FicWad

'We are so close.' Galvatron thought as he stood in one of the Nemesis's corridors, looking out at the blue and green world of Virmire through a window before him.

'But what is taking so long? We have been here for a few days now, and have every ship in the fleet spread out around this planet. Surely they would have detected something by now?' he thought with an aggravated tone before the Con felt a familiar presence around him.

"Patience my herald, 'our' destiny is still ours to take. Before this day passes, the Infinite Combinatoric will be within our grasp.'

'Yes my Master, forgive my impatience. I just can't help but feel that the longer this takes, the higher the chance of the Autobots discovering our location.' Galvatron thought back, as he continued to feel Unicron in his mind.

"You did everything necessary to stop them from discovering your movements, am I correct?" the Chaos Bringer replied, earning a nod from the Predacon.

'Yes Master, we deleted our old communication frequencies and added extra protection to our new ones so that the enemy could not gain access again.'

"Then you can relax, because I believe you will get the answer you seek sooner than you think. You should start your preparations…." Unicron said back before fading away again, leaving Galvatron to look out of the window with a confused expression.

'What do you mean Master?….Master?' he thought before realising he was alone again, gaining a frustrated sigh from him in return.

"My Lord Galvatron?" another familiar voice suddenly spoke from behind the Predacon Leader, which made him turn round to see Vertabreak standing there.

"Yes, Vertabreak. What is it?" he replied with a slightly surprised tone and expression.

"Is everything alright my Lord? Because Commander Rip-Claw has been trying to contact you for the last few minutes, but received no answer from your com-link." the younger Predacon said back, which made Galvatron tap his ear-piece and reactivate it.

"Ah yes, I forgot that I deactivated it earlier. So I guess you were sent to find me instead?"

"Yes my Lord, I am to relay a message." Vertabreak replied with a tone which was both eager and nervous before going silent.

"Well don't keep it to yourself Vertabreak, what is it? The Predacon Leader answered, earning a breath from his lieutenant.

"…The Commander wishes for you to know that after numerous scans, our low-level search of Virmire's surface has found something."

Galvatron's eyes widened as his curiosity peaked.

"Found what?"

"I do not know the details my Lord, but the Commander does." the lieutenant said back, earning a nod from the Predacon Leader.

"Well I will head to the CIC then, thank you for the message….dismissed." he then said, gaining a salute from the younger Con before both separated and walked off in opposite directions.

Once in the CIC, Galvatron walked along the catwalk and join Rip-Claw who stood at the forefront, manning the galaxy-map and terminal located there.

"I got your message Rip-Claw, report your findings." the Predacon Lord stated, gaining a nod from the Femme who then tapped a sequence into the holo-interface's keypad before stepping aside, allowing her master to look at the large holo-screen which appeared before both of them. It showed a map of the planet and it's continents, as a red dot appeared on the eastern side of it's equator.

"As you can see my Lord, after our fleet's scans of the planet came up empty. I decided that we should use our fighters to perform a low-level search of it's surface, and that is when we found this." she said while pointing up at the red dot on the screen.

"What is it?" Galvatron asked as his eyes focused on it.

"It appears to be a structure of some kind, which has a metallic signature that is not recognised alongside the metals that the planet has been surveyed for in the past. And it is also inside that mountain." the Femme replied as she tapped another button on the holo-interface, which made the map turn into a three dimensional image of the area and showed the mountain and the red dot's location within it.

"I see, so we will have to tunnel to it then." Galvatron said, gaining a nod from Rip-Claw.

"Yes my Lord, we could have one of our cruisers fire upon the mountain…" she began to answer before the Predacon Leader gestured for her to stop with a wave of his hand.

"No, I have a better idea." he said before stepping in front of the terminal's holo-interface and typing away.

"..ugh, yes my Lord?" the Femme replied with a confused expression before an image of the Nemesis appeared on the screen, which had it's armaments highlighted on ship and listed on its right.

"Along with our torpedo launchers and cannons, the Nemesis also has these particle beam turrets." Galvatron said as he pointed at those particular weapons, gaining a nod from Rip-Claw.

"Yes, these are the most powerful weapons in the Nemesis's arsenal. But they also create an incredible strain on our power systems, so they can only be used when absolutely necessary." the lieutenant added, earning a thoughtful expression from the Predacon Leader as he worked on the holo-interface, bringing back the three dimensional image of the mountain and it's surroundings to the screen.

"That valley on the south side of the mountain, we could land the Nemesis there right?" he asked, earning a curious look from Rip-Claw, who then examined the site.

"Yes, the geography of the area shows it to be relatively flat and stable. Yes the Nemesis could land there, why do you ask my Lord?" she replied.

"Because once on the ground, we can use the ship's engines to power the particle beam turrets and use them to burrow through the mountain and create a tunnel to reach 'whatever' is at its center." Galvatron said back, which made the Femme nod back in agreement as she saw where he was coming from.

"And we could also defend the area from attack, should the Autobots discover our location."

"Plus they would have to fight their way past our entire fleet before even coming up against the Nemesis's defences." he added.

"Ingenious my Lord, if it is what you wish then I will have the Nemesis begin it's descent to those coordinates." Rip-Claw said back, earning a nod from the Predacon Lord who smiled back.

"Make it happen…Commander."

Hearing this made the Femme smile as she felt a surge of confidence within her spark.

"Yes my Lord, it will be done." she said back before looking down at the Terracon pilot below them.

