Arc 3: 04 Loyalties

by Macx

When the Anti Cybertronian League kidnaps one of the Interface partners and tries to severe the link to his robot partner, it is up to the most unlikely person to help find the kidnapped before it's too late.

Loyalties
by Birgit Staebler
"It's risky!"
"But if we can pull it off, think of the consequences!" He laughed. "It will take out one of those robots, a Council member even, and his collaborator!"
The first man frowned. "What makes you think it will work."
The other one grinned. "Because I have planned it carefully and chosen my target out of many. He will be the easiest of them all to access and the effects are guaranteed." He activated a holographic display and the picture of a dark-haired man in a work overall appeared. Data scrolled past on the left side. "You know we keep files on every collaborator and especially on those 'Interfaces'." He nearly spat the word. "This one is not of the military personnel nor does he had a military background. He is an engineer and because of his job and responsibility he is seen outside the protection of the security systems more often. I know his schedule. It will be no problem at all."
"It's too dangerous to kidnap one of those freaks!" a third voice now said.
The first one smiled broadly. "I know what you think, but he won't get the chance to contact his robot friend. We will silence him. When we allow him to talk it's on our conditions -- and for a purpose."
"You want to block a telepath?!"
"It's not telepathy. And I know someone who can pull it off."
The other two exchanged doubtful looks. "What if it backfires?" one then asked.
"It won't. Even if it does, I have a back-up plan." The man smiled. "But this plan is fool-proved. Are you in?"
The two nodded.
"Then let's execute plan A."

* * *

It was two weeks before Christmas, but nothing in her office or the quarters hinted at it. Cathy Lee Russell, Earth's appointed evaluator, sat in her chair, rubbing her aching head, trying to concentrate on the papers in front of her. An empty pot of coffee resided on her desk, a half-filled mug beside it. The desk clock told her it was way past 4 am and that she should have gone to bed hours ago. She hadn't slept all that much lately. Sighing, she tried to focus and found it impossible. She leaned back, closed her eyes and continued to massage her temples, trying to relax. Christmas was the farthest thing away from her mind right now. To be completely
honest, she had never much celebrated any holiday ever.
A gentle presence suddenly invaded her mind and she felt the headache recede. She tensed nevertheless.
"Don't!" she whispered hoarsely.
The presence stayed but no longer as pronounced. It never went away completely,
just moved into the background. She knew who it was and she knew there was no denying what they shared.
"Just ... don't," she choked and got to her feet, swaying a bit.
Get some sleep> F/X said calmly.
She clenched her hands into fists. "Get out of my head!" she hissed.
The moment you give your body what it needs>
"It needs you out of my mind!!"
Cathy tried to calm down, her body trembling. She had grown better at tolerating this Interface but it still freaked her out when F/X contacted her through the link. He was the most gentle person she knew, but she just couldn't have him that close to her. Six months had passed since the Interface had happened and she had spent these six months trying to both get rid of him and get to know him better. Her xenophobia was battling her reasoning and currently it was still winning. But F/X's gentle insistence was helping. It was weird and maybe a bit schizophrenic, but she could talk to him face-to-face without actually experiencing her usual fear of everything alien, but the moment he made mind-contact she flipped.
Cathy, please....>
She inhaled deeply. She was probably influencing him with her condition as well. She had read enough about Interfacing to write a paper on it and the other Interfaces had told her about it as well; that was: when they had still talked to her. Now she was generally avoided, though not completely. They were polite and helped her, but there was an underlying disapproval of her behavior. F/X supported her and she knew he wouldn't force the issue of her accepting the link, which was even worse. He should hate her!
You need rest, Cathy>
He was also the only one, except for maybe Jeff Winters, who called her Cathy. She had hated the abbreviation since her childhood, but she didn't mind when those two used it.
"Okay, okay ...." She straightened and walked over to the desk. "When I'm done, I will get some rest. Until then, get out of my head!"
The presence moved back but didn't leave. She looked at the empty pot of coffee and sighed. Suddenly her screen lit up with an incoming mail. She opened the file and grimaced.
'Go To Bed' blinked there.
"You are a nuisance," she muttered.
Amusement flooded through her. She knew he could hear her when she talked out loud, mainly because that part of her shields was down constantly. It was an admission from her side and she felt comfortable with it. She really tried to accept, she just didn't manage very well.
'Now', a new message said.
"Pest," she growled but switched off the screen, smiling a bit.
Half an hour later she was fast asleep in her bed.

* * *

"You are a strange man, Steven Parker."
Steve smiled at the half-reptilian being in the water tank. "I return that statement."
Tiriga tilted her head. "I understand human but you are... different. Your Interface has changed you more than any other Interface could have."
"Well, Midnight and I are close......"
"One hundred percent, I know. Still, you are different."
Steve frowned. "How come?"
"I don't know. You just are. And your Sentinel partner is too. You are a unique combination." Tiriga slowly swam around and then stopped in front of him again. "Tell me, Steven Parker, why aren't you mated?"
Steve blinked and then felt the heat rise in his face. "Uhm.... mated....?"
"You don't seem to have a partner of your kind. Why?" Tiriga asked.
"Well, it's difficult ... as an Interface."
She chuckled. "Why? You haven't lost anything through it, have you?"
Steve coughed. "No.... but ...."
"You argue that Interfacing has taken you away from your own kind," Tiriga said as if she was reading his mind. "Well, it does in more ways than one, but it is no reason not to follow your dreams." She smiled. "And instincts."
He shook his head. "I can't do this to a woman, Tiriga! I can't! And I can't watch her grow old and die! And my children!"
She made a soft, humming noise. "I see we approach this from two different roads. You see, Steven Parker, my race is old and close to extinction. Maybe I'm the only one left now .... I have no idea. A lot changed since I was last awake. But even millennia ago I knew my kind was few."
"So you mated?"
She nodded. "My partners knew of my bond with Claw and they accepted. I had offspring and they knew me for what I am."
Steve thought of Jill and her problems. "What became of your family when the times passed?"
"They grew up, they had offspring, they died. The circle of life."
"And you never felt you were left out of it all?" Steve asked softly.
Her iridescent eyes seemed to twinkle. "Never. I gave life. It made me happy to see it develop."
"We humans have a different approach to this."
"Because you are not yet few," she said softly.
Steve nodded.
Tiriga leaned forward. "But it is no excuse, Steven Parker. You are a handsome man. You are not meant to be alone. No one is."
He coughed in embarrassment. "Let's wait and see what develops," he finally said.
Tiriga chuckled, lazily swimming in her world of water. "I will curiously follow your life, my human friend."

