AN: Disclaimer: I only own my OCs...as detrimental as that can be at times.

Sentinel: *suspicious* You are updating rather quickly Authoress.

Authoress: *shrugs* Vacation and time to type. Great way to get caught up.

Pandimala: *nervous* But that chapter title doesn't look like it will end well.

Authoress: *nervous chuckle* Just remember that I only write what happens, and I don't control any of it.

Chapter 16: Fall of the Prime

Megatron's 1st P.O.V.

This was it. Phase one of our operation to claim our rights and victory from the Autobots. If we could pull this operation off the way we wanted it to, then I was sure that the rest of phase one would fall in line. More and more Autobots would hopefully see the lies they had been fed since this war began. So many lies were ingrained into their coding, and it would take all that the Decepticons had at our disposal to accomplish this. If we could get past this mission then phase one should fall in line.

However, this was going to be the most challenging part. So many different things could go wrong with this operation. So many ways that the Autobots could stop us. Stop us when we were so close. As they were right now, none of the Autobot teams were to the point where we could start converting them to our side without this operation. Even the one that was closest to us needed a little help. And this operation was going to do that.

"You're stressing again."

I glanced out of the corner of my optics as Starscream walked up to me. The look in his optics told me that, even though he called me out for doing so, he was stressed as well. With our change in targets away from the yellow scout, we were all on edge. We had plenty of interactions with the scout to have taken him, though his burgeoning response to trauma had caused us to eliminate him as an option, and yet our newest target was fairly new to us, all scenarios considered. "As are you Starscream," I shot back at my second.

He nodded in acceptance at that. "Fair. However, given all of the changes we have made in our preliminary plan, we have every right to be. That mech is not going to be easy to bring in, and we will face a lot of pressure from his team until he is returned. I expect injuries on our side to be numerous. Nothing spark-threatening, I don't think, but we will take a hit."

"And that is why, in preparation for this, all of us Decepticons on Earth outside of Blitzwing will be present for this fight," I reminded him. There were two reasons that Blitzwing was not going to be joining us in this fight. The first was that we were worried that the medic on Team Apocalypse might be able to coax our plans out of the mech. If they found out before we could take action, then the plan would fail. The other reason, however, was more about security. While we had an agreement with the mech from Junkion, we weren't sure how he would react to us taking a prisoner. I wanted Blitzwing to keep an optic on the mech and make sure he didn't come to the battlefield to interfere. As it was, we were going to have to keep an optic on him while we had our prisoner. "With two more Autobot teams on Earth, we will need to keep our processors about us. However, we will succeed."

"And the mech from Junkion?" Starscream asked. "We still don't know what his angle on Earth is, and that could be difficult if he interferes."

And I knew that. Even though Blitzwing would be able to watch the mech while we were out in battle, the neutral's reaction to our prisoner was going to be what we would have to look out for. The mech was a danger to our plans. I needed to find out more about the mech. However, that was something that we did not have time for. At least not before this mission. And that bothered me.

"When we return with our prisoner, the mech will have to be watched extra carefully," I emphasized. "The fact that he is so familiar to us and yet we cannot place him is disconcerting. Though we cannot let that fact distract us while we host our 'guest'. If we do, then we might not be as effective in convincing our guest that what he has ingrained into his programming is a lie." It was frustrating, though, to be without that information at a time like this. Our movements going forward were hinging on this mission going well. That mech, with this mystery surrounding him, could ruin things if something we didn't know came back to shoot us in the back.

Starscream let out a vent. "Well, there is no point overthinking about this. I believe that the others are almost ready to deploy." Of course, just because he said that did not mean that he was over the stress that was weighing down on us. As my second, and much more loyal subject now, he was sharing in some of the burdens that I had been placing upon myself before all of this. Did I completely trust Starscream as I did back at the beginning of this revolution? No. No, that would take some time before we were able to move. However, I was more than ready to go out into battle with the mech without hesitation. Perhaps in time, we could return to the trust that we shared.

Until then, we had to keep moving forward. We needed this plan to move smoothly and to do that, we all needed to be on the same note on this. We needed to communicate with each other while, at the same time, making sure that the Autobots were kept in the dark about this until we could start showing them our side of things.

