"Isn't it beautiful?"I asked Shockwave as we looked out the massive window of the Warship. I saw Cybertron dead, and now I see it alive!

"I must confess," he started, "I did not think we would win."

This made me chuckle as I kissed the side of his optic.

"Oh ye of little faith. Megatron's failures are not ours."

He stayed silent, looking to me for a moment.

"A logical statement."

I played with one of his ever sensitive antenea, feeling it twitch between my digits.

"I must apologize... for doubting."

"No. I'm the one who needs to apologize," I sighed, "not telling you my plan was inconsiderate, but I knew you'd stop me."

"I do not accept it."

This made me huff as I frowned, taking my servo from his helm.

"And why not?"

"Because your plan, secret though it was, worked. Apologizing is illogical."

His reasoning made sense, but it still felt good to try and apologize, accepted or not.

"Well, apologies aside, we won. But there's one more thing we need to do."

"Agreed."

Making our way down the ramp onto the metal ground of Cybertron, I breathed in its air for the first time, feeling it's more metallic texture filter through my vents. This was natural, this was home, and my spark hummed with its foreign familiarity. My smile was soon a twisted one as my gaze turned to the Autobots kneeling in stasis cuffs. They all faced me except one, who faced his supposed unstoppable team, the fried husk of Arcee lying between them. Even Ultra Magnus was here, captured once Soundwave tracked Ratchet's distress signal.

"Cybertron is alive," I told them, steping behind the line of beaten 'Bots, "but Cybertron is not living." The Prime glared at me as Shockwave came to be by my side, "The Allspark. Where is it?"

My demand was met with silence, and a toxic glare the mighty leader seemed to copy from Megatron.

"I've studied every history in our archives, including those deciphered of Iacon, and the dissapearence of the Allspark lands in your servos," I stated, but it was as if he did not hear, just a constant steady stare, "This means you know where it is, so you're going to find it for us."

He finally spoke.

"And you think you can merely show your legion to acquire what you want?"

"You really shouldn't compare us to Megatron," I sighed, "unlike him I only toy with my victims if I can afford it. No, if you don't comply, for every hour that passes, so will one of your precious team members."

I saw Soundwave come from the depths of the Nemesis, ready for departure with the Prime.

"Your warrior, Arcee, was offlined exactly 53 minutes and 29 seconds ago, that gives you a bit more than 6 minutes until the next victim is chosen. Until then you will sit here in solemn company."

Shockwave offered his servo, of which I took with a small smile. We walked by the line of Autobots, the darkened husk of the femme, and their beaten leader. If the one Autobot had stayed silent, Optimus' decision might have been different.

"Optimus would not have authorized your torture," I turned to see the desperate faceplate of Ultra Magnus, "And I sincerely regret my decision. Let him free, and the others. We all have the same goal now, it would benefit everyone."

"And what of you?" I questioned, curious.

"Do... as you wish."

His comrades argued against his decision, an amusing sight, as even Optimus told him it was a ludacris idea.

"I sincerely apologize," the 2nd in command said with down turned optics.

The last thing he saw was the hole in his spark.

"Apology not accepted."

My servo switched back, hiding my cannon once again. It hurt, but I did not show it.

"You have one hour to make up your mind, Autobot."

Shockwave continued as my escort, and we entered the war ship, our destination being the lab where most things were being transported to one of my scientist's much bigger labs here on Cybertron. Predaking smiled at me once we came into view, and I smiled back.

"How is the moving going?"

"As smooth as it could be, unfortunately, it is slow going," the beast growled at a vehicon who came to close in his opinion, and the miner (currently mover) almost dropped the box of equipment. I giggled at this little show, placing my free servo over my smiling derma, I mistake I found rose the protectiveness of Predaking as he asked who marred the entirety of the appendage.

"It's nothing, I transformed it is all."

"An illogical show of force," Shockwave interjected, "You could have ordered one of the drones to dispose of the-"

"It wouldn't have convinced the Prime enough to think things through. He still won't tell nor show where he left the Allspark because he knows I offlined his Second in vengeance. It just so happened to be when his first hour was up."

"Even Megatron would toy with him for longer than you..." Starscream came up from behind.

"Hesitance, or prolonging the pleasure was one of Megatron's weaknesses. One of many, the other was thinking Shockwave would choose his duty over me."

I felt my love's grip tighten, a gentle acknowledgement, around my servo, and I smiled toward him, but duty called as a vehicon announced that his lab was near completion.

"We need to ensure that all is in a logical order..."

Always worried of the order of things. Then again, I can be like that too.

"So be it," I nodded, "but I'd rather not have to look at the sorry excuse for a prisoner outside."