* * *

"Are you sure you don't mind?"
Shanygn rolled her eyes and gave the dark-haired man standing in front of her a little push. "Yes, Nick, I'm sure. Now go before you miss your meeting."
Nicholas grabbed his jacket. "Listen, I don't think Peter would mind if you came along...."
"Nick...."
"It's just that it's my day off and we aren't even trying to spend it together!" he protested.
"Nicholas, please!" She sighed. "It's not as if this is the only day we see each other."
Nicholas looked a bit guilty. "Well, we see each other, but when was the last time we said more than hello and good-bye?"
Shanygn frowned in deep thought. "Yesterday?"
He blushed deeply and cleared his throat. Shanygn chuckled and gave him another push.
"Go," she said.
"Yes, Ma'am."
She shoved him out of the shared apartment and then shook her head in amusement. Shanygn walked over to the com console and dialed a number.
"He's gone?" the voice at the other side of the connection asked.
Shanygn had to grin. "Out of my hair," she laughed. "Let's get going."
Kimber Witwicky echoed the laughter. "Be at your place in fifteen minutes."
Shanygn disconnected the line and got her stuff together.

* * *

"What are we?"
It was a straight-forward question but Spike couldn't think of a straight-forward answer. Yes, what were they? He had no clue. He didn't even know what he was. He knew who he was, in a way, but he had never tried to define it. He was Spike, a human mind in a Protogen body. But what was Protogen? He knew the scientific explanation, but what was it beyond that?
Domino gave him an inquiring look and he wondered what to answer. "We are Protogen," he then said.
"Yes, but are we Autobot or Decepticon? Or are we Sentinels? Or what?" he asked.
He frowned. He wasn't aware of any faction. "None," he told the three Protogens slowly. "We have been born as Protogens, not as part of a faction."
"Then where do our loyalties rest?" Volta wanted to know.
"With whom we choose."
"And who decides that?" Domino dug deeper.
Spike smiled. "You do. I can't do it for you. If you want to join either faction, it's your choice. You have to live with all the consequences, good or bad."
"What are you?" Volta asked curiously.
Spike had to think about that. He was ... neutral. He wasn't an Autobot, he wasn't a Decepticon, he wasn't a Sentinel either. Venerakkin was totally out of the question. He was just Spike.
"I am myself."
Backdraft smiled at that answer. She had watched the discussion silently, as always. She was an observer, Spike had noted from the first day of her birth, and she never rushed into anything. She also gave a much more mature impression than the other two, who sometimes had the general behavior of human teenagers.
Domino sighed. "I just .... you know, everyone is wearing a symbol of his or her faction. I feel like ... like an outcast!"
Spike could understand him. Protogens were regarded with curiosity and a bit of wariness, but neither faction had made any moves to make them join ranks. Disaster had simply said it was up to them and Spike stood behind that.
"We are different and we are new, Domino," Spike told him. "Everything that is different and new needs some time to be accepted. Believe me, I know."
Domino's optics flickered a bit. He, like all Protogens, knew exactly who and what Spike had been before and they all accepted his human past. Spike was, by unofficial vote, their leader.
"Still...." he finally muttered.
"Cybertron has just survived a war and we are the survivors of a fierce battle no one could fight," Backdraft now said. "We took part in our own, special way. Now we need to show the others what we are. They are afraid because we have a totally different origin, one they can't explain down to the last detail. No one ever said it would be easy, Domino."
The other Protogen sighed.
"And if it makes you feel better," Spike added with a fine smile, "I think none of the Council members would object to a special symbol for us."
Domino exchanged a look with Volta, who simply shrugged. Backdraft only reflected Spike's smile.
"You sure?"
Spike nodded. "Positive."
"Okay, let us think about it...."
"You do that while I go down to med bay to talk to Disaster."
Volta's optics lit up. "You will get your alternate mode?" he asked curiously.
Spike gave him a mystified smile. "Maybe." With that he turned and left.
Volta gave Backdraft a little poke. "Tell! You know about Spike better than any of us two, so .... is he finally getting his alternate mode?" He was nearly bouncing with curiosity.
Backdraft smiled. "Maybe." And then she left again.
"I hate it when they have secrets," Volta muttered.
Domino chuckled. "C'mon, Vol, let's stick our heads together concerning a Protogen symbol."

