WARNING: swearing, minor torture and kissing is involved.  You were warned.

Authors note: the transformers are not mine but Edge, AKA Matrix Prime, Chaos, Darkjade, Gal, Ultra Storm, Flamez, Astoria, and Ritz are mine. Enjoy!

Chapter 1, Doomed Raid

Cybertron:

Across the vast, dark, landscape of the Badlands, four black figures carefully snuck out, eager not be noticed by any optic ... ANY!  Not Autobot, Decepticon, or even neutral!

They ever so painfully sneaked through the deserted streets of Iacon, now in shambles and ruins.  Suddenly, one of the three stopped in the darkness, halting the other two with her outstretched arms, and peered beneath her visor closer at the sky.  She saw them before any of the other three did-

"Decepticon jets!" She hissed and instantly the taller of the three others roughly, though he did not mean so but in such a situation it was needed, into a dark alleyway.  It was there they all crouched down beside one another and watched the patrol group zoom by overhead.  They were sure they were unnoticed.

"That was close." The smaller mech replied off-hand with a tone that could sound close to either Shockwave or Soundwave when they were calculating something quickly in their minds.  There was a pause, for his friends noticed his tone, then he said, "That's almost four times this month.  We must be getting rusty."

"Rusty my tailpipe!" Piped up the femme from before with her usually mad-temper still, with her longer sight vision than the others, watched as the jets continued further out into the Badlands and then slowly spun around, heading east.  She was midnight black with deep violet highlights.  "*I* think Shockwave would notice when some energon has gone missing from his stock four times in one month!"

"Are you blaming this on me?" Whined the other femme among the group of four.  She was close yet behind the smaller mech watching her friends' features carefully.  "It wasn't my fault I tripped the alarm before we could get enough ener...!"

"Gal, you tripped the alarm four fucking times!" Snapped the other femme bad temperly.  "Your just so damn clumsy!"

"I try not to be!" The green and yellow femme whined again, feeling both hurt rejected by her fellow friend.

"Well you don't seem to be trying hard enough!"  Then suddenly she turns and stares hard at the taller mech behind her and snaps at him, "Why did we bring Gal along AGAIN?"

The taller mech, who was silver and black, said nothing but looked pleadingly down at his buddy, the

other mech shook his head, and he was red and blue.

"Oh no." he whispered to him.  "I'm not going to get into this!  She's YOUR girlfriend!"

Suddenly she spun on him, glaring daggers with her crimson optics.  "What's that supposed to mean you Autobot wimp!"

"Enough!"

They all jumped at the sharp, commandive hiss of the taller mech who looked to each of them individually.  "Look," he said sharply, "if you three can't learn to get along then its no wonder we have to raid Shockwave's energon supplies so much!  Or don't you remember, Darkjade," and here he turned to the femme that had first spoken, narrowing his crimson optics and trying to look fearsome, even in her optics.  "It was you that pushed, tripped, and slapped Gal on the back the three other times afterward!"  Then he added suddenly, "Whose side are you on anyway?"

At those words the bad-tempered femme's eyes softened and she looked badly hurt by the last comment, though a moment ago she had been smiling at her antics she played on Gal.  "I-I'm on our side!  I- I didn't mean for her to trip the alarms, my Little Silver Tyrant!" She pleaded, using one of the nicknames she had given him.  He winced visible at this for he hated the nickname with a passion and she knew it.  "Hey!  Didn't he tell her to stop calling him that last night after he took over the juice bar?'

Abruptly the red and blue mech sighed audible, catching the attention of his companions.  "Shouldn't we be rolling out before we're spot?"

Darkjade immediately looked back to the sky along with the silver mech and Gal.  The *Little Silver Tyrant* nodded his agreement.

"Yeah, let's get this finished ..."

"... and finished properly." Added the red mech.

"... this time." Ended the silver mech.  With that they turned into the alley, and hurried down, knowing this root by their beating sparks.  It seemed to the mechs a stroke of luck that their girlfriends, particular Gal's clumsiness and Darkjade's short-temper, hadn't gotten them caught yet.  For truly it was them that called for all the hush-hush and lay low, even though it was already required, but was needed for them more.  They didn't want the Decepticons, or Autobots, to find out their true identity.  Therefore they went by codenames.

They came to the end of the alley and peered out.  Yep, they were in the right area if not a bit higher up.  They had come to the slums were all the neutrals and freaks hung out, begging for energon from whoever they could get it from.  Quickly they pulled from subspace cloaks and flung it about their shoulders.  Then they put on the hoods.  Such was the secrecy required for the two mechs, and also for the femmes.  Any femme walking down that roadway was sure to get jumped and ua- we won't mention what happens next.  With those in place they hustled into the slums and sped on, ignoring any beggars or the questioning optics that fell upon them, even though these zeros had seen them pass by many times before-

With the guidance of the red and blue mech they found themselves at the front entrance of Darkmount, home base of the Decepticons.  As the red and blue mech crept up to the door, he flicked his wrist and his hand was immediately covered with many gadgets ... all for uses of hacking and pick locking.  As he set to work with an enthusiasm on the doors controls the taller mech turned and stared up at the stars with a glazed look.  Darkjade, though a major headache had a soft spot deep in her, and she knew her boyfriend very well.  Why shouldn't she?  She had been with him for about eight million years, give or take a few thousand.  It estimated close to nine million in any account.  It seemed to her, as it did with the red and blue mech and Gal, that they almost shared an empathic link, or even a telepathic link.  She knew he was in one of his *moods.*

"Tronious?" She inquired softly in whispering tones.  It was enough, luckily, to get his attention.  He turned to her, blinking once, but still having a bit of a distance look in his optics.

"Hmm?"

"Tronious- what did you see?"

