"What? "No sign"?", the femme questioned angrily, "Okay, seriously, Bulk-"

She screamed as Bulkhead walked through her and staggered back toward the other organics.

"He went right through you.", the taller organic said as the smaller clung to him, "We're not alive."

"I don't want to be a ghost!", the smaller organic stated as he tugged on the armor of the taller one.

"Wait, how can we still touch each other?", the organic asked.

"I'd answer that but I don't know myself. I've been stuck here for. . . Primus, I don't know how long.", I stated, causing the three organics to look up at me.

"Ratchet, could the children have been transported onto the Nemisis instead?", Optimus asked as they started walking.

"Not likely. If Starscream didn't arrive at our base, the most likely explanation is a dislocation. The children may have simply been bridge to an unintended destination.", Ratchet explained as he walked further away.

"Another place but in the same place.", the smaller one said, thinking.

We had followed the bots for a few steps but stopped.

"W-What do you mean?", the taller organic asked.

"We're probably in a different dimension. Some kind of. . . Alternate reality. A. . . Shadowzone.", the smaller organic explained.

"Nerd alert.", the femme said, rolling her optics.

"Look.", Optimus said causing me to look up from the organics, "Skyquake's tomb is empty."

"How'd we miss Skyquake rising and shining?", Bulkhead asked.

"It would seem Starscream got what he came for.", Ratchet stated.

"Another matter for another time.", Optimus said, "Right now, our priority is locating Jack, Miko, and Rafael. Arcee, bridge us back to base."

I gasped and took a step back as a large Decepticon emerged from behind a rock.

"Zombie!", the femme yelled as they started running.

"Guys, look out!", the taller organic mech yelled.

"Bulkhead!", the femme yelled.

"It's right behind you!", the smaller mech yelled.

The Decepticon went to strike at Bulkhead but his hand went right through the mech's shoulder. I tensed, fear enveloping my form. I was low on Energon and weak. Easy target. We had to run.

"Awesome. It can't touch them, either.", the femme stated.

"If that thing can't touch the bots. . .", the taller mech started.

"Just like we can't. . .", the femme continued.

"Then we're stuck in the Shadowzone with a Decepticon zombie?!", the smaller mech finished fearfully.

"Can't you shoot it or something?", the older mech asked me.

"No, I can't. If I fire, even once, I'm dead.", I said as we started backing up slowly, "My Energon reserves are nearly depleted. It's amazing I'm still conscious."

"If we aren't ghosts now. . . We will be soon.", the femme said fearfully.

Skyquake took a swing at us and growled.