Song: Vertigo - U2

In the darkness of an unsettled hive on a remote planet, glowing yellow eyes and golden skull gems rattled furiously. The bigger ones stepped forward, each with their own unique qualities.

"My legion. The time to act is now, time to take matters into our own hands! We will rise again! But first, each of you has a task. Do not disappoint me."

An octopus-like Metal Head made an echoing squeal, swiping its tentacles across a pool of a dark substance. A hippogriff-like one and a serpent hissed at each other liking the sound of the field work. The reptilian-esque Metal Head made its frills shiver with anticipation, giving a short snarl. An elephant Metal Head swung its trunk at the bipedal, large dinosaur one next to it that hissed back angrily. Looming over them was the head of a titan Horaquan that sneered down at all of them, steaming blowing from the large smokestacks on its spine. They all watched their leader intensely, feeding mentally off the dominant gem's signal.

They all made various types of roars in unison as they departed. The Horaquan soldiers of the hive, from Grunts to Ramheads, made a path for them as they stomped by. They each went into their designated portals with other Metal Heads under their command following, but the frilled lizard-like beast paused with a snarl.

"You know what to do," its leader said.

The Metal Head gave a brief growl of acknowledgement before it left for Velocitron.

Megatron walked with Override and Road Rage to the power plant in question. It faintly surged before resuming its functions. The path up to it was transparent and he could see all the Energon being moved under it before spreading out and disappearing under the normal roads across the city. Then his mind drifted to Arcee and the odd behavior she exemplified as of recent. She was probably right that the presence of Metal Heads was throwing her, but he had his doubts that was the only thing wrong.

Road Rage hummed to herself before seeing that Megatron was thinking about something. "What's on your mind, Megatron?"

"Just...thinking about something."

"Is it about Arcee?"

He sighed, "Yes. I hope we didn't take on more than we can handle. This is really the first thing we've done outside of Cybertron as sparkmates. The isle on Earth when she and I were banished there after being lied to was more like us finally getting past our insecurities and faction hatred for one another to survive. I can't help but think that she might not be comfortable as a willing team. I know for a fact that she was a loner even on Optimus' team. She never did work well with others unless she had to. I wonder if that's the real problem but she's afraid that she'll hurt our feelings."

Override peered over her shoulder briefly upon hearing Megatron's confession. "If I may, I think it's just finding the groove of everything. As you two both acknowledged, the Metal Heads aren't supposed to be here. It threw everything for a loop. Once Arcee finds a game plan, she'll probably work with you more easily. Just give her some time and space to figure out what to do. Believe me, I was the same way."

Road Rage grinned, "It's just a matter of trusting her. You can't be there all the time for her, and she can't be there always among you. Understanding that is the key to a happy relationship. Not everything needs to be done as a team, but trusting your teammate on their end is just as supportive as being there beside them helping."

The power plant surged again and all three peered up at the odd flux before a mech ran out. "Override, there's Energon crystals growing on the exterior of the processing chambers and other places! You must see it for yourself!"

All four ran inside and Road Rage gasped when they saw the growths for themselves. A large, tainted Energon crystal was growing over the pipes. Megatron eyed it suspiciously as he had never seen such unusual Energon coloring. A bluish grey color with purple streaks, the crystal looked like it had been infected but given there was only one anomaly of concern, they feared the Metal Head virus had gotten in to the Energon supply lines.

"We can't shoot it and breaking it while the pipes are active would risk exposure to everyone here. If it gets in the lines themselves, the whole city could be infected," Megatron said.

The few workers who manned the power plant looked to Override who scowled, "Shut down the power plant."

"But Override-"

"It's like Megatron said. We let tainted Energon get into the city, we're screwed. Turn off all power and do a deep clean of the system, make sure there is no remnants of any of the Energon. The backup supply under the building should be able to sustain the city for a few days if necessary."

Megatron nodded, studying the crystal for the easiest way to get rid of it as the workers did as they were told. "I think shattering it would nullify the infection. Energon crystals grow dormant when severed from their base. If we can separate it from the pipes, that will be enough to stop the Energon from growing and most likely stop it from interacting with the healthy supply. The remnants of the crystal still latching onto the pipe could be removed by simply chipping it."

Override smiled at that. "Good thinking. If you can take care of that, I would appreciate it greatly."

Megatron waved at Road Rage who kindly cheered at him before he brought out the blade sheathed under his cannon. Although the weapons he had on the isle previously were great, he preferred the simplistic style of his gladiatorial sword. Oh, how he missed it.

Getting a running start, Megatron immediately went for the visible crystal pulsing with its unnatural energy. With a bountiful leap, he sliced through the crystal and landed, peering back as it slowly slid off its foundation and fell. It burst upon impact and its light faded. As soon as it was safe, the workers began cleansing the lines.

Road Rage suddenly called out, "Megatron! Found another crystal!"

He walked past the vast chambers that processed the Energon and climbed up to the catwalks overseeing the pumping station. Road Rage was there and pointed to the main pistons of the central mechanism. There among it and preventing two of the pistons from doing their jobs was a protruding crystal. The pistons trapped made an eerie noise trying to move. He peered around for a way to get close to it without accidentally falling into the gears turning below. Then Megatron noticed a crane posed above the catwalk and traced it to a cockpit on the opposite side of the main pump. No one was manning it. Smirking, he took the adjacent cockpit and gestured to Road Rage to follow.

"Can you move this thing into the crystal?"

"Okie dokie," she grinned.

Megatron found he was far too large to fit into the cockpit so attached himself to the side as she steered. She pulled the crane towards her before abruptly shifting it forward causing it to swing. Upon the second shift, it was aimed at the crystal and shattered it. The Energon grew dark, and the remnants were crushed in the gears. The pistons shook before slowly getting back into tune with the others. The machine itself seemed to exhale a sigh of relief.