He blinked again, still not quite seeing her and still seeing- whatever it was that he was seeing.  Darkjade was helpless to the shiver that ran through her.  She wondered what it was like, having such a powerful gift that was that wasn't even part of his original programming.  She wondered how he managed it, how he managed the gift of Sight that he had.  She wondered how he was still sane, she was sure seeing future battles, Autobot and Decepticon alike come and fade, would drive her nuts.  She often wondered if he had yet to see Cybertron's doom, if such a thing were thinkable, or her, or rather their, demise?  Always he was hovering just behind them like a nurse over her annoying-err- precious cyberbabies.  Did he see their death?  Another shiver shook her frame and she brrred, suddenly rubbing her arms as if to keep her warm.  Gal gave her questioning stare but her attention was soon turned back to the red and blue mech and his doings.  She loved her boyfriend very much, she had been with him after all, for nearly seven million years!

It was then, when she brrred and started rubbing her arms that *Tronious* blinked again and seemed to come about.  Immediately he pulled Darkjade into his arms and against his warm chest, hiding her beneath the cloak as if it would help to warm her.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

Darkjade lifted her gaze to stare into his deep, crimson optics.  "Oh,' she thought recalling the infamous Decepticons leaders optics, "so much alike yet-'

"Are *you* okay?" Tronious nodded and replied softly, "Yes."  Then he leaned forward and planted a sweet kiss on her smooth forehead so as to divert her attention from his hesitation in replying.  She sighed, it seemed to work.

"-so different.'

Just then the doors creaked open and they jumped.  Both looked forward at the now open doors of Darkmount, then to the red and blue mech with the smiling baby blue optics standing in the doorway.  Gal was already inside, standing alert and tense behind him.  Quickly she searched inside before looking back at her friends.

"Are to two love birds coming or not?" Implied the smaller mech with his smiling optics.  Darkjade frowned at his optics but Tronious smiled softly at his old friend.

"Primus, Hacker!  Is there no code you can't crack?"

Hacker chuckled to himself and replied to that old friendly-fun question between them, "'course there isn't Tronious!  There's no hacker better than Hacker!"

Tronious allowed himself a private chuckle before starting forward.  Together they began to follow but just before they entered Tronious grabbed Darkjade by the shoulder, holding her in place, and leaned forward, whispering into her audio:

"When I say "run!' you and Gal run!"

"Huh?"

But by the time she looked back at him he was already moving her along, and the hood and shadows that fell over his optics and face prevented her from seeing the dismal look in his features.  Suddenly she began to feel very uneasy about this raid instead of her usually Decepticon gusto.

Twice Gal stumbled but didn't fall.  Hacker was to quick to allow that to happen, and it seemed that every time she stumbled it was near an alarm.  Hacker smiled beneath his facemask.  "Ah!  The beauty of Gal!' He thought and wasn't implying to the fine curved form of her body that he found pleasing, no he meant her uncanny knack of tripping whenever a trap was nearby.  If she didn't fall and set off the alarms then they knew there was a trap there and avoided it!  Good ol' Gal!

At last, after avoiding alarms and Decepticons alike, they snuck into the command room led by Hacker himself.  He seemed to know every inch of Darkmount, and Cybertron, as if he had a map of the whole place in his head.  It came of no surprise to his friends though, they knew Hacker, and they knew his background-  An ex-Autobot though he was there was no mistaking the Decepticon spirit that seemed to taint his saintly soul.  That too, they also knew about and how it got there.

Hacker knelt before the closed doors and began hacking the code.  In only a few moments he would have the doors opened and then, the raid would commence.  It was a good thing the Decepticons still thought that it was the Female Autobots that were raiding them and not two groups!  If they knew that there would defiantly be more defenses, all the more fun for Hacker!

From behind Gal admired her boyfriend's slim, sturdy back.  She was liking what she saw but shook her head.  "Energon.' She told herself.  "Decepticon Base.  We're in Darkmount- Dark ...!!??!!"

Her jaw dropped, unable to work as she starred down that hall opposite of them.  Darkjade and Tronious were watching Hacker work, eagerly awaiting the doors to creak open so they could get this over with.  None had thought to leave a watcher, though that was usually Gal's job, she had forgotten to look and now it seemed that was coming back to bite her in her aft!  She stared down the hallway, rather right in front of her, slowing raising her gaze to meet that of the Decepticon Leader, Megatron!  Where in the Inferno did HE come from?  Wasn't he dead?  Or at least still lost in space somewhere?!

Megatron stared back down at her, looking as all hell pissed off AND confused at the same time!  Behind him was Starscream, Thundercracker, Skywarp, Soundwave, Rumble, Frenzy, Ravage, Astrotrain, and Shockwave with their guns raised and pointing at her!  She was motionless, shocked, her jaw was still hanging open, and more importantly, she was in shock!

Suddenly her hood slipped down just as Megatron was about to yell something out, no doubt for them to shoot and obliterate her into a thousand pieces.  When he saw that she was a femme he seemed a bit taken back and hesitated, obviously quickly rethinking something.  Just then Gal seemed to find her strength again and took a step back, working her mouth, trying to yell out, "DECEPTICONS!' or "MEGATRON!'  yet nothing came out, her friends were still obvious to the enemies behind them.  As she stepped back Megatron suddenly lunged at her, grabbing her and holding her in his strong grasp.  She struggled and cried out but to no avail, she couldn't get free!

Darkjade noted from the corner of her optic a sudden moment, and Gal's grunts, and looked behind.  At the time she had been toying with her handgun and upon seeing Gal stuck in the clutches of Megatron, who at the time she thought was still missing or rather dead along with most of the other Decepticons behind him, she panicked.

"GAL!"