So, I agreed with the mech so the two of us then moved to the main hub where the others were preparing for this mission. Swords were being sharpened while cannons and blasters were being primed and cleaned as we moved closer to the entrance. "Lord Megatron," I paused and turned to Oilslick as he addressed me. "While I may not have the mental inclination to deal with Fable on a level field, I do believe that I can keep the mech occupied. Would that be acceptable?" He had a look of determination on his faceplate that I had not seen in quite some time.

Of course, even without that, his request would be more than acceptable. Oilslick would be able to think on his pedes when dealing with the crazed medic and would be able to handle any oddities. If I couldn't fight the insane mech with our insane mech, then having one of my quickest thinkers match up against the mech would more than suffice. "Yes, that would be wise," I then turned to the rest of my troops as they rose to attention. "I will be focusing on the leader of Team Apocalypse and Oilslick will work on keeping Fable at bay. The rest of you will have to fight multiple Autobots at once. This will be a difficult operation so we all must keep our optics open for everybot. If you see somebot in trouble, move so that you can both work together. Communication between all of us will be key in all of this. Don't get in over your helms, and don't get overconfident."

It would be more than key. It would be essential. As the Autobots had proven with each of the fights we had fought against them here on this planet, lacking communication could cripple our efforts. Not only that, but positive communication would enhance our cooperation even further. The few times we had seen communication on the battlefield between Team Apocalypse and Team Orion was more than detrimental to their abilities to hold their own.

Leading the way, we flew to the quarry that we chose to lure the Autobots in. It had just a high enough energon output that, once we lowered the dampeners we placed around it, would draw the Autobots in. The more logical among their ranks would be hesitant, but even they could not let the risk of energon getting away from them be overridden by their worries. Then when they arrived, they would fight as hard as they could to make sure that they got a portion of the energon here. While the loss of this mine would be a minor blow to the Decepticons, the boon we hoped to get in the form of our prisoner would more than outweigh that.

The chance to return home. It was becoming more of a reality every solar we worked on this.

Seeing the quarry in my sights, I began my descent. This was it. If we could accomplish this, then I had hope for the future. Hoped for a better future where the corruption on Cybertron would be eradicated and my Decepticons could return home. Even after I landed and transformed, I felt that hope. We could return home.

"My Lord," I focused as I turned to Pandemonium. "We will persevere in this. As my bondmate and I have never given up in the search for our creation, we will not stop until your ambitions are achieved. We will succeed this solar just as we will succeed in our quest against the Autobots. We have seen our errors and are working toward correcting them. You don't need me to say your mistakes, for you know them quite well, however, my bondmate and I have made our own mistakes as well. We were so focused on following and supporting you, that we did not see the path we were inadvertently setting our creation on.

His bondmate then walked over to join us. "With Blitzwing, he was invested from the start. However, Pandimala was different. She didn't see the world in the same way that we did, and we failed to see that until she fled from us. All we want now, outside of following you, is to find her again and let her know that we support her."

My spark went out to Malice. Ever since the femme had fled, her creators had searched non-stop to find her. Another reason that they did not join my main force, outside of keeping morale up when the command was not present, was because they knew that I would contact them if I heard word of her. However, the femme had somehow done what even the most skilled of traitors had failed to do; disappear without a trace. The last we heard anything, we followed a rumor out to Junkion about a ship that had come from Decepticon space. The ship, according to reports, suffered from an explosion originating from the inside of the ship.

It had been the fact that the ship came from our space, along with the suspicious size of the said explosion, that had Detritus hailing the Decepticon frequency. While Junkion was officially neutral, many of their officials were sympathetic toward our cause and Detritus felt like we should know. We arrived on the planet to find a mech who was rambling about an attack against him. However, once he seemed to gain his processor, he silenced himself. So, I gave him sanctuary on Chaar with my troops while he recovered. It appeared that his next order of business had brought him here. For as long as it took for him to recover, I was going to have to find out more about what happened to him.

The energon around us popping up on my scanners told me that the dampeners were now inactive. The Autobots should be picking up on the signal and starting to mobilize. It was almost time. "All Decepticons to their positions! The dampeners are down and the Autobots will be mobilizing against us soon. Keep your wits about you." The time was near. Soon, everything would be in a position for us to gain support against the Autobots. However, this would not solely be a fight of aggression and brute force. We would have to outwit our opponents as well as show our eventual prisoner that we will be telling him the truth. If we couldn't…

No, I couldn't think like that right now. We were going to succeed. If I got into my helm about this, that would just make it easier for the Autobots to do so when they arrived. For now, I had to stand ready with my troops and fight for our rights and the hope that equality could truly be had on Cybertron's surface once more, with all of its creations; Autobot, Neutral, and Decepticon.