"Nice job," Megatron said.

They both used the catwalks and the ladders around to search for the remaining crystals. One was found feeding on the power above them, glowing brighter than the others.

"How do we get that one?" Road Rage asked.

She looked at his cannon and he caught her stare before scowling in response. "Bad idea."

Road Rage thought for a second before pulling out a hammer made from her back kibble and twirled it in her servo. "What about this?"

"Works. Would you like to throw it, or shall I?"

"Uh, I don't think I can swing it that high. You're probably a better aim than I am. I prefer physical than melee."

Megatron didn't ask why on account of learning enough about her name and her suspensions because of it. He didn't want to know what she could do in hand-to-hand combat. Taking the hammer offered to him, he thumbed it while thinking and once he had a suitable angle, he threw the hammer straight up to the ceiling almost as fast as a bullet. The hammer hit the crystal and it burst. They both went wide-eyed at that and instinctively covered themselves. The shards of the tainted crystal now grey from being destroyed bounced off shatter into tiny fragments. Neither were injured but they both flinched when the hammer hit the catwalk close to Megatron. Once no more remnants were falling, they uncovered themselves and Road Rage grabbed her hammer with glee.

"Awesome! I think there may be one or two more crystals around here...hopefully, but once we clear the power plant, we should be good."

Scouring for the last crystal or so, they checked everywhere. The workers of the power plant were moving fast to clear out any remnants of the tainted Energon, but they noticed that one of the workers was staring at something. Megatron walked to them and tried to see if it was anything of concern. Sure enough, there was a crystal, but it wasn't accessible. It was hidden in the far corner blocked visually by a cluster of pipes and didn't seem to have any catwalk or platform near it.

"What do you think? Take apart the pipes? It would take hours though to remove all of them safely," the worker asked.

"What exactly is it on?"

"Not the pipes. You see where the wall is? It's in the back area of the interior. It's not even attached to anything vital or near it. No chance of damaging it even if you shoot it really but it may leave a hole there, nothing unrepairable. Your call though."

With the newfound information, Megatron agreed that a skilled shot would be all it needed to get rid of it with no risks involved. He carefully lined his cannon and tried to steady his aim so it was dead set on the crystal while also making sure he didn't hit the pipes. It took him a minute to make sure he wasn't about to make some regrettable mistake before he tensed his index digit and fired his cannon. The blast managed to miss the pipes and fly right into the crystal itself.

The power plant rumbled as the crystal exploded, causing Megatron and the worker to move backwards. The equipment of the power plant shook from the force but was left unscathed. Blue flame ruptured before disappearing. All that was left was smoke and a sizable chunk of the wall missing. The ex-Decepticon winced a little seeing that, but the worker gave him a thumbs up while Override and Road Rage were slightly shocked at the bold move.

Road Rage was the first to comment. "Wow! Talk about ending the job with a bang!"

Override smiled a little in agreement before addressing Megatron. "I thank you. It concerns me how fast all these problems are spawning. I fear if we don't get this under control, we may be facing internal panic on our servos and I don't think I can handle another planet-wide crisis, Megatron, not after Ransack and..."

Megatron knew eventually it would be brought up again. He could only nod and bite his lip. "What I did was wrong. I shouldn't have told Ransack all those pointers and given him the means to start a war. If I could take it back, I would...among so many other things."

The red and white femme studied him, her optics softening. "You've changed indeed. This isn't the same Megatron who led a legion and inserted detestable ideals into the traitors of our world. This isn't the warlord I remember. The fact that you are so willing to help us is only another piece of evidence to add that you are a good bot overall. I don't know what happened that humbled you."

"I didn't change...I just directed my path of destruction more towards protecting us and killing everyone else. But I can't say I truly changed..."

"Well, whatever you wish to deem it as, I can't be prouder of you, Megatron, than I am now."

He wouldn't admit out loud how he felt a weight on his chest lifted. Acknowledging his past animosities to those he had once hurt proved that his honesty was regarded with praise and acceptance and that he no longer had to live with the guilt. If Override could trust him despite everything, it was one step to finding peace among the other worlds he never thought he would achieve prior. He knew he still had a long way to go, but it was a new objective he found himself yearning to complete. Perhaps it was more than just saving the other worlds...

"Override," a worker said, "we've scoured the power plant. No sign of any crystalline growths and the tainted Energon has been flushed out. If it happens again, we'll deal with it quicker this time."

"Thank you," she answered.

A beep on his commlink made Megatron frown as the signal was from Cybertron. "Yes?"

Optimus' stoic voice was one he didn't expect. "Megatron, how are things on Velocitron? Haywire wants an update."

"We found out what is wrong over here. Metal Heads have come to Velocitron. I don't know why but Arcee has gone to investigate something tied to them with one of the locals. So far, they have been nothing but an annoyance at most. Did Arcee ever mention them to you?"

"Not really but I take it you have a handle on the situation? Let me know if you need help."

"Sounds like you don't know me all too well, Optimus. I'm hurt," he mused. "Does our past mean nothing?"

"Just...keep in contact, won't you?"

When the communication ended, he saw both Override and Road Rage peering at him with interest. He shrugged, "A friend of mine on Cybertron making sure I'm still alive."

Override snickered, "I remember Optimus too, don't forget that. Tell him I wish him well. Now, join me at FastTrak. I need to talk to you and Arcee once she is done helping Blurr."

Arcee drove to Red Run Canyon near Traction City west of Delta and followed the road on the flatland beside the canyon. With night starting to show, she didn't like the idea of driving alone, especially with the Metal Heads loose and dangerous. She suddenly spotted a blue streak driving adjacent to her in the distance and recognized the form instantly.