She raised her gun and managed to get one shot off before the other Decepticons began firing their weapons with happy trigger figures!  Darkjade gave a cry of pain as one shot pierced her left arm, then suddenly a silver wing descended in front of her blocking any more laser fire.  All the fire just dissipated upon hitting the wing/shield.  Darkjade looked up into the optics of her savior ... Tronious.  Oh how she loved that mech!

"By the Matrix!" Hacker cursed as he dived out of laser fire and into the corner where he held his arms over his head.  Suddenly he was aware that Gal wasn't with them.  He began to panic.  "Where's Gal?"  he cried out.

Previously Darkjade's shot had nicked Megatron in the arm causing enough of a reaction out of the mech to release Gal.  Quickly the Autobot scrambled away but Megatron reached out again, crying out in frustration, his troops firing into the mysterious silver shield but with no effect.  Not even a scratch was upon it!  But Megatron wasn't paying attention to that problem at the moment!  Again he cried out in frustration as he missed and grabbed her cloak, tearing it off.  It was then he saw her Autobot symbol, though hacked at and chipped as it was, the redness still shown.

"Capture them!" Megatron fumed in rage, raising his arm cannon at the fleeing femme Autobot, setting it for stun.  "They will make for great bargaining chips with Prime!"

It was then he heard Hacker curse, "By the Matrix!' as he dived for cover.  Megatron was stunned for a moment, hesitating in firing at the femme, his optics growing slightly larger in surprise.  He called out, "PRIME?!?"

Hacker's arms dropped and he stared at the wall before him in horror and shock.  "Oh shit.' He would have been thinking if he knew earth culture.  "Shit, shit, shit!'  He recognize that voice anywhere, Megatron!  They were as good as dead, especially after he figured out he wasn't his fath-err- Prime.

Gal had made it to cover behind Tronious's impenetrable shield with a few dents and scraps.  Darkjade immediately slugged her in the shoulder as HARD as she could and yelled, "Autobot trash!  Why weren't you watching?!"

Suddenly a hand nicked her over the head.  She gave a cry and looked up at Tronious only to cower in fear.  He was glaring down at her, looking quite possibly as equally as mad as his fath-err- Megatron.

"Darkjade, if you verbally or physically abuse Gal again our relationship is off!  Further more, do you remember what I said to you earlier?" Darkjade gulped, her optics growing wide with fear and horror.  Tronious was going to do it, he was going to tell her- them to run and give himself up to see that they make it to safety!  What a jerk!  What a selfless, pacifist, Decepticon he was!  How the hell did she even fall in love with him?

"Another thing," Chaos said more solemnly, and she melted away at the sad look in his optics and face.  She wanted to rub it all away but couldn't.  Not here, not now.  Oh yeah, now she remembered.  "Don't look back, both of you keep running, run as hard and fast as you can," as he was speaking Hacker overheard and gulped in fear.  He was a hacker, not a warrior!  He'd been saying it for years!  He simply wasn't built for combat!  Hell, he couldn't even transform!  And one blast would kill him!  Damn his weaknesses!  Was hacking all he was good for?  "Run all the way back to base- No!  To Alpha Trion's old place.  You know where that is?"  Both nodded.  "Good, from there he should be able to hook you both up with the Female Autobots.  Elita-One will take good care of the two of you."

Both femmes were now staring at him in horror.  Elita-One?  The Female Autobots?  Alpha Trion?  Oh shit, oh damn, oh hell!  They had discussed this path for the two femmes long ago and again and again.  If something were to happen to Tronious and Hacker that's were they were to go.  They could hardly imagine it was actually happening.

Gal briefly looked over at Hacker, catching his heart-broken gaze as it connected with hers.  Fear gripped her heart.  She realized she was never going to see his baby-blue optics again!  She was never going to see HIM again!  But ... but, he was her Mini Prime!  This couldn't be happening!  She wouldn't leave him to die by himself!  She would stay with him and ...!?!  She choked on the air filtering into her auxlitery tanks that helped to keep her systems cool, as Hacker looked away from her.

"Hacker-?" she pleaded but he did not look back.  Though she did not know it he was hiding his tears, not wanting her to see how much this hurt him.

Darkjade looked up into Tronious crimson optics one last time.  "So much like his.' She thought.  "Yet so unlike.  Wiser, pools of unfathomed wisdom, foresight.  Damn.  Was she really about to loose the most Primus-sent Decepticon there ever was?'

"I love you." He breathed and quickly kissed her on her lips.

"Yep.'

"RUN!"

Darkjade grabbed Gal's wrist and pulled her roughly away and down the tunnel from which they had come.  Tronious moved with them, using his shield to block the frantic firing of the Decepticons from stunning them.  Megatron and the other Decepticons heard him yell and saw the two femmes run.  Immediately Megatron, seeing opportunity run out the door, yelled out, "Decepticons!  Take them!"

Disgusted, the Decepticons threw their guns aside and jumped the silver cloaked bot, ripping his shield/wing aside and beating him senseless.  He didn't fight back which made it all the easier for them.  Then Ravage, Rumble, Frenzy, and Astrotrain ran after the femmes- or at least they started too.  Ravage was suddenly struck on the head but a laser-marble and yelped and spun around however this caused Rumble and Frenzy to trip over him and Astrotrain to trip on them!  After the confusion they were all a heap of metallic limbs and parts fighting each other to get up.  Hacker laughed.  It was the last thing he did before Soundwave knocked him out.

Chapter 2, Autocon

Megatron ran a fingertip over the hacked, slashed, and in all equal share, chipped Autobot symbol.  Over it was another, except the Decepticon symbol was mingled with it.  It was this he next ran his fingers over, ushering forth a moan from the unconscious Autobot latched to the metal table.  On the next table over was the other mech they had caught and beat up with those impenetrable wing shields of his.  The Decepticon symbol he had once had was torn from his chest but had been fixed long ago, the replacement piece was empty of any symbol but etched into that spot was the same strange Autobot-Decepticon symbol as the ex-Autobot on the other table.  Megatron, like his fellow Decepticons, was both bewildered and shocked.  He thought these to mechs, now removed of their cloaks and laying down unconscious and shackled before him, were dead.  Apparently not.

