I have made it to chapter four and I am not joking. This is the hardest story yet so if I don't post as often it is because I am trying to write and give as much detail as possible. Please leave a comment good or bad so that I know how you like it. Enjoy!

It was so rare to be this warm in her own bed. The mornings in the hall were usually very cold and chilly which was why many of them had such thick fluffy blankets on their berth. As Allie woke she realized that Optimus was in her berth with her and she smile as the previous day's event came back to her. She smiled as she tried to wriggle away from her mate. The morning was very early and she had work to do as well as getting ready for meetings, and Optimus probably would enjoy the rare occasion of staying in the berth, but the more she wiggled she just could not get away. She stopped for a moment as she gazed at him in recharge. He looked so peaceful and Allie smiled taking pleasure watching him.

Allie realized that if she didn't get up she would start her day late and she hated feeling behind so she gently shook Optimus. His heavy frame was partially draped over her and she could not get her legs out.

"Optimus, sweet spark, I can't get up." She said shaking him.

"Hmm? Oh, Allie." He said softly as she heard his systems rebooting and his optics coming on line. "Good morning." Optimus said as he gathered his bearings, not immediately recognizing his surroundings. He reached up and stroked her hair as he remembered yesterday's events.

"I have to go to work." She said softly as she kissed his lip plates. "Will you let me up?"

"What? Oh yes, sorry." He said. He didn't remember rolling her under him and he regretted it because it had to hurt her. She winced as he carefully removed himself from on top of her and Allie rolled off and limped to the wash racks. Optimus groaned as he remembered their mutual pleasure from last night. He knew that towards the end he had been rough but his desire to possess her had overruled his sense of restraint. He felt her reassure him through their bond, but Optimus still felt the guilt regardless. Even now he knew that if he joined her he would possess her again just to hear her scream his name. He had never realized how possessive he could be with her and to some degree it did frighten him, but it also baffled him that she loved being possessed by him. She had certainly never been like that when they had been on Cybertron. She had relished her independence then.

Allie walked out and noticed that Prime was still watching the door where she had come from.

"Brooding already, my love?" She asked smiling at him.

"I don't understand you sometimes." He said. He watched her as she looked back baffled by his words. "On Cybertron, you were so independent, but now it seems that you are different."

"How am I different?" She asked. Optimus pulled himself up and slid his peds to over the edge of the berth and onto the floor.

"You are stilled independent but when we are together it seems as if you like being possessed by me." Optimus hoped that he hadn't made her angry, but she smiled as she sauntered over to him and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I understand your question and it's okay." Allie slid on his lap as her arms went around his neck. "Everything here, what I am, what I do, is about control. This morning when you and Megatron sit in on hour informal briefing you will see a part of me that exercises great control. When I am with you, I trust you completely. I like that you have control over me because it is the one area of my life that I don't have to exert control over myself. Optimus, are you worried that you will hurt me?"

"No, yes, I think that I am. Last night, I could have really hurt you. Would you have stopped me?"

"I trust you, Optimus, besides I like the relationship as it is between us now. I like you possessing me okay? Don't worry about it. What we do together is between us." Allie kissed him again but then had a thought. "Optimus, is this about all of us under one roof? Are you concerned that I would wonder or compare you and Megatron? I wouldn't. You are my mate."

"It isn't about Megatron, no; but I last night in this berth it just made me wonder if I am being too rough with you. You had bruises on your hips from last night." He said quietly.

"Sweetie, if I wanted vanilla sex as the humans calls it then my life would be boring. Unfortunately, I don't want where I lay there and just take it. I like a bit of rough with the sweet, and there are things I would like to do with you but I haven't asked because I didn't want to upset you." She cupped his chin in the palm of her hand and rubbed her nose along his jaw line. "It also doesn't help when I pick up things in the bond with Shalon or Aura." She whispered into his audial receptor. Optimus shivered as he looked at her questioningly. "The next time I pick up something, maybe I can send it to you through our bond." Allie whispered.

"What do they do?" Optimus asked and Allie laughed hard.