Blurr traversed the flatlands efficiently, his signature blue bio lights leaving a streak behind him as he sped up. In the dark, he was illuminated. She couldn't imagine what he, along with the other racers of Velocitron, would look like on the track at night. A part of her wanted to see him in action. When Blurr started turning towards her, she blared the small horn she had on her alt mode before popping a wheelie to greet him. He responded by flashing his lights in a pattern.

"Hey, Cybertronian, didn't expect Override to send you. How's it been? Get into any trouble?" He laughed.

Arcee slid to be beside him, and they drove near the edge of the canyon carefully. "Plenty. Override said you found some unknown creatures here?"

"Yeah, malicious little devils. Teeth, multiple yellow eyes, and weird glowing pendants or something attached to them. They appear almost techno-organic, but I don't think they are or don't demonstrate the normal properties of one. Whatever they are, they're bad news."

"Story of everything I've come across in my adventures. They're Metal Heads, Horaquan. I encountered them before on an island in another world. They are intelligent but sinister."

"Nice to know," Blurr said. "I can show you where I found them if you race me there."

Arcee scoffed, "And what are the chances I win now that you know me?"

"Slim, but, if you do, I think I can give you something to even out the odds in the future. Dare to race me?"

"I don't even know where we're going!"

Blurr made his engine rumble loudly. "Ha ha! Sometimes the race isn't mapped out! Sometimes the race is only where you're willing to go if anywhere at all! Live a little, my friend!"

Arcee inwardly grinned, "Alright then, you're on!"

Blurr pulled forward and Arcee trailed him. They followed the canyon edge, dodging a few holes in the ground and drifting around protruding natural formations of the desert-like environment. Blurr shifted on his side and taunting balanced on his right wheels while the left two were up in the air.

"Showoff," said an amused Arcee.

"You have to have fun sometimes; people love good tricks."

Arcee got ahead of him but kept a watchful eye through her mirrors to make sure he didn't stray and take advantage of the fact she was racing blind to her destination. When he suddenly banked left, her tires squealed as she did an abrupt turn almost skidding out from the near loss of traction. She cut him off and beeped at him.

"At least you're paying attention," Blurr chuckled. "We're nearly there, two more lefts and then we're going to hit a slope into the canyon. Go down the slope to the bottom and I'll declare you the winner."

"Good sportsmanship from you? Blurr, you're going soft on me."

"I only do that for people I like."

She followed his instructions, keeping to the curve of the landscape to keep ahead. Around a spire they went going left before suddenly, the canyon was in view as was a drop-off. Arcee barley grazed the edge and Blurr honked at her worried.

"I'm sorry! I forgot it was closer than it looked! My fault there!" The Velocitronian yelled.

Arcee made a small snarl of frustration, but it melted into a small laugh. "Living dangerously, how ironic."

The slope Blurr had spoken of was visible to the right and Arcee immediately shifted course to ride it down. It was a part of the canyon end and curved down to the bottom where fog had settled within. She slowed her approach cautiously and expected Blurr to overtake her, but he didn't. In the canyon, she transformed and smirked.

"You let me win."

Blurr shifted with a flip and shrugged, "I owe you that for almost letting you drive off a cliff. I may love winning, but even I know when to call myself out for mistakes."

"Is it weird that I always heard Velocitron was nothing but flatland?" She said, changing the subject as she peered around.

"Common misconception though not untrue either. Velocitron is flatland with very few formations above it. However, everything below what is considered flatland doesn't always count in the view of the layout of the world. We have canyons, most barely five hundred feet deep or less if anything. The rest is surface level. A perfect wilderness for racers who just want to go for a drive albeit have to watch for the canyon ledges, such a nasty fall but all are survivable."

"Cool, just was wondering. Anyways, you said you had something for me?"

Blurr nodded and pulled out a small circular device. Arcee was given it and examined it curiously before raising a brow.

"This is a speed boost module. It can either be used on us Velocitronians to boost our already fast speeds, basically an upgrade, or it can be used on other things to temporarily boost speed. Unfortunately, this limit comes with the fact that the technology was not meant to be compatible with other species…including other autonomous beings. I have no need for it obviously, but maybe you could find a use for it, and it works in both forms. Combine it with those skills of yours and you just might get an edge on anything that crosses your path."

Opening her abdomen where several components were, she hooked the device to her alt mode speed regulator next to her T-cog. She nearly laughed how Blurr was respectfully looking away until he heard her shut her armor back up. It was his turn to find humor as Arcee gasped at her systems syncing with it, an increase of energy began to surge within. She felt faster in more ways than one.

"Feeling that boost? Remember this: as a Cybertronian, this ability can only hold for seconds at a time, and I don't know how long it takes to recharge to use. I would guess you could use it every minute or so, but I can't make any promises on that. It's a guess at best."

Arcee then chuckled, "Then maybe we should give it a test run. Where did you spot the Metal Heads?"

Blurr scowled, "There's multiple of those monsters in the middle over here unless they crawled out since then."

Arcee silently nodded and took point. They walked the canyon base almost a mile. The eerie fog made the canyon grim, and Arcee found it a bit more unnerving than Paragon Canyon back on Earth. An echoing mechanical grunt was heard, and she slowed down cautiously. The canyon bent making a small blind spot which they crept close to. Then they peaked around the corner.

A clawed foot stomped the ground causing dust to fly up with a snarl. Talons and armor clashed against one another and if Arcee could remotely describe the creatures, they looked like Earth dinosaur raptors but mismatched with grey armor and purple, damaged organic skin. Six of them hovered over the corpse of a helio-horse. A few gnawed on the metal while others stood around making weird noises that seemed to be a form of communication among them. One sprinted when another hissed at it and the fleeing form darted quickly around its peers before stopping on the other side of the horse within a mere second.

