"Forget what we became, what matters is what we've become, and our potentials to overcome."

~Aniekee Tochukwu Ezekiel

>>•<<

It was taking them five hours to figure out how to walk.

Everything was new: the sights, the sounds, the very feeling of being alive was all different. He hadn't dared open his eyes- his optics -until thirty minutes after the operation, when Rafael had screamed.

Shockwave had turned them into Cybertronians.

Well, not necessarily. He had transferred their consciousness using the neuron refractor into the minds of a body of a Cybertronian, leaving their human ones behind. The scientist never said what happened to them, but Jack could only assume the bodies had been tossed away, or incinerated. That part of the experiment was done, so there was no need for any human part of them any more.

They took away our humanity. They've turned us . . . Into one of them.

The boy had to admit, he had fantasized on occasion about being an Autobot, helping them save his world. But in the end, he could always turn back into a human, always return to his mother. The horrible reality of it was that he could not. It caused a pang of grief to go through him.

I'm so sorry, mom. I love you.

"Easy now. Don't want you to break before you can even get started." Knock Out sneered, in a nastier mood than usual. "These bodies aren't factory-made, you know. Shockwave built them special for you."

"Oh, that would explain why we look better than you." Miko retorts, her legs shaking.

"Watch it, you brat!" The medic snarls. "Or I will rip out your vocalizer." His red optics focused on the silent and observing scientist. "Why didn't you make her without one, anyways? It would save us a lot of grief."

Shockwave had seriously considered it, but the cons outweighed the pros. "It is necessary to know that each organ is capable of functioning in such a body; in addition, they should all be capable of easily communicating to us if something were to go awry."

Jack couldn't help but feel selfishly angry. Out of all the humans they could have tested, out of anyone in the whole world, and they chose the three closes to the Autobots to test out this incredibly unpredictable experiment. He rarely regretted ever meeting the Autobots, and this was one of those times.

If I had refused Arcee, none of this would have happened to me.

But, for once, he had an chance with the Decepticons. Now he didn't have to worry about being squished. He was tall, much taller, he realized, than Shockwave and Knock Out. Miko was almost taller than the medic, Raf still being the shortest out of all of them. It was incredibly odd, looking down for once instead of up.

"Walk." Shockwave instructed for the second time that day.

"They're like newborn sparklings." Knock Out mused as they stumbled around.

Miko growled. "I'll show you!" She suddenly straightened her spine, forcing her legs to move faster, clumsily running toward Knock Out.

The red Decepticon simply moved to the side, sticking out a ped and tripping the girl. With a cry of surprise Miko fell, crashing full-body into the floor as he tsked.

"Not very graceful, are you?" He sneered, moving his leg back under him.

Miko dove for his legs, Knock Out yelping and barely jumping out of the way.

"You little-"

"Enough." Shockwave commanded, raising his voice a little. "Pick yourself up, and remain standing."

Miko muttered Cybertronian obscenities under her breath, glaring at the medic. She felt an odd thrumming sensation in her chest, one she knew now was from Knock Out's spark shard, which resided inside her. Rafael had gotten a bit from Soundwave, which he claimed felt nothing at all, and Jack . . .

Her spark clenched for him. Jack had gotten a piece from the twisted Megatron. His chest plates were scratched from where he had tried ripping it out, unable to stand the thought of having something from the warlord inside him, especially something considered so intimate. Not that he even considered Megatron even beginning to think that there was any "intimacy" in the action, but it still made him feel violated and dirty.

Shockwave had restrained him, and Knock Out, until he promised to not touch his spark, even though a quiet rage settled in his processor. The moment they got out, he was going to make Ratchet take it out; regardless of how it was done, he just wanted it out!

Slowly lifting herself to her feet, and using a table as support, Miko carefully rolled her ankles and bent her knees, getting the feel for how it all worked together. She even tested her arms, understanding how each piece of machinery worked and moved. All of these delicate components . . . It was amazing how Shockwave managed to build all of this in a matter of weeks. It was like making a human body from scratch! And where did he-?