* * *

Nicholas had gone to town to meet an old friend, someone he hadn't seen for months and who he had known for a long, long time. Peter McNeil was an engineer as well, someone he had met on Earth before the separation and who had decided to go and accompany the retreating Cybertronians. He was an extremely intelligent man and so it had been no small surprise to Nicholas when McNeil had been offered a job as one of the chief engineers for the two now flourishing towns. He had his work cut out for him and it would keep him occupied for some time, earning him money and giving him a chance to act out his own ideas.
Nicholas left the transport tube and walked to the elevator getting him to sub-level one, the level containing most of the malls and shopping centers. The city was constructed in a way that reminded him of Metroplex. Most of the important facilities were underground, mirroring the skyscrapers above ground. In case of an emergency, the human population could be evacuated underground in no time flat, continuing their lives without missing a beat. Secure areas had been erected and were marked. It had been Nicholas and Peter's shared idea to copy the Autobot City's plans when constructing the two human towns, but Nicholas had refused to take any credit for the actual outcome, a marvel of modern engineering -- though without the Cybertronians' help it would have been quite impossible to build in such a short time. It had been team work.
As he walked down an almost empty corridor, Nicholas had to smile. Peter was like him, a work-a-holic, but he somehow managed to get his private life and his work separated, totally unlike Nicholas. McNeil had a small family with two children who took his mind off work and he had once told Nick that when he came home he left work outside the quarters. His wife Sharon was making sure of that as well. Not that Shanygn hadn't tried but Nicholas just wasn't Peter. They were two very different people and Shan had accepted his dedication to his work. And then there was the fact that they were both Interfaces and this brought with it a certain amount of responsibilities. Nicholas was just glad that Shanygn knew what it meant and didn't insist on them having a regular life. It wouldn't be possible.
His trip to the mall would have another purpose as well, one he was still deciding on. He just wanted to have a look around and then work on getting his courage together for what he had planned.
Suddenly Nicholas became aware just how lonely it was all around him. Except for three men, no one was here, and those three men were homing in on him. One of them was clad in a full-body exo-suit. An icy feeling spread in his stomach as he saw the weapons they were holding. Whatever they were, they weren't particularly friendly, the engineer decided.
"Stop where you are!" one of the three commanded.
Nicholas' mind whirled. He tried to send out a call to his partner, Tornado, but was greeted by a strange, static noise in his mind.
"Listen..." he started.
"Shut up!" another growled.
Nicholas decided for a frontal assault, hoping to upset the man's balance -- which he did. But the second one jumped him, pinning him to the ground. He struggled, but in vain. The other's strength was superior.
"What do you want?" he yelled. "Leggo of me!"
The one who seemed to be the leader, came over and regarded him from behind shades, his eyes hidden. At his side was the figure dressed in an environmental suit that hid every feature.
"Who are you?!" Nicholas demanded. He was still trying to contact his partner and is was becoming painfully obvious that something was not right here.
They dragged him to his feet and Nicholas assessed his situation, deciding it couldn't get worse. He wasn't without self-defense training, though he wasn't as good as some of the people he knew. All Interface partners were trained to a degree, but as an engineer he had never much taken part in those lessons. Jeff was a skilled fighter, as was Steve, and they had taught him a few moves. He elbowed the man behind him quite viciously, hearing him grunt and gasp for air. Cavanaugh shoved him away, making a run for all it was worth. He didn't get far. Something struck him between the shoulder blades.
I'm shot! he thought, feeling curiously unreal. There was no real pain, simply a sting, then the leaden weight of unconsciousness rushing in. He fell to his knees as the world lost contour. He was aware of strong hands grabbing him by the arms and dragging him somewhere. Then even that sensation was gone.

* * *

Rodimus Prime sighed and turned off the view screen. He and Optimus had just finished a meeting, one as long as it could possibly be. Rodimus had delivered a short version of the events around the doorway research which was proceeding slowly but with more success than any wild experiments might produce. He knew they had to be careful. One false step and it might end with a catastrophe on their hands; and they had had enough of those already. He shook his head and walked out of his office, trying to think of anything but that. He focused on more immediate problems, like relations with Earth, and Protogen. Rodimus sighed. What to handle first?
Earth was giving them a hard time. Daniel and Arcee were constantly trying to gain ground but the demands coming in were more than anyone would ever give in to. There was no way Cybertron would simply surrender and crawl back, begging for an alliance. Earth had dispatched their 'evaluator' months ago and though Catherine Lee Russell was still sending reports Rodimus suspected Earth wasn't even reading them anymore. The 'Ice Queen', as she was called, had the status of an excuse, someone who was bodily present, reported back what was going on, but held no actual influential position. Maybe they were looking for weak spots in her reports, small things, but they were not trying to find a way to revive the old friendship.
Too much had happened.
And then there was the fact that Russell and F/X had Interfaced, an event no one had ever even thought of predicting. Russell was denying it still and F/X was gently helping her accept it. Rodimus didn't know what influence this had on her and what would happen if Earth found out. And he felt sorry for F/X in a way, though that was a rather harsh emotion. No one could choose his Interface partner and he knew he was lucky in finding Shanygn. He wondered where he would be today if Shanygn had been like Russell. He shuddered at the thought.
Protogen was another matter that fell into his line of command and responsibility. Reports accumulated on his desk and in his mailbox and he hadn't even read half of them. He was just glad that the research team didn't require him to sign stuff or sit through scientific discussions. He knew he wouldn't be able to take that!
Last but least was the always lingering problem of Sphere and Ranora. Optimus didn't know where the captured Tji had gone to. He hadn't asked either. Rodimus was glad about it but he knew his friend would inquire sooner or later .... He had come up with some explanations, mainly that the Tji had been taken into Veneran and Venerakkin custody and he hoped that this story would hold until he could think of anything better. If Optimus ever found out that Sphere was Hosting the enemy... He didn't really want to consider what might happen. The planet would be too small for them. It was bad enough that the Venerakkin were keeping the older Prime away from Rikkochet, who was only now recovering. Optimus had badly wanted to see her and they had politely but firmly, under a discrete display of weaponry, told him to leave.
[Just take a deep breath] a familiar voice said softly.
[You've been listening in again] he reproached mildly.
Shanygn smiled and he felt it over their strong link. [There is no way around it with you projecting like a warning beacon!]
Rodimus smiled himself. That was a trick he had not yet learned and he doubted he could ever shut himself off from he completely. Not that he wanted it. Shanygn's presence was a part of him.
[You don't happen to know some volunteer to help me with these reports?] he asked slyly.
[Hm.... how about....Silhouette?]
Rodimus chuckled. [She is out with Cyclonus and the others]
[Oh. So you are asking for the secretary to pull some over-time?]
[Shanygn, you are not my secretary!] he protested.
She chuckled. [If I agree .... no Earth stuff, okay?]
[Here goes my plan....] he moaned theatrically. [Okay, you take the Protogen reports. You know more of the science mumbo-jumbo tech talk anyway]
Shanygn snorted. [Be with you in a moment. And don't pile it all up around me like last time!]
He laughed. [Hey, I'd never....]
[Save it, Rodimus Prime, I know you, remember? You are leaking evil ideas!]
With that Shanygn cut the contact and left Rodimus alone. He grinned broadly.
Well, nothing to it, he thought. Just one after another ....

