AN/ Normal talk Flashbacks

"What do you transform into?" a curious Glitch asked, "Not a vehicle, I can tell that much." Blackarachnia sighed. "A giant spider, a very scary giant spider!" "I like spiders; they make pretty webs and have interesting features."What about Autobot eating spiders?" "The bigger, the better I say! I seriously doubt that there's Autobot eating spiders. Unlike adults, they don't care about factions. I find it hard to believe that there's Transformer eating spiders though, unless the spider can somehow digest metal, which I don't think any organic can." "What do you know about organics?" "That they're cool and interesting. They can be quite friendly too." "How would you know?" "I live on an organic planet." "Oh yeah, you're a neutral."

Glitch blinked a few times. "Anyways, how'd you manage to scan a spider? I thought Transformers couldn't scan organics and transform into them." "I accidently absorbed some spider DNA and turned into this, a freak!" "You're not a freak! If anybody's a freak, I am!" "What?!" "You can change into a spider, so what? I'm everything a youngling's not supposed to be."

"Like what?" "Well, I like organics, I don't need to always get my way, I like to play pranks, and I'm not going to be nice to someone if they aren't nice to me!" "I'll admit it, I like your spunk, but you have to watch it around here." "Yeah, I noticed. So, what's up with Blitzwing?" "Who knows? He's insane." "Is he tripolar?" "I guess so. Hey, want to play a trick on Screamer?" "If that means Starscream, oh yeah!" "You really don't like him." "I also don't like Nut. I'm impartial to Blitz."

"What's you're name, kid?" "Sorry, the information you are seeking is currently unavailable, not you care." Blackarachnia cracked a small smile. She could tell that she was going to enjoy playing a prank on the Seeker. She handed Glitch a sign. "When Screamer passes by, I'll distract him while you stick this on his back. That'll get him!" "That's a good plan and all, but how am I going to get up to his back?"

Blackarachnia looked up, trying to decide what to do. She squirted some webbing to the ceiling. "How good are your climbing skills?" "Good." She gave her a boost, and Glitch climbed up. "You ready?" "Yep!"

Starscream came by. "Hey Screamer," Blackarachnia greeted, "Has Hot Head blown up the ship yet?" "No, but he set fire to his quarters again." As they continued to chat, "Glitch silently slid down the piece of web. She quickly stuck the sign on his back and climbed back up. The two finished their conversation. Starscream walked away with a "kick me" sign stuck to his back. "Good job, kid. Now get down and let's watch Screamer get kicked!" Glitch quickly came down. Blackarachnia pulled the webbing down.

They watched Starscream pass by Hot Head. Hot Head watched him walk past. "Prepare to die, vool!" He kicked him and pounced. Starscream shrieked in a very girly way. Glitch couldn't help but giggle. Starscream heard her.

"Why you little glitch!" he yelled, "come her so I can tear your processor out!" Glitch took off. "Uh oh, if Screamer there does anything to her, he'll blame me! And Megatron won't be too happy." She quickly followed them, leaving Hot Head to beat up some scrap metal.

Glitch ducked into a room and waited until Starscream passed by. She snuck out of the room. She was just walking around when someone nabbed her. "Sorry about that kid," Blackarachnia apologized, "I didn't know if Screamer was still around. "It was a little to close, but Screamer could never catch me!" "I'm beginning to think you're right."

They both fell silent as Hot Head stormed by. Glitch gave him a confused look, which he picked up. "Vhat are you looking at, you little glitch?!" "Nothing." "Good, because if you vere, I vould have to pull your optics out!" "O-kay." "Vhat does that mean?!" "It means… okay?" He humphed and stormed off.

"That mech has some serious issues." "I agree with you there." "Now what?" "You hungry?" "Not really." They both sighed. "Is it usually this boring?" "No, because Blitzwing isn't usually stuck on Hot Head." "I think I like him better when he's not stuck on one personality." Starscream came running from Hot Head, with the sign still on his back. "Come back here so I can blast you!" "No, go away, go away!"