She stopped thinking then, not wanting to know.

Thinking was different, too. A processor worked very similarly to a human brain, at least for conscious thought and emotions. But it was almost like it was . . . Programmed. Updates on the status of her body came in every so often, or whenever she requested it- and that was too complicated to try and understand, it made her head hurt -and even things such as energon levels were occasionally presented to her. This body didn't have the growls and noises and human body made when it wanted something. It just . . . Told her.

It was like she was simply the pilot, and the plane had a semi-conscience of its own.

Shockwave had made no guarantees that they would learn everything there was to know about a Cybertronian body, but Miko couldn't wait to figure out how to transform. She knew immediately that her hands could transform into blasters, but then also Bulkhead-style makes as well, which she was quite pleased with. She had always enjoyed watching Bulk smash people's faces in. Their alternate forms, however, had yet to be decided. They would have to program that themselves, when Shockwave deemed them ready.

Or Megatron, more like. Shockwave may be the brains behind the operation, but he answered to a higher rank. So if Megatron wanted to deprive them of having such a luxury, he would do it in a heartbeat- sparkbeat.

This terminology is going to get so confusing.

"Good." Shockwave broke the train of thoughts rushing through her head. "You are all doing very well. I expect you to be able to run by the time the day is over."

"And then what? Know how to fight by the end of the week?" Jack snaps at them, his tongue and mouth movements forcing his vocalizers to adjust, his voice sounding very similar to his human one. In fact, all of the children sounded similar; the way they spoke, and even their accents, hadn't changed.

"If that is possible, then yes." Shockwave replies coolly. "However, the three of you will be trained separately; and when Lord Megatron deems that you are ready, you will spar against one another. That will determine your ranks within the Decepticons."

"I won't fight!" Miko growls. "I won't do it!"

"Then I guess we have no use for you." Knock Out's pity was not sincere. "So that means we have to kill you!"

"NO!" Jack yells, stepping in front of the girl. His actions only got a laugh from the medic, the blades he had taken out transforming back into his servos.

"I was just teasing." The infuriating grin that he always plastered on his face made it very tempting for Jack to punch him. He could do it, now. He towered over the medic-

"That is enough, from all of you." Shockwave steps in, power cord smacking against Jack's leg. Turning to Miko, his voice became lower, more intimidating. "You will do as we say; otherwise we will have to find some other, degrading use for you."

"Oh! I heard Wheeljack was being particularly uncooperative these past few days . . ." Knock Out sneered. "Maybe we can use her to convince him otherwise."

Her servos curl into fists. "If you hurt Jackie I swear I'll tear you apart!"

"Please, go ahead and try." His red eyes gleam. "Oh wait, you don't even know how to even utilize your weapons yet."

"Knock Out, I said that is enough." Shockwave was not in the mood for the medic's annoyances. He almost regretted not using him as scrap material. "If you are going to continue being an annoyance, then leave."

The medic went silent, clearly not wanting to deal with what could possibly be outside those doors.

Megatron had, somehow, lost his temper in the middle of the silence that had ensued when he went to look at the three children. When Shockwave had inquired as to what was wrong, the warlord just shook him off, claiming it was nothing, complimenting his work, and then leaving.

So, if his bad mood was still persisting, Knock Out wisely did not want to face it at the moment. So, the medic stood there with Shockwave, and watched as the three new Cybertronians got used to their legs, looking very much like sparklings as they struggled to get their bearings.

Such a shame they retained their memories. I'm sure once they become too rowdy lord Megatron will have Shockwave concoct something to remedy that. Oh, it will be so fun when the Autobots see their human playthings . . . only to die by their hands.

>>•<<

June curled up on the couch, the broken fragments of her phone tucked into a pocket. She didn't feel like getting a new phone, and she also didn't feel like making up an excuse as to why it was broken. If any of the Autobots found out and asked, she would tell them.

