“And just where do you think you're going?” Megatron's voice boomed from behind Hysteria.

She froze, wanting to swear under her breath.  She had thought Megatron had been awfully quiet today, but she figured he was still ruminating over her defeat the day prior.  It only figured he’d seek her out when she was already running late.  Hysteria turned around slowly and met optics with her superior.

"Out.  I... need a change of scenery.  I could really use some target practice or something.  My joints are aching for some action."

A low, sultry laugh came from Megatron as he closed the distance between the two of them.

“There, there, Hysteria.  If it's action you want,” he said, throwing an arm around her shoulder.  “…I would be happy to oblige...”

Hysteria reminded herself she needed to stay on his good side, but it had been getting more and more difficult.  The idea of doing anything of that implied nature with Megatron sickened her.  The only way she could allow herself to entertain that fantasy was if it ended with her ripping his spark out of his chest and watching his optics fade to black.  She didn’t see that happening just yet, so she needed him to stay interested in her, no matter how much it disgusted her.

"Oh, Megatron,” she cooed.  “I’m flattered… But you don't want your finest warrior getting rusty, do you?  We must be ever vigilant, especially after that close call with the Maximals yesterday.”

His optics narrowed as she slipped out from under his arm.  Wincing internally, she knew she’d need to lay it on a little thicker.  She took a step closer to him, allowing her chest plate to graze his arm cannon ever so slightly. 

“But I'd be honored to take you up on that offer… the next time we defeat the Maximals.  That would give us both a little incentive, don't you think?” Hysteria said.  His smile alerted her that her saccharine words and actions were convincing enough.

“Yes, what a fitting way to consummate our victory!  I like the way you think, Hysteria.  In that case, you are permitted to leave,” Megatron said and dismissed her.

“Thank you, my liege.”

With a bow, she took her leave.  Holding back her grimace until she was out of sight was no easy task for her.  It still repulsed her having to schmooze up to such an incompetent excuse of a leader, especially when he had been pushing his boundaries with her.  If she didn’t have this meeting planned, she would have risked it all the night prior when he invited her to share his personal oil tank for repairs.  He’d learn his place soon enough; she swore that to herself as she exited the Darksyde.

Hysteria transformed into her beast mode the moment she stepped outside.  The hyena looked around and listened carefully to make sure she wasn't being followed, then headed towards her destination.

Meanwhile, wave after wave crashed upon the hot sand as Dinobot impatiently paced along the shore.  The sun was low in the afternoon sky, yet the one who arranged this meeting was still nowhere in sight.  The raptor considered returning to base— staying away too long might make his fellow Maximals suspicious…  Well, more suspicious.  He had simply snarled when his vermin ally asked where he was off to in such a hurry.  He took many precautions to ensure he was not being followed.  The Maximals didn't need to know, nor would they understand.  To most of them, he would simply be fraternizing with the enemy.  Dinobot knew he was already skating on thin ice; it would be wise to keep his little meeting confidential.

A lesser mech would believe he had been stood up, or begin to worry.  Dinobot dared to differ.  Despite having little reason to do so, he trusted the one for whom he waited would not deceive him, nor would she fall victim to danger.  If anything, she had found herself occupied by some ridiculous spur of the moment scheme.  Such folly was common from that superior of hers.

His curiosity had got the better of him.  She’d piqued his interest by being so bold as to make her plea in a tongue that had rarely been heard since prior to the Great War.  There was an urgency in both her tone and her optics as she spoke, and after their last meeting, he had a few guesses to what this meeting could pertain.  She’d had a few days to dwell on his words, and perhaps she had come to a conclusion.  If she only said the word, he would do everything in his power to ensure she was protected as she defected.  He would personally put his honor on the line to vouch for her if need be.  Though hopeful, he buried those thoughts.  He was being presumptuous.  He needed not let his thoughts get ahead of him before he knew for certain what she wanted.

The sound of paws padding across the sand snapped the raptor out of his thoughts.  The hyena came to a stop right in front of Dinobot. 

“At last,” Dinobot snarled.  “The Mighty Hysteria has decided to grace me with her presence.”

“Pleasure to see you as well, Dinobot,” the femme said.  Despite the callousness of their words, there was a hint of softness in the air.

“You wanted to speak with me,” he said, cutting to the point.

“I did,” she said.  “Are we safe here?”

“Radiation levels are stable enough for us to abandon our organic forms.  Dinobot, maximize!” Dinobot confirmed by dismissing his beast mode.

"Very well.  Hysteria, Terrorize!"  She followed suit, transforming into her Cybertronian form.  The last few times he had seen her, they had mostly been shrouded in darkness.  First, in the lush jungle where her pod landed.  Then, in the dead of the night by the moonlight.  He had caught a glimpse of her beauty in the early sun’s rays during their last rendezvous, and hardly had time to appreciate her form when engaged in battle against her the day prior.  Now, in this still moment while the sun still shone overhead, he felt like he was seeing her in a different light.   