"They're fast like you...that's suspicious to me," Arcee said looking back at Blurr.

Blurr held a distasteful expression. "As in?"

"I think this isn't some random infestation. These Horaquan are tailored for the vast environment of Velocitron just as Velocitronians are kin to the highways they make. That's no coincidence. We need to get rid of them soon because if they get into any populated area, there's no telling what they can do. And if they can match your abilities, they will overtake you."

The look on Blurr's face changed from angered to worried as he thought about what Arcee said. To say he wasn't horrified deep down was a lie even if he tried to hide it.

"You mentioned having dealt with the species before. How do we defeat them?"

"Well, good news is they are susceptible to weapons just like you and me, but you can't fight many of them by servo without risks. I say we cut them down. Do you have a weapon or...?"

The speedster ignited a blade from his forearm with blue bio lights and smirked, "We like to race, doesn't mean we aren't equipped to fight."

She grinned, "Let's get them running, shall we?"

Blurr matched her enthusiasm before sprinting out with her. To their surprise, the Metal Heads quickly sprinted away with taunting roars. The blue mech managed to catch up with one but Arcee was lagging. He noticed and quickly yelled, "Use your ability, Arcee! I'll corner them, you use it to aid in killing them!"

The raptor-like Horaquan were lightning fast with paced grunts and quick reflexes as they steered to the canyon base. Arcee put pressure on her natural speed as Blurr corralled one that hissed at him towards the wall. As soon as they hit a straight with no obstacles, Arcee dug deep within her coding to find the newly achieved ability. She activated it as she brought out her double ended sword and it startled her when suddenly she was boosted forward. She surged at a far higher speed than she was used to and almost slammed into the tail of the Metal Head before it could be struck, and she started falling behind again. It was a ten-second window she had, and her systems alerted her that it took thirty seconds before she could use it again. Blurr smirked at her attempt but still tried to focus on keeping the raptor in the position that opened it for attack. Now that Arcee knew how the ability worked, it was time to put it to work the proper way.

When her speedster ability indicated it was charged again on her HUD, she timed it right as the raptor slowed a fraction of its pace by Blurr getting more towards its front which it tried to snap at him. She zoomed forward and wall-jumped off the side of the canyon right onto its back. Sinking the sword into its spine right under its brain, the beast stumbled dying and she jumped off again, transforming as it fell and hit the ground with a few bounces. Its skull gem popped out which Arcee witnessed in her mirrors.

"One down, five more to go!" Blurr said, giving a thumbs up before transforming.

They navigated and caught up to the troop that had slowed to communicate with one another. This time, the Metal Runners, as Arcee inwardly dubbed them, were deciding to do "fight and flight," a strategy Arcee hadn't seen in quite some time. Two of them stayed far in the front while three tried to take out the bots. They abruptly halted for a second to put themselves behind the bots before baring their fangs and claws, yellow eyes glowing bright with malice.

"They want to play, Blurr, but they don't realize they just set up their leaders for annihilation."

"Indeed," he laughed. "I'll distract the three back here. Go get them, girl!"

Right as he said that, he hit his brakes and slid sideways tripping two of the Metal Runners with a crazed cackle. Arcee sped forward as much as she could push herself when one of the two leaders peered back with a growl. Targeting the one with the attitude, she hit her boost and transformed, jumping on it and stabbing it. It gave a harsh roar and tumbled. The three Blurr were teasing grew paranoid until the two abandoned the troop to go back.

Blurr said, "Don't worry about them. Let's get these two first."

As Arcee gained on the remaining leader, Blurr transformed and ran at sonic speeds to catch up with the one just behind her. When it noticed him, he made a dorky face before bringing out his own weapon. He smirked as its four eyes went wide realizing his intentions. He plunged the edge of his blade into its neck, forcing it into the canyon walls and sparks emitted from the blade dragging against the rock while shredding whatever flesh was trapped between them. Once Blurr pulled his weapon out, the Metal Runner collapsed lifelessly with its skull gem hitting the ground. He did a twirl in victory before converting back to his vehicle mode.

Arcee activated her boost against and came right under the Metal Head she was trailing. She avoided being tossed by the feet kicking up dirt and dust before impaling it in the abdomen. It gave an ungodly sound and hit the ground hard. Her sword didn't discharge from the wound, and she was flung over and past it when it went belly up by tripping over its own head. She recovered by landing on her pedes and sliding around to stop herself. The poor Metal Runner couldn't stand, yelping as its nervous system on its lower half was disturbed by her sword going through and hitting the inner spine. It snarled at her, trying to crawl towards her abruptly, but it failed to see Blurr and its head was slammed into the canyon.

Even though it looked dead, its skull gem didn't pop so Arcee made the quick decision to change her arm into a blaster and started unloading it. Three hits to the head and its gem finally released with a distant grunt. The same dark purple sludge she had seen on Metal Heads before oozed out of its still corpse.

Blurr rolled by slowly without transforming to robot mode and said, "Is it bad I find their lack of defense a bit unnerving? It makes it seem like we're attacking them without reason."

Arcee responded, "The Metal Heads were made by a mastermind of determined evil. Their only instinct is to kill regardless of if they attack first or not. It's just what they are made to do."

"Damn...if we caught a bunch of these, they would be good for racing. Granted, we would have to muzzle them but I kind of want to ride one..."

"Don't even think about it," she said without missing a beat. "Come one, we still have the last two to hunt."

The bots had to backtrack to find the two remaining Metal Heads. With the canyon now silent and the fog still lingering, they were careful to navigate the canyon as they feared the creatures might desire the element of surprise against the ones responsible for hunting their brethren. When they reached the slope they had used to enter the bottom of the canyon, Arcee scowled to herself while Blurr examined his surroundings.

