Author's note. Megatron has a good rant and Mirage does some snooping.

I don't own Transformers or Thundercats, their respective owners do.

Suggestions are very welcome.

Enjoy and please review.

"Stupid,"

"Half brained,"

"Witless,"

"Imbecile,"

These were a few of the choice words Megatron was currently yelling as he ranted at his SIC who took it with a 'are you done yet' look on his face. The Sparklings were looking a bit more sympathetic, though Ironhide still looked amused.

"Sir, that's not very nice," Skywarp couldn't help but say as Megatron paused for breath.

As Megatron turned an incredulous but furious look in his direction, Skywar gulped but continued.

"I mean, he's just a Sparkling."

Megatron snorted.

"Tell me something I don't know," he growled before saying.

"I swear your idiocy knows no bounds Starscream, you couldn't have found another way to test this program of yours?"

Starscream's optics flashed.

"If there was, don't you think I would have taken it," he spat. "I don't want to be a useless Sparkling but as I recall, you threatened me if I didn't cure him."

Skyfire looked guilty as Starscream threw out an arm, pointing it straight at him. Megatron, however, didn't look impressed.

"I threatened you with a spanking, hardly an erroneous punishment for a full grown Mech," he said contemptuously.

Starscream flushed furiously but still managed to say.

"No, you threatened to hand me over to Autobots after telling Optimus Prime that I was responsible for his little mate being beaten,"

The Sparklings all gasped, Elita in particular, as Starscream's lip trembled a little at the thought of that threat. As one, they all rushed to give him a hug, though Elita turned to scowl at Megatron.

"That was a horrible thing to say,"

"Yeah, how could you say something like that to poor Starscream," Chromia added fiercely, it seemed she and the others had forgotten any previous quarrel with the Seeker in the face of Megatron's meanness.

"Poor Starscream," Megatron scoffed. "He has no body but himself to blame for this....foolishness."

"Doesn't mean you should be mean," Elita insisted.

"Enough," Megatron said abruptly, before the other Sparklings could start arguing with him.

He shot Starscream a cold look as he said.

"You're relieved of your duties Starscream, until such time as you are capable of carrying them out."

Starscream's body seemed to tremble but apart from that, he didn't reveal any emotion. Not even when Megatron said.

"Looks like you have another Sparkling to take care of Skywarp,"

"Yes sir," Skywarp said as he turned to smile at the Sparklings.

"Come on, babies, daddy needs to get to his duties."

"Can we go back to our room?" Elita pleaded, knowing Starscream was unlikely to like being gawked at in the Rec Room.

"We'll be good," Skyfire quickly said as Skywarp looked thoughtful.

"They should probably rest," Hook interjected, nodding towards Skyfire and Starscream.

This made Skywarp smile, and he said.

"Alright then, come on Sparkies,"

He held out his hand which Elita and Chromia took, Ironhide quickly grabbing his mate's hand and they set off. Thundercracker offered his hand to Ratchet and Starscream, the latter taking it reluctantly.

Starscream's scowl intensified as Skyfire grabbed onto his free hand as he was pulled along by Thundercracker. Megatron watched them go with a sour look on his face, as Hook said.

"I'm surprised Starscream did that, he knew the consequences, yet he still did it,"

Megatron let out a snort.

"Pity he can't show the same dedication towards his leader,"

Skyfire's POV.

Skyfire walked with a happy smile on his face.

Not only was he all better and back with his friends, he had found out that Starscream didn't truly hate him. How could he when he had gone to such lengths to make sure Skyfire was all cured and stuff, it just went to show the Seeker wasn't as mean as he wanted everyone to think.

"What are you so cheerful about?" Starscream groushed as they were taken along the corridor.

Starscream could be so funny at times.

"I'm back with my friends and I'm not ill anymore," Skyfire chirruped before adding.

"I hope we get to watch more episodes of the Thundercats, they're great."

"Thundercats?" Starscream sneered.

"What ridiculous nonsense is that?"

"Oh, it's this great human show, a cartoon," Skyfire explained eagerly. "And it's all about these cats that have human bodies and they fight evil mutants."

"Oh yes, sounds positively delightful," Starscream said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Skyfire chuckled.