Sentinel's 1st P.O.V.

Nothing felt right about this.

As I prepared to move out with the other Autobots here at the base we were using, that was the only thing that I could think about. We had just returned with Team Vulcan from giving them a tour when the alarms had gone off. Energon, and a good amount of it, had been detected by Decepticon signals almost simultaneously. That was not a coincidence. Vox Prime, who was turning more into an ally than I could have hoped, agreed with me. However, protocol said that we couldn't just let it be just in case it wasn't an attack. So, our two teams were preparing.

"Sentinel, what do you think we should expect going into this?" Vox asked from next to me as our two teams moved toward the entrance. "Given that you and Team Orion have been here the longest fighting, you are going to know more about our surroundings. I'd like to hear your opinion before anything else might get said."

I couldn't help but raise an optic ridge at the mech when he said that. So far, Team Athenia and Team Vulcan had been neutral in the trouble rising between Team Orion and my team. Even when we were alone, they wouldn't lean one way or the other. Was this his way of telling me that he and his team were supporting me? I'd hold off on my opinion for now, but it would be nice to have another ally for what we were planning. "Nothing good. You said that you were following a Decepticon cruiser to this planet and that means that Megatron will have even more troops with him. While we might have the numbers against them, we won't have the cooperation to use that to our advantage. Trecke believes that we should assume all of the Decepticons will be on this battlefield."

We took a nano to transform and start driving before Vox spoke. "I agree. With how many signals we picked up, I doubt that Megatron left anybot behind. He will probably try and salvage as much energon as he can before we get there. From the reports we had, gathered with what we have seen here, our estimations of thirteen Decepticons being present on Earth are accurate. Outside of a couple of one-on-one fights, most of us should be able to double up against the other Decepticons. While I'm not worried about most of the matchups, I have told Smokestack that I want him to try and keep Blackout busy by himself. Though, given our last encounter with Team Chaar, I might want a bot watching his backplates. Preferably a medic."

I could see where he might be going with that. However, Fable worked best with flexibility. If I locked him into one opponent with another bot, it needed to be a bot that might match that flexibility. And we hadn't worked with Team Vulcan enough to have that familiarity. "Fable won't be nearly as efficient as he can be working with your team yet. I plan for him to keep Blitzwing busy, as he has done before. Their two personalities mesh well on the battlefield and he would be able to keep the triple changer out of the way by himself." Fable needed the freedom that being out of a single fight would bring him. The only Decepticon that I would risk that freedom in placing Fable against would be Blitzwing. Triple changers were not to be underestimated and Blitzwing was even more so.

"Fair enough. I'll send a message to Balm to have her stay near Smokestack instead. The rest of us are going to have to adapt to the battle once we get there." He then paused as I was sure he was picking up the same thing that mine did. Autobot signals approaching. "Team Athenia and Team Orion are inbound."

As soon as I said that, the assortment of alt modes that made up those two teams joined our convoy as we made our way to the coordinates. Immediately, I felt myself tense. While things had not grown worse between my team and Team Orion since the arrival of the other two teams, they had not grown better either. Well, not by much. While the cyber ninja on Team Orion had seemed to be less hostile toward us since the arrival of the other two teams, Elita and Optimus seemed to be getting worse. Of course, with only three remaining on their team who were completely against us, I could work with that. For now.

"Sentinel, nice of you to actually be here for a change," I growled as Elita moved next to me. "Put some action where all of your talk has been."

I didn't have time for this. So, instead of answering the femme, I continued forward. My team had shown enough times during our fighting here on Earth that we were more than just our words. Unlike Elita and the others on their team. They say they defeated Megatron and his top lieutenants. However, I wasn't seeing that kind of fighting from them. Either they were holding back for some unknown reason or the Decepticons were weaker then. Honestly, I was probably going with the latter thought.

Their arrogance was going to be their downfall and, once this was over and we were ready, my team and I were going to bring that downfall upon them swiftly. Thankfully, with the little improvements that we had been able to make, we were only against three of their bots right now. Hopefully, we could whittle that down to two of them, though I wouldn't complain at the three.

The change in the road under my tires caused me to refocus as we arrived at the coordinates. It was immediate that we were going to have a big fight on our servos. The Decepticons were ready for battle.