* * *

"Isn't Nicholas home yet?"
Shanygn looked up as Dr. Kyle Scott walking into the room, looking a bit tired but no more than any time he had been working twelve hours straight on an experiment and was prepared to add another six to finish it. He could be as bad as Nicholas then.
"Nope."
She had just returned from a fun day of first driving Rodimus nuts in his office until he had kicked her out and then driving into town, Christmas-shopping with Kimber. Shanygn wasn't used to Christmas and she saw no real sense in it because she had been raised differently, but though the humans had reached the stars they still clung to their traditions, raising their children with the same stories previous generations had done. It was fascinating -- and fun. And since her partner was a human, she had adopted some Christmas traditions quite fast, especially the shopping one. It was a lot of fun to shop for presents, even with the crowds of people, and then to keep Nicholas from finding out what she had for him.
"It's past midnight now and he still hasn't returned. It's a bit unusual." The blond medic sat down in the armchair.
"Nick is meeting an old friend and his family. I bet they are sitting in some kind of bar, swapping stories." Shanygn smiled. "He'll be home in the morning. It's not as if he has an appointment scheduled. I'm glad he is doing something other than hole up in the lab and brood over circuits."
"Yeah, well, but he wanted to pick up some stuff concerning Protogen and he didn't show up."
Shanygn frowned. Nicholas not picking up tech spec stuff was strange, but maybe he had simply forgotten. He had been rather excited to meet his old friend again.
"I guess it simply slipped by," she then tried weakly.
It didn't sound right, but she wasn't inclined to go out and start a search for her partner. It would be childish. Nicholas was entitled to forget things, even with this hyper brain of his.

* * *

Gryph drummed her fingers on the desktop and stared at the data displayed in front of her. She was reading those files retrieved from the game planet and she was not getting any further with the answers she sought to her questions. She didn't ask much, just: where were the missing members of her team? When she had been captured/kidnapped she had been with her team, exploring a backwater planet at the border of the known universe. She had woken in a lab on a planet she had never heard of and which coordinates were far off the way she had taken. She couldn't believe that her captor had brought her all this way. There had to be another explanation.
The only team member she had found was Claw, a good friend and one of the three Interfaced Sentinels with her team. All the others were missing. Ashk, SkyDancer, Matchcode .....
Gryph exploded from the chair and paced up and down in front of the small terminal. She had to find them! They were her team! She was responsible for them! And if the dark one tried to stop her ... he better not even try!
"Tell me when I need to go for cover."
Gryph whirled around and glared at the other occupant of the room. Claw smiled at her, showing a set of nasty teeth, his smile enough to give another person a heart attack.
"Stay out of this, Claw!" she growled.
"Out of what?" he asked innocently.
"Don't give me that crap! I know what you're thinking, but I won't have it!"
Claw sighed. "You have to have it one day, Gryph. Times have changed, things have changed. Roque is dead and Midnight has filled in the empty spot. Whether you like him or not, he is our leader now and I think he's a really nice kid."
Gryph snorted. "He will never be what Thon Roque was!"
"Who says he wants to be?"
She stopped. Claw tilted his head and it looked like it was about to break off and fall down. Claw's body shell was a complicated collection of knees, elbows and assorted other joints, attached to a body that the look of a scorpion and a cockroach fused together. No one knew whether he even had a transformation, probably not even Claw himself.
"Midnight is young and he is different but that is no reason not to give him a chance," he continued. "Tiriga likes him and Steve and she told me that their partnership is one hundred percent."
"And I say it's impossible! It was forced!" Gryph hissed.
"No. Gryph, sit down and think for a minute, then judge. I know you want to find our friends, but you also have to come to terms with what has changed," Claw told her. "I want to know what happened to the rest of our team as well, but what if we can't find them? Reality won't change for us."
She didn't say anything, simply glowered at him. Claw knew she had expected his support, but there was only so much support he could give without going against his own instincts. Gryph distrusted Midnight because he had taken over a place that had been her best friend's. She blamed him for Thon Roque's death deep down inside, but Claw knew that the young Sentinel wasn't responsible.
Gryph stalked out of the room, optics holding a pinpoint yellow glare, body rigid. She had made a decision and she would see that what she had decided would go! Claw only sighed deeply, shaking his head.

