crossing some line that would probably end her up in a load to trouble, so she kept her mouth shut. But as they continued to travel deeper into the unknown territory, she felt her dread and fear increasing. It was a true worry and a true deep fear that started to seep into her soul.

After another short eternity, they stopped before a massive door; it was dark steel and had a strange marking on the door that was obviously in their native language. Her mind translated the door's writing: "Communications Room". She blinked in confusion, why would he be taking her to a communications center? She didn't have any ability to do anything in any of their massive work rooms, she was smaller than even the shortest Decepticon and had proven useless in even being able to press a button let alone actually do anything of the extent of actual work. She blinked against the darkness as the door opened and Megatron walked confidently in. The room was impossibly dim, only the screens across the room offered any light to the darkness, sitting at the center of all the screens and consoles was a solitary figure. Lyn frowned, she hadn't seen him before, yet…at the same time, he had a very familiar feel to him. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch his mind; after all, she had been warned by Starscream on one occasion that there were a few psychic mechs within the compound. If he was one of them, she didn't want to get off on the wrong foot.

No sooner had she thought it, than she felt a wave of dizziness pass over her, a feeling of being suffocated, overwhelming and intense, than it was gone. Just as soon as it had begun, and for a moment, Lyn wondered if perhaps she'd just imagined the feeling. The buzz of their silent communication filled the air, and Lyn opened herself to it, reaching out and embracing the waves. "I want you to look after her for a short while. I do not want Bonecrusher possibly tainting her with Blackout's pet. I do not want the Autobots interfering with my plans." Lyn's head swam from the speed of the words, her mind quickly translating everything.

"As you wish, Lord Megatron." Came a very soft and even response. The voice itself gave her a chill; it was cold, emotionless, and void of any ambitions or will. She didn't like it. More so, the voice seemed to echo within her skull, the words reverberating off each other and blurring within her mind.

With that, Megatron placed her down on the flat crescent shaped desk next to the silent mech. Lyn froze, standing stone still, Megatron spoke no words to her and for a moment, she'd wished to remain in the giant tyrant's presence, rather than this stoic and emotionless mech. "You don't need to be afraid. Sit." The soft even voice sounded, the metallic tones within the voice itself were a little unnerving, but yet, at the same time, they were beautiful.

"I'm not afraid." Lyn said defiantly, as she sat down carefully, keeping her eyes on the massive mech next to her, his broad visor hiding his eyes, and a smooth plate-like mask covered his mouth. Only the twin red orbs were visible through his visor, all other details were blocked between it and the mask. It only fed the uneasy feeling she got from the mech.

"You're motions speak otherwise." He said plainly, his hand moving across the massive console, pressing buttons and flipping switching in almost a monotonous boredom. Lyn frowned. She didn't like being read so easily, and risked giving his mind a gentle touch, to see if there were the normal barriers present with a psychic. "I would not suggest that. It is rude." Lyn's eyes widened, she hadn't even brushed him and he'd sensed her intent. "You are young, and clumsy. I would not wish you to hurt yourself." He continued, she frowned, his tone was slowly changing, and she couldn't figure out what it was changing too.

"I'm sorry. I meant no disrespect." She said apologetically, and for the most part, she meant it.

"You are very uncertain of yourself. Why?" His question caught her off guard. She wasn't entirely prepared for someone to just start questioning her inner feelings. She was used to Starscream sensing when she was in a 'mood', but she had never thought her deep inner feelings would ever be unmasked.

"I just am." Lyn answered off hand, trying to sound dismissive.

"Every feeling has a reason. Why?" He asked his tone even and patient.

Lyn's frown deepened, and her irritation started to mound. "There are a lot of questions that are unanswered in my life. I have no way of ever getting answers, so I'm always questioning my feelings and actions, okay?"

"Satisfactory." There was a short pause. "Designation: Soundwave."

Lyn blinked, a little taken aback. "Ashalyn." She responded back, his kindness felt a little…out of place among the ruthless and bloodthirsty Decepticons around the compound. "So…you're…telepathic?" Lyn asked, unsure what do really do with a talkative mech that wasn't Starscream.

"Affirmative." He answered shortly. Lyn felt a little nervous, after all, she didn't want to annoy someone that could potentially be a friend and ally in this place.