"Prepare for atmospheric entry, we are going to land the Nemesis." she said, to which the Terracon acknowledged before returning his attention to his station.

"I am going to organise the landing party which will be accompanying me on the surface, so at this time you have the CIC." Galvatron then said as he turned around and began walking back down the catwalk towards the exit, leaving the Femme who smiled before returning her attention to the Terracons below.

Meanwhile in the science laboratory, Shockwave was standing over the unconscious form of Ser-Ket who was lying on the berth in front of him. He had his holo-tool active and ran it over her body, before smiling as he looked at the result on the device's holo-screen.

'Excellent, Ser-Ket's vitals are steady and all her injuries have healed.' he thought as his eyes took in the information on the screen, he then turned it off and picked up a syringe and injected it into her neck and released it's contents into her bloodstream.

'Time to wake up.'

The Decepticon then watched as the Femme slowly came too, hers eyes opening and beginning to focus as she looked around the room with a confused expression.

"…where…am I?" Ser-Ket said aloud before her attention fell upon the one-eyed man staring down to her, recognising him despite his injury.

"You are safe Ser-Ket, it has been a long time." the Con scientist replied in an emotionless tone, earning a further confused look from the Femme.

"Shockblast, what are you talking about? And what happened to your eye?" she asked in return, looking completely bewildered at her current situation as she attempted to sit up, only for him to gently push back down onto the berth.

"You are still weak, it is not logical for you to over-exert your self in your current condition, even if your injuries have been healed." he said back with what looked to Ser-Ket like a concerned expression, though it was hard to tell with his emotionless delivery.

"I wasn't expecting this kind of treatment, especially since I betrayed you all." she replied, still confused by it all. This made the Decepticon nod back in return, before looking at her with his remaining eye.

"The fact that the body I now inhabit is far different and inferior to my original, it is only logical that you would not recognise me. And I also found evidence of your neural net being tampered with after probing your mind with the cortical psychic patch."

"Your not making any sense Shockblast…" the Femme said back before a thoughtful expression appeared on her face.

"..what do you mean…. my neural net tampered?"

The Decepticon Scientist then activated his holo-tool and brought up two images of the Predacon's mind.

"The image on the left is how your neural net looked when I created you, and the one on the right was taken when you were brought back on-line by Galvatron and Shockblast." he then added while pointing at the differences between the two.

"They are different because your memories have been altered since then, most likely so that you would believe you're actually a Predacon."

Ser-Ket just looked back at him with an expression that was getting more confused by the second, which made her shake her head in response.

"I don't get this Shockblast, what are you on about?" she asked whilst looking back at the Decepticon Scientist, who merely stared back at her.

"My name is not Shockblast." he said back with an ever so small slither of annoyance to his voice.

"Then what is it?" the Femme snapped, showing that her pertinence was about to break.

"I am Shockwave, former first lieutenant to Lord Megatron in all scientific endeavours that strengthened the Decepticon cause. I now serve Lord Galvatron in a similar role."

The Femme's eyes widened as she recognised the name, before looking the man in front of her up and down in disbelief.

"Shockwave! How…?"

The Con gave her what looked like a smile, which from someone who prided himself on logic and being emotionless was something to behold.

"I believe it is what Humans call 'a long story.' and it would not be logical to waste time repeating it. I will just say that I have been given a second chance, and I intend to use it."

"So what is to happen to me, because I'm surprised that I am still alive?" Ser-Ket then said, gaining a nod from the Decepticon.

"Indeed. And as I said earlier, I have probed your mind and seen what you have done since your reawakening. It troubles me to see the choices that have brought you here, betraying your comrades for an Autobot and because of 'love' of all reasons, so highly illogical."

"Who said love was logical, I certainly will not apologise for it. You must also have seen my questioning of Galvatron's leadership and of the other Predacons, I never felt like I was one of them."

The Decepticon Scientist nodded in return as he used his holo-tool and brought up more images of her mind onto his screen.

"Yes, and I believe I have an answer for that. The only logical way to explain the bizarre behaviour you have exhibited since your reawakening. I believe that this all stems from your new-found belief that you are actually a Predacon, which is wrong on not one, but two counts."

This made the Femme cock her head with another confused stare, as she looked at the holo-screen and then back at the Con.

"You said that before, what do you mean?"

"The first count is the memory alterations that Shockblast, my predecessor did to you so that you would fit in more with your fellow Predacons. This made you feel out of place, considering that these alterations hindered your 'truer' nature and personality from taking hold, which then led into count two, for which I am at fault."

"Shockwave, I do not understand." the Femme replied with hint of worry in her voice at what he was telling her.

"Shockblast was under pressure to bring Lord Galvatron his Predacon army quickly and he misinterpreted my notes on Project Predacon, namely yours for he believed that you were a Predacon clone given the wiped neural net of a Decepticon volunteer. So that the increased intelligence would diminish your species natural primitive instincts, but he was wrong." the Con said as he brought up images showing an unknown Cybertronian Femme lying on a berth, and along side it were more images of Predacon bones and CNA.

"What really occurred was that a Decepticon volunteer had her CNA spliced with that of a Predacon, to create a more stable and formidable warrior to stand up against my earlier failures...the Dinobots."

Ser-Ket remained speechless as she stared at the screen, for she could not believe what she was hearing, but Shockwave continued regardless.