Which in itself was strange now that I thought about it. We thought that they would be trying to get as much energon moved as they could. Yet here they were, standing ready for a fight without even going after the energon behind them. "Autobots, secure the energon!" Rodimus gave as a general order. While he wasn't me, my team respected the other Prime enough to know that his orders were usually pretty in line with what I would say, and I would speak up to him if I didn't think otherwise.

Of course, others weren't as receptive. "There are Decepticons right here. We need to take them down first!" Optimus refuted that order. "Team, attack the Decepticons!"

As we transformed, I knew that now was not the time to get into an argument with Optimus. So, I turned to my team. "Listen to Rodimus if I'm not near you," I told the three of them before we moved toward the energon.

It was hard to not roll my optics as Optimus and his team, outside of Bumblebee who I noticed moved closer to Rodimus' team, went after Megatron and the other Decepticons around him. The moron. The Decepticons were obviously waiting for us to arrive. It would be a better use of our time to go after the energon first. This way, we could get the Decepticons a little off-kilter in this fight.

My spark rate jumped as I brought my lance up to defend myself. In front of me was Megatron, his blades drawn and pressing down against my lance. "We meet again Autobot." I felt a cold chill in my circuits at his tone. It sounded knowing. I didn't like this at all. The Decepticons were planning something big.

A growl escaped my vocals as we started to trade blows with each other. I didn't like this. I was separated from my team and, as I continued to check on their locations, we were being driven further and further away from each other. Each of the Decepticons seemed to be moving their opponents away from each other. Their goal was to separate us. And with how Team Orion was acting, I was pretty sure that we wouldn't be able to stop it. Hopefully, the training that my team had done would be enough to keep us out of trouble.

"Megatron, why let your energon mine be revealed so easily?" Well, figured I would try to get some sort of answer out of the mech. That was especially if he was starting this conversation off as he was. Plus, it might make this fight make a little more sense if the mech would answer me. "It's not like we would have come out here to look without you all revealing it."

"You ask a lot of questions Autobot. Perhaps we were just needing some training. Group training is always so optic-opening, don't you think?" The Decepticon leader responded with a smirk.

He knew that he was holding back. And the Decepticon was reveling in it. Oh well. I was on a team that included Fable and Treceke. I could play this game. "And all of this energon that you are about to lose? Is that worth this 'optic-opening' training?"

That knowing look made me feel even more worried as it seemed to solidify on his faceplate. "Most definitely."

This wasn't good. We jumped into this fight too soon. Way too soon. And then the four teams here on Earth couldn't even cooperate at a high enough level to take advantage of our greater numbers. The only positive that was coming out of this situation was the fact that Blitzwing was not here among them. That should free up Fable a little should his specialties be needed. Whether that be medical or in combat.

Glancing at the fights I could, I realized that none of my teammates were near me. Optimus and Elita-One were fighting Strika, Rodimus and Vox Prime were a little further away fighting Cyclonas, and I could just make out Bumblebee working with Optivic in fighting Shockwave. They were separating us. And I couldn't find an intake to send a private message to my team to make sure that they were alright. While I trusted my team, the attack from Ebony Void was still fresh enough in my processor to make me worried when I couldn't see them in a fight. I couldn't risk losing them.

"No response Autobot?" A growl slipped out of my vocals when Megatron shot that at me.

"I have more important thoughts on my processor," I retorted. And in a sense I did. The attack from Ebony Void told me that my team had more enemies than I knew about and I needed to make sure that we stayed safe. I couldn't lose them.

While I thought my response should have surprised the leader, I was the one that was surprised when he responded calmly. "Really? What could be on an Autobot's processor in the middle of a fight that would be more important than the mech who is supposed to be his greatest enemy?"

Another growl slipped through my vocals, I was sure that it was from spending so much time with Fable, before I renewed my attacks against the mech. I would fight him and anybot else that became a threat to my team. With how close my team was to offlining the other solar, I kept seeing their offline chassis in my recharge. I couldn't let that happen.

I would do whatever I needed to make sure that didn't happen.

Bumblebee's 1st P.O.V.

What the frag were they doing? It was hard enough fighting Shockwave, even with Optivic's help, but I also was trying to keep tabs on my team. I was far enough in my training, between Pastel and Team Apocalypse along with the scouts on the other two teams, where I was comfortable enough to keep tabs on my team and fight. They all had helped me with this training. More than anybot on my team did. Doc was usually busy, and Arcee was still trying to find herself, but it seemed like everybot else never had time to help me.

