DISCLAIMERS: I don't own Transformers. They came over from Hasbro to pester me, so I drafted them into my fics. I thought it sounded like a fair deal but somehow, they don't agree...

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story idea has been floating around my head for at least as long as Close Encounter. Never thought it would see the light of day, but Okami-chan talked me into sharing. Hope you have as much fun reading it as I am writing it.

Special thanks go out to Okami-chan for beta reading and Autumn Sparrow for cheering me on.

Prologue

Prowl slowly on lined. His HUD flashed red, damage reports scrolling. He killed the process. He didn't need to read it to know he was in bad shape. The sharp throbbing pain he felt was quite enough. He didn't need any more reminders of how he got damaged either. Thinking back to that interrogation session with Soundwave and Vortex would crash his battle computer.

He was back in his cell, chained to the wall. He lifted his head and looked around. Bluestreak hung in his chains nearby, offline. Hound was across from him, watching him. From the dim flickering of his optics, Prowl knew the scout was in a lot of pain. Jazz was missing, as were both twins. Prowl felt his spark lurch but there was nothing he could do to save his fellow Autobots.

He fought the rising despair. Jazz was most likely undergoing the same interrogation as he had. Prowl knew the saboteur would fight it, resist with all he had, but it was only a matter of time before he was broken and Soundwave invaded his mind. Prowl shuddered, not wanting to think about that. It was too close, too recent an experience.

Prowl didn't want to think too closely about where the twins were either. It wasn't interrogation; that much was certain. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, as well as Hound and Bluestreak, had been interrogated when they were first captured. As lower ranked Autobots, they simply didn't have any information the Decepticons would find valuable. But that didn't mean they weren't pulled from the cell for long periods and returned damaged and traumatized. The worst was when they only took one twin, leaving the other to twist in his chains, feeling his brother's torment and helpless to do anything. Both twins refused to discuss where they were taken or what was done. For the most part, it wasn't necessary; the damage on their frames told the story for them.

But it didn't explain the time Sideswipe was taken and Sunstreaker was reduced to screaming in pain and panic, thrashing around in his chains. He had lapsed into unconsciousness before long and was out for a long time. Sideswipe had been dragged back in similar state. After that, they were usually taken together.

The door to their cell opened and Brawl and Vortex entered, dragging Jazz between them. The saboteur looked unconscious as they chained him back up. With a parting kick, the Combaticons left and the cell was locked again. When the lock clanked home, Jazz lifted his head and looked around. His visor was cracked and flickered dimly.

"Sides and Sunny aren't back. Slag," Jazz rasped, vocalizer extremely staticky.

"When were they taken?" Prowl had a sickening twinge in his battle computer. He ignored it, not wanting to confront the reality it presented him.

"Just after you were. Starscream picked them up personally this time. Prowl, they cringed from him. They were completely terrified. I think they would have rather played patty cake with the Stunticons again than go with him." Jazz rasped out. His vocalizer was clearly paining him but not as much as the worry for his comrades.

Prowl vented a sigh. Not much else could be said. They hung in silence until exhaustion claimed them.

The clanking of the locks woke them. Prowl felt a chill down his spinal assembly. They had all learned by now, that sound usually meant pain for one of them. Prowl still couldn't prevent the small hope that the twins were being brought back, alive and not too badly damaged. The numbers and logic that his battle computer was providing him was no comfort and he fought the lock up he could feel approaching. He couldn't afford it right now.

Onslaught and Brawl stepped in. Prowl's spark sank and shuddered. The twins were still gone and the presence of the Combaticon leader didn't bode well for them. Onslaught surveyed them dispassionately then pointed at Jazz.

"Brawl, take that one. He gives you any trouble, break the joints in his other leg," Onslaught commanded. Brawl chuckled and stepped towards Jazz. Jazz was unchained and hoisted over Brawl's broad shoulder. The black and white saboteur fought him but he was too weak and too damaged. Brawl just laughed at his efforts and carried Jazz out of the cell. He was replaced by Swindle, who took Bluestreak. Blast Off came and took Hound out and Prowl found he was being carried by Vortex. It was only marginally less humiliating than being dragged. Walking was out of the question; all of them had too much damage to one or both legs.

