Author's Note: This lovely little fic bug refused to leave me alone till I wrote it out. I honestly think this was my fastest chapter to date.

It is something new for me, this style of writing so suggestions are request and welcome.

"I am Optimus Prime," he smiled ruefully behind his battle-mask, "Leader of the Decepticon's."

He circled the mech, gauging his latest opponent. "I am the sworn enemy of Megatron leader of the Autobot's. And from where I'm standing you are an Autobot scout."

The mech had been tortured for hours, before finally being brought before the volatile Prime. "What is your designation?"

It would be a miracle if he able to get anything out but none the less Optimus still wanted an answer. The mech was mostly black and white, save for the countless dents, scratches and open wounds. One optic was completely crushed well the other was barely active, energon slowly dripping down his battered face; from a large gash on his helm. Still the mech refused to answer. It infuriated Prime that the mech refused to answer; with a snarl Optimus seized the back of his prisoners' helm, wrenching it backwards forcing a guttural shriek from him. He bent down bringing his own helm close to the mech.

"I want your Designation now!" He snarled in his audio.

Still the mech held fast to his silence determined to stay quiet. Optimus growled in disgust releasing his helm. He would break him just like all the others before him, but he couldn't help but feel that this mech was different. He strolled around the stubborn Autobot wanting to see his face. As he bent down his great height to level a glare at him he was mildly surprised when he had to quickly pull back when the mech struck out at him. Optimus chuckled darkly,

"So there is still some fight left in you…Good, more fun for me." He grinned wickedly to himself at the same time as he swung hard at the injured mech. To his amusement, the mech just barely managed to dodge the blow and throw a weak punch of his own, his energon blood splattering the floor as he did so. Optimus easily caught his fist and spun him around forcing it up behind his back, a cry of pain escaping.

"You're going to have to do better than that, Autoscum." Optimus hissed into his audio, "What is your Designation!" He growled again.

The mech forced an ankle around the evil Primes own ankle and swept him down, he had made the mistake of thinking he had the advantage over Prime when he too was swept to his back with a gurgled grunt. With a snarl Optimus was atop him, pinning him to the floor,

"Not bad, did that pathetic excuse of a femme teach you those moves? Well she obviously didn't teach you enough before her warm energon dripped through my fingers." He reviled in his own memories of the femmes' death.
"I grow tired of your insolence," He said before withdrawing from sub-space a red energon sword. It was glistening with the blood stains of its previous victim's; Optimus put the blade to the defiant Mech's throat as he got up ensuring he was not be tripped again.

"Sunstreaker, Sideswipe!" he barked into the darkness, quickly the twins where present in the light, "Yes my Lord?" Sunstreaker asked placing his fist over his spark, his twin doing the same.

"Get him to his knees." Optimus ordered watching as the twins rushed forward and picking him up only to force him back down as ordered. Optimus walked forward blade still in his servo, he lifted it to the kneeling mech chin forcing him to look up through his battered optic.

"Designation…now." He hissed letting the tip dig in a little, into the soft underside of the chin.

"N-no" the mech wheezed, a fresh trail of energon blood running from the corner of his denta. Sideswipe grabbed his helm sending a jolt of pain into his already pounding processor.

"No?" Optimus started laughing, "No? Since a good bludgeoning has not broken you. Perhaps this will." He turned away holding his sword free arm out in invitation to someone unseen. A bright yellow mech with black strips walked into the light carrying something wrapped in a thermal blanket, Optimus pulled the mech he knew as Bumblebee closer. The mech's spark began to race wildly fearing what was inside the blanket; Optimus gently uncovered the tiny face a femme sparkling. She was mostly black from what he could see of her and was tinier then what he had expected.

"If you don't tell me your designation…you will never see your sparkling again." Optimus whispered as he tucked the femme sparkling back up in the thermal blanket. Optimus turned his attention back to the prisoner digging his blade a little deep, a fresh drop of energon gently rolling down the tip onto the main blade itself.

Finally against his will he spoke, "B-*cough* Barricade." He managed to rasp out as Bumblebee walked away with his sparkling.

"Barricade? Hmm…well Barricade, welcome to the Ark." Optimus sneered before looking to the twins, "I have some business to attend too, take him to the brig." A short time later he found himself being shoved into a cold cell.

"Welcome to your new home Autoscum." The twins snickered there sapphire blue optics glittering in the dark, as they shut the door and locked it. He sagged against the wall and slide to the floor exhausted and in pain. He was so tired he just wanted to rest, his mind drifted to the events that had brought him and his daughter to this point and place.

-Memory file-

It had barely been a fortnight since the accident. He had gone to visit the Trine who where in Starscream's labs. He remembered it so clearly too…

"Hey Starscream." He waved entering the room with a large tray of cubes. Starscream smiled in thanks as he took one downing it in one fell swoop.

"What are new guys? "He asked casually handing TC and Warp their own, before sub-spacing the tray for safe keeping.

" Not much, Screamer here is thinking he can manipulate-"

"Or duplicate!" Skywarp interrupted. Thundercracker rolled his optics before continuing, "Yes or duplicate, Skywarp's warping abilities."

"Really, I thought he was born with it?" Barricade asked as he sipped on his own cube.

"He was but I think I have found the coding responsible for it." Starscream smirked proudly, " Just think Barricade, if all of us flyers had it we could win the war faster!"

Barricade grinned broadly at this, "It would be amazing to have the war over."

"Hey by the way Cade how's the spark doing?" Skywarp chirped eagerly, all seekers mech or femme had a parental coding and anyone near with spark they turn into protective mother hens.