"What do they not do should be the question that you need to ask." Allie replied and laughed at his expression.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Aura woke up on top of Thundercracker. Her joints were stiff from all the unexpected exercise from the night before and her face showed her happiness as she lovingly stroked her mate as he recharged soundly in bliss. Aura carefully moved off him so that she didn't wake him. The room was cold, as was the rest of the hall due to the energon converters shutting off to cool for the night. Before they had been installed the hall had always been dark, cold, and damp, but since Allie and Wheeljack had developed the energy harnessing device it had greatly improved the living conditions and function of the hall. Now when they came for the rituals or needed to be away from the other Transformer, but still needed to work, they came here and worked from the hall. The old entrance had been converted to a tarmac so that their vehicles and ships could be safely and efficiently stored in the sub-basement. It was one of many jobs that Aura had to maintain and she enjoyed doing it.

The only thing that concerned her right now though was how this little sparkling would affect everything. Even now, she could feel the sparkling fluttering around her own spark getting ready to go to her carrying chamber so that she would soon show to the world the result of her loving her mate. Other than a little bit of nauseous after breakfast she had been fine other than when she had gotten motion sick yesterday in Astrotrain. Doc told her that would pass but Aura didn't mind. She was going to have a little one that came from her union with Thundercracker and she prayed to Primus that it would look just like her precious mate.

She quickly showered and dressed and walked to the door, but turned back one last time to look at her beloved who was out cold to the world his vent rhythmically inhaling and exhaling air to his systems.

0o0o0o0o0o

Cassie paced back and forth bouncing Firefox and Isis between each hip. They had both been fussy through the night and Cassie had finally had to put them in the berth with her and Soundwave just so she could get a little recharge. Shadow had slept although fitfully without Firefox, but he was in recharge now and Cassie was trying to get her girls to go back down so she could get ready to start her day. All three had had their early morning breakfast but if her girls didn't settle soon she was going to have Soundwave take them to Doc or Ratchet to have them check over for any viruses or unsets that they might have sustained when coming through the gate. It was rare, but she knew that sparklings were more susceptible to any glitches that may be in the gate.

Cassie heard Soundwave's systems booting up and his optics came on line. He turned his head toward her and quickly rose up to help her with the sparklings. He took Firefox from her and began bouncing the little one close to his spark to see if that would help her go back to recharge.

"They have whimpered and cried all night, my love." Cassie said as she shifted Isis close to her spark and sent the little soothing assurances and love through the creator/creation bond. "You may want to take them to Doc or Ratchet and have them checked out for any glitches or viruses."

"I get the twins to help me. Why don't you lay down a few more minutes and rest before you go in to work?" Soundwave took Isis from her and shooed her to the berth as Cassie did lie down only to realize how tired she felt but she could only spare twenty minutes so she made the most of it by setting her alarm and closing her eyes as a light recharge overcame her systems.

Soundwave looked at his mate and felt her tiredness. He loved his sparklings but wondered if three had been too taxing for her and worried what would happen when he left. He walked them back out to the living area to see that Frenzy was up and playing a game on the gaming system that Cassie had, his little mind probably working faster than the game could be played. It was why he was such a wonderful hacker and Soundwave prided himself on the efficiency of his symbiots.

"Morning, dad." Frenzy smirked as he continued to play his game.

"Frenzy, desist." Soundwave replied.

"Why, it is what you are." He snickered.

Soundwave chose to ignore him for now as he walked back to the nursery. As the door opened Seaway was tidying the room.

"Good morning, my lord." She said. "Would you like me to take one for you?" She asked.

"Thank you." Soundwave handed Isis to her since she was more comfortable with people. Firefox started to whimper again and Soundwave cradled her close to his spark to settle her. "How long have you been here?" He wanted to know how she got in when he knew that Cassie had locked the door before coming to berth last night.

"I have a small room just off the nursery. When I am on the job, I stay in there, my lord." She replied calmly to his question.

"Lady Cassie set everything up before she left for earth. If there is a problem I am sure she will assist you or maybe Lady Allie would be able to help." Seaway lowered her optics as she waited for his reply.