* * *

Nicholas glowered at his captors. He didn't know their names and one was hidden behind his exo-suit armor. He stood behind the apparent leader. The leader leaned against a desk, arms crossed in front of his chest, studying him. He was dressed in expensive looking, black clothes. He wore a full beard and his hair was very long in the neck. He had bound it into a pony tail. As long as he didn't turn you were deceived into believing his hair was short. Nicholas guessed he was in his late thirties. At his side stood a blond individual in a dark blue overall. He was the one who had tackled Nick. Now he regarded him with complete indifference. Additional to that he was guarded by two men he didn't know but who looked like your normal thug. Built like a brick, probably as dense, and following orders without questions.
Nicholas had woken some time ago with an immense headache, finding himself in an empty room. There was a dull pain between his shoulder blades where he had been struck by the bullet. No, not a bullet, he had decided, as he had fingered the spot carefully. It felt like a bruise and since he had had no mirror in the cell, he had been unable to ascertain it. Judging from the fact that he was still alive, though dizzy and nauseous, he had guessed it must have been a tranquilizer dart. He had tried to contact Tornado, but this attempt had been greeted with more static that was becoming a painful background noise now. Someone had come after his waking and had led him to this room, heavily guarded.
The leader stepped away from the desk and walked a few steps up and down in front of his prisoner, eyeing him.
"Who are you?" Nicholas demanded.
The other smiled. "None of your concern, as we told you before."
"Then what do you want with me?"
The smile widened. "Oh, a lot, Mr. Cavanaugh." He leaned forward. "We know about that little link you have in your mind to a Seeker called Tornado." The grin turned feral. "And we are going to use that link .... for our purposes."
Nicholas gritted his teeth.
"You think we can't do it?" the man went on. "Well, we can. Why do you think you can't contact this robot? Because we don't want you to." He chuckled and made a flourishing gesture toward the exo-suited person. "Our associate is taking care of that."
Nicholas froze. They. Had. What?!
Tornado!>
It was like running into a mental wall and he gasped. The stranger grinned.
"I told you."
Nicholas paled a bit. "What do you want?!" he hissed.
"What do you think we want? Who do you think we are?" The leader laughed. "We are the only salvation for human kind from these mechanoids! We are the ones to save our kind from enslavement in metal!"
"You are insane," Nicholas whispered.
The eyes of the man turned icy. "No, no, my friend. We are the only sane ones left in a world gone mad. We are the ones who have to rebuild and guide our kind back to our roots, away from these robots! We are still few, but we are growing, and we will strike and win. Battle after battle..... And this is one battle, here and now."
Nicholas felt coldness spread inside of him. The man was insane!
"You will be a tool for us to start the destruction of one of the members of the so-called Council. One after another we will destroy these leaders and then we will strike down the sheep. Those running around headless and frightened. We will have cleansed our kind of those metal abominations and we will show them what price there is to pay for nearly obliterating our entire world!"
"The Cybertronians didn't destroy anything!" Nick whispered angrily. "They helped, they shared their technology! Without them we wouldn't be where we are today!"
"And where is this? Aliens invading our world! Wars! Destruction everywhere! We will have no more of that!" He bent over Nick. "Feel honored, Mr. Cavanaugh, for you are part of a much greater cause!" He straightened again and gestured at the two thugs. They pulled Nicholas to his feet. "We will meet again, Mr. Cavanaugh, after my friends have shown you a few sights. Enjoy your stay....."

* * *

Tornado, Seeker leader and Council member, turned away from the vid screen and shut down the files. He had been reviewing archived stuff from the recently recovered old Cybertronian library and it made his head spin to look through all those reports, images and files. Most of them were nothing but fragmented piles of useless information that had to be pieced together again. It would take years! He needed a break. He hadn't seen much of his Interface partner lately and he had to confess that he missed Nicholas' presence, as much as he had despised being Interfaced mere decades ago. He knew his partner was with him, but his actual presence was better than the mere knowledge. Their Interface had grown stronger and stronger over the years, and Tornado couldn't imagine what it would be like to no longer have this ability. It was strange but true.
Tornado left his office. He was looking forward to the few days off work. He and Nicholas had once discussed doing some explorations on their own and he thought it was exactly what he needed right now: get away from everything.
The feeling of emptiness came without any prior warning. The pain searing through him next nearly fried his brain circuits and Tornado cried out, breaking down as if someone had cut all his muscle cables. A white-hot pain rolled over his mind and extinguished every other feeling, every sensation, every thought. Tornado knew he was digging his fingers into his palms, but he didn't feel any pain from there, only from the link. He screamed and couldn't stop. Someone tried to restrain him, keep him from hurting himself, but to no avail.
And then his mind blanked.
From one minute to the next the pain was gone, replaced by icy cold emptiness. He choked out his partner's name, frantically searching for the link, the opening to the human mind he knew and was connected to, but there was nothing.
Panic.
Fear.
Denial.
Tornado struggled with his shields, trying to keep the blackness, the sensation of separation, away, but it continued. He was shaking badly, optics alternately flaring or dying completely.
Someone grabbed him and he was moved somewhere. Tornado protested feebly, trying to ward off the helping hands. Finally the icy coldness inside of him subsided into a hurting emptiness.
"Tornado!" a voice insisted.
He looked up, feeling dazed and hurt.
Phoenix stood over him, her hands on Tornado's shoulders, shaking the dazed Seeker leader slightly. Worry danced over her golden optics.
"What happened?" she wanted to know.
"I....I'm not sure." He trembled with the reaction to the sudden overwhelming feelings of loss. "Nicholas...." His hands trembled even more. "Nicholas!"
Phoenix held him more tightly as he began to shake uncontrollably. "What's wrong?"
"He's gone," Tornado whispered and his optics flared in pain and the incredible feeling of being alone.