"I'll just stay quiet, I'm sure you're working hard." Lyn said, pulling her knees up to her chest, clasping her good elbow with her cybernetic hand, the cold metal always strangely relaxing against her skin.

"Conversation may continue, I am not hindered by talk." Soundwave said in his same even tone, the relaxing, almost laziness of the tone was taking a little of Lyn's edge off.

"Okay." Lyn said simply, than after a moment of silence, spoke up again. "Was that you, touching my mind when we entered?"

"Yes. Apologies. Withdrew upon discovering distress." Soundwave's short sentences were still a little unnerving, but she was starting to see the trend that it was simply how he talked. Short, simple and to the point. No deceit, no illusions made of pretty words, just plain honest answers. Very out of place within the Decepticon ranks. Which brought up another question within Lyn's mind…if he was honest, why was he a Decepticon? Was there some hidden lust for power, glory and blood beneath the truthfulness?

"You don't seem like the other Decepticons." Lyn said bluntly. Why beat around the bush? One thing she'd learned with mechs was they were all blunt with each other. There was no delicate political way of saying what was on your mind with them. If they had a question, it was asked plainly, without ceremony.

"Appearances can be deceiving." He answered plainly.

"Do you fit in here? You seem so calm, so together. Not like the rest of them. They're so filled with hate and anger at everyone and everything that it makes it hard to even breathe around them. You're almost refreshing to be around. Not like they are." Lyn remarked, her eyes following the traces of his frame in the darkness, his body was built more streamlined, less bulky, kinda like Starscream and his trine only, she didn't seen any visible sign of wings.

"No Decepticon troubles me. Respect is deep. Well earned. Anger and hate block senses, clouds vision, a calm mind makes for steady action." He answered in the same melodic metallic voice. Lyn stared off into nothing, letting silence fall between them as she thought about what he had said. It made sense, when anger and hate filled your mind, you saw red, you became colorblind to all else, you're vision limited, your thoughts single-minded. It made you dangerous, yes, but ineffective. It was on that introspective thought pattern that she lost track of time, and slowly drifted to sleep to the steady sound of Soundwave's stead typing on the consoles.

-Autobot Base—

Dawn yawned, it was these long drawn out days of boredom she hated. Her first mission had almost ended in catastrophe, and it had been her fault. Even though everyone had reassured her that the events that had occurred would have happened regardless, she knew it was all just a cover up. In all of Mirage's missions, she'd never been caught. She had admitted herself that she'd done several like the one they had headed into, and had always come out. Dawn's presence had compromised it. If it hadn't been for her twin's creation, she might have been at the mercy of their enemies, or back in her twin's eyes and embrace….she shook her head slightly. She couldn't think like that. Her sister was one of them now. She wasn't her beloved twin. She was her enemy. Lyn had attacked her a while back in an effort to retrieve information. It was one of those things that just should never be done, no matter where ones loyalties lie; a twin never ever attacked their other half.

Dawn looked over at her own creation, which was currently fussing over trying to untangle a bunch of twine that Dawn had been given to 'do something creative' with. She bit back the scowl. Sometimes, Zandar could be a real asshole. After the catastrophe that had befallen Mirage and herself, they'd left Dawn out of all further missions. While they said that she simply didn't need to go or that it didn't need any extra hands to help, Dawn knew that they had blamed the failure on her. After all, it had been her fault that they'd been discovered, even with the fact that there had been Deathguards present, there was still that possibility that they would have slipped through them without ever knowing they existed there if she'd only not given away their position.

The remedy to her going on missions? Teach her some 'mundane' skills. The twine, which was hopelessly tangled due to Dawn's tantrum, was there to help her learn to do a skill of making blankets with a needle. The thought of her simply spending her days making blankets to keep the fighting troops warm had caused a feeling of rage and hatred inside her that was foreign to Dawn. She hated feeling that way, and knew that the troops probably did need the assistance in staying warm and dry, but she didn't think that she should be the one to do it. It just seemed….wrong. She shook her head; maybe she was spending too much time with that Decepticon Thundercracker. But she felt that if she had this special power…wouldn't she be better suited to help by using it?