"No, I was just curious as to how you got into our quarters. I am sorry if I caused concern for you." He couldn't help but be suspicious. It was his nature and he desired to make sure that his sparklings were well protected. "You are smaller than Shalon." He stated.

"Yes, I am very small. My creator, Jammer, said I took after my grand creator, his mother. She was only nine feet high and very petit." Isis had gone back to sleep and Seaway placed her in her crib. Soundwave laid Firefox next to Shadow and smiled as his son's little arms wrapped around his sibling's tiny waist. They were absolutely adorable.

"My lord, I will stay here if you want some time with my mistress. She is still recharging." Seaway walked to the chair and sat down to curl up in it. Soundwave nodded to her, turned, and walked out. As he passed Frenzy he asked,

"Did you see the youngling femme in the nursery this morning?" Frenzy paused the setting on the game and looked at his creator.

"Yes, she said that Cassie hired her to stay with us to help with the sparklings. Is there a problem?" Frenzy said suddenly tense and concerned for his siblings.

"No," Soundwave saw him relax, "I just wasn't expecting her to be here this morning."

"Go on back to mom." Frenzy snickered. "She probably wants to blow your circuits before going to work anyway." Frenzy giggled as he turned back to the game.

"Frenzy crude, not acceptable behavior." Soundwave dryly replied.

"No, but very true." Frenzy countered never looking up from the game. Soundwave sighed through his vents and walked back to his private quarters. Cassie was still asleep and he had a few minutes to spare. He quickly walked over and lay down next to his mate as he spooned against her. Cassie didn't even stir.

0o0o0o0o0oo0

He booted up to a very cold room. Chelsea was snuggled into his side; her breaths coming out in the cold room were the only thing visible as she snuggled down deep into the blankets that were wrapped around both of them. Her room was dark and spacious, larger than any private room that he had ever been in. The massive berth was securely placed in the corner as Barricade saw a double door leading to what he suspected was the wash racks. He knew that they were below ground in the temple part of the fortress and she had explained why the drapes around the berth were closed, the cold, but Barricade had never been in a place this elaborate or luxurious. He had always been a transformer with simple needs and he felt very much out of his league.

As if sensing her bond mate's unease Chelsea woke up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Cade, it's okay. I don't have any early morning duties and we can spend some time in bed, at least until the heat generators come back on line." She murmured in his audial receptor as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Suddenly she stopped and untangled herself from him as she jumped up and ran to the wash racks. Barricade heard her purging her supper from the night before and he quietly rose to help her regain her dignity. He pulled out the wash towel he kept at all times for her and wet it in warm water in the laboratory.

"Thanks." She said shakily. "Doc says that the purging should stop in a few more weeks, but I still hate it." He words came out funnily as she shivered in the cold air. Barricade wrapped her close to his body as he let warm air release from his vents. Chelsea was shivering both from the cold and reaction from being sick. She leaned against her lover and sighed.

"Can you take me back to our berth, please?" She whispered. She wanted her blankets and his warm metal against her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he gently picked her up and carried her back to their berth as he kissed her head and cheeks as he sat down with her in his lap. Barricade moved the drapes around the berth away to slide her over as he crawled in behind her.

"You have a mirror on the roof of your berth?" Barricade exclaimed the question. The night before, Chelsea had been tired and he had not noticed it.

"It is part of the berth. I inherited it when I took this room as my quarters. The berth is part of the room." She laughed at his expression as he watched both of them from the mirror.

"This is so different from what I have." Barricade looked at Chelsea. "This is different." He nuzzled her neck and shoulder but then looked at her again. "Are you okay?" He gently asked.

"I am fine, my love." She smiled as he buried them both under the covers.

0oo0o0o0o0

Starscream's systems had booted up early and he was up and exploring the hall. He was curious about why it was so cold in the hall and he was wondering if he would run in to her again. He didn't know why but the femme intrigued him. He walked down the stairs and walked through the room that they had started in the evening before and heard voices. As he approached another set of double archways he saw a large round table and many femmes sitting or standing around it.