"But I made an error, because I recently discovered the CNA used was not of Predacon origin. But it was instead from one of their rivals, for which I still do not know the name of. It was from the bones of a beast that had it's wings forcibly removed. I believe that it was characteristics from whoever this beast was and the altering of your memories that caused you to feel apart from the other Predacons." he added, before noticing the wide-eyed stare from Ser-Ket.

"I am a… Decepticon?"

Yes…" Shockwave replied as he brought up a clearer image of the Cybetronian that had appeared earlier, she had a large build for a Femme and was covered in heavy black, purple and silver armour.

"…your real name is….Strika."

Ser-Ket stayed quiet for a moment as what Shockwave had said sunk into her mind, but the Predacon could not accept it as she shook her head in return.

"No, no, I don't believe it." she said back defiantly, but the Con Scientist just stared back with a blank expression before walking round her berth and bending down at it's side.

"Then I will just have to show you the truth." he replied before standing back up, revealing himself to be now carrying a cable with a device at either end that looked similar to a diadem.

"What is that?" the Femme asked with an unsure tone as her eyes fixed on what was in Shockwave's hands.

"This is the most recent update to the Cortical psychic Patch, and it will allow me to show you memories which will prove that I am telling you the truth." he sad back before placing one of the devices onto Ser-Ket's head, and then the other on his own.

"There will be some discomfort as our minds join, be warned." Shockwave added before tapping a button on the side of his own device, which suddenly made the Femme's head feel like it was about to explode as memories began flooding her mind. She saw the Decepticon Femme called Strika, the one that Shockwave claimed her to be and witnessed her leading Megatron's forces during early years of the War for Cybertron. The Decepticon General was an unrelenting monster who took joy in killing as many Autobots as humanly possible, it was a sight that made the Predacon-Femme feel physically sick before the barrage of violent memories changed and depicted the time when Strika volunteered for Shockwave's experiment and was transformed into Ser-Ket, but with the memories of her past life. Then the memories stopped as a quick flash of white light enveloped her eyes before she found herself staring at the walls of the laboratory, while Shockwave removed the patch from her head.

"So you see, Ser-Ket may be your name now but you were always Strika in your spark, and that was lost when Shockblast re-awakened you." he said while noticing that the Femme still had a look of denial on her face, so Shockwave took the cable and head devices and placed them on the table nearby.

'It can't be true, I could not see myself being so blood thirsty and cruel.' she thought as the images continued to play in her mind.

'This has to be a deception of some kind, I am a Predacon.'

Shockwave turned back to her and sighed, for he could see it in the Femme's face that she was not going to accept the truth.

'It is an extremely low probability that Ser-Ket will come to accept the information about her past and wish to rejoin our cause, so I am left with only one other option to work with.' the Decepticon thought before he began walking over towards the Lab's exit.

"I will return in a short while Ser-Ket, the restraints will keep you from attempting to escape in the mean time."

Shockwave then walked through the door, leaving the Predacon Femme restrained to the berth and unable to move. But at this time, escape was the last thought on her mind as she was still being plagued by the memories of who the Decepticon was claiming her to be. So Ser-Ket just lowered her head as a single tear ran down her cheek as her eyes began to well up.

'I cannot be her, I just can't be.'

PRIME EFFECT 4

A day earlier….

The city of New Iacon was still in the early stages of repair as the midday sun shone down upon it from the cloudless blue sky overhead, and the Normandy was docked to the outer ring of one of the surviving Autobot command towers that was located on the western outskirts of the city. The ship had numerous repair bots and engineering crews working on it's hull as they were repairing it's hull, Orion could see it all from the room he was standing in at this moment as he looked out from the window before him.

"The Normandy's going to be fine Orion…" Rodimus suddenly said, gaining the blue haired Bot's attention as he turned around and looked over to his friend and mentor, who was sitting in a hover-chair just aways from him.

"..the Engineering crew has assured me that the ship will be combat ready inside of a day, though I wish we had a little longer so that she would be like new. But since the Predacon fleet is gathering around Virmire, I guess a patch-up job is all we can afford." the Commander added as his XO gave him a concerned look.

"I am glad you are here Rodimus, but surely you should still be recovering in the Medical bay?" Orion replied, gaining a slightly annoyed expression from the older Bot.

"I appreciate your concern Orion, but I would rather do something than just lie down on a berth and watch everyone else around me fight, plus I thought you would want my help."

"I do Rodimus, believe me I do. But you did get your chest sliced open a few days ago." the XO said back.

"That's true and had it not been for Red-Alert, I would probably be one with the All-Spark now. The fact that she managed to help both myself and Smokescreen, even after receiving the news that she had is a testament to her dedication and ability." Rodimus said back with a thoughtful look, earning a mirrored expression from Orion who nodded back.

"I heard Red-Alert was going to visit the Memorial Wall."

"Yes, she has been allowed to add Long-Arm's plaque to the rest of our honoured dead, since he died trying to rescue the civilians of Omicron Colony from the Predacons. She also told me that she will light a lantern-spark for him at the 'Well of All-Sparks' temple." the Commander replied.

"I know the Well has been dormant since the end of the Reaper War, but I didn't realise that it had become a temple." Orion said back with a curious tone.

"Every Cybertronian knows that when we die, our sparks return to the All-Spark. And that before it became dormant, the Well was the physical representation of the path each of our sparks must take to return to the All-Spark, so that the cycle of life can continue anew. Now in reality the Spark simply disappears and reaches there all by itself, but people like to believe that they can in some way help those they have lost, by lighting a lantern-spark which then descends into the well, lighting the way for their lost one's spark and guiding it back into paradise."