Dawn sighed, a very irritated sound. She was restless. Adrian hadn't been by in ages, Ironhide was extremely busy, and the others were constantly trying to fill in their time to reassure her that being 'normal' was just fine. But she didn't want to be their standard of normal. Optimus and the others had teased her with the promise of being useful. They had let her exercise her powers, than suddenly…her practice room had been locked to her, she'd been told she couldn't work on expanding her skills and now she was being told be nothing again. For the first time in a long time, Dawn understood Lyn's hatred of not using her powers. It wasn't fair, they had allowed her such freedom…and now, suddenly, they stripped it from her. She'd tried to make Optimus and the others have time to hear her out…but they'd all been too busy. In fact, she'd not even been allowed to see the Allspark since she'd been locked out of the practice room.

Rage filled her and she felt her power whelm readily at the surface, filling her inner core until she felt she would burst, it came so easily now, she practiced still even though they'd told her to stop. She felt no reason to stop; after all, they wanted her to be 'normal'. Well…to her, using her power was normal, and it was how normal for her kind was supposed to be. So she continued in secret. Perhaps the mech her sister had created, Blade, was right…the Autobots were going to drown her, they were going to slowly suffocate her with kindness and consideration, all the while, she didn't realize that her freedoms were being revoked one by one. Maybe that other Decepticon, Thundercracker, was right as well, she'd be happier with her sister, back on the Decepticon base where her sister was living the best life she'd ever imagined possible.

Dawn slowly let her power dance around her, enveloping her aura, swirling around her in lazy circles. To anyone watching, they would see nothing, if they were close enough, a humanoid might feel the hairs on their arms, legs and back of their neck slightly rise from the power swirling around, but there was no visible proof it was there. The power danced around Dawn's body like a living thing, as it was, and licked at her skin playfully, begging for a target, for a purpose. But Dawn just held it to her, close. She could now hold the power like this for hours; she could build it to nearly five times the amount Lyn had used back when they'd first parted ways. But for some reason, it wasn't enough. She knew her sister was more than likely ten times more powerful than Dawn was now…her amount of private training would never be enough…she had to snap Optimus out of his need to protect her.

Dawn's creation looked at her worriedly, optics reflecting the worry and concern the little femme held for her creator. Metalstar had been loyal to her from the beginning, she aided the Autobots as much as she felt she needed to, but her primary concern had always been Dawn. She never told Optimus that Dawn was disobeying his direct orders about her powers, after all, to Metalstar…Dawn was her Primus, would Optimus himself tell Unicron, Primus' enemy, what he was doing behind his back? Of course not. So her loyalty remained to Dawn. "You're doing it again. Are you going to actually go through with it this time? Or are you going to just simmer down and pout?"

Dawn blinked at Metalstar. "Are you egging me into searching down Optimus and confronting him? I thought you were against it?"

Metalstar sighed. "I'd rather you just confront him than just sit in here and brood. It's not healthy and I know you don't want to become as bitter and hate-filled as your twin…" Metalstar broke off, giving a pointed look at Dawn. It was the closest she'd ever come to telling Dawn she was becoming heartless and bitter.

The fact and point didn't fall on deaf ears. Dawn openly flinched back as if she'd been struck across the face. She didn't want to become her sister. Not like that at least. Hate did nothing but cause more hate, and bitterness did nothing but blind you from all the light and good around you, showing you only the hate. She'd tried to show her sister that for years, and now she was starting to fall into the same trap. Dawn sighed in defeat and allowed her power to slowly seep from her. There was no point in trying to hold onto the bitterness. "I'll see if I can force a way to make him see me…there has to be a real reason for this sudden lack of wanting me to use my powers…maybe I'm just being paranoid about all this."

As soon as the words left her, she knew that part of what Thundercracker had been telling her had been right. Optimus and the others feared her powers, as she had grown in them, the real possibility of corruption had put a pause to their wanting her to learn true mastery. But their commands to stop hadn't stopped her from practice, hadn't stopped her from going on with her intense mental training. It had only spurred her on to a degree she'd not thought of when she had practiced openly. Maybe that was what they feared most, Lyn's determination to use her powers despite their harsh lessons against it, and her growing bitterness and rage. Maybe they were afraid she'd been harboring the same feelings, just without the practice of her abilities. In all honesty—the thought of revenge hadn't crossed her mind. She was free of that place, and would never return, why harbor old grudges against someone she'd never encounter again?

