Looking back at it now, Overshot knew that the business would have been a complete failure without Mister Davis. Because of this, she elected to give him an extra bonus for his contributions and had him publically introduced at the open day. The motel had ten units available with an overall thirty bed spaces available. Because they had planned the open day in the middle of the American summer break, they had a relatively full house within days if the opening.

There were setbacks, naturally, especially with Earth's children. The youth of the population had no regard to safety and some designing of the business were reconsidered for their protection and contingency. Safety bars, extra locks and a children room were just some of the first ideas.

In overall, the tourist attractions drew more attention. The part of the mine still intact drew many tours, as well as the cable cars to the top of mesa. It had been a wonderful idea of Max's with his father's adding of a picnic area at the top.

At the actual open day, they had people from the town who were curious about the fuss with tram and they had been eager to take advantage of the recreational activities. They still do that, since there was no such place in the town. The bowling area, rock-climbing and VR chambers were the favourites.

Thus, three months after the opening, most of the setbacks were encountered and everyone was settled in a rhythm. The staff were also in a groove when they worked, Max trying to have everyone on their highest spirits every day.

The name of the business was decided as 'Texan Mine, Motel and Tours' which described it in its essence.

Max had also had to make a lot of decisions in regard to the business when it finally opened. The hardest one came a month-and-a-half after the opening when he began to struggle with the juggling of his life. It was preliminary exams at his college and he had to move between his house to study and the mine to do his daily assessment. Although he was one of the CEO's, he did not have much of a desk job and more of a supporting role. Overshot was a much better balancer of numbers and handled that sort of things.

Other roles the two could not handles were given to a new manager they hired to act in the favour of public relations. The new employee was added to the board of directors and proved to be an invaluable asset. It was very fortunate that Mister Davis had found her application when he did. With her addition, the board of directors now stood at four members and it was the most sufficient. Mister Davis was also included for his contributions as a contractor and handled the maintenance workers.

It was a temporary position for him, but he worried for his son.

Rightfully so.

With Max struggling to balance his life and with all the unnecessary travel time, Overshot eventually offered Max a place of residence on the estate. With Mister Davis in favour of his son getting out from under his wing, Max moved into the base. A part of the hallway between octagonal rooms was a large open space with no purpose. Overshot repurposed and it turned out to be living space that is more than comfortable for a human's home. She had also inserted a direct route from the stairs to his home and closed off the rest of the base with a secret entrance after the stairs. This had to be done because Mister Davis insisted on having a house warming for his son and wanted to see the living space.

He had been more than surprised to find out that there was a basement level but found the argument that Overshot didn't want anyone knowing where she lived plausible (especially with the argument that she was a 'multi-billionaire'). Although, he commented that the secret entrance to the stairs in the bookcase was a bit much. Overshot disagreed.

Mister Davis was sworn to secrecy on the basement and since he had proved himself more than trustworthy to Overshot during their working together, she respected him somewhat.

So, with a fully equipped staff and Max now permanently on site, he could easily balance his studies and work. Living beneath the business and in the base was also no hassle since the metal integrity Overshot had built she had made soundproof as foresight.

The building of the Predacon was... noisy, but Max did not know that from his home.

He had been sceptical that an entire home could be fit in but had been proved wrong. A bedroom, bathroom and a multipurpose room that served as the kitchen, living room, gaming room and work area all fit in. It was slightly bigger than the average apartment.

Everything had gotten into such a calming rhythm after he settled in that he wondered if it would be like this until he finished college in a year-and-a-half's time. However, three months after the opening of the business and ten months after he and Overshot had been acquainted, some excitement overtook Overshot.

It had been after midnight, the tourist business long since closed for the night and most of the motel residents were asleep. He was still awake, in front of his desk as he finished some homework for his classes. He was used to minimum sleep by now.

"Maxwell!" he heard booming. Sighing, he got out from his desk and headed to the 'front door' of his home. The door was open, Overshot's optic peeping through as she bent down to looking through. "Come!" she ordered, standing up to allow him access.

"What's this about?" he questioned, allowing himself to be picked up. She headed through the secret entrance in the wall to her base which stood open a lot of the time since it was only built to keep his father in the dark.

"The form is completed," she spoke briefly, jogging through the hallways back to her laboratory. Why she was so eager, he did not know, but was glad to see the faint smile on her face. Instead of trying to interrogate her, he figured he would learn about it anyway in due time and instead waited patiently. After opening the laboratory with her code, she walked in and immediately heading to one of the large tanks.

It had been a considerable time since Max had been in the lab and he saw that one of the tanks, previously empty, was now completely full with some sort of orange liquid. Inside the liquid, however, was a massive creature with its limbs curled up around itself. Stumbling, Max fell onto his behind in her Overshot's servo.

"Is that a Predacon?!" Overshot brought her servo closer so that Max was level to the creature's head. He noted each of the mandrills, horns and spikes with a sense of fear. It was beyond the size he expected and was afraid to see the creature out of the tank, wingspan completely open. It had its optics closed and barely moved, just floating in the tank.