Orion crossed his arms as he thought about it for a moment, before looking back at the Commander.

"Do you believe in that Rodimus?"

"Yes, yes I do…." the older Bot replied with a nod.

"..I did the same thing after the death of my Brother, Hotrod."

"I'm sorry." Orion said back, gaining a nod of appreciation from Rodimus.

"I have a feeling many more will be lighting lantern-sparks before our conflict with Predacons is over." the Commander added as he looked up at his XO.

"That is why we both agreed that the crew should have the day off…" Rodimus continued, earning a nod from the blue haired Bot as a solemn expression appeared on his face as the Commander continued.

"..so that they can spend it however they want, for example with friends and family. Because with the fight that is coming, I'm having a hard time seeing us all coming through it unscathed."

"I understand, believe me I do. We both got a real beating from Galvatron and his Predacons, but I am not going to throw in the towel." Orion said back with a serious tone and expression, earning a taken aback look from Rodimus.

"I'm not going to either, or else I would have stayed in bed. But I'm just pointing out how bloody the battle is going to get, especially since the Predacons have their entire fleet positioned around Virmire."

"Well, with the evidence that Liara gave the Autobot High Command, I can't see us having a hard time convincing them to send the entire fleet with us when we face them."

A half smirk appeared on Rodimus's face as he looked up at Orion.

"Orion, your just like your Father." he said back, earning a slightly embarrassed look from the younger Bot.

"I'll take that as compliment."

"Good, you should. Now then, surely the High Command should have an answer for us by now?" the Commander replied with a hint of annoyance in his voice, as Orion looked at the time of his holo-tool.

"Yeah, you would think that with the enemy fleet now in one sport, they would want to move on this as quickly as possible." he said back, while Rodimus looked back at the door leading out of the room.

"I thought Liara would be here though, it is her Intel after all."

But Orion looked away as a concerned and thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

"Liara wasn't feeling that great, so I told her we could handle this ourselves." he said while looking back out of the window, so not to let his friend see the concern on his face.

'Liara has been quiet ever since we dropped Thane and his son off, no…in fact it has been since leaving Hagalaz.' he thought as the Asari took up his attention while watching the transports fly to and from the damaged part of the city.

'I was going to ask what her what was wrong, but haven't had the time to do so. I will see her as soon as we are done here.' he continued before Rodimus regained his attention.

"So where is Liara staying, with the others at the barracks?" he asked, making the younger Bot turn and face him.

"No, she is staying at my family's house right now. I was going to ground-bridge over once this meeting is done."

"Good idea, take advantage of the this quiet moment we have right now." the Commander replied as the door on the other side of the room opened, with a Turian stepping out to see them.

"Commander Rodimus and Orion Darby, they will see you now." he said, earning a nod from both men before they began to move toward the door. The Autobot Commander used the control panel on the left hand armrest of his hover-chair to navigate, gliding over the floor with Orion at his side as they left the waiting room and entered a larger spherical-shaped room. Several Admirals sat around a large black table which was shaped like a horse shoe, the group consisted of a Turian, Human, Asari, Krogan, Quarian, Drell, Hanar, Salarian and a Volus.

"Commander Rodimus, we have reviewed the Intel retrieved by Doctor Liara T'Soni and have come to a conclusion on what we must do next." the Turian Admiral said before looking over to his Asari counterpart.

"We all agree that the Predacon threat must be stopped and with their forces all in one place, this will be the perfect opportunity to see it done." she added.

"So prior to our seeing you, we have just sent orders out to all Autobot ships with orders to head to these specified coordinates that are only one jump away from Virmire. Once there, the fleet will jump to the planet and engage the Predacon fleet." The Human Admiral then said as he tapped the holo-interface next to him, which brought up a holo-image of Virmire and the Predacon fleet surrounding it in the center of the table.

"We will also land ground troops to stop Galvatron from reaching whatever it is he is after down there." The Krogan Admiral said, which made Rodimus hold his hand up and gain their attention.

"This is a good plan, but I believe Orion here would like to make a suggestion." he said before looking to his younger friend, as did everyone else in the room.

"Yes, thank you Rodimus." the blue haired Bot replied before taking a step toward the Admirals.

"This is a good plan, but the Predacons will be dug in well and ready for any kind of ground attack."

The Geth Admiral narrowed his optic as he looked back at the Autobot Spectre.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Continue with the attack, but do it as a diversion." Orion replied, earning a curious expression from the Admirals.

"A diversion? For what?" the Quarian Admiral said back with a questioning tone, before the Bot activated his holo-tool which made a blue dot appear extremely close to the planet.

"So that the Normandy can space-bridge into Virmire's atmosphere and deploy a team led by myself, and together we can take out Galvatron while he and his forces are focused on you."

"That's an ambitious plan, do you agree with your XO, Rodimus?" the Human Admiral replied, earning a nod from the chair-bound Commander.

"I do." he said with a confident expression, which made the Admirals look at each other and nod in return.

"Very well, then we will have the fleet and the ground forces engage the Predacons." the Turian Admiral replied.

"The Normandy's repairs will take a day to complete, correct?" the Asari Admiral asked, gaining a nod from Rodimus.

"That is correct."

"It will take that much time for the fleet to assemble at the chosen coordinates anyway. In that case, we only have one other matter to discuss." the Human Admiral said before gesturing to the Hanar who used one of his tentacles to activate his holo-interface and change the image in the center of their table to that of two Asari with multiple screens around them.