"Perhaps I can be of assistance?" Predaking offered, and I accepted his invitation for a quick flight. My temperature always dropped to a questionable level, but it was fun.

Traveling to the flight deck, Predaking acted as if I was some treasure, growling at vehicons who would mumble something going by, or who paid no mind to my presence. So hard I tried to gain their favor, but I found it to be a lost cause. No matter the nicety, no matter the freedom I allow, they hate me, and only listen because they have to... Then again, perhaps they will warm up to me. Their work quality has increased, deaths have been low, and mishaps have decreased. Maybe there's still a chance yet.

I was pulled out of my own processor as I heard the familiar sound of Predaking transforming, and he nuzzled his enormous helm into my side with a purr, leaving no scratch behind, as he had learned some time ago.

"I believe you know our destination," I half asked, and the beast nodded as he moved a wing for Shockwave and I. It was the same wing that moved in sink with the other to lift us from the flight deck, and we were off to the lab closest to the many Predacon bones Shockwave's creation had found. Ever eager is he to restart the Predacon Project, both mechs. No one could possibly see the joy in Shockwave's optic but me, his anticipation a spark within that red orb of his. And Predaking, simply wanting more of his brethren to roam with him. Both hoped things were in order as we landed, and Predaking transformed once more.

"My lord and lady," Knockout bowed, "We've set everything up according to the original Predacon lab, and have already collected numerous bones ready for examination."

"Where have you placed them?" Shockwave questioned, and the medic pointed with another bow, glancing at me with a sly smile. He still thinks he has a chance, what a nuisance. Ignoring him, I followed my beloved, seeing that his attention was focused on a set he had already placed aside.

"Are those..."

"Yes."

"Knockout, this set is of Insecticon origin," I turned to face him again, unimpressed.

"Ah, well, you see I am not the one who collected them!"

"Your excuses are as bad as Starscream's," I threw the fossil at his ever so perfect finish, making him earn a spec of dust or two as he held out the piece in disgust, "Check them before setting them out to be examined. The fossil pattern is different, compare to the other specimens if you have to."

Shockwave and I stayed for almost the full hour of waiting, so we weren't bored, and the result of our patience was exactly what I had assumed: fruitless.

"So what will it be, Prime?"

"My hour has not passed," he argued.

"Perhaps, but by the time we're done talking it will be. Now, I'll ask again," stepping behind the last of his team, I counted down the last three minutes in my own helm, "Have you made your decision?"

"The children said you were nicer than the expected," he stalled, "this can be avoided by one decision of yours."

There was a short silence as I stared at him, and Shockwave was just as silent, so I knew he wasn't sure of what my next decision would be. Yes, this could all be avoided. I had the sense enough to see that both factions can be united, a logical decision, but not as satisfactory.

"Wrong answer."

I took out the Scout.

The Prime's glare could peel paint, and are those tears? I chose wisely.

"You're starting to grind my gears, Prime. When will you realize that I am not a force to be reckoned with? Or are the lives of your friends not worth the true revival of Cybertron?"

It was obvious the others were in agreement with their leader: the Allspark in a Decepticon's grasp wasn't worth it at all.

"I don't think you really understand the situation," I placed the tip of my canon to the medic Ratchet's helm, "Where is it, Prime?"

"Don't do it..." Ratchet knew, and I could see, this mighty leader was at his breaking point... but so was I. One more shot within the day and I would be bed-ridden for a long time.

"We're not worth it," the ex-Wrecker shook his helm.

"Don't let them have it," the bigger bot agreed, Bulkhead, I think is his designation.

The Prime looked to the husk of Arcee, the body of Ultra Magnus, and the corpse of Bumblebee

"Forgive me," he shook his helm, "but not even the Allspark is worth more than your lives..."

He left with Soundwave to retrieve the Allspark, and I jumped into the embrace of my lover in celebration of our success.

"Cut the simulation, Starscream," I ordered, and the sorrowful bunch of bots disappeared, corpses and all, into a flurry of pixels and light.

"Why go to all that trouble my lady?" he questioned, "when you could have offlined them in reality?"

I answered him, but my attention was on Shockwave as I placed a kiss on the side of his optic.

"It's illogical to kill a perfectly good work force. Arcee will need repairs, of course."

"Forgive my say-so," he continued, "but I know a vengeful spark when I see it," that much is true, "this was your moment to enact true revenge, wasn't it?"

To this I smiled, but stayed silent, and this was all the Seeker needed as his answer. It's funny, that my hate had turned to the Autobots and not the traitorous 'Con. After all, he is the one who forced me to work, but ordering him around instead is enough of a revenge for me.