A/N: I am officially going crazy! I need coffee like no one's business! *sobs* I have tea though... I have tea... BUT! *grumbles something that would make a sailor blush*

Either way... enjoy this next cha... enjoy Skywarp!

Barricade, after bringing Mikaela home, returned to her quarters at the Decepticon base. Choosing this room as her new nest, she had also brought Blacklight so they could all relax where it was at least semi-quiet. Her holds opened, allowing the triplets to crawl out and onto the mess by the wall, their older brother following. She would have gone to the berth, but Mikaela had done something for the triplets.

The femme walked to the large blankets and made herself comfortable while Blacklight curled up as well. At the girl's garage, Blacklight would lie on any blankets he could find. And after a fight with him over a particular plush blanket, Mikaela relented and gave it to him.

Barricade groaned as she lolled on the floor. She was absolutely spent of energy and a little hungry, but her need for sustenance could wait. Since there was absolutely nothing that the Sparklings could hurt themselves on in her quarters, she opted to shut her optics for a moment and just enjoy the moment of quiet.

A few minutes later, Starscream entered as well, leaving Miles elsewhere. He locked the door behind him and looked down at his mate. Finally, he could have some peaceful time alone with them, something he had been longing for. He immediately headed for the five, kneeling as he got closer.

"Why did you go after Soundwave?"

Wasn't it obvious? "She lied."

What a lame excuse. "She lies all the time."

"She put Blacklight at risk,"

Perhaps, but still… "You are aware Earth cats might be known for having nine lives, but messing with her, I'm pretty sure you'll have none."

"What…?" Where did that analogy come from?

"You have a death wish, or something. That has to be it."

"Not particularly."

"Well, that answers everything. You're just stupid then…"

"Shut up!" Barricade didn't move much. She reached with her hand to Radar, who was playing around on her and picked him up from her side and offered the black infant to Starscream. The leader took him gently and held him close, studying him. "Hook wants to check them."

"Tomorrow, I want to be left alone." She didn't need to tell him he was excluded from that statement.

"I'll let him know. Also, I guess Ratchet wants to know what happened during their birth. I can't remember all that clearly since I was so busy saving your aft. Do you?"

"Nope, not sure I want to know either,"

Considering what he had done during the birth he couldn't agree more, "You don't."

Barricade eyed Starscream curiously, wondering what he knew, "Why not?"

Starscream merely shrugged and continued to dote on Radar and now Typhoon, both of whom were climbing his form.

While Barricade and Starscream were hiding out from everyone, the base was still going full swing in their absence. The two blatantly ignored the sounds, claiming that unless the world was going to blow up, they didn't want bothered, leaving Soundwave in charge. Everything was basically quiet all around except for one place.

Skywarp was in the Seekers' Lounge making a racket. Being the noisiest on the base, Thundercracker finally went to see what he was up to. As she entered and saw what was going on, she frowned, seeing he was upside down against the wall with loads of wires and cables all over and something else around his body in various places. Looking more clearly, she saw what appeared to be silver tape strewn over some places, but mostly over him. "What are you doing?"

Busy trying to undo what he'd done, he hadn't heard her come. The black Seeker looked up at her, "Hey you, what's up!"

She only stared at him in perplexity, wondering where he had acquired all the tape and how he'd managed to end up in the fix he was now in. "Are you… alright?" she asked.

"Sure, couldn't be better." Skywarp replied nonchalantly, twitching here and there as he tried to get free. "I hang around all the time, what makes this so different?"

"You can't be serious." The more staid Seeker stated. "What are you wrapped up in?"

"Duct tape,"

"Duct tape? Where'd you get it?"

"That is a mighty fine question." Skywarp struggled in his binds, yet no matter how much he tried to un-stick himself, the duct tape only stuck worse. He grunted and looked at a strip dangling from his finger, "I want to know what humans used to make this stuff… It sticks to everything!"

"Maybe you should have figured that out before you decided to hang yourself with it,"

"But that takes all the fun out of it,"

"I could assist you in getting that slag off, you know." Thundercracker deadpanned, wondering to herself if their Sparkling was going to turn out anything like him. She sighed pathetically when she knew there wasn't a doubt. "So, where did you get it all, again?"

"Found it. I bet Hook could use it to do repairs." Again, he struggled, only managing to get himself tangled more and get more of the world's stickiest tape stuck over him. "I'm sure this slag could hold any amount of damage to our bodies together." He pulled an arm free, "Wait…! Wait, I got it!"

Thundercracker smirked, watching with pure amusement, "You sure?"

Skywarp glared up at her, shifting more, dropping slightly. He deflated, "No, I don't got it."

