Wassup? I've been very good about updating, haven't I? You all love me! No, read this new chapter, and review! Please! Seriously, if you don't, I'll send Warpath to your house.

Enjoy!

o0o

Starscream flew low over the dark city. A thick rain fell, dousing the streets below. The black buildings below him reached up like talon, raking the clouds above. Decepticon soldiers marched through the streets, oblivious to the rain and dark, giving their all to their cause. A colossal structure loomed before the Decepticon commander, huge Decepticon insignia dominating the front. Starscream flew onto a platform near the top, transforming and landing lightly. Glancing into the room before him, Starscream saw a huge, dark throne, his Master's powerful arms on the armrests, claws draped over the ends. Starscream stepped lightly, staying to the shadows, attempting to sneak past his Lord.

He froze in mid-step as Megatron's deep voice reverberated off the walls. "Starscream, come here."

Starscream flinched, turning back towards the throne room. "Wh-What do you need, my Lord?" He stepped before Megatron, starting at the sight of Blackout, Blitzwing and Lugnut, all damaged badly, standing in a dark purple light emanating from the ceiling.

Megatron watched Starscream closely as the triangular Decepticon stood next to Blackout. "Do you wish to explain to me why three of my greatest warriors have returned to me, beaten and broken, while you are largely undamaged?" His optics narrowed dangerously. "Or how a small team of Autobots managed to destroy a battle platform that, in your words, was completely indestructible?"

Starscream flinched, avoiding Megatron's faceplate. "It wasn't my fault, Lord Megatron. There was an Autobot that caught us by surprise, and-" Megatron snarled, striking Starscream and sending him sprawling.

The other Decepticons stepped back as Megatron rose up, looming over the wincing Decepticon commander. "A single Autobot destroyed both your army, and my battle station?" Megatron grabbed Starscream's neck, lifting him up to his snarling face. "Please, Starscream. Tell me why I should not kill you here?"

Starscream struggled, his voice cracking with fear. "No, please Lord Megatron! He had a name! It-it was…Warpath!"

Megatron dropped Starscream, optics wide. "What did you say?"

Starscream pulled himself up, holding his throat. "Warpath, Lord Megatron. Does…that mean anything to you?"

Megatron waved the other three Decepticons out of the room. "Yes Starscream. I know full well of that name. The bane of many Decepticons…Many Decepticon armies…" Megatron strode to the edge of his personal landing platform, crossing his servos behind his back. "I am not exaggerating when I say that he could make this war very difficult for us."

Starscream crept up behind Megatron, a confused look on his faceplates. "Surely, Lord Megatron, this Autobot couldn't be…that dangerous?"

Megatron glared at Starscream, growling. "Surely, Starscream, you witnessed this Autobot's power when you battled him. Or did you abandon your troops again?"

Starscream flinched, looking away. "Ah…no, Lord Megatron. The Autobot…" Starscream gritted his dentals, glaring at the floor. "The Autobot defeated me first, and I left to bring Blitzwing and Lugnut to the battle."

Megatron grinned, turning to Starscream. "And then what, Starscream?"

Starscream's optics narrowed into slits, spitting out the words. "I was…shot out of the air, Megatron." The Decepticon leader chuckled, turning his gaze skyward, towards the clouds. "Warpath is power incarnate. Even my might is not match for him…It is not a surprise you didn't stand a chance, Starscream." Megatron turned and walked to his throne, sitting and activating a video screen. "Astrotrain, prepare for my arrival."

A deep, gravely voice responded, "As you wish, Lord Megatron."

The huge Decepticon rose up, striding to his personal landing pad. "Come, Starscream. We are leaving."

o0o

Two forms flew out of Cybertron's atmosphere. The leading form was silver and menacing, the second smaller and following further behind. They flew into the shadow of Cybertron, sun blocked completely from view. Debris floated around them, ranging from bodies, pieces of ships, even portions of the planet beneath them. They flew with great speed through the shadowy debris field, diving and weaving through the flotsam of war. A single, small shape appeared far ahead of them. Dark, almost invisible it floated behind Cybertron, giving the illusion of a small meteorite trapped in Cybertron's gravitational well. As they approached, small objects were seen floating around the shape, spires of ice slowly spinning around the object, held by its fragile pull of gravity, just waiting to be knocked aside and pushed towards the massive planet below them, or out into the deep reaches of space. The two jets flew ever closer, and the meteorite was revealed to be artificial, spires of metal jutting out from it, walkways and small platforms decorating the front. From one spire a jet of steam silently burst out, instantly frozen in the coldness of Cybertron's shadow.