"They probably left this time for sure. I wouldn't stick around-"

"Shh! We don't know that. Given I met two of their most intelligent warriors to date, I wouldn't put it past them to be somewhat cunning like their superiors if push came to shove," Arcee immediately said.

"You mentioned dealing with them on the isle previously. Who was their leader then if not now?" Blurr asked curiously.

She still kept a keen eye out for any lurking shadows or movement as she sighed, "Kor was a monster; he betrayed his species to gain power, the same as...well, he took over the Metal Heads when Tigressa was banished. He mocked everyone he believed to be inferior but was a beast to fight, clever above all but his ego got the better of him. I killed him on the isle by bringing his nest down on top of him after defeating him in battle. It was epic; I would not want to do it again though."

The Velocitronian looked flabbergasted by the description and gave a small sound impressed by her. "Remind me not to piss you off."

"Thank you," she said smugly.

A sudden roar had both Arcee and Blurr have their weapons at the ready. Arcee was quick to use her speedster ability and dodged a fast swipe of claws before decapitating the Metal Head. The second one grew wise and sidestepped her attempt to assassinate it. Hissing, it circled them.

"Told you they would be waiting!" Arcee snapped.

Both bots mirrored it until the blue mech was the first to strike. He nicked its thigh but earned a sharp punt of the tail to the chest knocking him backwards. Arcee took the opportunity to lunge and swiped her sword up, severing its arm. When it reeled back in pain, she used its distraction to get close. It opened its jaws to bite, but she was ready. The one of the blades of her double edge impaled it through the roof of its mouth and it whimpered before going limp. She tore it out and sneered as it collapsed. Blurr got up and whistled admiring her skills.

"Fast with a blade. Where were you when I was looking for a sparkmate three years ago?"

"Sorry, taken," she winked.

"Well, he better not lose you because damn! I don't remember if I said this already, but you should have been a Velocitronian. Like, I find that a crime you are not."

"Nice to know I have an admirer," she said rotating her blade before placing one end on the canyon floor.

Blurr smiled, "I would be a fool not to be. Now, we best report this to Override before she wonders if we died or something."

The way back to Override was almost a race once more and they found her in the FastTrak Command Complex with Megatron, Bolt, and Moonhunter. The Nitrotiger was quick to greet her by purring and rubbing up against her leg while the Vehicon was busy talking to a Velocitronian over possible information. Megatron was smiling at her which made her blush. She then surprised everyone by speeding around her sparkmate and Override before stopping next to Blurr again. Moonhunter had optics the size of plates.

"Where did you learn that?!" Bolt asked shocked.

"Upgrade, but it only lasts ten seconds before it must recharge. A speed boost, so to speak. Now I can outrun you, Megatron, in a flash."

Megatron raised his brows before smirking to the side, "I'm more curious if you could use it for other things-"

"Hey, we're working here," Arcee chided though not without a smile of her own.

Blurr snickered to the side and Bolt rolled his head to mimic rolling his optics.

Override changed the subject by asking, "I take it you found the creatures?"

Arcee nodded, "Metal Heads. They were fast...like a Velocitronian. As I told Blurr, I think someone set them up here for a reason. That means you need to alert your planet to protect itself from these things if they are invading."

Blurr then said, "I can find the planetary defense system. It's either in Delta or Traction City, with your permission, Override."

The Velocitronian leader acknowledged the statement knowing Arcee was right to point out what should be done. "Yes, thank you for investigating. With what we now know, defending Velocitron will indeed be our top priority, but Arcee, I must ask you a very demanding question, something I just noticed and don't think I am accusing anyone of anything."

Arcee was confused as was Megatron as she continued, "I do find your appearance alongside the Metal Heads' at the same time very...odd...considering they weren't here a month ago. My question to you is this: do you know why this is happening now?"

She understood the superstition but had no answers. Her timing did give more questions than answers and while she was very tempted to oust Silos' presence on Velocitron, that wouldn't bode well for Cybertron or anyone she cared about. She noticed Megatron caught her hesitance as did Bolt. She responded in a not-so-flattering, "I honestly can't say, but I will help you get rid of them."

There was an unreadable expression on Override's faceplates, one that made her think she didn't believe her out of not being able to give a good reason for the coincidence. But Override accepted it with a mere gesture. Still, it haunted Arcee to see it.

"Oh, and before I forget, take another one of these if you want," the red and white femme said. She handed a Radiant Core to Arcee and shrugged, "I don't want you to feel empty-handed for doing all these tasks for me. Blurr, Road Rage, and I will keep an optic out for any more Metal Heads and infestations. I'm sorry if I am coming off as paranoid but I have to note all possibilities, even the ones that don't seem right, you know?"

Arcee agreed on that and as Override and Blurr started talking as they left, Bolt and Megatron approached her with the former crossing his arms.

"That's one hell of an assumption. She thinks we brought the virus here?"

"She's only considering all answers; she's afraid and we would do the exact same thing if the situation was reversed. I can't blame her for that," Arcee defended.

Megatron shook his head, "It is what it is. I say we go out for Energon because I'm starving."

"Yeah," Bolt said amused, "I bet that big physique of yours is really missing out."

As Megatron said something obscene in retaliation, Arcee's commlink activated and she shivered upon hearing the growling voice of Silos. "Oh, Arcee, I have another task for you. Meet me in my shop and yes, it is about that little conversation we had about winning over dear Override. I have the name if you think you're up to the challenge, assassin."

She quickly peered around to figure out how to get to Silos without alerting the others. She cleared her throat and smiled forcefully. "You guys go ahead, I'm good."

"Are you sure?" Megatron asked concerned. "Don't let this situation keep you on edge. We're here for you."