"Good morning, my lord." Said one of the femmes. Her greeting startled him as he stared at her.

"I'm Shayla. I came in last night from late patrol. Sorry that the hall is so cold, but the converters have just switched on so it will warm soon. I trust that you recharged well?" She asked with a smile as she acknowledged another femme with a wave.

"Yes," he said faintly. "You said patrol?"

"Yes, I run team three for Allie. We are known as the night hawks because we prefer the late shift." She said. "Allie has set aside chairs at the table for you and your friends. I have to go; I have to get my morning report ready. Allie is on her way." Shayla turned and grabbed her data pad as she took a seat at the table. Starscream looked at all of them as he marveled at the sight. He had never thought he would see so many femmes in a room again. The war had taken its toll on their race, but this sight was as if Primus had personally blessed him. He counted at least twenty in the room and there were twice that many seats if more. He saw a pitcher of energon and glasses in the center of the table and it reminded him of some of the picture back on Cybertron of tables that were set up for early meetings in the senate building. He had only ever heard of it through Megatron who as Lord High Protector would have to report to the senate from time to time. It always boggled Starscream that he could come from the gladiator pits to stand before the pompous, snobby senators because a Prime said he was the next protector of Cybertron, but Megatron still had fought for equality and in the end it had led to war. So what if the Lord High Protector was ambitious and desired to further his power through that war.

Allie walked in the room and Starscream's optics about bulged out of his helm. She was dressed in black and she had her weapons attached at her waist as well as armor shifting around her legs, torso and arms. She had braided her hair into small braids all over her head and she had sharp blades protruding from the ends where the ties secured the ends of the braids. Her eyes were covered with some type of glasses that reflected like a mirror and her boots had blades on the tips. Starscream thought she looked magnificent and thought that Prime should be proud of his warrior mate.

"Good morning. Kelsey's team will be here momentarily and Chelsea is not responding so I don't know when she will arrive. Cassie is finishing her calls and will be here in a few minutes. Comm., we will start with your report so that it will give Optimus Prime's and Megatron's teams time to get here. Good morning Starscream, you are welcome to pour yourself some energon and take a seat. We will be going over operating procedures, oh, one other thing, Saraphina came in last night so stay out of her way. That goes for everyone." Allie sat down and everyone standing around quickly took a seat. Starscream did the same as Megatron emerged and took the seat to his right. Optimus Prime walked in with Ironhide and Bumblebee and took a seat not too far from them. Allie leaned back ready to start the day with her troops. Starscream could see the darkness beyond the windows and wondered where the sun light was as well as looking out he realized that though they were on a ground floor they were still high up as if on a cliff or bluff because there was vast greyness below and a misty cloudlike substance that covered the ground below. The fog would account for the dampness though with the energon converters powering the dampness had already dissipated.

"Comm.?" Allie asked.

"Communication throughout the Realm has been quiet although we are checking a glitch that occurred on Mastee 4 in the northern hemisphere. The governor of the planet assures us that he is complying with our crew that is investigating, and the Jung ho, which has been confirmed, have abided by the treaty that had been in effect for the past solar cycle. Lord Chronis assures us that he wants to keep peace at all costs. Shayla's team picked up an anomaly but we think it may have been one of the dragons that have been migrating to their mating fields. I'll let her fill you in concerning that. Ultra Magnus reports that Moon base 5 is quiet, though they did have an extra patrol go out the other night. He has sent the report to you and I'll have it downloaded to your desk within the hour."

"Shayla?"

"Night patrol has been quiet for the last six weeks, we did have the anomaly to occur last night but I have a skycam checking that out now as well as Kiki is running the backup. Oh, speaking of Kiki, is she returning to my team or will you be placing her with yours until you know that she has overcome her emotional obstacles? I could use another short flyer on the team…"

"No, not until Doc clears her for flying. She is still too unstable since her capture and I will not risk her health or her life. Cassie?"