"It is doing well so far Hook is confident that it will go full term and not be early." Barricade beamed rubbing his stomach plating lightly. There was no visible bulge yet but there soon would be, they hoped.

"How is your mate taking the news?" Thundercracker asked now equally eager.

"Megatron? He's still in the med bay, in shock actually." Barricade shrugged absently. They had been barely been mated a week before they had found out that Barricade was with spark. The thing that had shocked them the most was that how far along Cade was. He was nearly full term!

"It still amazes me that you didn't have any symptoms." Starscream commented taking a break from his work to join the others in conversation.

"Yeah, why didn't you?" TC asked lightly, turning to Cade.

"I don't know, Hook said that it is unheard of to go this long without a single sign."

He in truth was still in shocked happiness at the news too. Of course Megatron immediately pulled him off of active duty fearing the Autobot's would hit him and force a miscarriage. For reasons similar to this, Megatron had kept their relationship a complete and utter secret from all of the Decepticon's and Autobot's. So much had happened in the last week it was mind numbing.

*beep, beep!*
Starscream spun on the spot as his machines sounded off.
"Yes!" He cried happily bouncing with excitement.

"What is it?" Barricade asks coming closer, TC and Warp following suit.

"It works!" He shouted with joy nearly crying.

"What works Screamer?" TC asked trying to wait for his leader to calm down.

"After finding the code and splicing them into a sample of my own coding, I ran a series of tests and they all came back as combatable!" He grinned proudly.

"So does that mean you can warp?" TC asked enthusiastically holding Skywarp close.

"Yes, and you too!" Starscream beamed.

-An Hour later-

It was about an hour later outside that Thundercracker was receiving an injection.

"Now remember I will be keeping an optic on your functions. You have to focus on the red X." Starscream drilled into his Trine mate, making sure he understood. He had placed the red X about a hundred feet in front of TC to give his first warp a better direction.

No matter how persist Starscream's instruments were, no one could have predicted what would happen next.

The excited seeker nearly danced in place as Thundercracker began to focus in on his target. They all began to hear the familiar crackle of Skywarp's warping abilities activate for Thundercracker. Suddenly without warning Starscream's scanner went crazy,

"No, no, no!" He said feverishly punching some buttons, before looking up, "TC stop!"

But it was already too late; a large energy field encircled TC and rapidly expanded to include the Trine and Barricade.

"What's happening?" Barricade called out as he and the others were raised off the ground brought to TC.

"The power grid has malfunctioned, its going critical!" Starscream shriek grabbing Barricade and Skywarp who was clinging to TC.

"Whatever happens don't let go of me or TC!" Starscream ordered Warp, He forced his body to turn as Warp struggled to hold him and TC at the same time. Starscream wrapped his arms around Barricade shielding him.

"What is happening, where are we going!" Thundercracker cried grabbing Starscream so they were all safely clung to one another, as the bright sunny world outside the energy bubble changed rapidly. They were flying higher now the ground tiny and distant from them suddenly they found themselves in space.

"Why are we in orbit?" Skywarp asked before feeling a sudden change in the energy fields, "Oh no, Starscream, it's opening a space bridge!" He said panicking as they were flung into the space bridge like a piece of garbage into a dumpster. The colors of the bridge were different and strange almost as if they were and earth rainbow.

"Star, look." Barricade nodded at the bridge around them, "Why is it like that?"

"It is because of the malfunction, I have no idea where we are going…or when." He trailed of dread lacing his voice.

"When? What do you mean when?" Thundercracker asked in high voice knowing now the warp and bridge were completely out of his control.

"I detected as we entered space a solar flare and the bridge opened in it." Starscream was saying before he was cut short, "What does that have to do with anything?" Warp asked.

Starscream attempted to be patient, "It has been theorized that if you opened a bridge in a Solar flare you are in essence opening a door into the past or even another universe."

Skywarp stared at him blankly unable to speak. It was Barricade that spoke instead, "You mean…we are lost?"

"Essentially, yes. We just have to wait to see where and when the bridge bubble takes us." Starscream said solemnly. Skywarp shifted restlessly, "Something is happening."

His entire body itched, "Do you feel it?" They all nodded not letting go of one another, "Whatever happens it has been an honor." Starscream grimaced.

They exited the bridge only to discover they were indeed no longer on earth, "It looks like Cybertron?" Barricade commented looking around before crying out in shock, "We landed in the middle of a battle!"

Starscream scanned the battle field, "Skywarp when this warp bubble brakes warp us to safety."He ordered holding tighter to Barricade as cracks started to form in the bubble. Several cannon shots ricocheted off its sides and forced the bubble to finally collapse.

"Skywarp, now!" Starscream ordered just before he was hit square in the back with a liquid Nitrogen shot. Skywarp directed his warp to whichever side was the good guys on this strange version of Cybertron. They crumpled as one to the ground, Starscream on top of Barricade nearly unconscious but fighting the codes signaling status lock. Thundercracker wrapped his arms around Skywarp who was shielding his injured leader with his blasters. Barricade was in essence buried beneath the Trine hidden from sight. Warning codes flashed a crossed his optics, warning of too much pressure on his spark chamber.

"What the pit?" Growled IronHide forced from battle by the unexpected arrival behind him. He was astounded to see who it was, "The Trine? But…your all dead?"

Author's Note: How will the Trine react to this news of their deaths? Is Barricade in trouble? What will happen next?

Please R&R and suggestions are requested and welcome.