“You wanted to speak,” he said.  “Speak.”

“I need your assistance, Dinobot.”

“My… assistance?” he repeated.

“I can suffer Megatron no longer,” she said.

“The fact you were able to suffer him this long was a feat on its own.”

She snorted, nodding her head.  “It is getting more difficult to allow him to lay his servos on me.  I fear it will not be long until I do something hasty.  You were once a Predacon— or rather, once under Megatron,” she said.  “You know what it’s like.”

The mere idea of anyone touching her made Dinobot seethe.  The fact that it was Megatron only made him see red.

“I do,” he said, attempting to keep his head level for her sake.  “What assistance do you require?”

“I’ve been thinking… about what you told me.”

Dinobot stood up a little straighter, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Have you?”

“I have…  He truly is not fit to lead— not you nor I, not the Predacons, nor the galaxy.  I want to overthrow him.  I… I want him offline permanently.  I want to be the one to extinguish his spark… and I need the help of someone who despises him as much as I do.”

Dinobot waited, ensuring that she was finished before speaking himself.  It pained him to see her consumed by this hatred, one he knew all too well.  Those were not the desires of a Maximal.  Primal and the others had balked at the idea of resorting to a violent demise for Megatron.  While he was not opposed to seeing Megatron be taken offline for good, the one difference between the two of them was that he had the experience and insight that she lacked.

“With all due respect, Hysteria, I cannot entertain this scheme,” he said.  He could see the look of betrayal as it struck her, and continued in hopes she’d understand his reasoning.  “If it were that easy, I would have done it eons ago.  Megatron is a fool, yes, but he is cunning.  He does not operate like you and I.  Underhanded tactics and cheap tricks are not off limits to him.  While he may have you believe he is wrapped around your finger, he knows that is the quickest way to lower your guard.  The moment you underestimate him will be a moment you may not live to regret.  Even if you were to succeed, it would not be long before one of the other Predacons make you their new target.  They may not be loyal to him, but they will not allow you to go unpunished should something happen to him.  If you really wish to defeat Megatron, you need allies, and you will find none in the Predacon ranks.”

“I am well aware of this, Dinobot,” she said, her tone audibly defensive.  “It’s why I came to you.”

Dinobot shook his head.  He held out his servos for her, and after a suspicious look, she placed hers atop his.

“Join me instead,” Dinobot whispered.

“Join you?” Hysteria laughed.  “You mean join the Maximals.”

“In so many words… Yes.”

A scoff came from her.  “What use are the Maximals to me?  They mean as little to me as the Predacons.  You are the only one I respect on this wretched planet.”

“You would be out from beneath the reign of that fool.”

“That fool is just that… A fool.  One who will soon meet his end.  Dinobot, we both know why you left the Predacons.  You wish to lead.  You deserve to lead.  The strong like us are not to be ruled and told what to do, nor should we fight battles that are not our own.”  She clutched his servo in both of hers.  “Come with me instead.  With you by my side, Megatron would be no more.  The two of us could easily rule the Predacons.”

“It is not false that I wish to lead, but this is not about me.  Do you truly wish to lead, Hysteria?” he asked, raising the ridge of his brow.  “Or do you simply long for your freedom?  Or revenge for the loss of that freedom?  Look deep within your spark.  You are stronger than most.  Override the protocols that prevent you from doing so, and tell me what it is you are actually seeking.”

As Dinobot finished the question, Hysteria averted her optics, unable to keep them on his as she considered what he had asked her.  The truth was she did not need to look too deep to know her answer.  It was always on her mind, though the way to get it had been complicated and clouded by the ideals that were implanted inside of her.  A sly smile formed, and she raised her face to meet his optics again.

“You.”

She couldn’t help but grin wider when he stiffened at her answer. 

“I want you, Dinobot,” she continued.  “And do not deny it— I know you are not one for so many words, but this desire is mutual.  I feel your spark calling to mine.  I do not care how I get you, whether through conquest or by force, I want you by my side.”

Dinobot remained silent as he allowed what she had said to process.  Upon hearing her vocalize this, the complex emotions that had been troubling Dinobot since this all began were starting to make sense.  That annoying ache in his spark that only intensified when in her presence was not as unexplainable as he hoped.  He was not pleased in the slightest to realize what had happened to him.  He… cared for her.

It was disgusting.  It was humiliating.  It was a tactical disadvantage above all else.  Feelings like these made one vulnerable.  Not only did they lower defenses, they offered a target.  Should any learn that she was, for all intents and purposes, his weakness, it could spell disaster for the both of them.

Yet…

Yet simultaneously, he felt like she was a cause worth fighting for.  Perhaps his judgement was clouded at this point, but he reasoned that she was a risk worth taking.  Even before he knew he wanted her for himself, he knew she was a valuable asset that deserved to be kept from Megatron.  He was not a team player, but it was true that he desired her companionship.  Personal reasons aside, there was no denying that there was power in numbers.  An ally of equal caliber to himself would be a threat to all who opposed him.