"We were quite shocked to find out from Doctor T'Soni that the mysterious Shadow Broker was in fact one of our own Senators, Matriarch Benezia." the giant jellyfish said, its insides glowing with every word that it spoke. But both Commander and XO looked on in shock, Orion's eyes widening as he took in the information being fed to him while looking her holo-image.

'Liara's Mother was the Shadow Broker, why didn't she tell me?' he thought as the second image beside the Matriarch's focused into that of someone that Rodimus recognised as a familiar expression crossed his face as both he and Orion looked at the Intel that appeared on the screens surrounding the two Asari holograms. The pair could see data on all the plots that the Shadow Broker had planned, including the plague she intended to unleash on the Cybertronian race….it was sickening to think that either person could be capable of such acts. But the Commander was taken completely by surprise by who he saw beside the Matriarch.

"Tela Vasir, your telling me that she was working for the Shadow Broker?" he asked with a disbelieving tone, still coming to terms with the first bombshell which was Liara's Mother.

"Yes Rodimus, one of your very own Autobot Spectres has worked for the Shadow Broker for decades now according to Liara. With your permission as Leader of the Spectres, we want to revoke her Spectre status and brand her a public enemy of the Federation." the Quarian Admiral added, making the Autobot Commander nod back solemnly in return.

"Yes, I agree. I can not believe it, but if Liara says it's true and has this evidence to back her up….then yes, you have my permission."

"We are currently preparing an investigation into Matriarch Benezia's dealings as a Senator, to see how much damage she has actually inflicted in the last twenty-five years behind everyone's backs, which will go into full effect once the Predacon threat has been extinguished. So if there is nothing else, lets call this meeting adjourned." the Human Admiral replied before pressing a button on his holo-interface, deactivating the holo-image as everyone got up from their chairs and left the room as they followed the Commander and his XO.

"I still find it hard to believe that Vasir of all people was a traitor, I worked closely with her for years and yet all this time she was playing us and working for Benezia of all people..." Rodimus said, still with a hint of disbelief in his voice before looking over to Orion and noticing that he was still quiet since hearing the bombshell.

"...I guess I can understand why Liara wasn't feeling so good since Hagalaz.." he then added, earning the younger Bot's attention as he looked back.

"…Finding out that the person who raised you was actually a nasty piece of work like the Shadow Broker would take a lot out of you."

Orion nodded before taking a step towards the elevator, gaining a knowing look from the Commander.

"Where are you going?"

"We have a big day tomorrow, so we should take this time to rest, because we'll all going to need to be at our best before we launch." the blue haired Bot replied, earning a reluctant smile from Rodimus.

"Yes, you are right there. So I take it you're going to see Liara." the older man said back, earning a nod from Orion.

"That's what I was planning to do, what about you?"

"I think I will visit my Brother, its been a while since the last time I did that." the older Bot replied, gaining a sympathetic expression from Orion.

"I see, do you know what the others are up too?"

"Well, Smokescreen is still recovering in the Medical Bay. Nightracer as gone to visit her Mother, while Shen said he was going to contact his parents who are both back on Rannoch. Quickstrike said he would keep Onyx Primal company after visiting his Mother in hospital, I managed to obtain permission for our resident Maximal to have the freedom to stretch his wings and fly around the city. I told the City's authorities that he has nothing to do with the Predacon dragons, but your Cousin said he would stay nearby and make sure Onyx would not get any unwanted attention."

"Right, some people might look up at the sky, see a flying metallic dragon and think the attack is happening all over again." the blue haired Bot replied before sighing.

"I'll see you tomorrow Rodimus." he then added, earning a nod from the Commander.

"Yeah, you too." he said back as he watched his XO walk up to the elevator and enter once it's doors opened.

Meanwhile at New Iacon's eastern edges, Quickstrike looked out at the green plains that surrounded most of the city. He was trying to enjoy the quiet moment, just standing there and admiring it's natural beauty as its greenery complemented the blue sky that was starting to vanilla as the sun began its descent behind the horizon. But the blonde Autobot's thoughts kept returning to Ser-Ket, the Predacon Femme who captured his spark after rescuing him from her brethren's clutches. He could not help but worry for what she may now be going through because of him, feeling guilt for not being able to save her, But before his inner torment could strain his spark more, the Bot's attention was drawn to the sound of large wings flapping in the evening air, so he looked up to see Onyx Primal in his beast mode soaring overhead. He watched as the beast flew around the plains ahead, before turning around and landing in front of him.

"Enjoy yourself Onyx?" Quickstrike asked as the Maximal transformed back into his bipedal mode and looked back at him, nodding in return.

"Yes I did, after spending the time I have in your cargo-bay, it is a nice change to be able to fly through the sky and enjoy the natural beauty of your world. And it is very beautiful, considering it is purely an organic world." the Cybertronian giant replied as he knelt down on one knee, gaining a faint smile from the Autobot in return.

"Yes it is." the Bot said back, earning a sympathetic expression from Onyx.

"You wish you could share this beauty with Ser-Ket, am I correct?" he asked, gaining a slow nod in return from Quickstrike.

"You are." the blonde man replied with a hint of sadness in his voice, while looking ahead at the sunset.

"You know we were all given the chance to spend this day with our loved ones, but my Mother is still in a coma and all I could do was sit and hold her hand in the silence of that room. And the woman I love is either a prisoner of the Predacons or no longer of this life, either way I feel empty inside. The only thing I want now is to make the Predacons pay for that they have done. I have been able to hide this from the others while we on a mission, but standing here with nothing else to think about but what has been taken from me by those monsters, Ser-Ket and my Father I want is to tear them apart." the blonde Bot said with a building slither of anger in his voice.