It killed her having to keep her encounter with Silos a secret, but perhaps she needed to see if she could reason with Silos for more leniency about that. She appreciated the support nonetheless.

"Thanks, but I'll just be out and about."

They finally let her leave and she was quick to transform. Heading back to the street market where vendors and salesmechs were still chanting a bargain, she reached the door of the trophy shop, passing a shady Velocitronian going out who glared at her with a Horaquan dragon's head on a plaque.

"Everyone loves to feel like winners even if they themselves aren't the real achievers of it. That's what's so remarkable about using Metal Heads as trophies; people can brag but they can never get the story right," Silos laughed from the back. He stepped into view with several new items including a necklace made from the skull gems he had taken from other Horaquan. Placing them on a table to be sorted, he brushed off his paws on his thighs and smirked at her.

Arcee stood there awkwardly before rubbing her neck. "Look, Silos, can I be honest with you? I don't think stealing stuff for you is good. What happens if I get caught? Then I'm screwed and you get to walk free! Maybe this deal is a bad idea."

"Second thoughts?" He said bemused, "It's too late for that, my dear. Besides, it's not as bad as you're making it out to be. Most of what I ask is nothing short of recovery missions for clients. I must make money somehow. Think of it this way: you help me, and I will give you the information you want to help others. That's as fair as it's going to get. Tell you what, I'll even keep in contact with you more. I know Metal Heads inside and out. I can give you any data you want on them, and I can tell you their weaknesses, their strengths, and even their thoughts. How about that? Does that seem fair for the little sins I may have you do? You'll be regarded as a hero; I care for no such thing so you can have it."

"Morally-"

"Morality is foolish," he scoffed setting a basket of skull gems on the counter. "I would know. The greatest achievements in history were never built on morality. Name one event that has ever been won with pure morals and I will slit my own throat here and now, and you'll never have to deal with me again."

Arcee tried to think of a conflict, anything worthwhile that matched his demands, but nothing came to mind. He was right. He waited before clapping his hands together once and pointing both at her with an amused grin.

"Tell me this...how many people has Optimus Prime killed when he could have merely taken them prisoner instead? Reviving Cybertron was not morally justified, and you know this given its past and present. No one is deprived of moral sin, you and I both, so morals ain't got nothing to do with doing what you think is best for everyone. It's about living and how to live, always has been. Your decisions at the end of the day teach people to live or not, but the question should be what are you willing to do to let them live?"

She didn't have a response to that either and peered to the side when he gently touched her shoulder. "Arcee, you are a valiant warrior, but you know the risks. We are no stranger to breaking the rules to live."

"And what about you, Silos? What happened to your morals? What rules did you break?" She then hissed. "What happened?"

The Metal Head backed away smirking with his fangs visible. "I don't think you would believe me. I was...King Kronos' proud captain of the guard, a simple Rozarian. I used to have a saying: 'I will always do what's right no matter what stands in my way' and everyone always commented on it about certain situations, and I would repeat myself. That's how I worked. Heh, the king used to always tease me about rebuffing people's advances; I never found a mate, no one sat right with me. But then came his eldest daughter, strong and cunning, looked like her mother but held the ferocity of her grandfather. She was beautiful to me; everyone feared her, but she didn't care. And she did terrible things, the screams echoing across the land like music, and I fell. She was worth living for; I wanted more so when she offered me a mixture made of her own blood and powers, a hideous virus...I drank it. Hmm hmm, I regretted nothing."

Arcee watched him move slowly to one side of the room examining what he had on display, running a claw over the glass. Then he examined his hand, a twitch in his horrific smile.

"The pain was excruciating, like being torn apart. I was dying yet unable to die. I was living death, and I loved it as much as I loved her. My successes stood out as I lived while others met their fate. I got all that I yearned for; I couldn't tell you everything I had done except that I did what I needed to for the sake of the Horaquan empire. Unlike your more heroic crusade, mine was, of course, personal. However, like you, I did what was necessary. The only reason Tigressa failed was her father and siblings knew her enough to counter her. As you know, my passion for her yielded some unfavorable results so I had to leave. But I never stopped caring for her, and I never hated what I became."

Arcee nodded, "Love was your main ambition."

"And yet, they say love is never morally wrong. You see where the conflict of that logic comes into play. You and I know that in war, nothing will be or should be sacred because we will always do whatever it takes to win or suffer in our loss. It is why I know you don't have as much of a problem getting caught by your peers as you do letting them down, which is also why I know my ultimatum for you is perfect and why you will accept it even if it goes against your morality. I'm not trying to harm you, Arcee, but I want you to understand that in life itself, what you believe is not how the universe will ever work. To follow so blindly into a universe of what should be is a death sentence to everyone around you."

Arcee had nothing to argue about when she knew Silos was right. To help Override and the others, it might be the only option she has.

The rhino-alien-Horaquan grabbed a chest off the top shelf of a cabinet, one Arcee couldn't reach if she tried. She avoided being accidentally hit by his dragon-esque tail when he turned around and placed it on an antique table between them. Popping the locks, he carefully lowered the lid and lifted out a silver pendant with an engraved fancy star on it, letting it spin idly by the chain.

"Do you know who's this is?"

Arcee gave a soft "no" as he tapped the ruby in the middle of it.

"This is a crest of a follower of Mourningstar. Caught the little bitch trying to take a youngling in broad daylight from a distraught carrier right outside a few weeks ago," he said before pointing to a green pile of spare parts on sale. He gave a sinister laugh, "And that's all that remains of her."

Keeping the disgust and horrified feelings she wanted to express inside, Arcee stayed silent, but a brief frown managed to show for a few seconds though she couldn't disagree that the attempted kidnapper deserved it.