Yes, it would be a disadvantage to admit that she was important to him, but the strength it gave him to be near her evened the odds against him…  And now that she had confirmed this was mutual, it seemed she was at a disadvantage as well.  He could use this knowledge as a bargaining chip.  The choice would still be hers, but he could influence it.  Perhaps it was sneaky, but it was not without honor.  This was in her best interest, and if the feelings really were mutual, she would consider.

“Should you join me, consider me yours,” Dinobot said with confidence.  “Let the bond between us be stronger than our bond to any faction.  Join me, and we can work with the Maximals to defeat Megatron.  Join me, and one day, our time will come.  And we will earn it on our own terms, and we will earn it with integrity.”

Hysteria hated this conflict that was always waging inside of her.  She constantly felt like her wires were crossed.  Though his words and promises sounded sweeter than any she ever heard and her spark wanted nothing more than to follow him to the edges of the galaxy, her processor was attempting to reject his appeal.  She shook her helm.

“I want nothing more than to be with you,” she began.  “It’s just… I… can’t.”

“Because you are a Predacon?  Is it now so ingrained in you that you would rather be extinguished than join them?” he asked.  She answered with a slow nod.  “So, you are admitting that I am the stronger of the two of us?  For I was able to defect, and I was forged a Predacon.”

Hysteria could not prevent herself from chuckling at this.  When he posed it as a challenge and matter of pride, it was easier to accept.

“You know how to appeal to one, for certain.”

“No, I know how to appeal to you,” he said.  “Had I known you better then, I probably could have said something along these lines to prevent this.”

She laughed softly and nodded her head.

“Should you decide this is what you want, I will see to it that you are treated with the dignity and respect you deserve,” Dinobot told her.  “It is said they may even be able to restore to your original programming.”

She bristled at this, a look of discomfort flashing on her face.

“And if I do not wish to revert?” she asked.  “Will I be strapped down and reprogrammed against my will once more?”

“If you do not wish to revert, none will make you.  These Maximals have their own issues, but they value freedom as a right for all sentient beings… Even Predacons like us.”

The posture Dinobot had managed to keep through the entire conversation eased.  He allowed his stern expression to soften before speaking again.

“Need you any more convincing?”

“What else is there to say?”

“Nothing,” he replied.  “As you have said before, actions speak louder than words.”

Before she could question him, Dinobot’s arms coiled around Hysteria.  A soft gasp escaped her as he pulled her close and lowered his helm.  The heat in the look they shared could have turned both parties into puddles of molten metal.  Dinobot’s mouth brushed hers, only for something else to demand their attention.

“See, I knew somethin’ smelled fishy around here,” a voice said.  “And I figured it wasn’t the tuna.”

The sound of Rattrap had Dinobot releasing Hysteria from his embrace.  He didn’t know if he was more infuriated or humiliated, but either emotion had him wanting to skewer him where he stood.

“What do we got here, Robo-Romeo?” he laughed.  “A little cozy colluding with the enemy?  Maybe one of those entanglements you said didn’t exist?  Y’know, I thought I heard the two of you whisperin’ sweet nothin’s on the battlefield.  Dunno what you said, but Dinobutt doesn’t talk like that to anyone.”

Hysteria pulled away from Dinobot and drew her blaster.

“You have kliks to state what you are doing here before I turn you into Swiss cheese, rodent.”

Before she could finish her threat, she felt Dinobot’s hand lower her weapon to her side.

“It is not what it appears, Rattrap,” he said, his voice portraying an uncharacteristic steadiness considering how angry he was that he had somehow been followed despite all his precautions.

“Yeah?  Then, what is it, exactly?” he asked, brandishing his own blaster.  “Because it don’t look too good, considerin’ your track record.  It don’t sound too good either.  ‘Predacons like us?’  If that ain’t an admission of guilt.”

“What else did you hear?” Hysteria snapped.

“Not much, but that little nugget was more than enough.”

“You should not speak on that which have no context, vermin,” Dinobot said, his temper beginning to flare.  “And need I remind you that I do not answer to you.”

“Nah, you don’t have to remind or answer to me.  But I’m sure Primal’s gonna have a question or two when he finds out you’re sneakin’ off to play pattycake with your pretty Pred here.”

“How fitting for your beast mode to be a rat,” Hysteria said, bucking away from Dinobot to point her weapon at Rattrap again.  She held it for a moment, then laughed and lowered it.  “Too bad I intend to rob you of the pleasure of telling Primal by doing so myself.”  She turned from Rattrap, looking back towards Dinobot.  “I’ve made my choice, Dinobot.  Take me to him.”

He gave her a small nod of acknowledgement.

“Whoa, whoa… Have you fried your circuits?” Rattrap exclaimed.  “You can’t bring a Pred back to base!”

“That is for Optimus to decide,” Dinobot said in response.

“No, no…  I think I agree with the rat on this one.”