Cassie had just walked in and Allie could see the circles under her eyes. "I have checked with school supers and there have been no major reports of incidents with the integration project that we are doing. There was one incident where a transformer youngling pulled a weapon on a transport, but the teacher and supervisor assured me that the young mech had provocation and both parties are being disciplined. I have been asked to council the young mech, and while I am taking care of it I will be touring the orphanage while on Sittee Alpha as well as hiring a new governess to take my place since I will be unable to fulfill that role until my three are a little older."

"What happened to the last one we hired before you left for the Nemesis?"

"She quit. I seems she couldn't handle it and Molly basically told to shove it." There was a groan throughout the femmes.

"Well, I the problem is that you do your job too well, Cassie."

"I know and have do have a solution that might help." She returned. "We could split the job and hire two governesses. This could help to compensate for the territories being so large and difficult to manage."

"I'll agree to that…"

"But where will the money come from to pay an extra person?" Shalon asked as she walked in to take a seat. "Even now, Cassie barely takes a wage since she has her quarters and rooms on the bases and when she is in the field she usually stays in the orphanages so that she doesn't pay for a hotel."

"I agree. The money does pose a problem." This came from a short stalky femme across facing Allie across the table.

"Not really. Since the peace treaty signed, we have not had to replenish weapons and I have been putting that money aside in a separate account. We can redirect it so that our education budget can use it." Aura said as she thumped her data pad and quickly began running figures and statistics to make sure that she was right.

"Make sure before you commit, Aura. I don't want to cut our military budget short even if we are at peace. The Realm can be unstable at times and we may need that money for sudden repairs. I do like the idea of hiring two people for the position, and now that you are back you will be here in an advisory position so it should not be a problem. Also you still have three weeks of leave due to adjusting the little ones so take your time."

Allie looked over the table as more of the mechs arrived and their leaders commed them to take a seat. She opened her link with Optimus and could feel the pride and love emanating from him. It was not often that he had seen this side of her, but she had to inwardly smile that he was surprised by her appearance. She had not had the chance to tell him about their choice of clothing, but many of them liked the black because it made them look intimidating.

"Cassie?" Allie asked to move the meeting along.

"We also have the weekend charity concert that will raise money for the orphanages. Allie, you did commit us two months ago, and we also have the junior orchestra that will be playing an addition to any extra entertainment that we supply. The problem is that we have not sold the usual amount in tickets and I worry that we will not make enough money."

"Com, can we assist by using our internet resources in the cities to get the word out. We still have nine days left until the concert."

"May I suggest something?" This came from Soundwave. Allie looked at the mech.

"Frenzy is good at internet and hacking. He may be of assistance to your cause?"

"Thank you Soundwave, if Cassie needs it then Frenzy's help will be most appreciated."

"Then next thing that we need to discuss, and Aura had already alerted the bases and we have additional help coming, is that reason that Saraphina is her." Everyone looked at Allie. Both leaders had sensed that her presence that had caused a lot of tension from the moment Allie had warned her. "Sara brought in a report that the last concentration camp that the Jung ho has is being relocated."

Allie's statement immediately caused uproar among the femmes and for a moment Allie allowed them to talk among themselves. Optimus and Megatron looked upon the proceeding with amusement until Allie raised her hand and everyone immediately quieted.

"Shalon."

"If they are moving the prisoners that can only mean that they intend to kill them."

"Aura."

"I can have all officers and ships ready and at your disposal."

"Mia."

"I will have the cannons and rounds checked and have all ships loaded if what I am thinking is your intent."

"Cassie."

"The camps are always iffy, Allie. We are still trying to negotiate prisoner releases since the peace treaty was signed. If we choose to act if could break the peace treaty."

"If we don't hundreds of prisoners are going to die."

"I don't know if it is that many. The smaller camps kept about two to four hundred but Shayla is right. They won't be moving them for their health."

"Sara's intel has never led us wrong."

"I agree. I don't know how she does it but every time we have acted on her intel she has been dead on."

Allie listened to each statement. She had not anticipated this development, and it was not really convenient at this time, but they would have to act on it and quickly. She looked over at the two teams of mechs wondering what they thought of all the drama, but Allie would not apologize for t because this was their life and it was harsh but it was good. She thought of what the humans called it, harsh but worth it.