The smaller jet moved in closer to the powerful silver one, activating an internal communicator. "Lord Megatron, what is this place? I have never seen it before."

Megatron pulled ahead of Starscream, accelerating towards a platform sliding out to meet them. "You do not know of it, Starscream, because you did not need to. Feel fortunate that you get to see the single most secure prison on or off Cybertron."

Starscream slowed for a moment, quickly accelerating after Megatron. "Prison? But it is miniscule! You could barely contain a single prisoner in that!"

Both jets slowed and lowered onto the platform, transforming and standing in wait as lights flashed and a huge vault door began to open before them. "That is because only one prisoner is within its walls, Starscream. An assassin, and a warrior, trapped here for the safety of both armies. Releasing him could be considered dangerous to Decepticons, a war crime to the Autobots."

Starscream stared at Megatron, his words sputtering. "Surely you jest, Megatron! No mech could be that powerful!"

As the prison doors slid open, a hulking mech strode out onto the platform, squat shoulders framing his thick head, long and powerful legs covering the distance between him and the arrivals quickly. "Just as Warpath couldn't be strong enough to defeat your army, Starscream?" He put up a servo at Starscream's sputtering response, shaking his head. "Word of failure travels quickly, Starscream. You should watch your back closely in the future." He turned to Megatron, who regarded the purple Decepticon coldly. "Finally letting him out of his cage, Megatron?"

Megatron sneered, glaring at the mech. "Desperate measures, Astrotrain. Be wise and remember that I am your master."

Astrotrain shrugged, turning and gesturing for them to follow. "Whatever you say, Megatron." He lead the Decepticons inside the prison, turning down a dark hallway to a small elevator. They stood in silence, Astrotrain's large optics lighting mischievously. "Finally found something that scares you worse, Megatron?"

Megatron snarled, spinning around and grabbing Astrotrain's neck, slamming him into the elevator doors. "I fear nothing, worm. Remember that."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened, allowing Megatron to drop Astrotrain, the bulky mech stumbling but staying on his pedes. "Right. This way, O Fearless One." He led them over a series of catwalks hanging over deep pits. Spying Starscream looking over one side, Astrotrain grinned. "Wondering what happens if you fall? Huge vents open, and heat comparable to that of a sun is blasted up into your body." He chuckled, turning off the catwalks and stopping at the entrance of a pitch-black hallway. "It'd melt you into slag in an instant, Starscream." He stopped them there. "Power your optics down to their lowest levels. If too much light gets in here, the traps go off." Leading them confidently down the black hallway, he turned corners with the confidence of someone who walked this way many times. "This entire area is one big maze. Easy to navigate once you get used to it." Finally they stopped at a huge door, powering their optics back up. The door sparkled slightly in the light, showing flecks of gold.

Megatron turned to Starscream, a hint of pride in his voice. "This door has small traces of electrum within it. My best scientists forged the rare element artificially, only synthesizing a small amount before the labs exploded from the energy required. This door is all but impenetrable." The door rumbled, lifting up and revealing a small chamber, lit by a single yellow light in the ceiling. On the right wall stood two stands, a massive cannon and an equally large blade on display. But all attention was focused on the huge cell attached to the far wall. Lifted from the floor, it looked like a metal cocoon, wrapped around one insanely dangerous Decepticon. Wires and cables hung from it, plugged into the far wall, keeping everything in perfect alignment.

Megatron stepped forward, gazing at the cell before turning to Starscream. "Within this perfect prison is the ultimate warrior. Powerful, merciless and loyal."

Starscream gave Megatron a confused look. "If he is loyal, why is he locked away?"