"As I promised, I will tell you of that trafficking ring that has plagued Override so, and the leader of it is Mourningstar, a nasty piece of work that mech is. He takes whoever he deems profitable and takes them to Traction City's lower-level streets where the shadier end of business is conducted here on Velocitron. Can't say I'm innocent of selling unfavorable things down there myself, definitely not children though. That crosses a line that makes my skin crawl; even Tigressa found such things quite disturbing."

"And that's using them for..." she grimaced unable to finish the sentence.

"Mm hmm," he grunted. "Word is Mourningstar is going there to put new victims on the buyer's market tomorrow. Five kidnapped bots are being moved in transports to Traction City tonight, said to meet in the bowels of the streets at dawn sharp. You need to cut off those transports and free those poor souls before they are forever lost and trust me, little less than ten people have ever escaped Mourningstar's ring once down there, and he has had thousands of 'goods' processed monthly to give you an idea of just how long he's been doing this. He keeps a tight grasp on his operations, but I can hack into the transports to pinpoint their exact locations but only for a certain amount of time before its security slams down hard. Are you willing to do it?"

Arcee sighed, "And Mourningstar?"

"He will be blind to the rescues until dawn or unless someone tips him off from lack of communication from the transports, but I can cover that too. Once the victims are rescued, I can send an anonymous call to Override to meet you down there, but the rest will be up to you."

"Kicking scum's ass sounds quite fun now that I think on it."

Silos sneered, "This is one thing I ask: bring me Mourningstar's personal crest. He always wears it around his neck, but his followers keep theirs hidden on their person. That crest is worth more than his followers' lives. Since I don't think Override would care much about it, I will take it."

"How noble," she mocked. "Alright, but if I get stuck in Mourningstar's ring, you better come and get me."

"I'll have a ground bridge at the ready. Of course, I won't let that mech get his greasy hands on someone as lovely as you."

She dismissed the comment and simply replied, "You get the coordinates, I'll be there."

Arcee didn't know how long she waited until she finally received word from Silos as she patrolled the highways. The drive was nice, but his voice still left a sour note.

"All five transports are on the move with red trailers. Dispatch the two guards on each transport and free the cargo. An officer of Override's security force will arrive not long after I send the call. The first two transports are near you a few hundred meters out."

She noted that and sped up to weave through traffic to catch the closest transport. She spotted one in front of her, a giant trailer attached to an operated vehicle. Casually, she sped by it just to see what she was dealing with. But as she got close to the trailer, she heard a very faint pounding from within. It was so masked by the sound of Velocitron's engines, it was a perfect way to transport a person discreetly. That infuriated her. Two guards were at the helm of the vehicle, and she quickly scouted her options. The easiest way to deal with them was to separate them from the transport and thankfully, the transport had an open cockpit.

Using her speedster ability, she suddenly banked off the divider of the highway and transformed with her blades active. She sliced through one mech with ease but the femme alongside him countered with her own blades. They clashed trying to get the upper hand. While they did so, the transport slowly drifted into the median and shook while sparks ignited off the two metals rubbing against one another. Arcee forced the guard to block up before sending a low kick to the abdomen. The femme went flying onto the road and was instantly hit by a truck in alt mode that blared its horn. Arcee didn't see the aftermath as she gained control of the vehicle and slammed on the brakes. Once stopped, she ran to the back and shot the locks open.

In the trailer, there were several crates of valuables and Energon but in the corner, a shivering frame was holding onto one of the strapped down crates. A youngling, though almost out of the category from the size, peered at Arcee terrified and began crawling backwards to press against the trailer wall. The younger mech trembled as she tried to assure him.

"It's okay. You're safe. I just stopped those people that took you. I'm going to have someone call the authorities and get you back to your family, okay?"

The mech blinked before slowly crawling out. Giving him a gentle smile, she reached her servo out and waited patiently as he finally took it after a minute of hesitance. When he saw he was on the highway, he nearly broke down crying.

"Am...I...?" he barely pronounced.

"You're free, yes," she said. "I would tell you what happened to the guards, but I think you've been through enough."

She was abruptly startled when he hugged her, still timid and whimpering. "They did horrible things to me! I-I just want to see my sire and s-sister again!"

"It's okay. It's okay."

When more people stopped, Arcee quickly told a few bots about the situation before excusing herself to go after the other transports once she saw a couple who transformed and comforted him. She knew he was in good servos and that they would help him get back to his family. Transforming, she made up for lost time by using the information Silos said about the second transport being not far from the first when she attacked the latter.

The second transport was easy to find. This time she didn't hesitate to jump up and kicked the passenger right off the edge of the highway bridge. She didn't know how far the guard fell but neither did she care. The driver was punched repeatedly in the face until Energon was pouring out his nasal plating and he was forced unconscious. The transport halted, and she released the trailer doors. To her surprise, there were three femmes in the back who blinked at the sudden light of passing traffic.

"Silos, these transports have more than just one victim each."

"How unfortunate...do what you can then. The faster we get this done, the better it will be for Velocitron."

She gestured to the femmes, but they didn't budge until she said, "Your captors are incapacitated. I'm here to free you. You're safe now."

One of them took a chance, the desperation very abundant on her faceplate to get out of her predicament. When she saw the highway, she gasped and quickly signaled the other two to come with her. Turning to Arcee, she nearly cried, "Thank you! They ambushed me and my friends! I thought we would be killed!"

"You're safe and I have someone calling security over to you now. Be wary of the unconscious guard in the front though. I beat him good for you; he's no longer a threat. Keep close to each other, alright?"

Arcee paused when she received a small kiss on the cheek before the three rested against the median enjoying the starry night. She gave a brief smile at the girls before leaving once more. "Anything on the radar, Silos?"