I owe them that much.

On a good note, Ultra Magnus had woken up from surgery, and immediately complained about a pain in his legs. The positive side was that he could even feel down there, but the negative was that Ratchet didn't know what was hurting. The pain could be chronic, for all they knew.

She felt so sorry for the Autobot medic. He had worked so hard to make sure everyone could return to functioning levels, and not be confined by handicaps. But it seemed Ultra Magnus, the one he dedicated most of his time and energies into, wasn't it great condition. And his prognosis was barely "fair." Borderline "bad."

Ratchet was also becoming increasingly frustrated as his attempts to find the Nemesis became fruitless, the flight pattern unpredictable and the shields preventing him from figuring out where they are.

But perhaps . . .

"Nurse Darby?" He says carefully, quietly, the woman sitting up and silently acknowledging the medic by looking at him. Only he and Optimus, besides herself, were awake. It was one in the morning, and yet none of them could sleep.

"Yes, Ratchet?" She says as she stands, cringing as the phone pieces rustled and clicked around in her pocket.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your recharge, but I think I know of a way to track down the Nemesis." His tone was slow, as he considered each word cautiously. "I . . . I need you to call Megatron."

Shock raced through her like electricity, freezing every muscle in her body as she halted mid-step, her blue eyes wide.

They don't know! They can't know! How do they know?!

"It's alright, Nurse Darby." Optimus reassures her slowly. "We have known for some time now. We don't know how long you have been in communication with him, and if you do not want us to know, I will allow it. We are not angry with you."

Her throat constructed, and the words didn't seem like enough. "I'm sorry."

"I know. Your apology is accepted." Optimus was looking at her . . .
With such kind blue eyes. How could someone so powerful and strong be so soft and forgiving? "Will you please help Ratchet with this task?"

"I . . . I can't." She felt tears well up in her eyes, her face stinging. "My phone . . . I broke it. To keep Megatron from tracking me." Her shaking hand took out the pieces and presented them to the Autobot leader.

Ratchet looked absolutely defeated, but then his shoulders straightened as he remembered something. "Doesn't Agent Fowler have a phone in his room? Can you contact Megatron that way?"

"I think so. The connection worked inside and outside the base." June stuttered. "B-but I'm not sure how that's possible-"

"You must have gotten access to his personal hailing frequency." Optimus suggests. "We communicate with those via comlink, and that can pass through the base shields. Any Autobot or Decepticon who uses them outside of the base can be tracked, but the shielding protects those inside."

June blinked a few times in surprise. "So, even though my cellphone can't reach other cell phones inside the base, it can communicate with comlinks?"

"It appears so. But this has never happened before." Optimus admitted. The only time the kids has ever phoned their guardians was when they were outside the base. It had never been tested if they could inside. After Jack received no signal, it was just assumed that they couldn't.

"Alright." June lets out a little breath. "I will call Megatron. Is there . . . Anything I need to do?"

"Just keep him on the phone." Ratchet commands. "Until I say otherwise. This idea has a high probability of not working, but I want to give it a shot."

June nods, and then opens the door to Fowler's office. The Oreos had long since disappeared, but there were still a few bottles of water in the refrigerator. She opened one and took a long drink before heading over to the phone.

I've seen it so many times, I know by memory what his personal hailing frequency is now.

Picking up the corded phone, she punched in the number and held it up to her ear.

It rang once. Twice. Three times.

"I do not recognise this number. Who are you?!" The warlord snarled at the other end. He seemed in a less pleasant mood than usual.

"It's me." June couldn't help that her voice sounded small. "June Darby."

"I'm surprised you have the audacity to call me again, not long after you so rudely ended our last call." He snapped. "I'd like one good reason as to why you think I have any interest now in dealing with you."

Ratchet was quickly typing away at the computer, growling soft with annoyance as the signal bounced around all over the globe, virtually untraceable. But he knew the bouncing couldn't be random. Eventually, it would either stop or he would know exactly where it was avoiding. The latter would take much longer, and by the sound of the conversation he didn't have the time.