"I understand what you are going through Quickstrike, believe me I do..." the Maximal replied as he remembered the anguish and rage he felt for Airazor's death, which for him was only a short time ago despite the actual eons that had passed since the tragic event.

"...but you have to remain strong for your friends, for they will need you in the coming battle."

The Blonde Bot looked up At his friend and saw the sympathetic expression on his face, which made him feel somewhat better and less alone.

"..you do not yet know the fate of your spark-mate, so do not despair since there is every chance you may see her again." Onyx added, gaining a nod from Quickstrike in return.

"Your right." the blonde Bot replied as he looked over at the sunset, as the darkness of the coming night began to eat away at the light of the descending star. Onyx Primal turned around and joined his friend in the viewing before their attention was caught by something else.

"Excuse me?" a unfamiliar voice suddenly spoke up, making the pair turn around to see a Human Caucasian Woman with brown hair standing behind them. She looked up at the Maximal with amazement, while Quickstrike gave her a questioning expression.

"Can we help you?" he asked, gaining the Woman's attention.

"I hope so, my name is Ann Bryson and I am a scientist stationed in the Cybertronian Archives here in New Iacon."

"Bryson? Why does that name sound familiar?" Quickstrike replied, earning a confused look from Onyx while Anna returned her attention to the giant Bot.

"My Father was Doctor Garrett Bryson, he died during the Reaper War, while trying to find the Rogue Reaper known as Lucifer." she said whilst not taking her eyes off the Maximal, marvelling at his presence.

"I remember now, so how...can we help you?" the blonde Bot asked with an unsure expression and tone, having noticed the way she was staring at Onyx.

"Is there something on my face?" the giant Bot asked.

"I am sorry, it is just I have never had the chance to meet a Pre-Pretender form Cybertronian before. I had only heard the stories of how your people looked from my Father, so I never dreamed I would one day get to see one of you like this." Bryson replied with a tone that was half excitement and the other embarrassment, which gained a half smile from the Maximal.

"I see. Well then allow, me to introduce myself. My name is Onyx Primal, I am a former Predacon and Leader of the Maximals."

'Maximals, never heard of them.' she thought as a curious expression appeared on her face.

"Then if you would do me an honour Onyx Primal, we know nearly nothing of the era of the Predacons. So if you would, please tell me your story?" Bryson asked with a hopeful tone, earning a thoughtful look from the Maximal, before he then knelt in front of her and smiled.

"Very well Ann Bryson." he replied, which made the Doctor's smile widen almost ear to ear with a quiet excitement while Quickstrike began to walk back away slowly, before Onyx noticed.

"Quickstrike, please stay. You may find what I am about to tell you both very illuminating."

"Alright, its been awhile since I heard a good old fashioned true story." the blonde Bot replied before both he and Bryson sat down on the grass and looked up at Maximal, whose blue optics began to glow brighter as the night took hold overhead.

"My story begins so very long ago, across the oceans of time that separate what you call the present from the distant past. It was a time of great change for my people as 'The Thirteen Primes', the ones who had guided us were now gone, leaving us to find our own path…." he began to narrate while the stars began to shine down from the night sky.

PRIME EFFECT 4

Meanwhile night had already taken its hold over the Darby household as it stood there on the grassy hill overlooking the coast, then a swirling green vortex of the ground-bridge then opened up at the front porch. It's green light illuminating that side of the house before Orion stepped through, then a split second later the light was gone as the portal closed behind him, allowing the porch lights to dimly light his way as the Bot walked up the steps towards the house's front door. He had the look of a man who was in deep with his thoughts and concern while he took the door's handle in his grasp, looking down at it, but not really at it.

'I still don't get why Liara didn't tell me, letting me hear it second hand instead.' he thought as he opened the door and entered his family home which still felt empty and sparse, considering his parents were still in the hands of Galvatron and his Predacons.

"Liara?" he said as he walked into the front room, only to find it empty and devoid of the blue beauty that had gained his affections during the course of the last few weeks. So he checked the Kitchen….but nothing, went up stairs and yet there was still no sign of her.

'Where is she?' he thought as he stopped at the bottom of the stairs and thought about where else to look, until a faint noise from just aways caught his attention, making the blue haired Bot walked back to the Kitchen and found that the back door had been left slightly open.

Orion left the interior of the house and stepped out into the vast area which was the family's backyard, but it was all as he had left it originally, with the training area untouched and this left him scratching his head more.

'Okay, now I am getting worried.' he thought as he walked away from the house down towards the beach, before suddenly noticing Ravage lying on his front and staring in the same direction.

"Ravage, what are you doing here?" Orion said as he knelt down beside his old pet and friend, which made the feline look up at him and purr in as it rubbed it's head against the Bot's knee.

"Yeah I missed you too." the Autobot replied as he placed his hand on Ravage's head and stroked it's hair softly, making the former Decepticon purr again.

"Do you know where Liara is, Ravage?"

The feline looked up at him before turning it's and looking towards the beach, thus making Orion look in the same direction. His blue eyes widened as he spotted a lone Asari sitting on one of the sun lounger beds that his parents had put down there years earlier, since that particular spot was still several feet away from where the tide would come in at night. The Bot remembered that his Mother always did enjoy relaxing on one of them beds during a nice cloudless day, as did his Dad who would also sit down there and sift through his reports when he wasn't away at work. Orion smiled before looking down at his feline friend, placing his hand on the beast's back and giving it a rub.