Shockwave entered the torture room coming from the command room.  "Well, Shockwave, what of their two- cohorts?"

"Nothing, Lord Megatron." Shockwave admitted a bit depressed.  "They got away."

"Where were they going?"

"They headed through the slums, out of Iacon, and into the Badlands.  Astrotrain, Rumble, Frenzy, and Ravage lost them soon after that."

"Ravage lost their scent?"

"Yes, they ah- seemed to have lost it over a pit of acid.  How they escaped they have no idea."

A giggle echoed through the room.  Megatron turned abruptly, staring hard at the two mechs, only to quickly discover who had dared to giggle.  The silver and black mech on the other gunmetal slab.  Megatron carefully edged his way around and over to him, staring the mech up and down, from his dented, dusty feet to his optics of deep wells.  It had been nine million years since he had seen him, nine million years since he had built him and helped raised him, and in nine million years he seemed wiser than ever, maybe more-so than Alpha Trion or the Elders.  Maybe more so than him!

"Chaos." Megatron said the name softly, yet stern and hard.  "Chaos Tron." He said again, saying his full name.

*Chaos Tron's* red optics roved over to his father and he smiled, oh how he ever so smiled just so faintly, that smirk of his, just to drive him mad.  "Hello- dad."

The word seemed to sting the Decepticon leader for he flinched.  A snicker sounded then and Megatron whipped himself around, arm cannon raised and already humming, at Starscream.  The treacherous Decepticon straightened up, trying to make it seem that it had not been him but failing miserably.  He gulped, preparing for the blow.  His troops moved away from him.

"Starscream, is that you?" Inquired Chaos, and with an effort he looked back and saw the trembling Decepticon.  His smile returned again and his optics, though young he was and yet not so, seemed to merrily laugh at him.  "I'm surprised my father has blown you to the heavens and back again!"  Starscream's optics flickered to the ex-Decepticon and he seemed annoyed, mad even.  Megatron peered down at his- son.  Chaos looked at him briefly and winked, then looked back at Starscream.  "Really though traitor, how has it been?  Must be tough always trying to mess with my dads plans huh?  I don't see why he even keeps you around.  After all, you are a whining, complaining, traitorous, scheming ...!"

"You insolent turncoat!" Starscream hissed in his high-pitched voice and made to lung at him, arms outstretched as if to strangle him, but suddenly Soundwave intercepted, hitting him square on the jaw and knocking him to the ground.  Immediately Thundercracker and Skywarp were on top of him, pinning him down.  The two jets looked frightened and Soundwave, if at all possible, a little unnerved.  The communications officer said in his harmonious, no-emotions voice, "No one is to harm the Divine One!"

"Divine my afterburners!  I'll kill that foreseeing bastard!"

"Starscream!" Came Megatron's harsh words as his fusion cannon hovered over his head.  Starscream and the Decepticons went still, staring up at their leader.  His expressions were unreadable, his fusion cannon humming with power.  It seemed an eternity before he spoke again, thinking his words out very carefully.  "*Behave*, if such a word even exists in your vocab, before the Divine Decepticon- created by my hand, design, and spark!"

"Go dad." Muttered Chaos.

Megatron looked over his shoulder at him, glaring slightly.  "Quiet deserter."

"As you command." Chaos said coyly.  That deserved another moments gaze from Megatron before he turned to back to Starscream.  He pushed his fusion cannon against his head.  "Am I clear?"

"Yes Megatron!" Squeaked Starscream in his sarcastic tone.  It was then that Megatron stepped away from him and to his creation again.  He eyed him over inch by inch once more, inspecting all the hard ingenuity and work he had put into making him, all the time he had spent in the training room practicing with him, all the time he had spent teaching him about tactics and strategies- only to discover that he was a pacifist.  How humiliating.

"Something wrong father?"

"Stop calling me that.  It is preferred Creator or Megatron.  You know that."

Chaos smiled his quirky smile again.  "I just like teasing you."

"I know." Megatron mumbled absent-mindedly, still looking his creation over.  He was mildly surprised that he had survived the massive explosion nine million years ago in the Energon Fields.  "How did you-?"

"Survive?  Well, I used my wings to protect us from the blunt of the blast.  It worked."

"Undoubtedly." Megatron grumbled and then peered over his shoulder at the Autobot he had mistaken for Prime.  Well, it was an honest mistake.  Besides the height and well-defined body, and transformation, they looked near to exact alike.  Prime's son, Edge Matrix Prime.  Hacker named by the Decepticons.  He spotted the strange symbol and turned back to his son, eyeing it intently.  Chaos followed his gaze and smiled again.

"What does that symbol mean?"

"Autocon."

"What?" Megatron implied.

"Autocon father." Chaos chimed again with that secretive hidden smirk of his that he recalled so well from so many years ago.  But he could see Chaos wasn't going to say anything else unless he played his little game.  He relented, finding it at least amusing.

"What's an Autocon dare I ask?"

It seemed to Megatron and the Decepticons in the room that Chaos' optics flashed momentarily with zeal before responding, "An assembly of renegade Autobot and Decepticons that work together."

"Who are its leaders?" Megatron asked, feeling angered by this, his arms crossed.  Yet Chaos would not answer, he only smiled that smirk of his.  Megatron was slowly becoming maddened by that smile instead of amused like he used to so long ago.  "Who are its leaders?" He demanded more fierily.  "Where are they?  Where have your allies gone? Where ..."