Perceptor groaned. Every inch of his frame was filled with pain. "At least he didn't rip any limbs off," he mused, "Never knew a punch like that could hurt that much!" Lying still helped the pain, but it didn't help his troubled mind. "What are they after?! Not me, because then Lockdown would've only grabbed me. I wonder… Shadestalker! It all makes sense now! They want Shade!" Upon this revelation, he began thinking about Glitch. "How am I supposed to take care of her? I'm way out of my league…"

"Are you kidding?! This is way out of my league! I'm a scientist, not a fighter!" "I now, but I need an extra pair of servos! Use that blaster of yours!" "Why are they attacking this colony?! It's filled with neutrals!" "Like they care! They probably figure that they can some energy and some new recruits." "I know bots in that colony. They rather be off lined than get involved in the Con/Bot conflict!" "Then if we fail, they die." "But why, they aren't involved!" "How old are you again?" "14, fixing to turn 15." "Look Perceptor, you're young. You don't understand these things." "Yes I do, somewhat." "Well… argh!" "Shadestalker!"

He shifted again. "I wonder if Moonhopper is happy with Springer. She's like a sister to me. I just want her to be happy." He sighed. "Great, now I'm talking to myself! I guess that's better than going insane. I can't believe this! Here I am, 24, captured by Cons, not bonded with a femme, and my brother doesn't know I'm missing. On to of all that, I'm somehow supposed to be watching his kid while the Con leader tries to indoctrinate her! And I'm still unappreciated! I really do need to get out more! Next time somebody wants to take me out to lunch, I'm dropping whatever I'm doing and going with them!"

"So, do you want to come with us?" "No thanks, I have to study." "You're always studying! Why don't you get out once and a while to enjoy life?! You're only 14! I say you've done your fair share of work, already being the Top Graduate at the Science Academy and all! You deserve a break!" "Fine, I'll go with you. But let's not stay out too long, okay?" "Perceptor, Perceptor, Perceptor, all work and no play makes you a dull bot." "I've never been an exciting bot. "Okay, is it okay with you that I signed you up for an expedition?" "You what?!"

Glitch somehow got separated from Blackarachnia. "I wonder where Percepotr is," she thought, "I wonder if he's okay." She snuck around, trying to find the brig. "Now, I have to open the door. She spied the keypad. She took the cover off and rewired it. The door to the brig opened. She snuck in and closed it. She found Perceptor's cell and hacked into the keypad.

"Perceptor," she whispered, "are you okay?" "Glitch? Yeah, I'm a little beat up, but fine." "Did they hurt you?" "Not as much as they probably usually do. Does anybody know you're down here?" "No, I hacked my way in. I don't think they would let me come down here." He sat up. She climbed up next to him.

"Now can you tell me what's going on?" "I'm not sure how much you'll understand." "Try me." "Basically, they hired Lockdown to come get us. They're after Shadestalker." "Why?" "I have no idea. They might've mistaken his self exile for discontent towards the Autobots." "But would he even think about joining them, if he was?" "No, I seriously doubt it."

Megatron stalked through the ship, heading towards the brig. Hot Head had set he ship on fire five times over the course of a few mega cycles, so Megatron needed to blow off some built up steam. And what better way to do that besides beat up the prisoner? He pressed the code into the keypad, which took a while to respond before opening the door. "When Cool gets back, he'll need to fix that. At least it's not Random's 6588th birthday."

"So you fix a warp drive by reconnecting the fuel system, giving you plenty of fuel to jump?" "Yeah, that's right. You catch on fast, Glitch. "Now get going before they wonder where you are!" "Bye, Perceptor! I'll come back later!" She left the brig.

Perceptor decided to get some shut eye. Megatron came out of the shadows and entered the Autobot's cell. The red mech didn't even stir. The next ting Perceptor knew, he was off the berth and in the air. He felt a familiar grasp on his scope. He opened his optics. "What can I do for you?" Megatron tightened his grip. "Let's talk, scientist." "About what?' "Glitches." "Any particular kind?" "Oh, maybe the one in the form of a femme youngling that just came out of here that you affectionately called Glitch."

AN/ Uh oh, poor Perceptor! Next chap: Megatron confronts Glitch, Glitch messes with Screamer, and Perceptor muses some more (it's not like he has anything else to do).