Thank you for your kind reviews on my first chapter! I am going to be continuing both my Transformers fics for now seeing as they were so close in terms of feedback :D

I do not own Transformers, only my OC characters. Please enjoy the chapter and keep leaving favourites, follows and reviews for updates and such :D

Starscream wakes to the sensation of swaying movement. He had been enjoying a light recharge, Primus knows that the endless talking from Skywarp last night over the internal communications link had prevented him from enjoying a full rest as he would have preferred. Nevertheless, he can no longer pretend to be offline to the world when Lockdown's ship suddenly lurches – jolting all of them in their binds as it does so. This is really the first movement in a long while, which makes Thundercracker frown softly.

If they are moving somewhere then there must be a purpose to it.

From what his sensors have been telling him, they are in some sort of cold region of Earth and have been for some time. Logically, the only place they could be going is back into space. Unless, unless they are going somewhere else on Earth, but why would Lockdown want to go to through all the trouble to move this large ship only to land at another destination on this rock? He could simply transform into his alternative mode and drive there, or take a smaller mode of transportation. A frown still marring his facial plating, he keys into the communications link between the other three Decepticons.

|Internal communications link; Shocklock, Skywarp, Starscream. Theories on the movement of the prison ship.|

|Shocklock reporting. Perhaps the ship is being relocated to return to Cybertron, or point of origin.|

|Skywarp here. I agree, why else would Lockdown be bothered to move this slagging massive ship. He's got to be returning to somewhere.|

Starscream can see the confusion written in Shocklock's facial plating, which prompts him to figure out the situation even swifter. To come up with the correct speculation before his fellow trine members, after all, it wouldn't do to have them upstaging their leader. Even if they didn't quite recognise him as their leader yet.

Moving to some new destination in space would make sense, if they had not been stopped on Earth for so long without anything else notable happening. He has been active again for a few days, so surely they would have begun their journey after he had awoken, or even when his remains were brought upon the ship. So there must be something else on this rock that has drawn his attention. If he's capturing Cybertonian's then perhaps there are others here? That's the worst thing that could happen, being trapped in here with someone as insufferable as Soundwave who will no doubt try and take over! Or…Primus forbid. His brothers having to share a cell with some Autobot scum.

|I disagree.| Starscream com's in |There might be other targets on this planet that Lockdown wishes to get before departing. The movement of this ship could be to capture those targets and imprison them like us.|

|Why would he move the entire ship though? A smaller vessel would do for transporting prisoners.| Thundercracker scoffs, rolling his optics while Starscream would be unable to see him do so.

|Unless the prisoner is superior to the slag eating weaklings he's captured before. If I were online at the time I suspect the prison ship would have been moved to capture myself.| Starscream states smugly.

At this moment in time, Shocklock half wants to punch Starscream in the face for such a statement. He has no idea how hard she fought to keep the Decepticon base on Cybertron before she was captured by Lockdown, yet here he is assuming that he would have done so much better than her if he was in the same situation. Confidence in a leader is appealing, but pig headedness is not. If she was not certain that Skywarp and Thundercracker will back Starscream for leader then she would put herself forwards for the task. As it is, she sees little point, trying to let her anger drain out of her circuits. It is no use to harbour something like that when they need to be working together to cope with this situation.

It does make her feel slightly content to see him getting back to normal, the first day he was resurrected…well his actions were more than a little unnerving. The jibes, and the superiority complex are signs that he is returning to normal.

|Who could be left on Earth that would be someone that badass?| Skywarp asks, screwing his face up in confusion |Megatron was offlined ages ago, unless…he's going to get the scrap parts of Megatron to resurrect him too?|

His suggestion, although it makes sense, enrages Starscream. No! It's simply not fair! He finally has his chance to be the true uncontested leader of the Decepticons and this fragger Lockdown might be going to get the remains of the former commander? No no no! Growling in unhappiness - which Shocklock picks up, her optics widening in surprise- Starscream grinds his teeth together filling the cell with sounds of screeching metal.

|Impossible. I would suggest Lockdown is targeting Autobot survivors. Bumblebee or maybe even Prime.|Starscream emits through the internal link, his anger still coming across through his tone making Thundercracker want to slap himself hard with his own servo. Skywarp would have to say something like that and place his pede in it, now Starscream is going to be in a foul mood for the rest of the day. He doesn't envy Shocklock at all.

|Screamer…you know I didn't-| Skywarp tries to salvage the situation with an apology, but finds that the communications link with his moody trine leader cut off swiftly. Evidently he doesn't want to hear it. Sighing softly Skywarp resigns himself to more silence, they couldn't use their internal coms too often in case the guards figured it out and placed them further apart from each other.

Shocklock can't help but let an amused sounding puff of air escape from her vents, looking at Starscream so obviously wanting to cross his arms in a huff, but being unable to because of his restraints makes her smile gently. It feels good to have this kind of interaction, it keeps her spirits up and she knows it must have the same effect on the rest of the guys. It seems that Starscream senses her optics locking onto his frame and turns his head towards her, red optics blazing with an emotion she can only guess at.