* * *

Midnight didn't even feel inclined to try and stop her. Gryph had stated quite clearly right from the start that she didn't accept him as a commanding officer and he had learned quite a lot about her from Skywolf. Gryph had been one of Thon Roque's mission specialists, someone to take on either dangerous or vitally important operations, and she came back successful every time. Her mind was a cold and calculating machine when she was on the mission; she was able to kill without a second thought and had done so on numerous occasions. Back when the Sentinels had been under control of the Quintessons, Gryph had been an assassin. But she was a compassionate and caring person deep inside, as the medic had assured him. Those she called friends she would defend and stand up for. Her team was her responsibility and she always took full responsibility for what happened and didn't happen.
She was one of the oldest Sentinels, as Skywolf had told him, and one of Thon Roque's closest friends. They had shared a deep bond. Now she had apparently surrendered to hatred and cold rage. She was unable to accept the facts of her new life, a life she had been thrown into. Midnight had browsed through the secured files -- which were nothing much and didn't even mention where this 'Game Master' had come from, who he was and where he had gone -- and discovered that she had been inside the stasis hold for millennia....
"I accept your decision, Gryph," Midnight now said. "I wish you all the luck in your search. In case you need help..."
"I won't!" she stated coldly.
Midnight smiled. "Well, anyway, you know who to ring."
Gryph snorted and turned on her heels, then left.
"Oh, boy!" Steve muttered and shook his head.
Midnight smiled at his partner. "I hope she finds her people."
Steve nodded, then he looked at the black robot again. "Did you hear about Tarakk?"
Midnight's face changed severely, from worry about Gryph -- whom he considered his responsibility despite the fact that she didn't accept him as a leader -- to what could be called cold disinterest.
"Yes," he growled.
"Don't you think it would help to at least talk to her now she's out of medical care?"
"No."
"Mid...."
Midnight's visor flared slightly. "Steve, I don't have the slightest inclination to ever talk to a Venerakkin again, except when it is official business."
"You are stubborn."
"Call it what you want. My decision is made."
Steve sighed. "She is not responsible for the Veneran inside her," he reminded his partner. "She couldn't possibly know anything about the lab and the experiments unless the Veneran told her!"
"I don't care!" Midnight hissed. "I really don't!" He turned to leave.
"Then, by your own words, every Sentinel is guilty for crimes committed by Braintrust," Steve said calmly. "And for the murders any other committed back in Quintesson times."
Midnight stopped abruptly. He looked at his partner who returned the green stare unflinchingly. "You can't possibly compare this," he finally whispered.
"By your own logic I can. Think about it, partner."
Steve left him alone, knowing Midnight would think about it. He was just too caught up in a pain only he felt this strongly. True, he had found out what his past had been, but everyone on this planet had found out that their history and past was partly a lie and Midnight wasn't an exception. He had to deal with it and hating a whole group for what their Veneran partners had done was ... childish. Steve knew Midnight would come around if he only gave it all enough thought. He had had hoped that Midnight and Tarakk would develop their fragile friendship, but the information Midnight had drawn out of the computer in the ancient lab had been enough to inflict too much damage for that. Now Parker only hoped that Tarakk was willing to try it all again if Midnight would too one day.

* * *

He didn't want to come back. Coming back meant pain, and he didn't want to feel pain, but consciousness dragged remorselessly at him, pushing him further and further away from the numbing blackness. Blinking, he opened his eyes, squinting into the twilight around him. For a second he was confused, not knowing where he was. All he knew was the pain in his side, the fire burning there, the blazing agony in his wrist and his throbbing head. Then his memories returned and he closed his eyes again. After another minute of just lying there, motionless and breathing as flatly as possible, Nicholas opened his eyes again. Everything was still the same around him. No bad dream then.
He tried to move a bit and found the pain bearable enough to get up into a sitting position. Then he staggered to his feet, biting back a groan as pain lanced through him, making him dizzy and nauseous. His knees gave way and he fell back onto the floor.
Suddenly he heard a noise. It was the noise of the door opening. Someone stepped into the room, from the sound of it at least two people.
"Hello, Mr. Cavanaugh," a voice Nicholas recognized said mockingly. He gritted his teeth at the sound.
Nick blinked and willed his eyes to fix on a tall, dark-haired man in a business suit.
"You're in big trouble," he whispered through the pain.
"Oh, I'm so scared. I really am. Can you see me shivering?" The man laughed coldly.
"They will come and look for me," Nicholas coughed.
"Oh, really?" the stranger sang, still grinning. "Maybe they will, but by then it will be too late for you and your friend." He chuckled. "Don't hope you will somehow be able to break through my associate's shields." He gestured at the shadowy figure at his side. "You won't. We know about this abomination called Interfacing and though we could kill you and get it over with, our way is much more..... entertaining."
"Go to hell!" Nicholas suggested.
He leaned forward, his dark eyes glittering icily. "One day maybe, but you'll be there first. Don't worry. We will allow you to contact your partner ... when we want you to. Fact is, we already did."
Nicholas glared at him. He knew what this meant. Nicholas, his shields down, in pain, suffering, had sent all his emotions over the link. Tornado had received the full load.....
"It will be entertaining to watch both of you suffer until he dies and this evilness has been cleaned from your mind."
"You are mad!" Nicholas whispered.
"No. I am a patriot."
With that he and his shadowy 'associate' left.
Nicholas heard the door shut again and closed his eyes. He felt lost and weary, wanting to just give up, surrender to the pain. But there was a small, stubborn and very insistent voice in his head. He gritted his teeth, fighting the feeling of being alone and lost, being on his own. He had grown incredibly used to the presence of Tornado, to a degree where he didn't feel the alien link at all.
Except for now.
When it was no more.
Bastards!
Pain lanced through him again.
"Shit!" he whispered. Maybe he had broken a rib or two. His wrist felt like broken as well, though he could still move his fingers.
He blinked. His vision was still blurry. With an effort, Nicholas managed to sit. Then he tried standing. It was nearly too much for him. Half walking, half staggering he went over to the door, while colorful spots danced in front of his eyes. He found it shut. Would have been too easy, he thought dryly. The door was made out of metal, which appeared old and had a hole in it that would allow his captors to slide food in. Through this hole he discovered that the door was locked by a simple metal bolt, stuck through a loop. If he could loosen the bolt and slide it through the loop ..... Yes, if. The room he was in was completely empty, except for him and a steel bunk without even a mattress, and he wasn't carrying anything remotely useable to help him get out of here.
He leaned his head against the wall and felt himself drift off. Closing his eyes he surrendered to the semi-consciousness.

