Disclaimer: Transformers are not mine. My own characters are Hornet and Livie.

Prologue

Deep in the Decepticon base, sitting around a round table were Megatron, Soundwave and Shockwave. With them was Starscream and a femme commander, Hornet. A femme who is not to be taken lightly, she is very dangerous and has a sting which every Autobot and any other unfortunate being, organic or otherwise hopes they will never receive. She was also pregnant… with Barricade's sparkling. The news came after they were involved in the massacreof the younglings and sparklings, and it left a bittersweet taste in their mouths. She stands 19 feet tall with a black body and yellow markings, her purple Decepticon symbol proudly emblazoned on her chest plates. She has weapons which hold the capability of offlining any mech or femme and doesn't think twice about using them. Her optics shone brilliantly from her black face making her look more menacing and threatening. She was one of Megatron's most faithful soldiers next Shockwave and whatever he asked them to do, she was there to do it. Much to the annoyance of Starscream. Hornet was a seasoned battle hardened femme and loved coming up against Elita and Chromia; although she usually came out worst off.

The Decepticons were putting the final touches onto a plan to wage a war for complete domination of Cybertron and destroy OPtimus Prime and the Autobots once and for all. He wanted the power and nothing was going to stop him from gaining it. She was looking forward to the day when they'd charge to Iacon and watch the pathetic Autobots die at her cruel hands. Oh yes, cruelty was her thing, her domain. Many mechs thought she went too far, but none were brave enough to say anything to her. She could be quite vindictive when she wanted to be. Hornet would spend hours in the hologram room fine tuning her skills as a warrior and target practise. She was in there one day for such a long time she almost collapsed with exhaustion, Barricade dragged her to teir quarters before Hook got a hold of her and discovered their unborn sparkling. The next day they argued about the time she was spending training, and hpw it was endangering her health and that of their sparkling.

At the Autobot base all was quiet, they were still shocked over the callous killing of the younger generations. Nobody was saying anything at all but they were expecting a Decepticon attack soon…question is where and when. There was a tense silence amongst the Autobots in the base nobody was unarmed and most had taken to recharging with their weapons next to them. Ratchet First aid and Jolt had the med bay fully stocked and they had gone over their plans to rescue the injured time and time again. The femme army had joined the mechs; they're base was the first to go in Megatron's deathly invasion. Many lives had been lost, grisly memories were still flooding the femme commander's processors. The Autobots had placed sentries in their outposts, and there was a constantwatch at Teletraan one. This time it was Bumblebee's and Bluestreak's turn.

The time had come and Hornet was was standing at the door, her engines revving in anticipation of the attack upon the Autobot base, "Hurry up!" she yelled at the stragglers,

"Hold on, Hornet," Megatron purred at the femme, "The time is close,"

Hornet, the seekers, Dirge, Ramjet and Thrust were leading the air offensive while Shockwave, Soundwave, Barricade and his creations and the Constructicons were leading the ground offensive. All were waiting for the commad to go. Finally the doors to the Decepticon base opened revealing the peaceful starry Cybertronian sky belying the battle and turmoil that was about to take place. The plains which stretched as far as the optic could see gradually met with the lights and the graceful spires and towers of Iacon. Hornet's engines buzzed as she powered them up and waited for the final order to attack,

"Decepticons attaaaaack!" Megatron yelled and every remaining Decepticon in the base left with a roar of their engines. Their mission; to annihilate the Autobots and destroy Iacon. Nobody was to be left standing. They were a formidable army.

Optimus Prime walked into the war room. The silence in there was deathly; it would have been possible to hear a pin drop as optics were trained on Teletraan one. It was unusual to not hear Bluestreaks' continual chatter; no matter how much it annoyed others, it also eased the tension but this time he was silent,

"Any movement?" the leader asked the scout and the gunner,

"No sir, nothing," Bluestreak replied,.

Bumblebee caught movement on the screen and watched Decepticon symbols pop up on the screen, one by one,

"They're coming," he barked,

Optimus Prime raced to the screen, "How many?"

"Looks like…all of them," Bumblebee yelled and sounded the alarm,

"Bluestreak, contact Ultra Magnus tell him we want him and his team at Iacon. NOW!" Prime bellowed as he raced out of the war room and down the corridor.