Megatron's look darkened, and he snarled his response. "Because, he is loyal only to his precious logic!" Turning to Astrotrain, Megatron nodded. The Decepticon prison warden nodded back, moving to a computer console and typing in a series of codes. Steam hissed from the cocoon as cables detached and slid into the wall behind, the outer shell shaking and sliding back. The inner wall was covered in ice, which shattered as the intermeshing panels lifted up and away from the form inside. A huge, dark shape hung frozen inside, wires and needles attached to his unmoving form. One by one they detached and fell out of sight, retracting into the cell. Once the last wire was removed, the entire form shuddered. Steam rose from the Decepticon's body as he began to regain his consciousness, clumps of ice falling from his chest, thick and flat, a purple panel decorating the front. His form began to straighten, powerful servos clenching for the first time in countless stellar cycles. Lifting his body up, a masked head gazed around fruitlessly, a thick panel bolted to his head, covering his entire face. Leaning forward, the huge, purple Decepticon gripped the edges of his prison, pulling himself forward with thick, rectangular arms, ripping his powerful legs free from the ice encasing them. He knelt down on one knee, masked face low.

Smiling, Megatron brought his arms up, speaking to the huge war machine. "Rise, Shockwave! And serve your master!" Shockwave did so, rising up, towering over even Megatron, ducking his head slightly as his audios scraped the ceiling.

Starscream stared at Shockwave, turning to Megatron. "Is that it?"

Astrotrain stepped forward, glaring at Starscream. "This Decepticon could rip you into more pieces than you could count, fool!" Starscream began to respond when Shockwave suddenly became a flurry of motion. Back-handing Megatron away, he gripped Starscream and threw him into Astrotrain. Leaping over the sputtering Megatron, Shockwave grabbed his weapons, attaching the huge blade to his left forearm and connecting the cannon to his right arm, integrating it fully into his limb, a thick hose sliding from his backpack and connecting to the massive weapon. Turning, he slashed the blade through the air, cutting his cell in half, rendering it useless. Warning lights began to flash as the massive door began to lower.

Starscream looked up to see Megatron and Astrotrain on the other side, watching the hulking behemoth stride towards the Decepticon Air Commander. "You can't leave me in here!" Panicking, Starscream activated his jets, shooting across the floor and under the door just as it slammed down, stopping the menacing advance of Shockwave. Sliding to a stop, Starscream glared up at Megatron. "Brilliant plan, Lord Megatron! Unleash a beast that you have no control over!"

Megatron glared down at Starscream. "Silence yourself, Starscream! Before I throw you in to Shockwave myself!" Starscream prepared a rebuke when a single loud bang reverberated off the walls. Soon followed by another, and then a third.

Astrotrain grinned, calling past the door. "Give it up, Shockwave! That's electrum in that door, you'll never get out!" Silence followed his words, and Astrotrain smiled widely. "See? He's smart!" Then, an odd sound reached their audios. Almost like a reverse explosion, a muffled whump reached them, followed by a humming that was increasing in volume as they stood there. Followed by a second whump, and then a third. There the humming stabilized, and a few clicks later a mechanical pang was heard.

Astrotrain's optics widened, and he tackled Megatron to the side, dragging Starscream with him. "Get down!" Then, the door exploded. Shrapnel shot into the corridor, and Shockwave's huge form could be seen through the red-hot edges of the ruined door. Reaching up with his left servo, he grasped the mask covering his face, and ripped it off, the bolts in his head coming with it. Starscream's optics widened in terror at the face of Shockwave. It was completely featureless, only a single, burning red optic in the middle. No mouth, no facial features at all, just the blazing, hell-fire red optic boring into him.

Starscream pushed himself back, his voice raising to a panicked shriek. "HE'S STRAIGHT FROM THE PIT!"