Dawn looked over at Metalstar. "I'm going to have a talk with Optimus; maybe if I show him that I'm not my sister, he'll realize I'm not the threat here." Metalstar remained silent, but gave her creator a smile to show support. Dawn smiled back and grabbed her jacket, sometimes the base was cooler in the areas where the mechs lingered. Always be prepared.

Metalstar called after her before she reached the door. "What are you going to do if he won't see you?"

Dawn gave a tight determined smile. "I'll find a way to be convincing." With that, she was out the door.

-Deep in the Autobot base—

"I don't trust him, Optimus. He's a Decepticon spy and you know it! I don't care what he says about being Dawn's sister's creation! He bares that slaggin symbol and you that means Megatron's had his hands all over this mission to 'protect Dawn'. This ain't right!" Jazz grumbled, arms crossed, almost glaring at his commander and friend.

"I understand your concern Jazz, but with all the scans and detailed examinations Ratchet has done, there is nothing to suggest he's not being truthful. We have to assume that Blade was sent here as a gift from Ashalyn. He did save Dawn from being captured by the Decepticons, and brought her and Mirage back to us safely. There would have been more benefit for him to take them both back to Megatron. I am reluctant to rescind a gift from Ashalyn to Ashadawna; it is possible this could be a sign that she is regretting her decision to remain loyal to Megatron's cause." Optimus stated carefully, trying to ignore his lieutenant's irritation.

"This is a bad idea. And it's a set-up to boot! You know it is!" Jazz argued, his visor glowing blue for a moment, vivid with his surge in emotions.

"That may yet prove to be true, but it is illogical to refuse a gift from an individual such as Ashalyn when it was directed to her twin. Blade was not sent to us. He was sent to Dawn to be her protector." Optimus argued.

Prowl spoke up, having listened to his fellow Autobots banter back and forth long enough. "There is a reason that Blade was sent to us. The first obvious reason is as a spy for Megatron, however, according to Blade, he was sent without Megatron's knowledge. Bearing the symbol might have simply been a way to keep himself alive long enough to do Ashalyn's wishes. If we bear that in mind, he is here on Ashalyn's request with no ulterior motive from Megatron. Refusing him could end up detrimental to our chances of not having to destroy Ashalyn and possibly Dawn in the process. I'm open to the idea of letting Blade interact with Dawn, but I agree with Jazz. He cannot be given more access then that of a civilian guest on the possibility he does indeed have an ulterior motive."

Ratchet nodded. "I agree with Prowl. This is something to watch closely, but not hinder."

Jazz looked torn between grateful that they were suspicious and betrayed because Blade would still not be locked in the detention cells with Thundercracker.

Optimus sighed and was about to respond when a warning flashed upon his HUD, warning him that Dawn had left the 'human' designated areas and was headed toward the room which held the Allspark. "We will continue this discussion later; until that time, Blade will remain free, but heavily watched through the security cameras." The others grumbled their agreement and Optimus cast a quick glance at Ironhide as he stood up and quickly left the room, Ironhide following closely behind.

Dawn stared at the sealed room with a sense of determination. Yes, she thought to herself, this was going to work. She would prove to Optimus that she was not a child, and was quite capable of making her voice heard. And, if it failed, then she'd at least be able to tell Thundercracker that he was right. But this was something she had to prove to herself, she knew that if she could just get him to listen, Optimus would return to reason and stop isolating her from being who and what she was.

Dawn didn't have to wait long, within minutes of her arrival at the door which held the Allspark, she heard the talltale signs of mechs approaching, their heavy footfalls echoed through out the hallway. Seconds later, she saw Optimus and Ironhide as they turned the corner and stopped several yards away from her. Dawn felt her face twitch as she repressed a smile. If she couldn't get his attention through polite requests, then Dawn would get his attention through an indirect threat.

"You were asked not to come down this way without escort, Ashadawna, it is dangerous for you to wander alone, even in a base as heavily guarded as this one." Optimus said carefully, slowly saying each word as though to try and make the impression clear he wasn't a threat. Dawn felt a moment's hesitation, perhaps she was wrong about the Autobot leader, perhaps he was simply overstressed and extremely busy and hadn't had a moment to see her.