"I think the only thing Hook could use it to fix is your stupidity leaks." Thundercracker said it in such a tone that Skywarp understood she was talking about him for getting into the mess. She knelt down in front of her Trine-Mate with a cynical smirk, "Need any help yet?"

Skywarp glared again as he proceeded to pull duct tape off of his would be cockpit with his free hand. Quickly, he whipped his hand, aiming for Thundercracker. He eyed the evil tape with an offended glare when it stuck more to his hand instead. He tried to flick it and it only stuck his fingers together. "No… no I don't."

Thundercracker stifled a laugh, "Ever think about… I dunno, teleporting? It's this amazing ability I heard about that gets you unstuck from… sticky situations."

"Are you crazy, TC? It'll stick to me more, get into my thrusters and stuff… I think I can manage. I've been in tougher spots before."

Thundercracker gave him a doubtful smirk. She shrugged before turning to leave, knowing he wasn't getting out of that anytime soon. "Suit yourself."

About twenty minutes later, Thrust walked into the Seeker's lounge and stopped dead in his tracks at the Seeker who was still hanging upside down, "Really, 'Warp…" He said with doubt. He looked the black Seeker down and up, wondering how he'd done it, "Really? How the fuck did you manage that?"

Skywarp only grinned up at the other Seeker, "Mad skills." A few seconds later, there was the sound of tape being ripped and Skywarp crashed to the floor. Thrust shied at the sound, looking to the black Seeker with a surprised smirk. Skywarp proceeded to turn himself around and sit up, still pulling wires and attempting to get the tape off.

"Mad alright… So what have we learned today?" the other dark colored jet asked condescendingly.

"I have learned something, actually," Skywarp said as he stood up, wiped wires off and pulled at the last bits of tape on him.

"That's one for the history records. And what did you learn?" Thrust asked, not even sure he actually wanted to hear one of Skywarp's epiphanies.

"Well, have you ever seen the human movie 'Star Wars'?" the black Seeker asked as he violently shook his hand to get the bits of tape stuck, off. When he actually got a hold of it, he then proceeded to roll it around between his fingers. From then on, every piece of tape he found, he added to it.

Watching the small ball form in Skywarp's fingers, Thrust was confused at the words, "Star what?"

"You've been under a rock since you've been here, haven't you? Look it up sometime. Anyway, Duct Tape is like The Force from Star Wars," the black seeker said thoughtfully, eyeing the small ball he managed to make, "it has a light side and a dark side," He showed Thrust with a piece before he added it to the ever growing wad, "I am now a firm believer that it secretly holds the universe together. There is no other explanation."

"What?" Thrust asked with disbelief, wondering where the other Seeker came up with that stuff, "How in the pit you made it to the elites, I will never know."

"Duh, it's because I can teleport,"

"Must be, because you can't possibly be a good example for what is to come."

Skywarp smiled and flicked the sticky ball at Thrust, watching it adhere to the side of his face. His smile broadened as he did his best to stifle the laugh that was sure to come.

Thrust frowned, eyeing the wad, then looking back to the trying-not-to-laugh-but-failing-miserably Seeker. "You do, however, make a very clear warning."

"Hey, at least I'm good at something, right?" Skywarp answered cheekily.

The next day, Starscream uncurled from his mate at an obnoxious noise that had woken him. He looked over at the door and stood up groggily, opening it with distaste at being woken, "They need to change that sound." Seeing who it was, he wrinkled his nose, "What do you want?"

The Decepticon medic was standing there, a data pad in hand. Ready as he could be to examine Pit on Wheels and her newborns, he said, "Time to check over them all. I gave you a day."

Starscream turned his head, looking at Barricade who still seemed to be in recharge. She wouldn't be happy to be woken up for this. "Can't it wait? You've got to have something better to do…"

Showing she was very much awake, Barricade called with a growl, "Get outta my quarters before I rip you in half, Hook!"

"Well, if it'll get me close enough to get readings…" Hook goaded, looking to Barricade then to Starscream, "Such a peachy femme in the morning." Grinning before stepping into the room, he said, "It won't take that long. I want initial readings and I can come back later."

"Didn't you get them already?" the hunter asked, looking over at the medic darkly.

"How could I?" the medic asked, stepping closer. "You threatened to maim me if I did."

"That threat still stands." Barricade said defiantly and turned and curled up with her Sparklings once again, "Piss off. I'm still recharging and so are they."

And just as curious and playful Sparklings are, Sonar had popped her head up, chirping at the medic. She hadn't seen him before, so naturally, she was curious. "It doesn't look like she's recharging." The Constructicon said with a smirk.

Barricade grabbed the copper colored Sparking and moved her back down. "Looks can be deceiving." She retorted not moving from facing the wall. "She's sleepwalking."