The alarm was wailing its high pitched warning and the base alternated between red and darkness in unison with the lights. The noise was deafening and chaos should have ensued but the Autobots were well prepared this time. Every Autobot was up and raced to their battle stations, waiting for the first attack. There was a dull rumble as they heard the first wave came in the form of Hornet, the seekers, Dirge, Thrust and Ramjet. Hornet was going to hit their main power source to bring down their power supply and render the mounted guns and their security systems around the Autobot base useless. She flew over the base as she transfomed her hand into a lazer, she saw the tower leading to their main generator and fired an electric volt throwing the Autobot base into darkness. The Autobots looked around the base waiting where they were standing to see where the first attack would come from,

"Hornet," Prowl growled,

The seekers flew toward the base releasing missiles and shells but they made no impact, the walls had been reinforced. The Autobots could hear the missiles hitting the walls and looked around poised, ready for the onslaught, "How long will Wheeljack's reinforcements last?" Hound asked Mirage,

"I don't know," the spy replied.

"Let me try," Hornet pushed Starscream out of the way and onlined her acid cannon,

"Watch who you're pushing aro..."

"Shut up, this is no time for your nonsense," Hornet hissed at the seeker and aimed her cannon.

Psshhtt! the acid hit the base wall, melting the metal and creating a massive hole.

Hornet backed off little bit and opened her radio link to Megatron,

"The base has been weakened my lord Megtron," she said,

"Good," Megatron snarled and opened his radio link to Prime,

"Give up Prime and we'll give you mercy," Optimus narrowed his optics,

"You don't know the meaning of the word. We will not give up Iacon to you," he growled,

"Fine," Megatron replied, "Decepticons go. Kill them. All of them," Megatron bellowed. There was a roar as the Decepticons piled through the hole in the metal which was still sizzling from Hornet's acid cannon,

"Here we go!" Sideswipe said as he braced himself for the battle,

"Autobots," Optimus said over the radio, in what he believed to be his final address to his soldiers on Cybertron if at all, "This is our final battle, we are fighting for our very survival. If we go down, then we go down fighting," a roar went up as the Autobots listened to their leader's address, "Primus be with you all," he said solemnly.

A missile hit a weakened part of the reinforcement the wall exploded into smoke and flames. Screams could be heard by mechs caught in the fireball. The smell of burning metal and energon acrid to the olfactory senses. One mech came out of the blaze, screaming and on fire. An Autobot shot him, giving the burning soldier instant relief. Decepticons poured through the hole in the wall and killed the Autobots as they made their way through the grey corridors.

Hornet transformed and raced into the base, she had changed her acid cannon for a plasma cannon and aimed at anything that moved. She fired at one small creature but it was just a cyber rat, "Frag!" she hissed to herself. A shot was fired and hit Hornet in the back; she yelped and turned around to face Flare up. Without thinking she shot a bolt at the red femme, it hit her in the chassis melting her circuitry,

"No!" Sideswipe snarled as he saw his spark mate fall. The red femme lay on the ground transmitting comfort and love through her bond to the frontline warrior before she finally offlined and died. Sideswipe transmitted one back almost wishing, hoping that it would keep her alive, but she'd gone. Sunstreaker watched with horror and raced to the Deceticon to engage her in battle. She went to shoot him but her gun was ripped off her arm by Sideswipe, energon flowed freely from the wound but it didn't stop the femme as she swung around and hit the silver mech across his faceplates,

"You foolish twins," she laughed evilly as she took her free arm and transformed it into a cannon and shot Sunstreaker. It was a direct hit and the frontline soldier slowly fell,

"Noooo!" Sideswipe yelled, he threw himself at the femme, she tried to shoot him but he dodged the fire. Sideswipe swung arond kicked her in the legs knocking her to the ground. Hornet aimed her cannon at the silver rontline warrior but Ironhide grabbed the Decepticon from behind the helm, he swung herround so the fire missed Sideswipe but hit a Decepticon running past. He screamed pathetically and fell to the ground. Hornet looked at him with contempt. She looked around,

"Ironhide!" she snarled, "I might have known you'd be nearby,"

The black mech grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her and pointed his cannon into her back, "If he dies, you die," he growled menacingly, "I will find you," and went to shoot her but as he did a searing pain shot through his shoulder and again through his leg, sending the weapons specialist crashing to the ground. Barricade looked across at Hornet, she was covered in dark energon from the Autobots she'd killed or maimed. Chromia came to Ironhide's aid with Bumblebee, Bluestreak and others.