Dawn shook her head slowly at them. "I could think of no other way of getting your attention. I have made several requests to speak with you, and I am always blown off. I need you to hear me out, I need you to talk with me." Dawn said bluntly, she'd never really been very good at deception, she was improving, but still the truth was much easier to say.

"I have been very busy, I am sorry I could not meet your requests sooner, and now is still not a good time for us to speak. But we can speak briefly as I take you back to your apartments." Optimus said as he knelt down and reached for her, opening his hand for her to step on.

Dawn shook her head and stepped back farther from him and his hand, her face hardening slightly. "You will hear me out, Optimus Prime. I am tired of being cast off as unimportant or shoved aside because you consider me less important than your other duties. I am not a little child, I am not a helpless woman, I will have you see me as an equal and you will hear me out."

Her words froze Optimus where he knelt. A cold chill washed over his frame as her power rippled around them all, it was a familiar sensation, one he'd felt during their training sessions, but this was much more potent than any of the other times. Its presence impossible to ignore. "Dawn—relax and think about this. There is no need for you to become hostile to us. We have been gracious hosts and have been very lenient and understanding with you and your needs. I would ask that you return the favor."

Dawn's mouth dropped open and she felt her mouth tug up in a sarcastic smile of disbelief. "You've been forcing me to live like I did on that planet! You've been strangling me in isolation. You've been keeping me a prisoner of silk and sweets, thinking luxury would make me forget about the chains and bars! I am not a stupid child who would be deceived by these simple illusions. You tell me to live a normal life, and yet you deny me the right to be normal! You allow me freedoms, then strip them away from me because you have no time to ensure I obey your every word! You cage me and leash me because you worry that I will become my sister!" Ironhide's mouth opened to protest, but Dawn didn't give him a chance to speak, lifting her hand she used her power to silence him. "You tell me to make blankets and to be more like a normal person and not to use my powers. But my powers are a part of me! Using them is as important to me as transforming is to you!

"You ask that I be something I am not in an effort to be easier to manage. But know this Optimus Prime, I am not afraid of you, or any other Transformer on this base. I will defend my freedom if I must. But I will not live as a slave again. I abide by your rules, I have honored your requests as I waited for you to hear me out, but now I am telling you. You will respect me as the creature of intelligence that I am! I will not be chained and paraded around as a prized possession. And I am certainly not going to allow myself to be stripped down to less than what I am! Using my power is normal, and you want me to be normal, therefore I will be using my powers as I see fit." Dawn stopped, casting her disdainful glare at each of them, removing her power from Ironhide, allowing him to speak if he so chose. Optimus remained knelt on the ground before her, his hand still offered as his bright blue optics studying the enraged female before him.

When she didn't continue within four breaths, Optimus spoke carefully. "Ashadawna, I do not view you as a prisoner, nor are you such. We are giving you the best accommodations we can afford to spare for you. You are restricted simply because we are worried about any potential attacks on this base by the Decepticons. I do not want to see you injured, killed or captured. I am sorry you feel that you are a captive here, that was not the intention. As for your power being a part of you, I am sorry to say that even though that may be true, and with as much power as you contain, it is not enough to see you through a Decepticon attack should one happen. Using your powers openly makes you a target, one that they would not hesitate to take out. I am simply restricting your powers use so that you remain invisible in the event of an attack..."

Dawn interrupted him with narrowed eyes. "Pretty words, but lies." Optimus noted that her eyes were slowly starting to change color, the power behind them shining through behind her iris's. "I can defend myself. I am not defenseless. I am not helpless."

Ironhide snorted. "Just because you escaped capture from the Decepticons once doesn't mean they'll make the same mistakes twice. They know what you are capable of now, they will be better prepared. You won't be able to defend against them. And you certainly can't outrun a mech."

Dawn cast her eerie eyes up at Ironhide, locking her glowing silvery eyes with his blue optics. "I am not afraid anymore. I can defend myself. You don't want me to prove that to you." Her voice was low, quivering with barely controlled rage.

Ironhide shook his head. "From one or two 'Cons, I have no doubt you'd win, but in large numbers, you don't stand a chance." Optimus raised his hand that had been offered to Dawn to motion Ironhide silent.

"Very well, young Ashadawna, if you believe that you do not need to be as heavily protected as you are, then that is your right. However, as my right as Prime and this being my base, I ask that you follow the rules that are placed upon this base. Civilians are restricted where they can go, they do not go into restricted areas without permission or escort. You will honor those rules while you are in my base..."