"You'll like it once you see it," he assured the disbelieving Seeker.

"We can watch Thundercats, can't we?" Skyfire asked Thundercracker who replied.

"I'm sure you can, but later you lot are getting a bath."

"Oh joy," growled Starscream as they continued along to Skywarp's quarters.

"I simply can't wait."

Mirage's POV.

Mirage crept along the corridor, making sure to keep to the walls.

He had been holed up in a disused store room all night and most of the day, and now he was out searching. So far however, his search had been fruitless, the objects of his quest were not to be found.

He sighed, everyone back at the Ark was on fire to find out how their comrade were doing, they hadn't heard anything since that first night they'd been taken. And it was taking its toll, Prime was shutting himself up in his office for most of the time and First Aid was stressing over not having Ratchet there.

What was worse was the Dinobots were threatening to mount their own rescue mission, so he had to find out as much as possible to stop that happening. Though the Dinobots weren't as stupid as many people believed, there was no denying they could be....heavy handed.

They were not the ones who could rescue the Sparklings, they just weren't suited to it, simple as that. That mission would require delicacy, planning, and....

"Aw dad, do we have to?"

......Not getting caught.

Mirage quickly ducked into an open room as the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard, he could not be found, not at this juncture.

He pressed himself beside the door, making sure he was totally still and silent. He listened hard, wondering who it was walking past. He soon got his answer.

I have given you my answer Rumble," came the voice of Megatron's third in command Soundwave and by the sound of things, he had his Cassettes with him.

"But why do we have to have it with them," Frenzy whined. "Their babies,"

Babies?

"Be that as it may," Soundwave rumbled. "You are still going in with them, and that is an end to it."

Mirage heard what sounded like a snicker from Ravage and then Rumble muttered.

"Shut up, Ravage,"

There came a sharp screech.

"Suck it, Beaky," came Frenzy's disgruntled voice.

"What have I said about language?" Soundwave said ominously.

"Not to use it," groaned the two Minicons as their siblings chuckled.

"Remember that, or I will repeat the lesson you learned last time,"

Mirage heard groans but the twins of terror didn't answer back, and the little family continued down the corridor.

Mirage carefully came out of his hiding place, but now very intrigued.

Frenzy had mentioned something about them doing something with babies, which could only mean the Autobot Sparklings. So if Mirage wanted to find the latter, all he had to do was follow the former.

With this in mind, he hurried down the corridor, so that he could catch up with Soundwave enough to see where he was going. Thankfully, Soundwave didn't seem to be heading to any lifts which would have made the job much harder.

Eventually, Soundwave reached a door and started ushering his creations in. Mirage had to rush forward in order to duck under Soundwave's arm before the door was closed. Amazingly, Soundwave didn't notice him but it was soon apparent why.

Mirage was in the wash room and the movement of air from the steamy interior covered up his pass. But as he went against the wall, as Soundwave closed the door, he had to stop himself from gasping.

There, right in front of him was the five Autobot Sparkligns happily playing in a large wash tub, with Skywarp and Thundercracker causally leaning against the sides of the tub walls. Both had smiling expression as the little ones splashed around, laughing all the while.

As Mirage watched, Skywarp turned his head and raised a soapy arm to wave at Soundwave and co.

"Hey, glad you could join us, come on in,"

And Mirage was left gaping as Soundwave directed Rumble and Frenzy forward and into the bath. The other Cassettes milled around watching in apparent amusement, as Soundwave started scrubbing his grumpy looking Minicons.

But as time went on, the two relaxed and even started joining in with the other six Sparklings, wait, six?

As Mirage stared, he saw that there was indeed a sixth Sparkling, a little white Seeker Sparkling who was a little apart from the rest despite the little Shuttle's efforts to include him.

"Holy Primus," thought Mirage as he gaped at Starscream. "How did that happen?"

This day had just gotten weirder for Aubotot spy.

Author's note. Next chapter takes place in the Ark as the Autobots plot. Till next time.

And now for Haluwasa2

Skyfire: I'm on the chair again.

Rathet; Fwor what?

Starscream: He tried to kick her for calling him cute.

Ratchet: Again?

Starscrem: This has happened before?

Ratchet: Yup.

Me: You'd think he'd learn from the first time.