"There's battle lines being drawn. Nobody's right, if everybody's wrong. Young people speaking their minds. Getting so much resistance from behind. I think it's time we stop, hey, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down."

Buffalo Springfield


"Well you couldn't be that man I adored. You don't seem to know, don't seem to care what your heart is for. But I don't know him anymore. There's nothing where he used to lie, my conversation has run dry. That's what's going on, nothing's fine I'm torn."

Natalie Imbruglia



Optimus had Seaspray follow him to the main room, talking as he went. "Be prepared for an oceanic assault at anytime," he warned the naval commander. "Our prisoner has been here long enough gathering intelligence and will more than likely plan a break now that his main informant is incarcerated. If Starscream kidnaps her, we have a limited amount of time before Megatron figures out we know his plans." He walked into Teletraan's main computer room to see a large group of furious Autobots. Optimus inwardly groaned. Now what?

"Prahme," began Ironhide, "Ah think we need t' git rid of our pris'ners."

"Which ones?" They only had two; Optimus hoped that by spelling out their irrational desires they would realize they were being ridiculous.

Sunstreaker had experienced this method of leadership before. He stepped in front of the red mech. "You know which ones, Optimus. Both are a danger to this outfit! Lyra is nothing but a lying, two-faced Decepticon!"

"We caught "er fratinizing with tha enemy!" Ironhide gestured to Teletraan-1's surveillance camera showing tape of her giving Starscream energon. Autobots started yelling over each other to air their grievances concerning Lyra. She was so unfriendly, a suspiciously good spy, spent all her time in the lab, probably making something to destroy us, the females hated her, Sunstreaker was SURE she was a Decepticon-

"We have her composition records from Wheeljack's lab!" yelled Sunstreaker, shoving the datapad in Optimus' face. This had not been authorized. Prime tried to catch Wheeljack's optics, but he could not find him in the mass. He was also startled to see Prowl here. "She's not technically an Autobot! Just a mess of parts!" The shouting escalated to a terrifying shriek of hysteria.

Optimus had enough. He was tired of his crew using parsimonious excuses to riot when they were restless. This was the same process he went through when the Dinobots were created, when Mirage was suspected of double-siding (must run in the family), and when Megatron had been silent for four months and everyone ganged up on Gears over some stupid comment he'd made. It was time to put a stop to this.

"ENOUGH!" he bellowed, using volume to stop everyone cold. He glared, optics conveying enough disapproval to make anyone he contacted with squirm, except for Sunstreaker. Optimus held his gaze on the arrogant mech as he uttered his verdict: "Not technically an Autobot? Like Autobot Spike? Like those around here who have had to use other parts for repairs, since we couldn't get back to Cybertron to get originals?" Here Sunstreaker's resolve wavered slightly. "The only sin I've seen her commit is loyalty to a being she owes her life."

Sunstreaker managed to ignore the surprise element of that statement and turn it against Prime. "She's a Decepticon, no matter what she says now. We never show mercy to Decepticons, and if we do we're traitors."

Prime addressed the crowd. "You heard him! Showing mercy, especially to a lowly Decepticon, is perfidy! Who rescued Skyfire? You are traitors. Pacifists, medics, scientists, you are traitors! When I didn't grind Shawn Berger under my feet, I was a traitor! It appears that the only mech who is without sin in this case...is YOU." He turned back to staring down Sunstreaker. "Go ahead. Stone an innocent Autobot. Because that is what she is, and when you do that, it will make everything ALL better." Optimus handed Sunstreaker his own blaster out of subspace, punctuating his sarcasm by placing it in the Lamborghini's hand with more force than necessary.

Sunstreaker scowled. "I know what you're doing," he growled. "I resent it. You know more than you're telling, and you're not doing what I think is right."

"Duly noted in the minutes." Optimus said, still gazing at the bright yellow mech piercingly. "Now go kill a defenseless teammate in her holding cell merely because you don't like her. The rest of us have a war to attend to. Autobots, be ready for an attack before the end of the week. We found out what the Decepticons are up to." He dismissed the confused mob. Optimus held back Jazz, Prowl, Ironhide, Chromia, and Elita-1. Noticing Sunstreaker was still standing in the same place Prime had left him, looking indecisively at the gun, the Autobot leader herded his meeting into a smaller conference room. The door closed behind him with a satisfying bang that seemed to tell Prime that Sunstreaker's sense of righteousness toward one being would never outweigh the desire to smite Decepticons first. The news of impending battle would divert him. Should he consider this farce of regulation real, Optimus had the Aerialbots in the room by the detention area radioed to be on the alert. Besides, his blaster was empty.