"I want to see him." June eventually says. "I want to see Jack."

"I'm afraid that isn't possible. Not any longer."

"What?!" June clutched the phone. She hated being so dramatic in front of Optimus, but she couldn't help it. "What do you mean? You said I could see him!"

"I told you." He seethes. "That is no longer possible. Did you call just to waste my time, or do you have something of worth to me, Ms. Darby?"

"I . . ." She paused, unsure what to say. Keep him on the phone. "Is there anything at all that has worth to you, Megatron?"

A low, dark chuckle escapes the warlord. "Optimus Prime's head, for starters. But I doubt a weak, pathetic human such as yourself could hand that over to me."

"Go ahead!" June didn't know what snapped, or how the words came tumbling out of her mouth, but by the time they registered it was too late for her to take them back. "Tell me how worthless I am! Remind me that I am nothing more than a useless human being! Come on, I'm sure you can say worse than what my ex-husband did!"

Both sides of the line were silent, June not noticing how Optimus and Ratchet had begun to stare. She was sick of it. Sick of Megatron, sick of Decepticons, sick of this war, which could have cost Jack's life many times. She didn't know why she held back before the warlord in the past; he couldn't touch her here. And if he tried, she wouldn't let him.

She had been a strong, independent woman before. And she wasn't going to let a bloodthirsty monster stop her now.

"Where shall I start, Ms. Darby?" His voice held a razor edge to it, but if it bought Ratchet time, she would take each hit. "Clearly you had a mate at one point, to conceive your child. Did he leave because he took what he wanted from you, and then when there was responsibility involved he didn't want you any more? Or perhaps you were the one to drive him out, due to your own petty, selfish reasons."

"Stop." Optimus suddenly boomed. "June, hang up the phone."

No. Ratchet needed more time.

"Humans are incredibly pathetic in that aspect. Did you know Cybertronians keep long-lasting relationships? Humans are no better than the common beast when it comes to finding a partner. And you Mr reproduction habits, my, my. You must have just been one of the ones who the male fancied for a short time before dropping you and moving on to the next female."

June shied away from Optimus as he attempted to crush the phone, her head jerking to the side, signaling for him to leave her be. Ratchet was typing away furiously, his optics sharp and focused, face stuck in a concentrated look.

"And it seems you didn't even do a good job of raising your son." Megatron continued, taking the silence to mean that she was absolutely horrified about the insults he kept throwing her way. "I've been with him for, what, an Earth week? Several Earth weeks? He has yet to impress me. He is incredibly weak and pathetic, which I suppose mirrors you. Like mother, like son, yes?"

"Leave my son out of this." She demands.

"Why? After all, he is yours, isn't he?" The laugh that followed seemed to grind into her bones. "You must really not love him. Only wanting to see him when it's too late. Or was that on purpose? So you had an excuse not to see him?"

"I think I almost have it, Nurse Darby." Ratchet says excitedly. "Just a little longer."

"I know what game you're playing at. You just want to use me." June replies bitterly. "Just like you are with Jack."

"Oh, his usefulness is finally beginning, Ms. Darby. But I think I would enjoy your presence on the ship. I always need someone new to insult. Starscream has already taken so much that he is used to it."

June felt sick, but didn't back down. "Too bad I can't see my son. Now I have no excuse to be there."

She could tell she had angered him slightly by throwing his words back into his face. "I doubt you'd want to see him, not after Shockwave had finished with him."

"What are you talking about?" She clutches the phone.

Megatron tsked. "Now, that would be telling, wouldn't it? You could come see for yourself, Ms. Darby. But I won't guarantee you will like it."

The words got caught in her throat. She knew what the right thing was to say, but . . .

"I've almost got it . . ." Ratchet was practically slamming his digits on the keyboard, trying his best to go as fast as possible.

"I'll let you think about it."

June opened her mouth.

Click.