Vortex didn't seem to mind carrying him. He cackled gleefully, and patted Prowl on the aft. Prowl couldn't stop the shudder that ran through him. It only caused Vortex to laugh more. Prowl glanced around. This wasn't the way to the interrogation room. Where were they going? Fear gripped him and this time he did lock up for a short time. The world faded into black.

Prowl woke up when he was dropped onto the floor beside Jazz. The saboteur helped him into a sitting position, expression grave. Prowl took in his surroundings. He was seated on the floor with his cellmates, surrounded by Combaticons. They were in some sort of lab. Off to the side, somewhere past Brawl, the sound of someone slowly and painfully trying to draw in air to their cooling system was very loud in the silence of the lab. Glancing at Jazz's grim face, he had a sick feeling they had been reunited with the twins.

"Welcome to my laboratory," a familiar high-pitched voice broke the silence. Starscream arrogantly strode into the room, stopping to loom over the battered Autobots. "I do hope you enjoy your stay."

Prowl exchanged uncertain looks with the other Autobots but they held their peace. To speak out of turn was to get beaten and they couldn't stand up to anymore.

Starscream continued, amused by their submissive demeanours. "Your fellow warriors have been ever so kind to assist me with my research." He pushed Brawl to step out of their line of sight. Prowl looked up at Sunstreaker, strapped securely to a table, chest plate gone with some wiring and instruments hooked up to his systems, mostly around his spark chamber. He was barely on line and the source of the heavy breathing. Past him, on another table, lay Sideswipe, likewise strapped down and completely offline. Motormaster loomed over him and smirked at the other Autobots.

"Great Cybertron! You monster! What did you do to them?" Prowl was appalled.

"Seems our broken tactician still has a little spunk," Starscream glanced over at Vortex, who cringed a little. Starscream smirked at him and strode over to Prowl. He crouched down and seized Prowl by the chin, forcing him to look into his scarlet optics. The scrape of metal on the floor was quickly drowned out by the sound of weapons charging. Starscream ignored both, smirking into Prowl's optics. He was too weak to pull away. "I'd tell you but you aren't scientist enough to appreciate my brilliance. Suffice it to say, they finally proved themselves useful for something."

Starscream stood, releasing Prowl, who fell back to the floor with a grunt. Prowl glanced at the other Autobots. They wore angry expressions.

Starscream strode over to Onslaught. "Have them secured here in the lab. I need them available but I don't want any distractions. An experiment gets ruined because of an Autobot, I'll be taking it out of your hide!"

"You won't have any problems, Starscream. I give you my word on that." Onslaught replied, confidently. "Combaticons, you heard the mech. Move it!"

With the coordination and efficiency only a gestalt can achieve, the Autobots found themselves chained to the walls again. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were left on their tables. Sunstreaker had finally fallen unconscious. Sideswipe was still out and from the dents and scorch marks on his frame, Prowl couldn't help but be thankful for that.

Starscream had sent Motormaster from the room. Bombshell and Hook had replaced him and while the other Combaticons stood guard, Vortex joined them. The odd quartet unhooked the wires from Sunstreaker's chest and moved the table over to another machine. A great glass tube rested beside it. A wired helm was placed on his head and more wires were plugged into his systems.

"He's too low on energy, Starscream. You'll have to refuel them for this to even have a chance at working." Bombshell was checking the readouts from Sunstreaker's systems on a nearby monitor.

"The chance of success would also be higher if he was on line." Hook looked over the Insecticon's shoulder to examine the figures. He stepped back when Starscream approached to examine the figures for himself.

"So I see. Vortex. Refuel him and the other Autobots." Starscream signalled the Combaticon and strode out of the lab, leaving Hook and Bombshell to monitor things. Vortex jumped up and got to work.

Prowl watched him set up energon drips for the twins before his view was blocked by a Combaticon with an energon cube. It was held up to his mouth to drink. He didn't like this but he drank what was given to him. The energy flooded through his systems, revitalizing him. A whine of protest distracted him and Blast Off, who was feeding him the cube. Glancing down to the other end of the line, Prowl could see Swindle getting annoyed with Bluestreak. Bluestreak was refusing to accept the cube, turning his head away as much as he could.