That taken care of, the meeting to plan the attack could now begin.

********************************************************

Sunstreaker was furious. What just happened here? How did he end up being the assassin, instead of an angry mob? Didn't Optimus GET IT? Lyra was not an Autobot! She was a plant! They had proof! She had to be destroyed, or they would all die! He raced through the halls, Prime's heavy blaster hardly slowing him down. His own twin, who had disapproved of the plan to confront Prime (Andromeda's influence was felt here), followed him down the hall.

"You're not really going to DO this, are you?" Sideswipe demanded.

"You bet your paint job I am! Somebody has to take care of us, and if Prime won't do it, then I will!" He was interrupted by a flash above his head, causing him to fall backwards onto his brother. "Who's shooting?"

Another flash, a red, blue, yellow, green, seafoam, and gray flash, followed by the Aerialbots and a massive sonic boom kept the two flat on the ground. The whole ark shook.

"What the-?" Sunstreaker had no time to finish his own question as he transformed and raced after them. Sideswipe followed. They were outside of the ark in time to see the flyers become sparks in the sky. Other Autobots were rolling out behind them, including Optimus.

"Follow those jets! Ironhide, radio Skyfire and Powerglide. Cliffjumper, get Teletraan-1 to project their course! Who's got the Aerialbot's frequency?"

"I do!" called Blaster, from inside Tracks. Tracks took off quickly to follow. "They say Starscream has Moonracer!"

"MOONRACER?! Where's Lyra?" This was not anticipated!
Cliffjumper radioed in. "Starscream's going back to base, Prime. I just intercepted his transmission to the Decepticons and Devastator's waiting."

"We'd better regroup and come up with a plan! Autobots, back to base! Tracks! Keep following, tell the Aerialbots to put up a fight but to use good judgement!" Prime turned around widely, nearly avoiding a vicious T-bone from a sideswiping Sunstreaker. "What did you have to do with this?" he demanded.

The Lamborghini sputtered. "Nothing! I was nowhere near them when this happened!"

Elita-1 was going to KILL him. "Let's get back to the ark."

********************************************************

Lyra did not dream. One minute it was black and painful, the next she was awake and still miserable in her cell. She wondered what had happened.

"Glad you're online," commented Mirage from the other side of the energon bars.

"Hi," she said uneasily. The discomfort was palatable. Mirage was sorrowfully looking down at the torn Autobot symbol in his hand.

"Oh, no." Lyra sat up and crawled up to the bars. Their crackling reminded her of the zap she'd just had. "Nova?" He nodded miserably. "Moonracer?" Another pitiful nod. He looked so unhappy, and it was all her fault. She looked down guiltily, neck angrily giving a twinge. The shock had injured a few parts.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

"I tried to save her. The bars...they..." She tried not to cry. He looked so disappointed in her. "I made a mistake, brother."

"Y' got that right!" Ironhide came in with her rations. "You don't have a friend or bondmate in this place, "cept fer Mirage."

Mirage was an emotional mess. Lyra needed a strong friend, a companion with a clear head. Where was Skyfire when she needed him-?

Lyra jumped as though she'd been shocked again. Skyfire. Why hadn't she thought of that before? Lyra considered everything he'd said about Starscream, his staring matches with the Seeker (bonded couples had a mind link), the allusion to being his colleague. THEY were bonded. It all made sense! "I have to get out of here,' she thought frantically as she handed Ironhide her mug. He left. She glanced at her brother. She had to rescue Nova and Moonracer, and there was only one way to do this. Mirage, anticipating her planned escape, remained in front of the bars, although he looked as though he had lost his best friend. Lyra felt for him. She also had qualms asking him for the same favor Starscream requested of her.