"Woa!  Calm down, don't blow a fuse!" Cried out Chaos, then he noted his father looking at some of the torturing devices and said, "Ah-ua!  No hurting the Divine One!"

Fire flashed in his optics but they subsided and he smiled.  Chaos's own smirk disappeared, finding his father's to be very discomforting.  He snickered and then turned to Edge.  "Well, if you won't tell me, Divine One, and since I can't have the pleasure of beating it out of you least my troops jump me, I'll get it from your friend!  The traitorous Autobot!"

"No!" Chaos shouted, optics widening, as he struggled against his bonds.  "Don't you dare hurt him!  You know he wouldn't be able to take it!"

"My point exactly!" Megatron said in his threatening tone as he absent-mindedly traced his finger up Edge's chest, scratching his paintjob in the process.  Chaos flinched as he watched at the noise and at his friends minor groans of pain.  Any moment he should be waking, after all, Edge is a light sleeper.  Sure enough his optics flicker on and he stares up, suddenly in horror, as he sees Megatron smiling above him.

"Hello Hacker." He says and Edge's optics grow wider in fear and horror.  Almost instantly he strains against his bonds, attempting to escape but fails horroribly.  After all, he's not that strong.  Damn his weakness to the Inferno!  These bonds weren't even top security, more like handcuffs really!  How embarrassing!  Chaos had top security!

Megatron walked over to the wall of torture instruments and plucked from it a club with metal protruding from it.  Edge gave a weak whine of fear, his stomach twisting in response.  The Decepticons in the room snickered and suggested their favorite devices.

"No Megatron, do the whip!"

"No, the mace Megatron the mace!"

"No, the flail!  The flail!"

Megatron ignored them and causally walked back over, smiling, twisting the club in one hand expertly.  Edge gave another pitiful whine.  Suddenly Megatron stopped before him and in one fell swoop swung the club, bringing it down on the hapless Autobot!

"NOOOOOO!" Screamed Chaos and strained against his bonds, actually managing to bust a bolt loose before Soundwave and the jets held him down.  Damn!  Where did he get so much strength?!  It seemed unnatural, after all these were top sincerity restraints!  Not even Megatron or Prime could bust through them!  It seemed almost as if some inner power were adding him.

The club crashed down, Edge screaming piteously as it did, and crashed into the side of the table, inches away from Edge's side.  The Ex-Autobot starred at it in horror, shock, and relief.  Then abruptly up at Megatron his gaze traveled until it met his crimson optics.  "So like Chaos, yet so different.' He recalled thinking.

Megatron was smiling broadly.  "Not much like your father are you?"

If Edge didn't have a battle mask like Prime they would have seen his mouth twist in disgust at the mention yet they could see his reaction in his optics.  Megatron smiled at it.  "Ah- I see after nine million years you still resent him.  Good, good.  Pity you look so much like him though, that must really make you sick every time you look in the mirror."

"What do you want?"

"Oh!  Blunt like him too aren't you?  Well, your *buddy* over there has told me about these- Autocons yet he won't tell me who leads them.  Might I ask of you, Hacker," and here Megatron roughly pulls the club out with an effort, his attention now on the lethal club once more, Edge trembles in fear knowing his death would come if it hit him.  "Who is its leaders?  Where is it?  And where have your allies fled too?"

"Allies?" Inquired Hacker.

"The femmes that were with you!" Shouted Megatron threatening him with the club.  Chaos strained against his bonds again but to no avail, the Decepticons, and the restraints held him down.

It was then it seemed that a spark of Prime's courage flourished in his optics for then he glared at Megatron defiantly, much in the manner that Prime would when he was caught and tortured for information, and said coldly, "Forget me telling you where they went.  All I'm saying is that they're safe, away from you!"

Megatron hesitated for the glare he gave was so much like Prime's.  For a moment he thought he was interrogating Prime, much to Chaos's fears.  But then he shook his head and remembered this was nothing more than Prime's cowardly protégé.  He smiled.

"Hmm- protective of your little plaything are you?  No matter, we'll find her and her friend," here Megatron flashed Chaos a smile, "eventually."

Edge struggled against his bonds, though what he could have done nothing to back up his rage if he did.  Megatron laughed and then continued, "So then, if you will not tell me where your femmes have fled, the where is the base of these Autocons and who are its leaders?  They must be crushed, Autobot and Decepticons working side by side is simply not permissible!"

Edge's optics were ablaze with his fury he felt boiling up inside.  Chaos suddenly lessened his attempts of struggles and stared across at Edge and Megatron with wide optics.  It seemed as if he had since something that the others could not and it was frightening him.  Suddenly the silver bot closed his optics and began to chant prayers to Primus, much to the Decepticons worries, they released him and jumped away.  However Megatron and Edge seemed obvious to this, Edge continued on in his fine temper risen from the spark of Prime and Elita that formed his own.

"Like I'm about to tell you anything buckethead!  Even at penalty of death, you're not going to harm my friends or the Autocons!"

Now Megatron was in a rage.  No one insulted him and got away with it!  Especially with bucket head.  He began to raise the club, Chaos oblivious to everything with his chanting, and swung downward in his fury, picturing in his mind Prime instead of Edge.

In his fury, Edge let out a scream.

On his chest a compartment opened up to reveal his spark, a glowing ball of- crystal?  It pulsed like a spark, for half of it was a spark and his mothers, the other half, the crystal part that formed the sphere was a piece of his fathers, and a piece of the matrix!  From it a shower of blue light filled the room and suddenly everything went quiet.  Edge quieted and looked about and smiled mischievously.  Megatron was frozen in time!  The Decepticons were frozen in time!  However his smile was quiet dashed away as he looked at the club which was only less than an inch from his spark.  He gulped nervously.