At that moment, Radar also stuck his head up, also curious as to who was in the room. "Handsome little fellow…" Hook commented to the black Sparkling as he got what readings he could from him. "I suppose he's also sleepwalking then? This is a new thing, never heard of it before. Gonna have to run massively painful tests on them now. I'm sure a dissection is in order…"

Ignoring the medic, Barricade's hand came up, pulling the Sparkling back to the floor where she pretended to recharge again. At last, Typhoon had stuck her own head up, looking to the medic as well. She was curious as to who he was. A few seconds later, two other heads popped up as well, looking like three small Kilroys along her side. Starscream reached for them before Barricade could snag them again and lifted them to Hook so he could see them all easier. Immediately Barricade flipped over and then sat up, glaring daggers at both of the mechs. "You're no better, 'Screamer."

"Typical newborn check, calm yourself." Starscream raised an optic ridge at the femme then looked down at Sonar who was climbing unsteadily up his arm, trying to balance on his mini-gun. He locked it in position so it didn't roll and in turn cause her to fall.

Barricade watched every move that Hook made with precision. He took Radar first, holding the infant in such a way in his hand that his Spark was easily accessible. He moved his finger over his chest, looking for the manual release. Radar squirmed from the touch and watched the medic intently. He knew his creators wouldn't hand him off to someone that would hurt him, and if this mech tried, well, they would probably kill him anyway, so he didn't panic when his Spark chamber was exposed. Instead, he found Hook's large hand fascinating, clinging to it with his tiny claws. Might as well play with it while it was rooting around in his innards.

After a few seconds of getting his finger pried free, Hook allowed Radar's chest to close. He had picked up traces of radiation from the Allspark, which he would mention to Ratchet when he had a chance. The Constructicon took readings on Radar's strength, his movement, how well is optics functioned and his Energon-lines and such. He would do a more thorough exam later, as there were more tests to be run, but so far so good. "Healthy," The medic looked at Barricade while he offered the Sparkling back to Starscream and took Sonar. His attention on Sonar, he held her in the same way as her brother, accessing her Spark with relative ease. He found the same traces in her Spark as he did in Radar's. He did the same small exam, getting readings on the little femme's health. She was as healthy as her brother. "She's also well. How often are they feeding?"

"Every few hours right now." Barricade replied with annoyance, wishing the medic would hurry up and leave.

"Their vocal processors?" Hook asked as he offered the mech the infant, "How are they functioning?"

"As they should," Starscream suddenly stated, taking Sonar and handing him Typhoon.

Hook nodded, holding her in the same manner as he siblings and did a Spark check. The readings from her Spark were far different from the other two. He paused and then looked up at Starscream. "Her Allspark readings are extraordinary," Hook quickly decided that he would speak to Ratchet directly about the findings on Typhoon. He also checked her strength and such, eyeing the markings on her. "These markings? What are they?"

"They appear to be Allspark runes. I haven't seen those on anything else and there are some I haven't ever seen." Starscream replied.

Hook took stills of the markings to compare and analyze them, "Ratchet knows about this?"

"Yes, he does." Starscream answered, watching Hook examine Typhoon further, "There is no definitive answer as to why she has them yet."

"That's what us medics are here for. However, I'm betting it has to do with the radiation in her systems."

"Is it dangerous?"

"It doesn't seem to be. She's in perfect health otherwise." The medic offered the triplet to Starscream, "I am going to make a call in to Ratchet. It is highly advisable for all three to have a thorough check, which will be done with Ratchet and perhaps First Aid or Wheeljack. Any information they have will be to our benefit."

Starscream turned to Barricade with all three newborns, offering them to her, "Now see? That wasn't all that bad, now was it?"

"Shut up." Barricade growled, taking the triplets and setting them down beside her where the immediately began wandering.

Hook went closer to her, taking what information he could from a quick external scan, "I need to check your Spark as well."

"What for?"

"You gave birth to them, you need to be checked as well, for safety's sake." Hook shrugged.

Figuring the faster she did it, the faster he would go away, she relented, her Spark coming into view as he plates parted for him. It didn't take long before he found she also had trace radiation as well. He tapped her on the shoulder, letting her know that she could close up. "Tell me something,"

"What?"

"How did so much Allspark radiation end up in your Sparks as well as Jazz's?" Hook was sure Starscream wasn't telling something. It was understandable that they would have some radiation, but Starscream's radiation spike was what he was questioning.

"I already told you about it. The shard was in the bay when they were born,"

"But what other information can you give me?"

"Nothing. She was a conduit. It hit all of our Sparks,"

"So you didn't do anything to provoke this?"