But when I was using that training now, I was getting frustrated. My team wasn't listening to a word I was saying about what I was seeing and it was causing them to have issues. At one point, I noticed Strika getting around Elita and so I called it out. Instead of thanking me, she lectured me…lectured me in the middle of a battle, about keeping back. Um…a little hard to do that when we were fighting almost everybot that the Decepticons had with them here on Earth! I mean, what sort of Prime fragging stopped to lecture a bot in the middle of a fight? Seriously! I was starting to…

"Bumblebee move!" I flinched as I felt a chassis near my size run into me, moving me to the side. I flinched as, in the next instant, a cannon blast tore through where I was just standing.

Once we hit the ground, I didn't waste any time before standing up and focusing on the fight again. "Sorry about that Optivic. Got in my helm for a nano."

"All good 'Bee." She laughed as we continued to face Shockwave. "Just don't make a habit of it."

"You got it!" I then moved to the side as I tried to watch Shockwave. He had infiltrated the Autobots for so long, it felt like a betrayal when we found out the truth. He was not Longarm Prime. He was Shockwave. A bot my age, well pretending to be my age, we had almost been in the same boot camp together. But, a clerical error had him placed with somebot else.

A shiver traveled through my circuits at the thought of a Decepticon and Abyssal in the same boot camp with me.

But now I had to fight him. And I was going to do the best that I could. Moving around the mech, however, I knew that this was going to be difficult. He was larger than me, but he was also more agile than some of the other Decepticons here. I needed to keep him in my sights. But, that was without losing track of the others. I knew I was the least skilled among the scouts on each team. But, I was learning, and I was going to keep learning.

Noticing an opening, I took out one of my stingers and sped into the gap. I felt satisfied when I was able to sting him in one of his joints. To be fair, though, the mech had many. Though I had to dodge quickly when he tried to strike back at me. I dodged the first few strikes, but a yelp of pain escaped me when his servos grabbed hold of me and pulled me close. Slag! "Let me go you slagging 'Con!" I growled as I tried to sting the joints around his servos.

"While you seem to be improving little Autobot, it has not been enough," I shivered as Shockwave said that. What the frag? Shouldn't he be trying to offline me or something?

"That's why we work in teams!" I heard Optivic yell before Shockwave suddenly yelled in pain.

As I was dropped from the mech's servos, I noticed energon leaking out of his arm. It looked like Optivic had gotten in close and cut him to get him to let me go. But where was my team? The one fragging time I was in trouble and they couldn't be bothered to jump in? Glancing around, I saw that my team was close enough to jump in and help. And, unlike Sentinel and Fable, everybot else was fighting in teams of two. What if Optivic had gotten disabled? By the looks of it, none of them had even glanced to make sure I was alright…unlike the other teams. They looked relieved that Optivic had intervened. After this, I was going to have to think about some things.

While I was making this observation, I noticed something else. The Decepticons were starting to move closer to each other. Well, most of them were. Megatron was still fighting Sentinel like there was nobot else around. What the frag was going on? Even infamous bots like Spittor and Cyclonas seemed to be holding back. The only other Decepticon that seemed to be still going pretty hard in his fight was Oilslick, and honestly, if anybot wasn't fighting at their hardest against a mech like Fable, then they were morons. Simple as that. Morons. Scrap-for-processor. And I wasn't stupid enough to think that Decepticons here had anybot like that.

But, Oilslick did seem to be guiding Fable toward the rest of us. Why now? What was changing where they wanted us all together? I felt like the answer was right in front of me and yet I couldn't figure out what it was! All of the training I was getting recently told me to use my optics and go off of what that plus my instincts told me. But, the only strange thing that I was seeing was that Megatron and Sentinel were the only two bots that were still away from us, and that usually meant that they were trying to isolate…

Scrap! I needed to get one of his teammates' attention about this! The only one that looked like they would be able to get to Sentinel was…"Fable!" I had to dodge Shockwave's arms as his attacks seemed to get more intense. I was right! "Get to Sentinel!"

Fable's 1st P.O.V.

"You are quite the interesting bot Oilslick, but where is my Blitzy baby?" I taunted the mech in front of me while trying to learn why the triple changer was left out of the battle. It was strange that my normal Decepticon was absent. I was slightly hoping to interact with the mech when we came out here.