Astrotrain jumped up, transforming. His legs folded at the knees, stabilizers connecting to his back, arms combining and folding over his head to create a nosecone. Wide wings of a transport ship folded from his chest and huge engines dominated his back. Connecting all together, he fully activated his front lights and screamed at the two Decepticons below him. "Transform and stay right behind me!" They did, and Astrotrain blasted through the maze at dangerous speeds, zooming left and right and performing hair-pin turns with practiced ease. Megatron followed close behind, his wide wings scraping the sides, while Starscream, in his panic, slammed into the walls, bouncing back and forth. Huge blasts were heard from behind them as Shockwave opted for the more direct route, blowing a trail straight through the maze. Just as the dark hallway appeared before them, Shockwave blasted through the final wall, his red optic glaring at all of them. Shooting down the hallway, Astrotrain's lights set off alarms as the traps began to activate. Shockwave calmly strode into the hallway after the fleeing Decepticons. Transforming back into his natural form, Astrotrain turned back down the hallway, smiling. Megatron transformed as well, standing just behind Astrotrain.

Starscream decided to hover in vehicle form. "Why are we stopping? We should be getting away from here as fast as possible!"

Astrotrain snorted, gazing at the advancing Shockwave. "He'll never get past the traps." Shockwave walked ever closer when the first trap activated. Several claws sprang from the wall, gripping him with razor-edged talons. Shockwave simply continued forward, ripping the claws free from the wall. He made it down another quarter of the hall when five turrets folded from the ceiling, and one from the floor. The five immediately began firing at Shockwave, who simply swiped his blade through the air, cutting them from their mounts and crushed them beneath his pedes. The sixth folded out several rockets, firing one at Shockwave, impacting on his chest and detonating. Shockwave strode through the smoke, undamaged, staring at the turret as it readied another missile. Launching, the missile streaked through the air only to be stopped cold by Shockwave, gripping the still-flaming missile with his left servo. Twisting it around, he released his hold, allowing the missile to blow the final turret apart. He continued his march when panels flipped open on the walls, and nozzles began blowing freezing cold nitrogen gas all over his frame. Ice immediately covered his body, slowing him, then finally halting his progress. Astrotrain began to chuckle when a loud crack echoed down the hallway. Shockwave's optic shone brightly through the ice and more cracks split the ice covering him. The pumps continued expelling gas over Shockwave, but intense heat was rising from the exposed parts of his body. His gun snapped free of the ice, and it whipped around to fire a bolt of energy into the right set of pumps, blowing them into oblivion. His right side freed, he smacked the ice on his left side, releasing his arm, which allowed him to plunge the blade deep into the left wall, rupturing the hidden gas tank. Ice covered the wall, and Shockwave turned to continue his advance.

Starscream began to float back, his engine whining. "May we go now?"

Astrotrain shook his head, smiling. "I've got one more trick." Shockwave was almost at the end of the hallway when two massive panel shot out from the wall, crashing into Shockwave with a horrific bang, and blocking him from view.

Megatron shook his head in disgust. "A pity such talent had to be wasted."

Starscream floated next to Megatron, transforming and muttering into his audio. "You may wish to look again." The panels began to shift, shaking and moving as the powerful hydraulics strained to keep them in place. One clawed servo forced its way out and gripped the edge of one panel, forcing it away slightly, allowing Shockwave's cannon to poke through. With a mighty heave, Shockwave destroyed the hydraulic pumps holding the panels in place, sending them crashing into the walls. Straightening, Shockwave focused on the three Decepticons and began walking forward once more.

Starscream spun around, his looking over his shoulder. "May we leave now?" Astrotrain nodded as all three Decepticons ran down the catwalks, passing over the massive vents below. Skidding to a stop at the end of the catwalks, Astrotrain urged Megatron and Starscream on as Shockwave turned the corner and stared at them. As soon as both Decepticons were off the catwalks Astrotrain slammed his servo down on a button, and a large crash could be heard. Shockwave's head turned down the way he had come, then back forward and he started towards them. He began to run, his huge frame quickly picking up speed as the catwalks behind him began to fall into the chamber below. The catwalks falling faster than Shockwave was running, the huge Decepticon made a tremendous leap and flew through the air as the catwalk collapsed beneath him. Flying straight at the Decepticons, Shockwave readied his blade when Astrotrain jumped forward with his cannon and fired, hitting Shockwave in the midsection. The power of the shot stopped Shockwave in mid-leap, dropping him onto the vents below. As the massive warrior pulled himself up, the vents opened, revealing a deep orange glow from below. Massive blasts of heat shot up, obscuring Shockwave from view and forcing the Decepticons back, away from the intense energy.

