"My lord, consider the possibilities! Another dimension!"

Megatron was standing at the bridge's main console, watching the clouds and stars pass by from the enlarged picture feed that showed what the Nemesis was heading into. Starscream had strolled up next to him, interrupting his thoughts. He let it slide this time and quickly went back to his train of thought.

"A dimension where Optimus Prime...essentially takes my role, and I take his," Megatron muttered thoughtfully, rubbing his chin plate in thought before turning to his second in command.

"And how are the three humans doing?"

"Soundwave returned with the supplies needed. Since it is unknown how long they will be staying, he gathered an Earth week's worth for them. The second-oldest one continues to be wary around Knockout and Soundwave, however."

"They come from a dimension where we are their Autobots, Starscream," Megatron replied. "Surely they must be alarmed, realizing that, we could injure them if we so wanted to without a care in this world. Or, should I say, dimension." Megatron smirked.

"The knowledge of another dimension has seemed to, dare I say, change you, master."

Megatron looked back over at Starscream, his red optics blazing in satisfaction.

"I have the possibility of ruling two different Earths-perhaps with a like-minded old...brother of mine."

Starscream lowered his helm in acknowledgement that he understood, though secretly he thought that since Megatron had discovered there was more to this world-or dimension-than met the optic, that "space madness" Starscream thought he had picked up kicked in even more.

"You and Optimus Prime have quite a history."

"Indeed, Starscream," Megatron replied, watching a cloud come up to the nemesis and fill the screen with grey.

This had to work.

~

"My liege?" Arcee asked, walking over to Optimus, who turned his orange colored optics to her before going back to staring at the three kids in the room, who were sleeping.

"What do you want to do about them?" she asked, gesturing to them. "Ratchet did some research, the fleshbags can't live for more than three days without water. I do not know your intentions, but if you plan on keeping them here, getting them accommodated would certainly be a start, wouldn't you think?"

Optimus looked back at her and nodded once.

"Then alert Ratchet that he shall report to you on anything the humans will need, and you will retrieve it."

Arcee hid the frown that so desperately wanted to make itself visible on her faceplate. Optimus was more distant and spaced out since his last trip from space. She wondered to herself if he was even eligible to lead the Autobot cause on this planet.

Of course, if some, "unfortunate accident" happened...

She wouldn't discuss this with anyone. If anyone heard, they would most likely report to Optimus of her treason, and she would be executed by none other than Optimus himself.

Besides, he already trusted her as his second in command.

"Yes, my liege."

Optimus watched her go and vented out forcefully as he looked at the three humans that apparently belonged to their counterparts from another dimension. It wasn't like he didn't believe them, their names and personalities were enough for that.

A thought came to him, and a small smile formed on his faceplate. He knew the Decepticons would want them back.

All that rested on the fate of this next step was if the Decepticons had contact with the others in the other dimension.

He pressed two digits to the side of his helm; at his audio receptor.

"Ratchet. When you finish with Arcee, I have something to discuss with you."

***

"What?" Knockout cried out after the two sides had a staring contest for exactly 45 seconds.

"The kids are missing. And apparently they are on both sides," Ratchet replied.

"Have you heard anything?"

"From the 'cons? No. You?"

"From the 'bots? No," Breakdown replied.

Wow, this was confusing.

"So they don't want a ransom," Arcee stated, though she was also asking.

"I don't think so. They haven't said anything. Though they could just be keeping the kids alive to hear about the different dimensions they come from," Starscream suggested. The bots all stared at him in slight shock.

"...what?"

They shook their helms; they wouldn't know how to explain. Starscream looked at Megatron uneasily, who only shrugged.

"How would we get them back?"

"We'd offer you the frequency we found a while ago when the Nemesis was unshielded so you could try searching, but as I've seen with your Jack, the comlink numbers are different from what we know. The frequencies most likely are too," Ratchet replied. Soundwave nodded once in agreement.

"Well, we need to find something," Breakdown mumbled. "Who knows what the...others...could be doing to them?" he muttered, taking care to not say "Autobots". Bulkhead nodded in agreement. Arcee was about to say something when agent Fowler walked into the base, and a couple of seconds later, agent Bishop walked into the 'cons base.