"A transport is coming in from Dragtail Highway on the eastern end of Traction City. The other two are a few miles away on the south Ridgelane."

As she drove the remainder of the highway she was currently on to Traction City, Megatron suddenly commed her. "Haven't heard from you in a while. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, just visiting Traction City," she lied. "We should make a trip over here just you and me."

"Forgive my curiosity, Arcee, but you seem distant since we came to Velocitron. I don't like to pry but..."

She sighed, "Look, Megatron, it's...it's a bit complicated. It's not you or Bolt. I just-"

"You like venturing on your own, don't you? I don't blame you," the warlord said though she could tell the slight sadness in his voice.

"I'm sorry."

"No, you need space and you're a free spirit, isn't that why I fell in love with you? Just be safe."

"I will. I promise."

She followed the city signs to Dragtail Highway and saw the transport up ahead. Using a U-turn lane from a break in the divider, she moved around and trailed the transport. She speed-boosted and grabbed one of the guards, headbutting them harshly and knocking them out before climbing over them and wrestling the controls from the driver. She punched the driver twice and grabbed them to slam their helm against the dashboard. Slamming on the brakes, she casually pushed the passenger guard out of the way to get out of the cockpit.

She opened the trailer and a mech and femme both quickly ran out, both sighing in relief when they saw they were among a highway. The mech then said, "That was a nightmare! I thought we were dead! You, cycler, you aren't Mourningstar's guard, are you?"

"Nope," Arcee answered proudly.

The dark pink femme gave a small smile. "We appreciate the rescue. We owed Mourningstar and his cronies. When we were late with a payment, we got a call saying the terms had changed. Next thing we know, we're being forced into the trailer to who knows where!"

"What did you owe him for?"

The orange mech gestured with a growl, not at Arcee but instead the audacity of the situation. "We run a weapons store and I guess he didn't want competition on the weapons market, so he bought a share in our company. However, he added a fee for protection against any of his rivals, failed to mention he basically saw it as owning us. I don't know what he planned on doing with us, but my sparkmate and I are going to lay low for a while. Hope someone nails that bastard."

Arcee gave a nod and while moving backwards said, "Stay safe and don't worry, I'm working on it."

She left for Ridgelane Highway and immediately passed a transport about to enter the city. Knowing time was short as dawn was set to start in an hour or so, she didn't wait for the next U-turn. Instead, she hopped over the median which earned her angry honks and sped straight for the vehicle. Using her speed boost, she transformed and grabbed the sidebar of the cockpit, swinging around and sending both pedes into the faceplate of one unsuspecting guard. The second grimaced and was a coward, immediately jumping out only to get whacked by a pole much to Arcee's amusement.

The trailer for the fourth transport held a thick-plated, dark green femme who was restrained. Even though she heard the warning growl of the femme, she still approached to help them.

"Hey, I'm going to get you out of here. They can't hurt you anymore. You just have to trust me, okay?"

The brutish femme calmed down but was still tense. Once the queen broke their restraints, the other femme finally spoke. "You're either very brave or very foolish. Mourningstar will hunt you down if he finds out what you've done."

"Good news is I'm hunting him too. Game on," Arcee snarled.

That made the larger bot smile as they left the trailer. "Knowing that, I change my mind; I like you. Give him my regards when you beat the shit out of the son of a bitch. Not many people have the guts to do it."

"Absolutely. I'll make sure I'm his first."

The last transport Arcee waited for within the city overlooking the Ridgelane Highway as Silos pointed out it was on its way. She took a second to admire the difference between Traction City and Delta. While Delta was always lit up, Traction City seemed to prefer the aesthetic of a more toned-down lighting system allowing the light of the stars and the sun to paint its colors instead of relying on artificial lights. She peered back to the highway as she sat on the sign above. She knew it was probably frowned upon, but it was a statement...and so was her standing up as she spotted the trailer as well as when she stepped off with good timing. Both the guards and the other onlookers didn't expect it, neither did one of the guards expect getting stomped on right as she turned to swiftly punch the other.

The vehicle slid to halt and Arcee smirked as two unconscious bodies with bloody faces were both crooked in their seats. She brushed her servos together with a cocky smile before opening the trailer, only to suddenly get the butt of a weapon right in the nose plate. She scowled but was able to still stand despite the blow, having had her fair share of fights in her years of war. The guard who stepped out was a bit stunned by her resilience but tilted his helm out of curiosity. She peered past him to see two younglings clinging to one another.

"Well, aren't you bold, my dear?"

"Arcee, have you secured the final trailer?" Silos said in the comm.

She couldn't answer when she was hit from behind by an approaching bot in their alt mode. Two more came up and transformed. She saw a glimmer of silver hidden among their chest plates as she felt dizzy, the crest of Mourningstar...his followers.

"Mourningstar will be most impressed indeed," the guard snickered as she fell unconscious.

"Arcee!"

AN: After much digging into my very old art when I was younger, I found what was one of the first variants of Silos as his normal Rozarian (pre-virus) self. ( tigressa101/art/Captain-Silos-648756039). Obviously as a Metal Head, he has changed drastically more to something like this: ( tigressa101/art/Metal-Captain-Silos-607570536). Rozarians are a heavier set species than what I drew him as but it's like fat muscle, and the limbs are more proportional. But you kind of get what I was trying to go for years ago. I need to redraw him someday...

Velocitron has the most section of chapters (six) compared to the others but for good reason, not because the others lack details but because it's a starter world and neither Arcee or Megatron know what they are getting into. After Velocitron's section is complete, everything will move at a far more steady pace than being this slow to get to the action. Like I said, this fic is kind of trial and error. The quests, optional and mainline, are designed to blend together to where you are supposed to wonder which ones have later influences on the others.