Nevertheless, in some way, Max saw a gentle baby. Sparkling rather. It was so gentle, so innocent as it recharged so gently. So unaware. Seeing Max's intense focus, Overshot quickly pulled a loose bench over and placed him on top of it. He continued to stare at the Predacon.

"It's so elegant," he commented.

"Stunning," Overshot nodded in confirmation.

"Majestic," Overshot chuckled.

"I am not going to keep naming up synonyms with you," she turned to the tank. "He will be ready in about... three weeks," she did quick calculations in her processor. "It still needs slave coding,"

"Wait what?!" Max turned in surprise. "Slave coding?" she nodded in affirmation.

"It will allow me to complete control over the beast," she explain.

"But that's inhumane!"

"I am not human, Maxwell," she bent onto her knew to be level with him on the bench. "Slave coding is not a strange phenomenon. I have told you about the army clones before? Where one spark is split into various protoforms in order to create an army? Those clones all have slave coding, that is what makes them so essential to the cause," she explained.

"That doesn't matter, it still isn't right! I have put up a lot with your crazy society's ways, but this is going too far. Don't take away this animal's free will," Overshot had never seen such an expression on Max.

"Then how do you propose we control the beast?" she shot back.

"Tame it,"

"Tame it?"

"Yes. Show it who the alpha around here is. A loyal servant is better than a forced one," he nodded with certainty. Overshot hummed in curiosity.

"I will take your suggestion into account, as well that you think I can best a Predacon. Although, maybe we can reach a compromise," she spoke in thought.

"Yeah?" she turned her helm to him with a grin on.

"I have an idea I want to test out,"

The next two weeks were spent with Overshot constantly hoarded in the laboratory, processor nearly overheating at how many things she still had to do with the Ground Bridge and the Predacon. Max wasn't sure how often Cybertronians needed to recharge, but she certainly was pushing the limit. Eventually, Max had enough of her fixed mind-set and stormed into the laboratory (although, with his small body in comparison, it had no effect).

"Overshot!" she did not turn her helm to acknowledge him.

"Maxwell," she responded instead.

"You need to sleep!" he practically demanded. She snorted at this.

"I do not sleep,"

"Then recharge, whatever! Just chill out for a second," sighing in annoyance, Overshot took a step back, counted one second and went back to work. "Argh! Even if you don't go recharge, at least go out and see the sunlight. You've been down here for two weeks,"

"And I have made great progress. The Ground Bridge is nearly functional,"

"Then there's no need to rush, right?" Overshot shook her helm and took a step back, peering down at Max.

"Will you leave?"

"Not unless you leave with me," he crossed his arms. "At least just take a look at the sun and get some fresh air,"

"I do not breathe nor photosynthesise,"

"Whatever," she vented in frustration before noticing his attire.

"Are you preparing to leave the estate?" she questioned with curiosity. He looked down at his clothes before nodding.

"Oh, yeah. I'm heading to the clinic for my monthly injection,"

"Injection?" Overshot repeated with question. She kneeled to bring her helm closer to his. "Are you ill? What is your diagnosis? Why have you not informed me of this earlier?" she fumed.

"Uh because you already know and it isn't that big of a deal? And I'm not sick, except sick of my birth. It's T-injections," Overshot rose an optic ridge.

"What?"

"Testosterone. It's what keeps me so manly," to prove his point, he flexed his biceps.

"Yes, yes; very impressive. I understand what the hormone does but it is naturally produced by the male body, why do you then need to have them injected?" she questioned, tilting her helm.

"I really appreciate that you completely see me as male, but remember that I don't have a male body that can produce testosterone," Overshot hummed before nodding.

"I understand. Will you have to do this for the rest of your life?"

"Unfortunately,"

"Even after SRS?"

"...how do you know about that?" he frowned his brows.

"I downloaded medical journals,"

"Uhm, well, no. Even after the surgery, the hormones don't get produced. It's all glorified, really," he shrugged his shoulders. "And I haven't had the surgery yet,"

"Really?"

"Yeah. I've had top surgery but that's it," he shugged.

"Do you want to have the surgery?"

"Well, yeah I guess at some point but it doesn't give me dysphoria so I can live my parts,"

"I will pay for it," she offered.

"With the Texan people's money? I don't think so,"

"Actually, my calculations were not lies. We have been making profit from the business. The only real money lost from the state is that which would have anyway been lost at the end of the year due to faults,"

"Whoa, really?"

"Indeed,"

"Wow... but no thanks. I'm not ready for that yet," Overshot nodded in confirmation before forming her holoform in front of Max, turquoise hair, scar on the cheek and all.

"Very well. I will accompany you to the clinic,"

"Uh you do need to do that?"