"I'm not sure. I was helping her deliver them since the shard messed with her while she was giving birth,"

"Ah, so you reached into her Spark?"

"Of course!"

"With Ratchet right outside? What were you thinking?"

"I wasn't. I was doing what I could on the spot. How would I know if it would or wouldn't have endangered others? I knew what I was doing." With that, Starscream reached out and bonked Hook on the head. "I am a scientist you know!"

Hook glared at the offending hand that was returning to its rightful owner. "I'll forgive you this time. I will see what I can do with the information I have. Also, I will be sharing it with Ratchet, just so you know," Hook said to him and exited the room.

Content that all of them were healthy – save for the extreme radiation from Typhoon, he made his way to his lab and set down the data pad that he had used to store all of the triplet's information. Typhoon was certainly an interesting little Sparkling. After a talk with Ratchet, he would decide how often the infant needed to be monitored because of the vast amounts of Allspark radiation and those markings. Going through the stills he had taken of her marks and colors, he wanted to see just how much of those runes were actually markings from the Allspark itself. He had seen the Allspark quite a few times, and some of these markings he couldn't recall having seen even on that. "Curious indeed..." he muttered.

Ramjet joined him not too long afterward, looking at the still that Hook had been viewing previously. "She certainly is a strange one. Think it means something?"

"It's too early to tell. Right now I know as little as you do, 'Jet." The Constructicon looked to the black and white Seeker. With himself, Ratchet, Wheeljack and Starscream working together, they would come up with an answer. "I need you to go to the Autobot base and get Ratchet for me. He would know more about this stuff and he has far more experience with Sparklings, I'm afraid."

"You did study under him. How can you not know?" the Seeker asked.

"Because Ratchet is Ratchet and will always be Ratchet." Hook gave a half laugh.

Later on in the day, outside, Thundercracker and Skywarp were playing a game. The game was simple really, since it was called 'Catch', only the game didn't specify what was being caught. It hadn't attracted anyone's attention right away, beings they were a bit of distance away as not to annoy anyone. In fact, no one would have thought anything was even happening except for the sudden loud and excited squeal that resounded the base from their general direction.

Hearing the shrill sound and worried one of his Sparklings might be hurt, Starscream was one of the first ones out to find his Trine hovering not too far away. Thundercracker was quite a distance at one end of a hill and Skywarp was at the other. Watching for a moment to discern what was going on, his optics locked onto Skywarp's hands when he saw the black Seeker was apparently holding something. He tried to focus but all he saw was silver movement. He remained quiet, studying his hand with interest.

Suddenly, Skywarp said something, raising his hand high in the air and made like he was going for a fast ball, spinning his arm dramatically and then he let go of what he was holding, throwing it at Thundercracker full force. He didn't quite catch what had been thrown but it was then that whatever it was he'd thrown, squealed loudly. Starscream went still when he saw what it was exactly Skywarp had thrown – or rather who. The one beside him, Thrust, watched, "They're throwing Blacklight."

Starscream looked to the other Trine leader then back up where Thundercracker then threw Blacklight back to Skywarp. Again, the Sparkling squealed in delight as he flew through the air toward the black seeker at such high speeds. Skywarp caught him letting him attach himself to his arm and looked down at Blacklight when he did. He saw Blacklight's attention was focused elsewhere, and he too looked. Realizing they were being watched, he held the Sparkling out in front of himself so Starscream could see with a big grin.

"Yes… they are…" Starscream muttered. "Idiots,"

Just then, Skywarp hauled back and threw Blacklight straight at the unsuspecting Starscream. The Sparkling's trajectory sent him up first. Being he was so far away, Starscream lifted into the air, calculating where Blacklight would end up and where he would catch him. Blacklight reached for Starscream when he came into range and held on as his creator caught him. "If you guys are going to throw things, might I suggest your stockpile of manhole covers rather than my Sparkling!" shouted Starscream.

"What? He loves it!" Skywarp called back with a laugh.

"Blacklight is not a toy!"

Said Sparkling, who was listening to the banter, beamed eagerly. "Throw me back!" he cried.

The leader looked down at Blacklight when he said that. He then glared to the two Seekers, "Look at that! You two rejects are corrupting him!" Starscream called and he aimed at Skywarp, throwing Blacklight back, who was giggling hysterically as he sailed.

"Isn't that what we are supposed to do? We are evil and stuff still, right?" Thundercracker chuckled.

"That's my job! Not yours!" Starscream yelled. "You'll corrupt him the wrong way and he'll end up like you – or worse, Skywarp!"

"Aw, 'Screamer, you make it sound like a bad thing!"

"You have no idea," Starscream shook his head, watching Skywarp throw Blacklight to Thundercracker once again.

Haha... Skywarp...