* * *

A picture floated in the middle of the table, a holographic image of a design Chaos had spent several days brooding over. She had poured all her creative energy into it, tossing around ideas and infrequently checking with the one who would soon receive these modifications. The final idea was now hovering in front of her, a smooth and sleek design of power and speed. The most complicated point had been the subspace pocket. Assigning pockets to newly-born robots was no problem. They already had a port ready for an interlink, but Protogen was different. And her 'patient' was even more so.
"Well?" she now asked, slightly apprehensive.
Spike looked at the image and gave it due consideration, then he nodded. "Looks perfect."
Chaos smiled. "So you are ready?"
The Protogen human sighed deeply. "Yes and no....."
Chaos looked down on him. Even though Spike had been given a Protogen body, he was still human size. He had shed the human looks some time ago, looking like a rather smoothly designed robot, his basic color a frosted gray with blue and white highlights. It looked rather good and gave Spike an otherworldly look. His construction was leaning toward a Sentinel design and he was more related to them than a Cybertronian and considering where the Protogen program had come from it was no small surprise. Chaos knew that Spike had decided to leave Adam Witwicky's life behind and he had been declared dead, officially dead, the day he had become only Spike. Now he was about to take the next step: a transformation, an alternate mode. It would change his size as well.
"Yes, I want the transformation and no, I don't want it. Strange, huh?"
She shook her head. "No, Spike, it's not. It's a big step, but it's also nothing that will change you completely. Your alternate mode will be linked to your newly assigned subspace pocket, so when you go back to humanoid mode, nothing will show."
Spike nodded. "I know, I know. I've read all about it. Still....."
"You have all the time in the world to decide this."
Chaos thought she knew what one problem on Spike's mind was: his children. While Melissa had accepted her father's decision with an unexpected ease, Daniel had been shocked -- which had been equally unexpected because Daniel had been the one nearly bonded to Arcee as a Headmaster. What would both of them say if their father took the next step now? Becoming a Transformer?
"But the best time would be now," a new voice said and Spike turned, looking straight into the face of his younger child, Melissa. Her sightless brown eyes seemed to see him quite clearly, though it was nothing but an illusion. She saw, but her eyes were the Net implant, which showed as wires or little knots of metal lying in or on her skin.
"Mel?" he stuttered.
"You heard me. You have made the first step a few months ago, Dad, and you can make the next now." Mel smiled. "There is nothing bad about it....."
He hesitated, wondering if his empathically talented daughter could read him as a Protogen now. She couldn't read organic life, but he no longer was organic. And if she could read his emotions she would receive a hell of a turmoil.
"It's a bigger step than the other one," he said softly. "Number one only meant redesigning my exterior..... number two will be a major change."
"No change is small," she countered. "Daniel and I know you will make it one day and now is an as good time as any."
Spike inhaled deeply, a purely human trait. "Okay!" he exhaled. "Okay, let's do it!"
Mel smiled and hugged him. Spike returned the hug carefully, aware of his strength. Chaos smiled as well, relieved that this problem was solved. Spike detached himself from his daughter and looked up at the medic.
"I'm ready," he said softly.

* * *

Tornado was trembling hard. He couldn't stop it. His hands were shaking badly. Skywolf ran a last scan and then turned serious optics on Phoenix. Phoenix knew what the look meant.
"I'm okay," Tornado insisted, getting off the table.
Skywolf frowned. "You are not. Something happened to Nicholas."
Tornado's optics flickered. "He's not dead," he whispered.
"I didn't say that, but something is happening to him and you said you had flashes of pain. Can you contact him at all?"
The Seeker leader forced some control back into his system. "No," he managed.
"I see. Listen, Tornado, we are mounting a search for him already. Just sit back, try to work through the link and don't exert yourself. If you get into contact, try and locate him, hold the link open!"
Tornado nodded. Skywolf gave Phoenix a pointed look and then left the two Seekers alone.
"Tornado...." she started.
He shook his head. "He is in pain, Nyx. He is suffering. And now I can't feel him anymore," he whispered.
Phoenix placed a hand on his arm, a gesture that said more than any words. Few knew that they were partners, mainly because they didn't exchange any private gestures in public. Tornado was a fiercely private person and his outside personality was different from what Phoenix knew.
"The link disappeared from one moment to the next." His hands clenched into fists. "It's ....empty.... Painfully empty."
"You can't give up," she told him.
Tornado's optics were an angry reflection of his state of mind. "You don't even know what it feels like to lose someone who shared more than just a simple link!" he accused hotly. "Nicholas and I were Interfaced! You don't know a thing about it!" He stared challengingly at his second-in-command, but Phoenix simply returned his glares with calm optics. "Now they are torturing him somewhere and all I can do is sit and wait?!"
"I know loss," she said softly. "Intimately. But I also know hope. We will find him, Tornado."
He turned his head away.
Phoenix squeezed his arm and then gave it a little pull. "C'mon. Let's go somewhere else and give you some time to rest."
Tornado followed her with hesitant steps, his mind frequently calling out to Nicholas without receiving an answer at all. Their Interface had started out on a very rocky road and they had both overcome their own fears, mostly Tornado, finally reaching a comfortable partnership. Tornado had never known what an Interface could hold; he had never wanted one, despising the fact that he would be bound to a humanoid mind so closely. He had fought the Interface but had lost. And he had been glad to lose, in an afterthought. Nicholas had been a major change, but not a negative one.
Now someone had kidnapped his partner and was torturing him. The short moment of an absolutely clear link had shown him this. The questions remaining were, how had the link been opened, who had done it and why.
And it wasn't over.

Two hours later the seizures happened again, much more violently this time. Phoenix called med bay.