"Nonsense. You wanted me out of the lab, did you not? Then let us leave,"

After the trip to the clinic, Overshot disbanded her holoform and went back to work. Max knew he couldn't force anymore out of her than he already had. Instead, he decided to hold a surprise inspection of the business. It was all that came to mind for him to do since his college work was finished for the day.

Entering the reception, he was satisfied to see the two receptionists chirpy with each other. They were serious people but he was glad they got along.

"How's it going here?" he asked, heading over and placing his folded arms on the reception desk.

"Great Boss. Been a packed day today. There's a birthday party going on in the arcade and Chef's been asked by the mother to surprise them with a cake. I'm quite surprised myself that we're holding birthday parties now," the one shrugged her shoulders, one finger twirled around her ginger hair.

"They're the kids from the town and the arcade there isn't much functional anymore, so I guess this is the second option," the other added.

"Kids make a mess. Are the janitors informed?"

"Yes, Boss,"

"Good work," he moved on the restaurant in the next room and the kitchen there after. Everyone seemed in a relaxed mood (except the chef) but it wasn't odd for the. The arcade, bowling alley and VR room were packed with the children. Standing on the second floor's balcony where the observatory was (currently unused) he looked down at the courtyard where the rock climbing and basketball court were currently empty. The bar had some of the parents of the children.

Max moved about the topside, eventually growing bored since Overshot usually drilled the importance of hygiene into the staff and because of that, there were no issues really. When the sunset came, the party left and the staff either cleaned, locked up or served dinner to those from the motel. Max had decided to move back up to the observatory (which was Overshot's contribution, actually) and began peering up at stars. It had beyond high specifications since Overshot built it herself and could see detail as far as Saturn's rings.

He spent some time up there, Overshot's holoform eventually materialising behind him.

"The stars are beautiful tonight," he commented.

"They are always beautiful,"

"You know what I mean," he rolled his eyes before returning to look through the telescope. "Which direction is Cybertron?"

"I do not know," surprised, Max stepped away to look at her with wide eyes.

"You don't know?"

"I do not. The stars in this sector of the universe are completely unknown to me. Even if I were to have a Cybertronian spacecraft to travel, I do not know which direction to even start heading in," she admitted, moving to sit on the bench that was placed on the balcony. She cast her eyes upwards, a sad glim in them. "I do not know where my home is," she spoke so softly, Max almost didn't hear her. He moved over and sat beside her. He brought his knees up onto the bench, hugging them.

"One day, you'll go back there," she snorted.

"That is awfully hopeful of you," she hissed.

"Everyone needs a little bit of hope in their life," with nothing to retort, Overshot cast her eyes back up at the stars. She wondered how Cybertron looked now. If there was any sign of life or if the corpses from war had disintegrated by now. She wondered if Shockwave was still there, causing havoc with his experiments or if he joined Megatron's side on the Nemesis. She wondered how the deceased planet looked and whether or not it would eventually come online again. She wondered about Primus's state of beig.

She remembered the Acid Pits and the Sea of Rust. She remembered Kaon and Metroplex. She remembered Iacon and Shockwave's bases. Closing her eyes, she willed faces to appear in her mind.

Shockwave. Megatron. Soundwave. She had to remember the cause.

Grimlock. Optimus Prime. Hot Rod. She had to remember the enemies.

Her mind eventually turned to other things and her own alt-mode came to mind. Not her Beast Mode, but her Seeker form. How elegantly wind had flown off her wings and how she loved to soar. Her panther was fast, but nothing could compare to what she able to accomplish in the sky. Nothing.

She missed flying. So, so badly. She would give anything at this point.

Without even meaning too, her holoform had begun tearing up. She begun to panic.

"Maxwell,"

"Yeah?"

"I seem to have sprung a leak," he looked at her curiously and was utterly shocked to see her in such a state.

"Overshot, you're crying!" he released in pent up breath.

"Is that what this state is called?" she muttered through the pain, wiping viciously at the tears that did not want to stop flowing. "What triggers this?"

"Sadness," he answered, Overshot peering up at him with a glare that was surrounded by red puffiness.

"Absurd. I do not get sad,"

"What were you thinking about just now?" she stopped at this and thought back at the course her mind had taken. Her jet mode. Her throat hitched.

"Flying," she admitted, allowing the tears free access. Surprising even herself, she turned to Max and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his shoulder. Quickly overcoming the shock, Max wrapped his arms around her body. "I used to be a jet, Maxwell, and Shockwave took that from me! He took my flight!" she sobbed, Max just holding the Cybertronian in human form close. He knew he had to console her, but he himself was in a state of shock. He had always figured that she wasn't attached to her first alt-mode since she freely used the panther form but now he could see he was wrong. She had been bottling up the longing for so long.

His fists clenched, scrunching up her shirt. If he could, he would take Shockwave out for what he did to her. He may not have integrated slave coding, but Overshot was completely loyal to him, never able to say a bad word against them. This was the first time in ten months that she hadn't spoken about Shockwave with respect.

He definitely shouldn't have made himself the cause of her tears.