It was then that he looked over at Chaos and smiled faintly.  He was still active, incased in a sphere of glowing blackness.  Chaos looked to Edge, for he had stopped chanting and began to test his bonds.

"Can you get out?" Inquired Edge faintly for even then he felt very weak from using so much energon when already he was low.

Chaos tugged against the restraints, then again.  He sighed, shaking his head.  "I can't."

"Yes you can!  Channel your powers, Tronious!" Edge interjected in a more forceful tone.  Chaos looked over eyeing his friend carefully.  The voice sounded somewhat different from Edge's, a little more deep and wise, a bit more commandive and yet friendly.  He had never heard the voice before yet it had called him by his name given to him by the Voices.  He pondered but said nothing as he began to channel his powers and fuel his strength.  The light about him glowed more deeply and then he began to strain against his bondages.  They creaked and strained against the abnormal strength being forced against them until at last they broke!

Chaos jumped up off the slab and hurried over to Edge, ripping his weak bondages off easily.  "Quickly!" Edge said in that strange voice as he allowed Chaos to help him up.  "We have less than forty seconds to get the heck out of here!"

As Edge stood up next to Chaos he realized, or so he thought, that he was taller, about the same height as him, and- did he have a transformation?!  Before any other things could be made out Edge ran for the door with Chaos following close behind.

Running up the stairs from the torture room Edge stopped them and dropped down to a ventilation shaft.  "Through here." He said, "The rest of the Decepticon base is still functional."

"Edge?" Inquired Chaos at last looking his friend over carefully.  This was not like him at all, he sounded older, looked older.  Edge gazed up at him curiously.

"Edge?" Repeated the mech in question.  "My name is Matrix Prime!"

Chaos' jaw dropped in surprise.  "Matrix Prime?!  What in the Inferno are you babbling about?"

"What are you?!" Matrix Prime shot back but did not give Chaos time to explain.  He grabbed him and tossed him into the large ventilation shaft, then crawled in after him.  Together, with the new guidance of Matrix Prime, they escaped Darkmount.

Meanwhile, the freezing time spell wore off in the torture room and time resumed.  The club came crashing down on the metal slab but to everyone's shock there was no one there!  They all stared in wide-eyed horror.  Chaos too was gone, their bonds broken by some unfathomed force.  Each Decepticon looked from one to the other.

"Where did they go?" Inquired Starscream in a pitifully frightened tone.

Thundercracker stumbled for the doorway finding this some act of the Divine One.  "I-I'm getting out of here!"

"Count me in!" Concurred Skywarp and the two bolted.  Starscream, Soundwave, Shockwave, and Megatron were soon to follow.  They hardly gave the ventilation shaft a glance as they raced up the stairs as if they had the Inferno on their heels!  They all feared they had angered the Divine One!  Oh, they were doomed for eternity!

Chapter 3, A Meeting of Primes

"Come on Edge- err- I mean Matrix Prime!  I want to see your transformation!"

"But Chaos!" Matrix Prime was protesting, looking fretfully at himself and what was obviously a transforming body.  "What if I die of shock?  You know that happens."

"Only to old transformers that haven't transformed in eons!" Countered Chaos.  "Now com'on!  I want to get to Alpha Trion's and stop Darkjade and Gal!  And the only way we can get there quicker is if you transform!  Now come on, say it with me, "Transform'!"

Chaos transformed into his jet mood and remained hovering above the ground, watching Matrix Prime.  Matrix Prime was the reverse colors of Optimus Prime, meaning where OP was mainly red and blue, MP was blue with red highlights.  Besides that the two looked identical, except for height, MP was still smaller.

"Alright!" Matrix grumbled, then added suddenly.  "But if I die, you're paying all expenses!"  Chaos chuckled but said nothing.  "Transform!" Shouted Matrix Prime and gasped as he felt his body transform.  For a moment it hurt, he had never transformed before, or at least Edge never had and the experience was proving a shock for his mind.  But after feeling his body shift and change and settle into its new form, it wasn't so bad.  He heard Chaos gasp.

"Wow."

"What?  What is it?"

"Ah-"

"CHAOS?!?!"

"Um- nothing.  I'm just ah- what ARE you?"

"What?"

"You LOOK like a 18-wheeler but, no.  A big van maybe?  A railway head thingy?  No, no."

Matrix looked himself over in his rearview mirror and sighed.  "Chaos you idiotic, I'm a truck you know, an 18-wheeler with a matrix painted on the side."

"You are?"

"YES!  Now may we please go get Gal and Darkjade?"

"Right, right!  Lets go!"

With that Chaos blasted off into the night sky of Cybertron, staying low however, not wanting any attention diverted their way, and Matrix Prime trailing himself behind him at top speeds.  Boy!  Chaos didn't know a truck could move so fast!

A little bit later at Alpha Trion's joint:

"-and that's what happened!"  Darkjade was explaining to Alpha Trion and the Female Autobots, along with Prime's group as well!  Heck, who would have known that Optimus and his bots were back on Cybertron?  Would miracles never cease?

Gal was sitting on a gunmetal table with her legs folded up under her chin and her arms around them.  She was staring longingly at the doorway.  Cleansing fluid, which served the same as tears, streaked down her metallic cheeks.  "I'm never going to see him again!" she pouted.

Suddenly Darkjade growled in irritation and turned to Gal, yelling, "Will you give it a rest already!  Your not the only one suffering here!"

"Why don't you!" Snapped Gal.

For a moment Darkjade was taken back, surprised that the clumsy ex-Autobot had actually made a comeback for once but quickly shook it off.  "Is that the best you can do?  Hey!"  Darkjade just narrowly ducked aside as Gal flung some heavy object her way.  It crashed against the wall and shattered.  Alpha Trion looked distressed.

