Just as Arcee had hoped for, the Autobots were able to predict the attack and trick Starscream and his armada to attack the wrong hangar. With that out of the way they now put their focus on tracking down the Nemesis to get their two comrades back.

"So the kid clipped the business end of Lazerbeak's transponder," Wheeljack says as he stands next to Smokescreen.

Bulkhead walks over and slaps Smokescreen on the back, "That was some good shooting, kid."

Fowler walks over to Raf who is busy typing on his laptop which is hooked up to the piece that was clipped from Lazerbeak, "We thought you might be the best one to provide an analysis. In Ratchet's absence."

"It's trying to communicate with the warship," Raf says as he continues typing and looking at the screen.

"How do you know?" Miko asks as she leans over and puts a hand on the table.

"It's telling us," Raf says as he points at the screen.

Jack leans in a bit to take a closer look at the screen, "Uh, Raf, that's Cybertronian code."

Miko walks over to stand next to Jack, "Wait, first Raf understands Bumblebee, now he reads Cybertronian? Are we sure he's not some kind of alien?"

"I've been learning for a while. In between stuff, when..." Raf looks down and takes a deep breath, "...Ratchet had time to teach me."

Jack and Miko walk over to him and Jack places his hands on his shoulders, "Raf, we'll bring him back. Along with Arcee."

"If it's the last thing we do," Miko added.

"If it's talking to its mama, can we triangulate the signal?" Fowler asks.

Ultra Magnus stops what he's doing and turns around to face him, "To a shielded warship?"

"Maybe if the transponder is still attached to Lazerbeak we can follow it," Smokescreen says as he walks over to Magnus with Wheeljack.

"Maybe we should give it wings," Wheeljack suggests.

"We can use spare parts from the machine shop," Raf says.

"Then let's do it. For the doc and Arcee."

They proceed to work on their plan, they have small hiccups here and there but they manage to get things operational. Once it's set and ready to go they go outside to set it off after the ship. "You sure we don't need to install a GPS on our scout here?" Fowler asks as he looks over at the device.

"Too risky, both sides are gettin' real good at rootin' out that kind of trick," Wheeljack responds.

"Besides, we don't need a tracker..." Smokescreen added.

"We have Optimus," Raf finished for him.

Wheeljack and Smokescreen step to the side as Optimus walks towards them, "But, won't the 'Cons see you coming, big guy?" Miko asks.

"Not until it's too late," Bulkhead replies.

"We'll be prepared for immediate mobilization upon your command, sir," Magnus tells Optimus.

"Good luck, Optimus."

"Be safe and bring them both home," Bumblebee added.

"Whatever the outcome, know that Ratchet and Arcee would be most proud of your contribution," Optimus tells them all and a small smile forms on Raf's and Jack's faces.

"Come on, kid. Let's light this thing," Wheeljack says as he kneels in front of Raf. Raf presses the switch on the controller and the thing takes off with Optimus taking off after it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After Arcee's rant about Starscream and his armada going off to attack the Autobots, Megatron had to work a bit harder to persuade Ratchet to help him. But in the end, he managed to get Ratchet to agree and he placed Ratchet in a lab under the supervision of Shockwave and Knock Out.

"Is Arcee really sparkmates with that Predacon?" Ratchet asks Shockwave as they walk into the lab.

"She is."

"How?"

"Predacons can mate and sparkbond just like we can, they're just a bit more primitive about it. I'm sure you noticed the bite mark on her neck."

"I did. It was him?"

"Yes. Predacons mark the ones they intend to mate with so no other can try to claim them. It was all because she was being nice to him, trying to earn his trust. She ended up getting more than his trust."

"I see..." He's still in disbelief that she actually sparkbonded and probably mated with a Predacon. He hopes she's alright. What did the Predacon do to her after they left the bridge? He has to figure out a way to get them both off the ship.

He pushes those thoughts to the side for the time being as he gets to work on the formula, he pours the liquid from one canister to another as Knock Out watches him. "Fetch me the quantum cyber measures."

"Hmpf. Do I look like hired help to you, Autobot?"

Shockwave walks up behind them, "Knock Out, attend to the needs of our esteemed guest."

Knock Out slouches over, "As you command," He says before he walks off to get what Ratchet wants.

Shockwave takes his place next to Ratchet and places some of the cyber matter down in front of the mech. Ratchet looks at it and carefully examines it, "So we know this cyber matter to be produced by an A-typical displacement reaction."

"Extensive empirical evidence indicates the fundamental instability within the synthen formulation to be the cause."

"Double-blind analysis?" Ratchet asks as he steps back and turns to look at the purple mech.

"Naturally, the results only confirmed my original hypothesis. Once the ironies variable has been corrected for, the stabilized Synthetic material will bind properly with cyber nucleic acid," Shockwave finishes as Knock Out walks over to them.

"And produce a stable form of cyber matter," Ratchet says as he runs the information through his processor, "Remarkable."

"Yes, quite an act of providence."

"And to think that had we not let you destroy the beasts, none of this would be possible," Knock Out says as he hands Ratchet the quantum cyber measures.

"Let?" Ratchet asks as he takes the device from him.

Knock Out's optics widen slightly as he looks over at Shockwave, "What I meant to say was... those specimens you requested earlier aren't going to prepare themselves. Are they?" Knock Out backs away from the pair, mostly from Shockwave.

Shockwave takes a step towards Ratchet and places a servo on his shoulder, "There is much to do and little time, doctor. Shall we get back to work?" He turns Ratchet towards the table with a motioning gesture.

Ratchet faces the table, "Certainly."

He keeps thinking about what Knock Out said. What did he mean they let them destroy the beasts? Was that whole thing set up by the Decepticons? He needs to figure out a way to see Arcee again, they have to come up with a way to escape.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Prime, haven't heard from you in a while. Everything alright up there?" Fowler asks over the comm.

:: So far, Agent Fowler. ::

"What happens when the 'Cons I.D Lazerbeak's signal?" Jack asks with concern evident in his voice.

"We're counting on Optimus making visual contact with the warship before its radar can detect ship," Raf replies.

"The boss will be fine," Wheeljack says in a comforting tone.

"It's not Optimus I'm worried about," Smokescreen comments.

"Well, Arcee has that Predacon protecting her so I doubt any of the 'Cons can harm her," Bulkhead says comfortingly.

"I still don't trust that Predacon with her," Ultra Magnus speaks up, "And I don't like the fact that she sparkbonded with him."

"Me neither, I really wanted to have a shot with her," Wheeljack says with some disappointment.

"Would be nice if we could somehow go back in time and stop her from being taken in the first place," Jack says as he looks down at the ground before looking up at them. "But what's done is done."

"Well, maybe her plan will work," Fowler says, "Maybe she can persuade him to leave Megatron, would really help us out. Who knows, she might even be able to talk him into helping you guys take down Megatron."

Magnus raises an optic ridge, "I highly doubt that. But as Optimus said, if she can get him to at least turn against Megatron that would put the war back in our favor."