Again, Dawn interrupted him with an angry outburst. "Then I don't want to be on your base any longer, if you want me to follow your rules, which I can't if I'm going to be true to myself, then I will take myself off of your base."

Optimus shook his head. "I am sorry, but I cannot and will not allow you to leave this base..."

"Then I am a prisoner here!" Dawn snapped back, interrupting once more, but Optimus simply kept talking.

"It is for your protection and your own good that you are kept here and looked after. You have no where else to go, young Ashadawna. I ask for your patience." Optimus continued.

Dawn snorted and crossed her arms. "You say I am free, yet you force me to be bound here, you say I am not a prisoner, yet you demand that I wear these chains of 'control' on my powers. You say you are better than the Decepticons, yet you treat me worse than they are treating Lyn!" Dawn shook her head and looked away from both of them. "I guess I have no choice. I will be in my rooms..." She said as she walked past the two massive mechs and headed back in the proper direction. Her body tense and her power ready for action, should either of them reach for her as she passed.

Neither one moved as she passed them.

As soon as Dawn was out of hearing range, Optimus released a heavy sigh through his vents, sagging as the tension released its hold on him. The last of her icy tendrils of power had faded, making it clear that she was indeed moving away from them. Ironhide looked at his leader and shook his head. "She's getting stronger and much harder to handle every slagging day. I say we just throw her outside and let her feel what the real world is. It'd shut her up for at least a year. Let us get some real work done here for a change!" He growled, more out of frustration and irritation of being restrained by her power than any real anger.

Optimus shook his head. "No. If we allow her such freedoms, it will be at that time when our enemies will attack us the hardest. We can't afford to have her fall into Decepticon hands. Even if it makes her hate us."

Ironhide grunted his disagreement, folding his arms across his chest plating. "That's easy for you to say, she still respects you enough to keep her power off you—but you should start thinking long term. If she thinks of us as the enemy, she's in the prefect position to destroy this base from the inside out. You felt her power, she can do a lot of damage with it, and something tells me that wasn't her full capacity."

Optimus nodded reluctantly. "Though I hate to admit it, I feel that perhaps removing the priviliage of using the holo-room has done us more damage than her continuing to practice openly. She has obviously grown significantly in her powers, and without our even knowing." He sighed again and placed his hand across his face, wiping away any fatigue starting to present itself. "I must admit, I am at a loss of what to do for her."

"Then do nothing." A new voice came from behind them, Ironhide turned to look curiously at the newcomer. Ratchet walked closer to the two and spoke again, eyeing both of them as he spoke. "Do nothing. She wants to be a working part of this base, or to leave it. So—I say we allow her to leave it—for short periods of time only, but let her go outside the base, into the world we rest on. Let her have some semblance of freedom..." Optimus opened his mouth to speak, but Ratchet held up a hand to stop him. "If you want to keep her a prisoner, than refortify the brig to hold a fleshling and and hope that you can keep her there. As you told her, she isn't a prisoner. So don't treat her as one!"

Ironhide scowled and glared at the medic. "How is it you always make me feel like the bad guy." Ironhide growled as a feeling of guilt washed over him. Why hadn't he thought of showing her the land around the base before? Optimus had a similar expression, but still refused to give in.

"It isn't so simple, Ratchet, you know it isn't. Why would you even suggest this? The perimeter around the base isn't as secure as the inside, if there was to be an another attack..." Optimus began, but Ratchet quickly interrupted once more.

"If there was to be another attack, while she was outside, than she'd be twice as safe outside than inside a base where they can collapse the entire civilian sector and possibly crush her beneath it. Give her at least the chance of survival, Optimus. You would allow others in that sector the chance, why not her?" Ratchet demanded. His hard optics locking with Optimus'.

"Fine, you've made your point. I suppose I will tell her of this new arrangement shortly..." Optimus was saying when Ratchet shook his helm and turned to walk away.

"Don't bother, I left a note for her telling her about it on her data board, when she gets back to the room, she'll see it. But from now on, she's your problem. I'm not cleaning up anymore of your sparkling messes." With that, the cranky medic left them standing with their mouths open in protest. Once out of their site, Ratchet allowed himself a satisfied smile.