"Stop fighting!" He panicked as he rushed over to the device Gal had broken.  "Stop before you tear my place apart and reveal us all to the Decepticons!"

"I thought we already had." Ironhide murmured to Mirage who nodded in agreement.  However Darkjade heard nonetheless.  She eyed the two elder Autobots with a stern glare.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?  I already told you I'm not a Decepticon anymore!  I'm an Autocon!"

Ironhide and them laughed, elbowing a few buddies in the sides.  "Hahahaha!  Autocons, what a laugh!"

"Shutup!"

"QUIET!"  Prime yelled, silencing everyone.  They all stared up at him thoughtfully, wondering what he was going to say.  He looked to the two young femmes with thoughtful optics.  "About your group, these Autocons, you've managed to get along with one another and work together for nine million years?"

"Yes."

"Well, we've had our ups and downs but yeah.  The gang has been good for the most part with Chaos and Edge as the leaders." Explained Darkjade.

"Chaos and Edge?" Asked Prowl incredulously.

"Yeah.  Who else did you think would come up with it?  Those two were the ones that found us all and brought us together."

"Us?" Inquired Prime.

"Yeah, the gang.  There's Ultra Storm and Flamez, though Flamez is gone a whole lot and the two big B's won't tell us where he's gone.  I think they don't know either.  He's kind of the loose kind you know, not one to really "join the cause' per say, but he'll help when he's needed.  They're both Autobots, or I should say have been to Autobot Academy like me.  Then there's Astoria and Ritz, those two are Decepticons like Darkjade, fresh out of the Decepticon Academy and picked up by Chaos himself.

"They only joined us at first because they were overwhelmed that Chaos was the Divine One but after a while they started taking to the cause."

"And you been living together, in close quarters, with Decepticons and Autobots?  Without firing a shot at one another?"

"Didn't I already tell you," Darkjade piped up at Prime, "that we've fought in our earlier years?  But yeah, nowadays we're cool.  The group is pretty tight actually.  Except for Flamez, personally I don't trust that Autobot.   Every time he's up and gone I get the bad feeling he's off telling the Decepticons what we're up to."

"Darkjade!"

"What?  I'm just saying what everyone thinks!"

Gal shook her head and rolled her optics.

Silently Prime thought, rubbing his chin.  Elita walked up beside him.  "What is it Optimus?" She whispered softly to him.  Prime turned to her, a smile in his optics.

"Elita, don't you see?  There little group of Autocons have managed to work together peacefully for over nine million years.  Is that not a sign that there is hope for this war?"

"Oh, no.  I've heard this before."

Shortly following the voice was a set of chuckles.  Everyone turned to address the doorway and the two mechs standing in it.  Darkjade's optics widened in hope.

"Chaos!" She cried and rushed her love, throwing her arms around him and kissing him dearly.  "Your alive!  You're alive!  I thought you were hurt, or worse!"

"Nay!" Chaos said, holding her gently to him.  "A few dents but I'm fine!"

Alpha Trion stood to address them, surprised to see them too.  "But you were caught!  How is it that you managed to escape in so short a time?  I'm sure Megatron would have kept a close optic on you Chaos."

"What are you kidding?  He'd as soon as set me free if I told him so!  After all, no Decepticon would want to anger the Divine One!  Hahaha!"

"What about Edge?" Inquired Darkjade and her optics drifted to the stranger beside Chaos.

The group of optics then slowly drifted from Chaos to the strange mech standing beside him that looked near to identical to Prime except for height and the reverse paintjob.  Gal slid off the table and addressed him slowly, an inquiring tone in her voice.  "Edge?  Is that you?"

Beneath his mask the mech smiled slowly but his optics showed his smile.  "Its Matrix Prime now, Gal."

The assembled group stared in frozen silence, unmoving, knowing not what to say to this.  At length Ironhide jumped forward pointing an accusing finger at Matrix.  "Turncoat!" He spat.  "How dare you take Prime's name!"

"How dare me?  Is it my fault I too have the Matrix and that it granted me this new body when it did?" Matrix Prime shot back, his arms flying to his chest in meaning of his spark/matrix.

It was then that Prime interjected, gently pushing Ironhide aside and stepping forward himself.  He addressed his protégé carefully with a stern look in his optic, then they softened and he said, "Son."  The assembled groups jaws dropped in shocked surprise.  That was the last thing they thought he'd say!

Matrix Prime narrowed his optics at his father and grumbled, "Dad.  If I knew you were here I would have waited outside."

Prime looked hurt like a wound being torn open before its down healing.  "Edge I have to talk with you about before."

"What is there to talk about?  You and the Autobots treated me like scrap metal!  Personally I think I should smash all your faces in just for it!"

"I agree."

Matrix Prime was about to continue but stopped suddenly, staring at his father in confusion and surprise.  "W-what?"

"I said I agree."  Optimus's optics only looked grieved by his past injustices.  Elita looked equally crushed.  "I- I never meant to ignore you Edge, really.  It's just being the leader of the Autobots requires a great deal of my attention and I didn't have time for you.  I didn't know how to raise a son only added to the problem.  I began to worry about you when you started acting rebellious, especially when you smashed your invention thing in the command room when Wheeljack returned with his.  See, you never gave me a chance to explain.  I was busy because Wheeljack had come to me first with his invention and I knew it would help further the Autobot cause.  Yours was just a little "bot thing of yours, but I didn't mean to shun you, in fact I marveled at your ingenious little mind.

"There are other things that happened I know, that only further twisted our image in your optics.  But truly Edge, me and Elita never hated you, we were just busy.  We truly cared for you and loved you and when you deserted, when you stole my codes and dropped Autobot defenses I was shock.  I hadn't realized that you were so angry with us, with the Autobots.  Elita was devastated.  It was after that that I learned of the Autobots talk about you and I was angry.  I was also upset because you joined the Decepticons because they said they would give you a transformation when in fact I had asked Ratchet to give you one and fix you up that very day.  It seemed to me that fate had conspired against us in some way, for what purposes I did not know until now when I learned of your group, the Autocons.  Still, I wished you should have told me long ago."