Sideswipe raced to his brother's side and picked him up. Warnings were flashing across the yellow mech's optics as Sideswipe carried him to the med bay,

"Sideswipe," he whispered. The sound of the battle around them became quiet as he looked up at Sideswipe,

"Yeah bro. I'm here," Sideswipe replied quietly as he struggled with the pain Sunstreaker was transmitting through their bond, "I'm so sorry,"

Sideswipe picked Sunstreaker up. Jolt was in the corridor perfroming field treatments on a mech and saw Sideswipe coming towards him. He raced to the silver mech, "I've got him," he said but Sideswipe wouldn't let go. The junior medic looked in Sideswipe's eyes, he could see the pain the silver mech was suffering and put a hand on his shoulder. Hornet turned around and saw the silver warrior with his brother in Jolt's arms. She aimed her cannon at him,

"Don't you even think about it," Elita said and shot Hornet. The Decepticon cried out in pain and doubled over slowly falling to the ground. She could feel her sparkling struggling as it separated itself from her spark and fell into her hand. She knew she had to find a way to save her sparkling, and the only way she could see was to give her to an Autobot. Hornet looked at Ironhide who was struggling to get up,

"Autobot," she snarled, Ironhide turned towards her and watched as she fiddled with something under her chest,

"Oh no. This is it," the black mech thought sadly as he turned to get one more look of Chromia before Hornet killed him. He turned back to Hornet and the next thing that happened completely took him by surprise. Out from under her chest Hornet pulled the silver body of a squirming sparkling. Its ruby optics burned bright but they were fading quickly,

"Autobot take her, it's her only chance. She will die if you don't," Tears pooled in the femme's fading optics, as she pushed the sparkling toward Ironhide. Ironhide slowly placed his hand over hers, slowly she pulled her hand out from Ironhide's and he felt the warm squirming body of the sparkling, "Look after her," she cried as she finally offlined,

"Nooooooo," Barricade cried as he swung around and started to lash out a whoever he saw.

Jolt took Sunstreaker and carried him to the med bay allowing Sideswipe to get back to the battle. The silver frontline warrior wouldn't want it any other way. He turned around, his grief turning to anger as he slashed at any Decepticon he saw. He looked up into the Cybetronian sky when he heard the sound of rotor blades. Springer arrived carrying Ultra Manus, Kup and Hot Rod,

"Thank goodness for you lot," the silver mech yelled,

"We didn't want to miss out on the party," Hot Rod replied,

"Huh, hardly a party," Sideswipe snapped as he continued pushing forward.

Megatron looked around, the carnage was grisly and the noise was deafening. Fallen mechs lay on the floor smouldering or on fire. Limbs and servos dismembered, chassis slashed, energon mingled. Normally he'd call for retreat but not this time. No he was going to fight to the bitter end. Prime looked around. He knew Megatron wouldn't call for retreat and raced to the Allspark room. Megatron saw it and took a shot at the leader. It just caught Prime in the shoulder causing the Autobot leader to stagger a bit. Before he could regain his balance Megatron was on top of him.

"You will not win, Prime," he growled.

Optimus sent his fist into the Decepticon leaders faceplate smashing him,

"Look around you Megaton. Nobody has won, we've destroyed Cybertron," he growled,

"No Prime you have," Megatron snarled, "Give up Prime," his fist hit Prime in the chassis cracking it. Suddenly a huge explosion knocked them both off their feet as it rocked the base. Optimus took the opportunity, got up and ran to the Allspark chamber.

"After him, he's going to the Allspark room. Stop theeeeemmmmmm!" Megatron growled. Soundwave released Ravage and followed him with Megatron.

Prowl saw what was happening and knew instantly what Prime was going to do. He followed his leader and defended him, "We're under attack!" Prowl yelled through his radio,

"We've got to help him," Jazz yelled as he ran closely followed by others. As they ran through the corrridors they were hit by a barage of fire, "Keep going!" Jazz yelled,

"Can't there's too many, we can't push through," somebody else called as he became inundated by Decepticons who shot him to the ground. The saboteur carried on fighting his way through the Decepticons slaying anything with a purple symbol or red optic. Behind him a trial of carnarge lay on the ground surrounded by the dark pools of enrgon.