Astrotrain smiled, folding his cannon back into his servo. "Problem solved."

Starscream gasped in fear, pointing down at the chamber below. Gazing up at them was Shockwave's glowing optic, narrowing on them. Collecting himself, Shockwave leapt up, riding the energy up and over the pit, slamming onto the floor in front of them. Heat rising from his body, Shockwave straightened and took a single step forward. All three Decepticons transformed in unison and flew like mad for the exit close at hand. Flying through the exit, Astrotrain and Starscream transformed and grabbed the thick vault doors, forcing them closed and backing away as Megatron rose away from the prison and behind several large pieces of debris. Astrotrain and Starscream ducked to either side as the door was blasted into space by a huge burst of yellow energy, and the terrifying form of Shockwave stepped through the hole blasted through the side of the prison.

Staring at the two cowering Decepticons, he raised his cannon and took aim when Megatron's voice was transmitted into all of their audios. "SHOCKWAVE! STAND DOWN NOW!" Shockwave looked up to see Megatron's arms form a massive cannon and blast a massive bolt of deep blue energy down at the Decepticon. Ducking under it, Shockwave stumbled forward as the enormous blast eradicated the upper portion of the large faux meteorite. Plasma fire burned behind him as Shockwave rose to watch Megatron fly down to the platform and in front of the Decepticon assassin.

His plasma cannon charged and ready to fire again, Megatron approached Shockwave. "I require your aid, Shockwave."

Shockwave considered his options, glancing behind him to view the damage done to the prison, then back at Megatron. "Not that you pose much of a threat, what do you need, Megatron?"

The Decepticon leader smiled, powering down his cannon and folding it back into his arms. "A particular Autobot has grown irritating. I need you to destroy him."

Shockwave leaned towards Megatron, amusement in his calm voice. "I thought you told me that no one was to kill Optimus Prime but you?"

Megatron snarled, spitting out the words. "And none shall, Shockwave. No, I need you to destroy an Autobot by the name of Warpath." Megatron turned, a smile decorating his faceplates. "It seems he has a reputation even greater than yours, Shockwave."

Shockwave shrugged, glancing up at Cybertron. "Reputations were made to be destroyed, Megatron. I will do as you command, only if you agree to give me my personal labs back, any and all material I need for my testing, and no questions asked."

Megatron turned, extending his servo out. "Only after the Autobot is scrap, Shockwave."

The huge Decepticon considered for a moment before shaking Megatron's outstretched limb. "You have a deal, Lord Megatron."

Megatron smiled, turning to Cybertron and speaking over his shoulder. "Starscream, pull yourself together and prepare to leave. Astrotrain, get Shockwave ready to return to Cybertron."

Astrotrain hoisted Starscream to his stabilizers. "As you wish, Lord Megatron." Megatron transformed and rose up towards Cybertron, Starscream skirting around the impassive Shockwave and doing the same.

Flying alongside each other, Megatron let out a dangerous purr. "Shockwave is returning, Cybertron. Brace yourself, for this war just reached a whole new level."

He began laughing wildly as Starscream fell back slightly, letting Megatron take the lead. "Better to let him have his moment…Mine is soon coming."

o0o

Astrotrain turned to Shockwave, who's optic had not left Cybertron since Megatron blasted off. "They released you, just as you predicted."

Shockwave finally turned away from his home planet, looking down at Astrotrain. "Of course they did, my loyal follower. I am never wrong." His gaze turned back to Cybertron, optic flashing brightly. "And soon the rest of my plan will fall into play, and then the Universe will truly quake in terror."

o0o

Boom. My longest chapter to date. Longer than some of my stories, which is kinda sad. And I based Shockwave off his Dark of the Moon comic appearance. He was much more G1-esque in it, before getting damaged by Optimus, resulting in his movie form. READ THE COMICS, PEOPLE! Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, I worked really hard on it. So, relax, read and review!