"Fragging pit spawn Autobot," Swindle cursed.

"Don't want it," Bluestreak shook his head.

"Bluestreak, drink the cube." Prowl didn't want to order him to obey a Decepticon but they had to keep their strength up if they were going to survive this.

"But Prowl! It could be poison or spiked or something!" Bluestreak protested.

"That it maybe but you need your strength. We also don't have a choice," Prowl told him gently.

"Blue, drink it before they decide to give it to you in a nastier way. Believe me, you don't want that," Jazz rasped beside him.

Bluestreak made a distressed sound and looked wild with fear but settled himself enough to let Swindle tip the energon into his intakes.

Sideswipe moaned on his table. He was waking up. "Sunny…" The weak dispirited voice was barely recognizable as belonging to the red Lamborghini.

"He's over there, Sideswipe. Unconscious." Prowl answered him.

"Prowl," Sideswipe's head turned vaguely into Prowl's direction. Sideswipe's optics remained dark, except for the sparks crackling from them. Prowl realized with horror, that Sideswipe's optics weren't dark, the protective glass and lights were gone and the internal mechanisms were damaged. He had been blinded.

"Prowl," Sideswipe pleaded. Help me. Was the unspoken entreaty. Get us out of here. It was spark breaking to see Sideswipe like this. But Prowl was as helpless as the rest of them.

Another moan filled the air, this time from Sunstreaker. "Sides," he called as he struggled on his table. The straps held him fast and he was far too weak to break them.

"How nauseatingly touching," Bombshell snorted. "Just one big happy family."

Hook ignored the Autobots prattle and concentrated on the system read outs. He stood and turned. "Starscream!" he called. When the silver and red jet appeared, he indicated the screen. "We are ready to begin."

"Excellent." Starscream walked over and glanced at the screen. Pleased with what he saw, he nodded. "Bombshell! Begin the procedure."

Bombshell cackled evilly and flipped a switch.

The machine behind Sunstreaker's table lit up, lights flashing ominously. Sunstreaker screamed in fear and pain and started to thrash around. Sideswipe yelled as well, desperately trying to get loose and get to his brother. Starscream's laughter cut over and through the screaming. Prowl could only stare, horrified and unable to turn away.

Sunstreaker bucked, arching his back as much as the straps would allow, then suddenly went limp and still. His optics were completely dark and his body began to grey.

Sideswipe went ballistic. "Sunny! SUNSTREAKER!" he shrieked. He thrashed and kicked at his bonds but still could not get free.

The Combaticons chuckled, enjoying the show. Prowl exchanged horrified glances with Jazz, the only other Autobot he could see right now. He could hear Bluestreak's terrified babbling and Hound's soft cursing beyond the saboteur.

Starscream turned majestically and faced Bombshell. "Bombshell, report!" he yelled over the racket.

"Transference completed. Everything is green. Vortex! Did it work?" Bombshell looked up from his screens.

Vortex was checking something by the large glass tube. "The experiment was a success, oh mighty Starscream." He laughed and dropped what he was holding into a box. "Shall we ready the next Autobot?"

"By all means, Vortex. The red one is next," Starscream's smile threatened to split his faceplates and was not a pleasant sight to behold.

Bombshell and Vortex walked over and rolled the table with the thrashing red Lamborghini over to the machine and started hooking him up. Hook had rolled the table with Sunstreaker's greyed out form out of the way and unstrapped his body, dumping it into a corner. He then rolled it over to where the Autobots were chained.

"He's ready, Starscream," Bombshell resumed his place at the monitors.

"Then begin." Starscream watched as the machine lit up again and the thrashing red form went limp and silent and grey. "Vortex?"

"Another success." It was hard to read Vortex sometimes, having both a visor and facemask but everyone could see he was grinning with glee.

"Sides…" Jazz rasped softly, unable to take his optics off the grey figure being dumped in the corner.

Starscream turned to them, smirking at Prowl. "Bombshell, the gunner is next."

"No! No! Don't! I beg you don't! Prowl! Jazz! Somebody!" Bluestreak panicked. Blast Off and Brawl laughed as they unchained him and strapped him to the table. His weak thrashing was no hindrance to them at all.