"The Allspark has been released. To the ship!" Prime yelled at Prowl, "Autobots advance to the ship," Prowl ordered through his radio link,

Ratchet looked at Jolt. His hands covered in energon and optics pale with exhaustion. This was almost as bad as the massacre on the younglings and sparklings...almost! The look in the CMO's optics said it all,

"We have to go sir," Ratchet nodded,

"Alright get those who have a chance," a hand grabbed the medic's am. Ratchet looked down to see a young mech laying on the berth. Energon was escaping from multiple wounds and broken fuel lines. Jolt had worked hard to treat him but his injuries were far too extensive. His colour was already fading to grey and his optics were dimming despite the machines the young medic had attached to the youg mech,

"Give me a weapon. I'm dying and I know there's nothing you can do for me but at least let me help you escape with those you can save," he rasped.

Ratchet put the young mech's cannon in his hand and placed his fingers on the trigger. He the put a hand on his shoulder and looked down sadly at the dying mech before leaving. He heaved as energon slid out of his mouth components,

"Go," the mech growled through a strangled cry as he cocked his gun at the approaching Decepticons.

Ratchet and the others fled. Mechs came from everywhere to help those who were able to get themselves there but struggling. Jazz saw Bluestreak, he ran to the mech and placed an arm around his waist while putting Bluestreak's arm over his shoulder,

"Come on," young mech, "You've fought well, let me help you," Bluestreak flopped against Jazz as the saboteur carried him to the ship.

Arcee stopped and looked behind her, "What about Springer and…"

"Arcee go!" Springer yelled, "We'll guard the ship and then follow you,"

"Come on femme," a voice growled. Arcee looked around, Smokescreen had his servos wrapped around her arm. She obediently climbed in.

"Ironhide come on," Bumblebee said as he lifted up the black mech with the help of Ultra Magnus. They could hear the whine of the ship's engines,

"Wait for us, we're coming!" Bee yelled through his radio link. Prowl heard him,

Where are you?" he asked,

"Coming through the east door. Ironhide is injured, help us,"

Prowl powered down the engines, the ship settled back down on the ground, "What's happening?" Jazz yelled,

"Bee is coming with Ironhide, he's injured. They need help.

"Power up the engines, we'll get them," Jazz said as he jumped up and raced back into the turmoil with Prime closely behind them. They saw Ironhide slumped between Bumblebee and Ultra Magnus, energon pouring from his injuries. Optimus and Jazz took Ironhide's arms,

"We have him," they said and rushed him to the ship.

The engines to the Autobot ship fired up and the door closed behind Jazz, Prime and the others and then took off under a barage of fire. As they left, the area of the base where the med bay was burst into flames, swallowing everybody who was in its path. Ratchet looked out of the side window and lowered his head as a mark of respect to those who'd died; especially the young mech who'd helped them escape. His face was firmly imprinted on the medic's processors; Ratchet would never forget him.

The ship slowly disappeared from the Cybertronian sky avoiding the missiles and shots as it went, followed by shuttles and those who could fly. Slowly the sound and the light from the battle disappeared as the Autobots left Iacon to its fate. All was silent on board the Ark, sadness settled amongst them while they remembered those who had fallen and others they had left there to continue fighting knowing it was going to be fruitless. Hornet and the seekers continued following them but the ship was too quick and became engulfed by the vast, black expanse. Jazz and Optimus carried him down to the med bay, Ratchet looked at the mech,

"I see you'e done your usual," he said to the injured weapons specialist,

"I'm fine!" Ironhide snapped,

"Sure you are," Ratchet snipped, "Now lay down," he opened Ironhide's interfacing port and injected a serum into it.

Chromia stood beside Ironhide, he looked up at her

"Look!" he said over his private link to Chromia.

She looked down and gasped, "Where did you get him from?" Ironhide didn't answer, the sedative Ratchet had given him had taken effect. He looked at Chromia and wondered what she was looking at. He heard a soft whimper and went to investigate,

"What the..." he said as he stared down at the tiny sparkling with ruby red optics snuggled in the femme's hand.

Hope you like the beginning of this new story. Hope to update soon but I want to spend more time working on Spark's desire first.