"Thanks pal for keeping an eye on Liara, I'll take over now." he said, earning a soft whine from the family pet. Who simply lied his head down on the floor as Orion got to his feet and walked down towards Liara. As he made his way towards the Asari, further away from the synthetic lights of the family home. Orion could see her more clearer, thanks to the light coming from the bright full moon, which was rising up into the star filled sky. He could see that Liara was sitting upright on the lounger bed with her feet up against her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs, and she had not noticed his approach since the Asari was just staring out at the ocean which was reflecting the moon light back into sky with a ripple effect from the gentle waves.

"Liara?" Orion then said as he got within two feet of her, making the Asari look over to him with an almost startled expression. She really must have been deep in thought for her not to have noticed, since he knew that someone of her age would probably be hard to sneak up on…not that it was his intention though.

"Orion." she said back as the blue haired Bot sat beside her on the sun lounger bed.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked as he looked back at her, his eyes then widening as he noticed the wet streaks running down her cheeks from her eyes.

"I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts." she said as she looked back towards the ocean and wiped her cheeks with her hands, while Orion looked back with a concerned expression.

"This is to do with your Mother, doesn't it?" he asked, regaining the Asari's attention as she looked back in surprise.

"Why didn't you tell me that Benezia was the Shadow Broker?" the Bot said back, which made another tear run down her cheek, following the same path as the ones that had flowed before it.

"It's hard enough for me to come to terms with it myself, I didn't know how to tell you so.." Liara replied as she again wiped the tear away and looked back out at the ocean.

"…I thought that some time alone to think about it would allow me to make sense of it, but…." she added before stopping, earning a curious and concerned expression from the Autobot.

"But? But what?" Orion said back.

"But I can't help thinking that my Mother and I are more alike than I would like to think." the Asari said with shameful tone.

"What do you mean Liara, your nothing like Benezia." the blue haired Bot said back in a surprised tone, but Liara's eyes welled up as she looked down at the sand beneath her.

"Am I not? When our people fell during the Reaper War, my Mother let her anger for that slowly corrupt her heart. That anger became a rage and hatred for everyone she felt was responsible for that, and then dedicated herself to ridding them from the face of the galaxy and reclaiming the Asari's status as the Federation's Elite." she replied.

"I know Liara, I did see your Intel report. But how are you the same?" Orion said back with a questioning tone as he placed his hand down beside her own on the lounger bed's soft surface.

"I killed my own Mother and those responsible for my enslavement, wanting to make them pay for what they did to me. Those slavers for the torture they put me through, and my Mother for letting them do that to me." Liara said back, her voice tinged with both shame and anger, gaining a horrified look from Orion.

"Benezia? she knew what was happening to you?" the Bot replied as he looked down at her hand, placing his over hers in a sympathetic gesture as the Asari nodded back.

"Yes, my Mother knew. She told me that it was necessary, so that I would be more like her and in turn be ready to succeed her as the next Shadow Broker."

Orion did not know what to say as he watched Liara look back towards the ocean, tears slowly running down her cheeks as she began to sob. So with his free hand, the Bot touched the Asari's chin and gently turned her face back to his, with their eyes meeting as he looked into her own.

"Liara, you're nothing like your Mother…" he started to say back in a gentle and affectionate tone, which had ensnared her attention completely as she found herself simply staring back into his blue eyes.

"…the fact that you are feeling guilt and remorse for those who do not deserve it proves the opposite, it's that clear in my eyes." the Autobot continued as his hand moved from her chin to gently cup her face as he began to lean in towards her.

"You are one of the most caring people I have ever met Liara, you always put others before yourself and I can vouch for that."

"..Orion.." she started to say in return as she mirrored his actions and leaned in closer.

"I do not know what I would have done with everything that has happened to me recently, if you had not been here with me Liara." the young Darby continued, making the Asari's eyes widen as she listened to him.

"You have saved me in so many ways, and I don't think I have properly thanked you." he said as they now were so close, they could feel each other's breath on the other. So Orion closed the distance and pushed his lips against hers, earning a surprised but happy moan from the Asari as they kissed for a moment. And then he pulled away just enough to look her in the eyes, noticing that her tears had stopped as she looked back in to his, so he wiped aware the wetness with his

"Thank you Liara." he said softly as he looked at her lovingly, before she suddenly closed the distance and kissed him back the same way.

"What was that for?" he asked with a smile when they pulled away, earning a coy expression from the Asari.

"You saved me first, remember? We would never have met had you not rescued me from Hock to begin with. So thank you Orion…..now kiss me again." she said as they both smiled at each other as the Bot then cupped her face in both hands and leaned into each other, their lips meeting again as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him towards her more and intensifying their kiss. Which went on for a long moment as while they remained locked by their kiss as their lips caressed the other, making them feel as if time itself had stopped around them. But once the need for oxygen took precedence, the lovers pulled away enough to catch their breath while looking into each others eyes.

Liara then smiled as she moved her hands down the Bot's torso, enjoying the feeling of his muscles under his shirt before reaching its bottom and slipping her hands under it. The Asari bit her lip as she then pulled the top up, earning happy sigh from Orion as he lifted his arms and allowed her to lift the shirt off him in one easy motion and dropped it beside her on the sun lounger bed. Orion could not help but smile as he noticed Liara looking him up and down, taking every square inch of his muscular but yet athletic physique.