"What's the status?" they asked at the same time, making the others look at each other on the screen. Doctor and Nurse Darby appeared behind them seconds later.

"How are they?"

"...We're not sure. We haven't been told anything." Arcee and Airachnid replied at the same time. The others all looked at each other. This was happening at the same time, in different dimensions.

So were they just...a mirror of each other, with their roles switched around?

"I've got General Bryce breathing down my neck! How am I supposed to tell him about different dimensions and the kids from our world that are not only missing, but at the mercy of your evil doppelgängers?" Agent Fowler replied. Agent Bishop was about to speak but stopped and only pointed to the screen in which Fowler's voice had come from and nodded in agreement.

"We're worried too! If we knew how to get the kids we would have already, Fowler," Bulkhead replied.

"The longer your kids talk with the Autobots, the more ideas that could possibly be put into Optimus Prime's head," Agent Bishop snapped, not caring about sensitivity and keeping the conversation less confusing.

"Same with your kids and Megatron," Ratchet snapped back.

"I've personally been captured by the Autobots. It's not at all pleasant."

"Ya think?" Agent Fowler snapped, looking at Agent Bishop. "I was shocked by an energon prod-by Starscream, no less!"

"Arcee!" Bishop snapped back. "And I was low to the ground too, if I got free I could've dropped to the ground and would have been able to get out. I bet you didn't have that."

"That's because Starscream insists on wearing high heels," Fowler snapped back while Arcee growled.

"I'm still taller than you, fleshbag."

Her reply sent the other side of the screen quiet and Optimus placed a servo on her shoulder plate, silently telling her to calm down. She was tempted to say something else but closed her mouth and crossed her arms over her chassis. Optimus then looked over at Agent Fowler who scowled but got the message.

"Okay. Arguing won't get us anywhere. We need to figure out how we can save the kids."

"Didn't you say that you found the frequency to your Decepticons' ship?" Knockout asked, tilting his helm to the side slightly.

"Soundwave has to have changed it by now," Ratchet replied with an exasperated sigh. "So whether we gave it to you or not, it wouldn't have worked; it's just a desperate attempt to cling onto something since we can't seem to find a solution."

"Well, what if we-"

They were interrupted when a ping came from Ratchet's console and he tapped a few buttons.

"A high frequency signal-"

"-with an embedded message," Knockout finished, typing on his own console now, which was blue instead of green, like Ratchet's.

"It's from the Decepticons."

"It's from the Autobots."

~~~

Hey guys!!!

I finally got an update out! I had a lull in HW and I really wanted to work on this!

So actually I stayed up until nearly 1:00 AM finishing it so I'm gonna be tired when I wake up later today but no regrets! (Still no regrets!)

I'm actually in that stage rn where I'm so tired I'm energetic!

It's weird. (Indeed)

But anyway, I originally was going to end this at around 700 words (basically excluding the evil 'con and 'bot views) but then I looked at the word count and I was like "uh, no."

And then I worked really hard on this chapter because it's been a while since I last updated so I wanted to make it up to all my awesome and lovely readers <3

So not including the A/N I always put at the end, it's just over 1300 words.

I'm like, high on lack of sleep I don't know if that's possible. I'm gonna wake up later today to publish this and be like "what was wrong with me a few hours ago".

Oh well! (oh gosh here we go)

Anyway I hope you liked this chapter! Both sides seem to be up to something, eh? ;) I love writing this book a lot. And I'm honestly very happy that you all like reading it! I just noticed a few hours ago that I had nearly 5K views! This plot line is popular I guess. Thanks for being so supportive-I love reading all your comments (And yes, I read ALL your comments, whether I reply or not)! I love your votes too. (<3)

I also changed the look of Arcee from that one A/N I did in chapter five.

Just so you don't have to go back and look she looks like this

I liked it better than the other one. (I still do.)

But anyway, thanks for reading guys!

Watch I'm going to add something at the end of this A/N which is literally me asking what was wrong with me earlier.

and tbh, future me, I don't blame you :3 (Woah. Paradoxes!)

Well, it actually sounds like me.

Maybe just a bit less chipper. XD

But everything I said in this A/N was true. <3

Thanks for reading.