Of course, I did not have my audios off during our drive here and heard the glitch try and taunt my leader. It was just one more strike against her on the growing list of offenses that they had committed. I would have my revenge on her. But, not now. For now, I needed to keep this Decepticon busy. But, after this was over, I was going to be discussing revenge with the rest of my team. While we all knew the full reason that my leader was not allowing us to get revenge until this point, there was only so far we could do and still be called loyal to our Prime.

"Your only focus should be on me Autobot," Oilslick answered me back, though to call it an answer was pushing it. That was more of a bot avoiding the question than it was giving me an answer. And even more annoyingly it was the same answer that I was getting from the mech this entire fight. They were planning something, but neither Trecke nor Pastel had been able to pick up on what that was. I couldn't ask Sentinel because he was currently facing the leader of the Decepticons alone. I knew my Prime could handle that for a while, but we needed to figure out our answers before the length of the battle took its toll on my Prime.

"Why should I? You aren't nearly as interesting to talk with as Blitzy mech." Just one answer from him. Though I had to admit, I was curious about how this mech would be dissected. That was especially geared toward his helm. So far, only the love bug had gone through that specific procedure and that was because he took some cable damage during one of the coop training sessions that he was in with Pastel, Jazz, Blurr, and Hot Shot. I was quite confident in my ability to pull off that specific surgery. The bug was more than a little nervous. Trying that on a Decepticon though…now there were some possibilities to explore.

I could almost hear the sass in the mech's tone as he finally gave me a different sort of answer. "I don't think there is another bot only that could match Blitzwing in the interesting department."

…Fair.

"I guess I can give you that," I relented. "But you could at least give it a try since you are trying to distract me." And I saw it, just for a split nano. The mech looked hesitant. I might just be a medic, but I could read a bot decently well. And I almost caught onto something there. Something that they did not want me to know. Why did they not want me to know that they were distracting me? That was especially since he was making it so obvious. What were they worried about us seeing that could potentially cause that?

"Fable!" My optics immediately darted to the bug as he was struggling to move forward while calling my designation. However, his opponent was not making that a possibility. For a nano, I was distracted as Oilslick's attacks seemed to increase as well. This wasn't a coincidence. What was the yellow bug trying to, "Get to Sentinel!"

Immediately, I felt my spark rate quicken as Bumblebee's desperation hit my audios with his words. My Caesar! My spark felt wild as I focused on where my Prime should be. The bug wouldn't give a false warning during a battle, and more importantly not one about my Caesar to me directly. Once my optics fell onto where my Caesar should be, my spark fell in my chassis and I saw energon. I couldn't form words as a screech left my vocals, followed by me running toward my Prime.

Who was currently unconscious in the servos of Megatron!

No! I couldn't lose him! I would not lose my Prime! My pedes moved faster beneath my chassis as I weaved forward, avoiding all of the Decepticons who were trying to stop me. No! Not my Prime! I would not allow the Decepticons to take him! He was the only leader I would follow! He was our family! I would not allow them to hurt our family! I would tear them apart!

My spark started to fall as Megatron started to rise from the ground with my Caesar! No! I was failing my Prime! My Prime! I couldn't lose him! I would tear them to shreds!

"Fable!" I barely registered the deep yell of Smokestack as he motioned me toward him while lowering his servo.

Message received.

I diverted to the giant mech and barely felt my pede rest against his servo before he launched me into the air. Any less of a mech would have started to turn over from the force the mech put on my chassis with that throw. But, I could not afford to fail. My Prime was in the servos of the enemy! I almost reveled in the surprised look on Megatron's faceplate as I flew through the air toward him. However, I could not lose focus. I was so close to my Prime. Once I felt like I was close enough, I reached my servo out to them. If I could just latch onto my Prime's pede, I could put up a fight for him. I could get him back. I would remove Megatron's servos from his chassis if I needed to!

Closer!

I was almost there!

My digit scraped against the pede of my Prime.

Agony swelled into my spark as I fell away from my leader. I failed! I had failed him! I barely felt the impact of my fall as that realization hit me. After all my Prime had done for me…I had failed him. I couldn't stop the Decepticons from taking him.