The Bot then pulled the Femme back into another passionate kiss, pressing his body up against hers as she placed her hands on his bare back, which made him shiver slightly as they were a little colder than expected. But he soon felt they warm while they explored his back, taking in the curves of his muscles that made up his back as they continued to kiss. Liara then pulled away slightly so that she could focus on his ear, nibbling it a little one of her hands moved up to the back of his head so that she could run her fingers through his blue hair.

So Orion took the opportunity to begin removing the Asari's clothing by taking hold of the zipper on the back of her top and pulling it down, exposing her blue skin and earning a slight gasp from her as she felt the cool night air touch it. The pair then pulled away just enough for the Bot to remove her top and reveal her beautiful athletic form and the edges of her breasts which were mainly covered by a dark blue bra which he then removed with ease.

'He's definitely had some experience doing that.' Liara thought as she smiled back before letting her lover lay her on the back, feeling the soft cushion like material of the lounger bed beneath her as he hovered over her and looked deeply into her eyes. The only sounds they could hear were the waves behind them and their own breathing, which itself was only just out of sync, and then the Bot kissed Liara again before he then left a trail of kisses down her neck to her breasts before taking one in his hand, while the other went between his lips as he kissed and sucked it, gaining a sweet moan from the Asari as he gently massaged the nipple of her other breast with his fingers.

"Don't stop." she said as he then switched his focus to the other breast, kissing and licking it while freeing his hands which he moved down her body and over her stomach, feeling his way down to her trousers, which he then began to unzip and open while keeping his main focus on her breasts with his mouth, gaining further light moans of pleasure from Liara.

After a moment, while the Asari just lay there with her arms stretched out across the width of the bed, the Bot then left another trail of kisses from the peaks of her breasts down across her flat stomach which made her make the sweetest of giggles before he looked down at her open trousers. The Asari looked back at him and made the most coy of expressions as she took in the image of his naked upper half lit up by the light of the full moon in the night sky, before she then lifted her legs in the air and made it easier for him to remove her trousers and underwear in one easy motion.

And just like that, Liara was now completely naked before her lover and he looked down at her with a loving gaze before crawling back over her and leaning down into another passionate kiss as he felt the Asari place her hands on his back and pull him down to her, allowing Liara to feel her skin against his.

She then surprised Orion by rolling them both onto the right side of the bed, so that she was now on top and this made him smile back as the Asari then mirrored his earlier action by leaving a trail of kisses down his neck and over his chest and stomach, until she reached his jeans. The blue haired Bot then helped her remove them and his boxers in quick and efficient manner, which revealed his semi aroused member to both her and the night air that earned a gentle moan from him before the Asari climbed back on top of him.

The two then kissed passionately again, while she moved a hand down to his member and began to give it long strokes which earned yet another pleasure felt moan as he quickly returned the favour, by moving his hand up to her own sex and started to gently rub it's labia and so earn yet another sweet sound of ecstasy building up within his Asari Lover. The pair continued like this on the sun lounger bed for a good long moment, slowly speeding up their masturbation of each other's sex which also quickened their breathing as they both felt their pleasure increasing.

'Oh goddess, I don't know how much more I can hold back.' Liara thought as she bit her lip slightly, but she knew Orion was no farther behind as his member was now completely stiff in her hand. Orion himself could feel how close she was with his hand on her own sex which was now soaking wet.

So Liara stopped her strokes with her Autobot lover following suit, and she repositioned herself so that her sex was now directly over his erect member. They were so close, the Bot could feel the heat emanating from her. They both smiled lovingly at each other before she then gestured for him to sit up which he then did, meaning that she was now almost straddling him and she leaned in close to his ear so that he could feel her breath on his skin.

"Embrace Eternity my love.' she then whispered before lowering herself down onto his member which slipped in so easily due to how wet she was down there. This earned a moan of complete and utter pleasure from both of them as she took in the full length of his member, making her lean back and stare up into the night sky and revealing to Orion that her eyes had now turned completely black.

But it was not that which took the Bot by surprise, but instead it was the explosion of ecstasy he suddenly became overwhelmed with as he not only felt his own pleasure but Liara's too. It felt as it the pair were now one, each and every feeling the other felt was multiplied as the Asari continued to rise and fall onto her Lover's member. Their breathing now heavy and in complete sync with each other as they lost themselves in each other.

This went on for another long moment before Orion suddenly gripped his Asari lover tightly, lifting her up enough and turning them both around so she would land on her back with him on top of her once more. This made her smile back at him and tut coyly in return.

"You want your turn?"

The blue haired Bot merely replied with a nod while looking back at the Asari with a hungry stare before re-entering her moist sex with a slow thrust, earning another sweet moan from Liara as the Autobot began to build up his rhythm. She was so lost in the joyous feeling that was spreading throughout her body, which was too being multiplied by what Orion was feeling too. The Asari had not noticed the fact she had begun to claw at his back, drawing a little blood as she did. Though if Orion had noticed this, he certainly did not show it. For he too was so overwhelmed by this symbiotic relationship they had undertaken during their lovemaking, feeling everything that Liara was feeling on top of his own pleasure. That he had simply lost himself in her, in exactly the same why she had with him.

And so the pair continued with their love-making, with no care to who may have been in hearing distance of their cries of pleasure. There was certainly no consideration for poor Ravage who had moved to the other side of the Darby residence, and was trying to sleep at this moment.