Is it irritation? Shame? Anxiety?

"What?" he snaps childishly, but she doesn't take it too much to heart.

"Are you worried?" Shocklock asks gently, keeping her voice down so that the guards, but also his trine mates couldn't quite hear what they are saying. Starscream is a proud mech, and is unlikely to share his emotions with her, even if she keeps her audio outputs down to a minimum.

"Worried, about what? That overgrown sparkling being brought back online?" he dismisses the notion with a cruel chuckle "Nobody will follow him now even if he is brought back. Which he is not going to be."

"You seem very sure about that. I can't speak for myself, but any forces left out there might follow his lead once more. If Lockdown is bringing Megatron's remains on board the ship then you should be prepared for that." She advises.

If Starscream does not take up command of the three fellow captives, then Megatron will just assume command again if it is him that is being brought aboard. A part of her feels as if it doesn't matter who leads the cause, but, it could very well make a difference in the long term events. The difference between: following a leader hell bent on destroying Optimus Prime, no matter what the casualties, or consequences; or following a leader who might actually listen to reason, and be interested in cultivating other assets and goals; is quite a large one.

"Of course I know it!" Starscream bellows, shocking the femme with the sheer anger in his tone "That fool is responsible for the decimation of not only the Autobots, but of Decepticons. Almost our entire race is gone, and each time I offered solutions to try and repopulate they were left aside to pursue his own selfish need for revenge."

The concern that Starscream portrays in his words, even if not his tone, for the survival of the Cybertonian race warms Shocklock's spark. She knew that there might be something different if Starscream were to ever lead their cause, right now, they needed to focus on rebuilding and repopulating. The destruction and war could be put on hold for as long as they had to. Even the Autobots will respect their efforts, and might even join them for a cease fire for a short time. Of course, Shocklock still believes in the cause with her whole spark, but, her processors are not blind with the sheer desperation to dominate and crush the opposition. Not when there are more important things to be done.

"If we ever are free from this prison ship, is that what you wish to focus on?" she asks softly, casting her servers back to the days Starscream had lived on Cybertron with her for a short amount of time. Together they had worked to try and keep the new sparklings alive, but without energon it was fruitless. The only reason she saw sense in Megatron's plan to harvest the sun in Earth's solar system, was because they would receive more energon for the sparklings because of the action.

"You know it is." He murmurs, turning his optics away from her. Starscream feels exposed, and it isn't something that he enjoys. Gritting his teeth again, he can't help but wish that he has anyone as a cell mate but Shocklock. Not because he does not enjoy her company, but because the femme seems to get underneath his wiring. He does not wish to seem emotional, or attached but even her loose questioning gets him to bare the truth of his processing. Only afterwards does he feel embarrassed that she has gotten him to say the things that he had been wanting to keep a secret. One of those things is the desire to see Cybertonian sparklings once again, it has been a very long while since he has seen one at all…never mind entertaining the possibility of having one himself. Maybe, if they ever get off this ship, it might be a possibility.

"Then, let me formally offer my support of your leadership of the Decepticon cause." She whispers gently, with a reassuring smile on her lip plates "In light of the possible development coming on board. I know your brothers will support you too." Shocklock nods her head to the cells on either side of them, and the mechs that she knows are probably straining their receptors to hear what they're talking about at the moment.

Not trusting himself to say something he is going to regret, Starscream merely huffs and keeps his chin held high in the opposite direction to the femme. The support, from her, makes his spark hum gently in his chest. It means something to him that a bot who isn't so closely bonded to him would support him purely on policy alone – not on the dominant strength that he has. It makes him proud, and gives him strength. If Lockdown is bringing that fragger on board, then he is ready for him, and he had best be ready for Starscream – the new leader of the Decepticon faction!

"Took you long enough." He states simply, tone haughty, and this time not revealing his true emotion.

"Apologies." Shocklock chuckles, shaking her head lightly before she rests it against the cold metal of the cell wall.

Although faint, Thundercracker can hear murmurings from Starscream and Shocklock, and he sighs softly. Secretly he is glad that the seeker has been put in her cell. Under the boot of Megatron he had become something different to the mech who they used to fly with, hopefully though, she will be able to make him something like his old self again even if it takes an eon to do so. He will be grateful, in debt even, if she could. Both of the seekers had missed Starscream keenly when he left them, but, now they are back together their bond is already increasing again. Wounds are being fixed.

Soft bangs, and scratches can be heard from the world outside. The sounds of battle. All strain to hear just what is going on, if there is a battle, then the target cannot possibly be Megatron's remains. He is offline after all and not going to put up much of a fight. Unless there are other 'Cons guarding him, then it is likely that their new cell mate is someone else entirely.

Skywarp lets out a soft groan and hangs his head; "Oh no, please don't let it be…" the sounds of metal scraping signals one of the doors to the ship opening up nearby and Skywarp closes his vents slightly in suspense "An autobot." He finishes.

A few minutes later, the screeching metallic roar that grows steadily louder can only be because Lockdown is dragging another Cybertonian to their section of the prison…but which one?!