For once it seemed Edge was at a loss for words.  He just stood there dumbly, staring at Optimus and Elita as if seeing them for the first time.  Gal, worried about his condition, ran up to him and grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, though it was bigger than hers now, dwarfing her small hands in his one big one.  It seemed to bring him back a bit but Prime continued, his optics growing more dark with his emotions.  For a moment they quavered as if tears threatened to swell up out of them.

"When you died in that explosion in the Energon Fields, we were devastated.  I- um, locked myself in my quarters and would not come out for a long while-  It was there, as I replayed the security videos of the incidents I realized that it was just not the Autobots fault, it was also mine.  I- kind of went into a deep recession."

If he didn't have a battle mask like his father's his mouth would be hanging open.  In his mind he fumbled at what he father had just told him, "-a deep recession?-"  Suddenly it clicked together in his sharp mind and he goggled at his father.  "Primus!' he thought.  "Recession means depression and depression can lead to suicide!  By the Inferno, he had no idea he drove his father into such a state!  He thought Prime was happy that he was gone, not sad!'  Quickly he looked his parents over again, there saddened looks in their optics and suddenly realized the goodness that was them and not the cloud of hidden evil that had clouded his vision for so long.  They were not at fault, he was!  Oh- he DID feel like scrap metal.

Gal squeaked in worry as it seemed Matrix Prime was swaying and would collapse beneath his own feet!  But Chaos was quick and strong.  He grabbed his friend and led him over to a chair to sit and rest in.  Almost immediately he was out.  Gal jumped to his side, worried to no ends.

"Edge!  Edge!  Err- I mean Matrix!  Matrix!  What's wrong with him?"

Alpha Trion was already at his side and inspecting him.  Prime and Elita hovered nearby in worry, wondering if the truth had hit their protégé to hard.  The other Autobots just stood where they were engulfing their leaders words.  Some of it they had not clue about and the others they knew, nonetheless anxiety filled the air.

After what seemed an eternity Alpha Trion pulled away from the new Prime and faced Chaos with a stern gaze.  "Tell me," he said, "what happened while you were captured exactly."

Chaos blinked in surprise.  "What does that have to do with- oh never mind!  I'm wise enough to know this is serious.  Alright, here I go, the shortened version-

"I awoke first in the torture room, Edge was on the other table next to me.  Megatron was hovering over him tracing the Autocon symbol.  Shockwave entered and reported they had lost track of Gal and Darkjade.  I laughed, Megatron came over to me and started demanding questions.  I told him about the Autocons but that was it, I refused everything else.

"Then he got the idea that he could get his questions from Edge much easier and grabbed a torture instrument, threatening to kill him if he didn't tell him what he wanted.  Edge, now awake, began panicking but he held his courage and didn't tell him where the base was or where Gal and Darkjade had gone or who the leaders were.  Because he wouldn't tell, and he called Megatron Buckethead, he swung to kill him.  I began to chant verses of a Primus song and Edge screamed, releasing a power similar to Elita-One's."

"Whoa, wait!  A time stop power?"

"Yeah, that's when he turned into Matrix Prime I think.  I noticed the changes after I freed him and we escaped."

"So that's it."

"What's it?" Inquired Chaos, Gal, Darkjade, Prime, and Elita at once.  The simultaneous question caused them to look to one another with  bit of a foolish grin on their faceplates.

"His lifeforce isn't draining is it?" Inquired Elita in a fine fit of worry.  Alpha shook his head.

"No, no.  I don't think, but it will require more research, that Edge, err, Matrix Prime CAN die."

"WHAT?!?!"

"His spark can't die, but I can't be too sure at the moment.  But as far as I can tell the melding of both Prime's and Elita's spark my have formed his but a piece of the matrix went with Prime's because Prime's spark is currently the bonded with the Matrix.  So therefore a piece of the matrix also melded with his spark.  That means that Matrix's spark has become another "matrix' and therefore linked to the real matrix that Prime has.  If that is the cause then Edge's spark can't possibly die unless the matrix itself was destroyed."

Alpha Trion looked around the room receiving blank stares from many of the mechs.  Darkjade asked, "Could you repeat that?"

"No."

"But, that doesn't solve his condition now!" Whined Gal in worry.  Alpha Trion just shook his head.

"He's just passed out from lack of energon and shock."

"You mean he fainted, THEN went into status lock?"

"Yeah."

"Oh wonderful." Chaos replied, then turned to Prime and his group.  "You wouldn't happen to have any spare energon would you?"

"Not with us." Prime admitted.  "But on Earth we have plenty.  They humans happy pay us energon for us to keep the Decepticons at bay.  We would be honored if your group of Autocons would join us."

Chaos looked to Prime, not exactly surprised but not expectant either.  He smiled softly.  "Well, I'd have to take that up with Matrix.  We're a team you know."

"Understandable.  We'll give the two of you some time to think it over, but I think it would be best if you and your team come to earth so we can give you some energon.  If you decide not to I- understand.  You'll be free to go but I'll send some energon for you so you won't have to continue to get it from the Decepticons."

"Thank you Prime.  I don't think this could have turned out any better than it did."

The End?

Ha!  Yeah right!  Keep your optics peeled for more Chaos and Edge- err, Matrix Prime Stories!

Next one is, "Have you Heard of the Tron and Prime Projects?'

See ya then!

(Psst!  Send me a review on what you think about it!  Good or bad, I don't care!  I like to hear all your opinions to better further my stories!)