Low on energy and high in displeasure, Mirage finally left her alone. She must not be perceived as much of a threat if Seaspray was still with Optimus and there were no replacement guards to monitor her every movement. Never a good idea when you used to be a spy. Well, she might get a lucky break.

Sunstreaker charged into the detention facility, glaring unpleasantly. Just what Lyra didn't need: a large yellow frown with a blaster. He stared at her for an uncomfortable twenty minutes before Lyra lost all patience and disappeared. She was worrying about how to maneuver through this mess as Sunstreaker decided to talk. He seemed to be examining his feet as he spoke. "Hmm...that one has a scratch." He sat down at the guard's chair.

"Is there a point to this, or was there nothing good on earth TV?" Lyra watched him inspect the scratch a little longer, waiting for a snide answer. When nothing happened, she felt more uneasy. He continued to ignore her. Lyra tried to keep from screaming. She reappeared. "Are you going to tell me what you want, or do I have to suffer from boredom until the next shift?"

His perfect head snapped up at that. "What makes you think I want something, Mishap?"

"That's not my name," she snarled over his speech.

"-with one of the many mechs you seem to enjoy playing with. What am I, number four? There was Skyfire-"

"No!"

"Perceptor-"

"NO."

"Powerglide-" His accusatory position did not vary. It was really unsettling.

"What is WRONG with you?"

"-And Starscream! Guess I'm number FIVE. You move quickly. I guess that's a talent. If you're only good for one thing, I guess I can live with that. Just don't get all mushy on me."

He was going to drive her insane if she allowed it. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He walked over to the bars and watched her looking at her own feet. There were plenty of scratches. She tried to keep her face nonchalant. He could probably see through her, the brat. Even Megatron knew when she was acting. Starscream, although being gone, was sending her feelings. A bit of regret. A lot of exultation. Too much foreboding. She concentrated on trying to send him a feeling back: "Get me out of here.' It at least kept her from lunging at the bars to beat a losing battle against Lamborghini boy.

Sunstreaker was disappointed. She didn't seem to care what he thought. Well, he had more ammunition. "Anyway, there was a meeting. Optimus didn't say much, but Mirage and Skyfire did. They told us all about your tough Decepticon existence. Powerglide filled in when he thought he should." Lyra snorted at this. "A lot of Autobots weren't very sympathetic, since most of them have sob stories of their own. Primus, Bluestreak's entire city was bombed around him. Chromia saw her creator executed in front of a crowd of screaming Decepticons. And Mirage...well, he saw his own turn on him."

"All that and you still have the decency to talk to me. I should be flattered." That sarcasm would get her killed one day.
Sunstreaker was on his own train of thought. "No. Nova let Starscream talk her into following him. I'm not surprised. She was always weak-willed. You were brought back to life and coerced to join the Decepticons. Cowardly, but understandable." His voice was getting angrier by the word. "When Starscream came back and was up to his old tricks, the same psycho-manipulation you'd seen him do a million times to the Autobots you knew and loved, you DID NOTHING TO STOP HIM!" Now he had a gun out, pointed to her face.

"I couldn't!"

"You LIE!"

"I didn't know he was after Nova, or I would have destroyed him!" Her eyes burned fiercely.

"You still lie!"

"If I could, I would fix this whole problem! You know I would! Let me out to fix it!"

He put the gun down and smiled. That scared her even more. "I was hoping you'd say that." He reached over and turned her energon bars off.

"What?"

"You let Nova and Moonracer get kidnapped, you can go get "em. Here, use this." He handed her a gun he had pocketed in subspace.

"I could shoot you with this."

"I've heard of your aim. Besides, I got coated with a better batch of that reflective stuff this morning. The gun will pierce through the Decepticon armor, though. I'm glad you spent all that time helping the lab rats out."

Lyra's CPU could not process this quickly. She got up, ignoring his outstretched hand. "They're...letting me go?"

"No. I'm sending you out to get them. Either come back with the femmes or on them. You have five minutes before the alarms go off. I suggest you disappear." He pressed against her and held her head in his hands, his sapphire optics gleaming into her violet ones. "Every Autobot in this compound hates you. Maybe you can win your brother back, and a friend or two, by doing the right thing." He quickly kissed her on the forehead and shoved her out the door. "Move it! I can hear the alarms already!"