Once I finally stopped moving, I dragged myself to my knees before letting out a scream of pain. I had failed my Prime! I couldn't rescue him! The screams continued to retch themselves out of my vocals as I continued to beat the ground below me in frustration. No! No! No! I would dissect any and all who got in the way of me rescuing my Prime! We would get him back. I would make sure that we did. Our team would make a plan to get him back. Loverbot was the smartest mech I knew, Pastel was amazing at getting the information he might need, and Pandimala had inside knowledge of the Decepticons and how they worked. And then I would be there to cut through every Decepticon or Autobot that got in our way. I would make sure that they paid for this.

"We'll have to contact Cybertron to know how to proceed,"

A snarl ripped out of my vocals with ease when Optimus Prime said that like he was saying what the weather was like. How dare he! Even more, as I stood to face the Prime, I felt anger when I realized that he could fly! "Why didn't you help?" I snarled as I tried to lunge at the Prime. However, the other Primes of the other two teams were holding me back as I tried to tear out his vocals. At least then one sin would be rectified. The universes would finally be free of his toxic words. "You could have flown after him!"

The impassive look that crossed his faceplate caused me to struggle against the mechs holding me even more. "Sentinel always said that he was better than us. He shouldn't have needed my help." He then shook his helm. "And until we hear word from Cybertron, Elita will take over running your team,"

"Eat slag," Trecke growled as he paced, obviously aware that both Smokestack and Ironhide were on standby next to him to stop him from doing what I was attempting to do. "We serve my love and leader alone. Until he is returned we will keep to ourselves."

"Only a Prime or another ranking bot can command a team, and I am the only Prime that can be spared." Elita-One Prime dared to utter. I would tear her apart before I allowed her to think she had any sort of sway over us all. Not after what they did to 'Malsy.

"That doesn't apply here," Pastel growled, also pacing. The others had Jazz and Prowl staying near her. They knew that we would take them down if they let up right now. And I hoped that they would give us a chance to tear these false Primes apart. How dare they assume they think we would simply agree with them with our leader missing?

"Despite your neutrality," Optimus said pointedly toward her, causing a growl to come out of my vocals. "You are on an Autobot team. That means that you listen to Autobot rules. And Autobot rules say that teams need to be led by a ranked bot. And Elita is the only one who can do that."

I was about to tell him exactly where he could stick his 'rules' when Rodimus spoke up. "Vox and I can take responsibility for them, if Team Apocalypse agrees, until we retrieve Sentinel, which we will start planning while you call Cybertron,"

It was the lesser of two evils, but it was one that I could allow. That was especially since they were at least giving us a semblance of a choice. And, as much as I hated to agree with anything those false Primes spoke, they were technically right. We were supposed to have a ranked bot over our team. But, I would rather risk mutiny than be under those two. We would tolerate the other two until we got our Prime back. With a glance to Pastel and Treceke, who sent me nods in return, I glanced forward. "Team Apocalypse temporarily accepts Vox Prime and Rodimus Prime as our interim leaders until our Caesar can be recovered, which we will be working on exclusively." I then let off one more growl toward those two disgraces of Primes before I transformed and sped off to the base. From the sounds of the two motors behind me, I knew that Pastel and Trecke were speeding behind me. We needed to return to the base and inform Pandimala of what was happening. We would get our helms together on this.

The only thing I knew for sure was that I would see energon run for this. I had failed my Prime, but I would be sure to get him back.

Pandimala: I think you are very lucky Authoress. Fable seems more ready to offline the Decepticons and the Primes from Team Orion over you. You better hope and pray that we get Sentinel back before that happens.

Authoress: *points above* I did say that I couldn't control this stuff. You know more about Decepticons than I do. You are going to work together to find Sentinel and bring him home.

Pastel: We understand that. You are going to have to convince the other two of that as well.

Authoress: *gulps*

AN: And here is the next chapter! Started a little slow but that ending hits hard. Sentinel has been captured by the Decepticons! This is not going to help tensions with the Autobots at all. And how long are Team Vulcan and Athenia going to be able to keep the fractured Team Apocalypse at bay? It will be one doozy of a ride. Plus, we are going to get an inside look with Sentinel and the Decepticons soon and that is going to open a few optics to some things.

And with that, here are the next chapter names!

Chapter 17: Unexpected Side of Events

Chapter 18: Truth and Consequence

Chapter 19: ...(find out next time!)

And that's all for now! Thanks to everyone that reads and/or reviews! I do appreciate every single one of you! Until next time though, TTYL! *watching the snow fall*