"Blue…" Hound gasped and pulled at his chains. Jazz cursed softly but thoroughly.

Prowl knew he should do something, say something, react in some manner. Instead he was frozen, numb. The horror was too much. He could feel his battle computer about to crash again.

Bluestreak was rolled over beside the glass tube and the waiting Bombshell hooked him up. The gunner turned beseeching optics towards Prowl. "Prowl…" he pleaded.

"I'm sorry Blue." Prowl really hated his battle computer at that moment. There was nothing he could say, nothing he had to bargain with, nothing he could do. He knew this. He didn't need it to keep calculating Bluestreak's chance of survival. The terror in his young friend's optics hurt enough by itself.

Starscream nodded to his subordinates when everything was set up to his satisfaction and they had resumed their places. He walked over beside Bluestreak and loomed over him. He smirked at the gunner's fruitless attempts to cringe away from him. He looked up at Prowl, evil grin widening. "Say goodbye, Prowl. Bombshell, hit it!"

The machine lit up, Bluestreak screamed and thrashed, then went limp. Vortex gave Starscream a thumb up.

Starscream laughed at the helpless fury on the faces of the remaining Autobots. He strutted over and stood smirking in front of Prowl. "You are running out of subordinates, Prowl," the dark faced seeker mocked. Prowl glared at him, causing Starscream to laugh again. Starscream leaned toward the tactician and gently caressed his silver cheek. "Perhaps if you had given us what we had asked earlier, they wouldn't have had to suffer so." The softly spoken words and gentle tone were a startling contrast to the vicious smirk Starscream wore. "Or perhaps not. Bombshell! Prepare the tracker!"

"You are a slag sucking glitch, Decepti-scum! Let go! Frag you all to the pit!" Hound cursed Starscream, flailing and struggling to get away from Blast Off and Brawl. The Combaticons had a much harder time with him than they had with Bluestreak. But his struggles were in vain as the much stronger Decepticons dragged him over to the waiting table where he was strapped down and hooked up to the machine. He glared over at Starscream. "Primus consign you to oblivion Starscream! I wish I was human right now, so I could spit on you."

Starscream's scarlet optics fairly danced in amusement. He was obviously having far too much fun. "Be careful what you wish for, Hound. Bombshell?"

"Say bye bye, Autobot," Bombshell cackled and activated the machine. He was having too much fun as well.

Hound yelled in pain once, then went limp, grey stealing the vibrant green of his shell.

Vortex went through his odd little ritual, before turning to smirk at the remaining Autobots. "Eenie meanie miney mo, which of you is next to go?"

"It's a good thing he didn't use that horrible doggerel on me in the torture sessions. I'd have broke right off," Jazz whispered to Prowl. Prowl glanced at him, incredulous. Jazz gave him a weak smile and a shrug.

"Jazz…" Prowl couldn't say it. He knew what Starscream was doing, working his way up the ranks.

So did Jazz. Jazz tilted his head and flashed his visor in a brief wink. "Til all are one, Prowl," he whispered.

Blast Off and Brawl chose that moment to remove Jazz from the wall and chain him fast to the table. He laughed at them. They looked at him confused and sent uncertain looks towards Starscream. Starscream glared at them impatiently. "Fools! Just do your jobs! Ignore the Autobot's raving!"

Jazz was rolled over into position and hooked up to the machine. He smirked at Starscream, cracked visor lighting up cheekily. Starscream scowled at him. "You have something to say, Autobot?"

"Yeah, I do," Jazz rasped, vocalizer hissing and buzzing. "It's a shame the last sight I'll take to the Matrix is your ugly mug."

"Bombshell! What are you waiting for? Do it now!" Starscream screeched in rage. Jazz screamed in agony for a long moment, then went limp and grey.

Prowl watched as Vortex did his odd little routine and Hook dumped Jazz's dead frame into the corner with the rest. He felt odd, disconnected from himself. He didn't resist when they came and unchained him from the wall and strapped him down on the table. Starscream was saying something but it just didn't seem important. As they rolled him over to the machine for his turn, Prowl glanced over at the grey pile of his comrades, his friends. "Til all are one," he whispered. Searing pain seized him and he fell towards the light.