"If we are to go in and liberate, what ramifications might follow?" Allie asked.

"Aura?"

"We are at full capacity on our ships, we also use our older cargo ships and all are in working order. Equipment wise we are good, but we are down a few officers, plus in the past Kiki has been one of our lead infiltrators, but with her not well it is going to make the operation harder."

"Shalon?"

"I can cover Kiki position. We have enough on the team. Does Saraphina have the layouts of the camp? I mean I know what we see from satellite but I also know that what makes this the hardest of all rescue operations is that this particular camp is wooded and dense at that. We will need specific blueprints."

"Blueprints are not a problem. I have them already, but we will need to act fast because they are planning to move them at night."

"Chelsea?" Chelsea had just walked in with Barricade as he took a seat close to Soundwave.

"The only political fallback would be from Lord Garrison. He will try to make this out as an attack and use it to try and break the treaty."

"If it would help, the Jung ho have broken the treaty on several different occasions. We could use it to our advantage since we turned a blind eye on those occasions. Make them turn a blind eye?"

"Mia?"

"What Chloe is talking about is that Lord Garrison did not renew the contracts on the mining operations on the Moon base. We have not approached the situation because we were waiting for you to get back."

"So they did not renew their miner's contract?"

"Yes."

"And they are still mining without said contracts?"

"Yes." Allie pondered this for a moment.

"How soon could we have an operation ready and on the go?"

"We can have it ready within the hour, I don't recommend leaving until after lunch which would make our arrival time right at sunset and give us the cloak of the early evening."

"Doc?"

"Infirmary is always stocked and ready. For the amount of refugees that would be coming in I recommend that we turn the hangar just off of the tarmac into a temporary medical unit so that we have the room. I have already contacted the locals for backup and support. This biggest concern is feeding these prisoners when they come in because they will be malnourished and half dead."

"Do you have the staff for incoming wounded?"

Allie watched Doc look at Ratchet and then Hook before turning back to her. "Ratchet and Hook have already said that they are willing to help providing that their leaders do not object."

Allie leaned back in her chair as she thought before finally saying softly. "My mind is already made up. We are going to run the operation because it is our job to protect any that come into the Realm whether it is for a new life or as refugees looking to start over." Allie stood up. "I want everyone called in. Ultra Magnus is already being informed of the situation and is sending the backup that will assist in the rescue operation. Aura, I want all available on the tarmac briefed and ready to go by lunchtime."

The room began to buzz with comments and activity.

"Allie," Optimus said. "If you need my mechs and if they agree I will be willing to spare them." Allie looked at Optimus.

"That would be great because we are currently down with a few gunners since I have a team that is in the outer limits of the Realm investigating a colony disappearance."

"How many do you need?" Megatron asked.

"I am down three right now, but it doesn't hurt to have backup."

"I may be able to spare a few mechs as well."

Allie looked at Megatron carefully because she didn't trust his methods. "I appreciate the help, my lord, and we will be happy to ask if we should need it."

"Aura, I want the tarmac ready. Shalon have the teams divided and I want to make sure that we have Kiki's position covered."

Allie looked at everyone carefully. "I am not going to tell you how difficult this operation can get, but I will need everyone at their best. We know from past experience that anything can go wrong and it has in the past so let's make this run as successful as possible."

Everyone nodded as Allie dismissed them and the main hallway became a buzz of activity as everyone went about their jobs. She walked over to Optimus and Megatron.

"Busy morning. Are you sure that you want to lend a hand?" She asked.

"I know you would if the situation was reversed." Optimus said simply.

"My mechs would be bored if they sit around and that is not good." Said Megatron.

"I will have Aura and Mia fill you in then. I will also have Com download the programs on how to use the equipment on the ships. This will not be an easy operation. You will see a lot of suffering and if the guards in the camps are well armed then there will be casualties."

"I have faith that you will have us prepared." Optimus said.

"Alright." She answered.