* * *

Backdraft had come into med bay half an hour ago. Chaos had greeted her with a nod while operating her computer and Disaster had taken the opportunity to give her a quick check with a scanner. The Decepticon medic was always scanning, testing or examining them in one way or other and Domino sometimes got a fit. He hated medical bays. Backdraft smiled as she sat on a chair that dwarfed her considerably. Even thought she was two times taller than a human, she was still small in Cybertronian terms. But she wasn't Cybertronian at all, if you came down to it. She had been born here and her personality core was of Cybertronian origin, but the body was not.
"The procedure is nearly finished," Chaos now informed her. "Perceptor is checking the last settings for me."
Backdraft nodded. She was a bit worried how Spike might react to this new mode, to this feeling of being able to shift shape. Spike had given them an idea where he came from and what he had been right from the start. All three Protogens had been curious and all had been fascinated. They had never met a human before and so they had found nothing strange in Spike's decision to become a Protogen. Between their birth and now, they had met a lot of humans and humanoid aliens and Backdraft understood a few of his fears. She couldn't relate to them all; she was missing the experiences connected to them. But she had grown to understand Spike and found he liked to talk to her frequently. Their little discussions were as fascinating as this human himself.
Backdraft slid off the chair and walked unhindered into the room containing a chamber Disaster had come up with to repair Protogen life. They were so different that they even reacted differently to injuries. The skin of tiny nanite-like machines, the 'ants', could heal like human skin in many ways and their basic mechanics were different as well. Disaster, after browsing the files Midnight had retrieved from the ancient Tji base and which contained the only knowledge about Protogen, had found hints toward this chamber. It looked like nothing much but inside were machinery that could heal their bodies in no time flat. Serious injuries would need repairs first, but then the chamber could take over and relieve the medic of more work so he or she could concentrate on other patients. One of those chambers, well, the only one built, was no busy giving Spike a new look.
The female Protogen settled down and watched the display. She hoped this went well.

* * *

"We searched the whole place. Nada." Steve looked at the other Interfaces, a serious expression on his face. "I talked to this Peter McNeil and Nicholas arrived at the meeting point. McNeil thought Nicholas might be held up."
Jeff frowned. "Do we know which tube he took and where he was supposed to get off?"
Steve nodded. "He took the blue line and got off at the mall stop, right under the food court. Problem is, no one saw him. Kayla, Jill and I spent half a day interviewing employees and regular visitors. No sign of him."
The Interfaces looked at each other, everyone deeply worried. Nicholas was missing and Tornado was going through seizures so strong that they had to keep him under restraints now. The seizures were coming in shorter growing intervals and Tornado was unable to control them. When he came out of them, he was very low on energon and they couldn't replace it as quickly as he needed it. He was dying through it......
Steve had called in the meeting -- without the robot partners who could listen in anyway -- and they were discussing their options. Somehow all had decided that this had to be handled by the Interfaces and Sentinels, at least primarily. Optimus was busy in Below and wouldn't come back until next week. Rodimus was cooped up in a meeting with both doorway teams. That left Midnight -- and Midnight agreed with them. They would handle the matter.
"We have to find him," Kyle said, looking into the round of friends. "Whatever happens to him, it must be around here, on Cybertron. The transmission are quite strong and clear, not muted by distance, and have to come from close by. He can't be on another planet."
Steve exchanged a look with Jeff. "Who could have him?" he asked.
"Nicholas isn't a high-ranking military officer and as an engineer I don't think he has such a high profile either," Winters muttered.
"Well, he is chief engineer," Jill said thoughtfully.
"Still, he is a low profile person."
"But he is an Interface," Kayla suddenly said, drawing all eyes on her. "Whatever happened, someone separated him from Tornado and now he is reconnecting him from time to time..... giving Tornado seizures of pain."
"And he is the easiest of us all to get to," Shanygn added. She had been silent the whole time, her face an icy mask.
"But why?!" Steve exclaimed, starting to pace. "What does this lead to?"
"Tornado's death. And if I'm any judge of Nicholas' condition from the seizures his partner suffers, his death as well." Kyle rubbed his forehead.
Shanygn briefly closed her eyes. "Can't Tornado locate him?" she then asked.
Kyle shook his head. "He's too far gone already. We are lucky he is not slipping any faster than he already is." He didn't need to elaborate on it. Everyone in the room knew what condition the Seeker leader was in. Catastrophic was a much too mild word for it.
"But where do we start looking now?" Kayla asked.
"I have no clue. Whoever took Nicholas, he or they are trying to destroy the Council." Steve shook his head, chewing on his lower lip. "And they are here on Cybertron. Does anyone have a clue as to how we can get in contact with someone who might have an idea who we are looking for?"
"I have," a voice suddenly said.
The Interfaces turned and looked at the robot who had stepped into the dayroom. F/X looked at the assembly of friends.
"I know someone who could be of help."

* * *

Volta sat back and looked at the computer screen. "What do you think?" he asked.
His two friends and fellow Protogens studied the display.
"Looks nothing like any of the other symbols," Domino then remarked.
Volta smiled. "It wasn't supposed to."
Backdraft nodded. "I like it."
"You think Spike will?" Volta asked hopefully.
Backdraft clapped his shoulder lightly. "Have some confidence, Vol. He will like it."
"When will he come out of the chamber?"
She did a quick check on her internal chronometer. "Three more hours."
Domino nodded. "We'll show it to him, then hear what he thinks."

* * *

It was night. Well, on Cybertron there was no real night or day, but since coming in contact with the humans this had grown into a habit. Decades ago night and day had been determined by the work shifts or the power available, but not any longer. Cybertron couldn't call a sun its own since it had never belonged to any kind of planet system, but it was in sufficient distance from a small sun to have at least a rudimentary day-night pattern. Millions of tiny lights shone and illuminated streets and buildings and more. In the human cities Christmas trees were a source of blinking stars of all kinds of colors.
Med bay was silent, most of the humans who regularly worked here either at home or working the night shift in the labs or treatment rooms. First Aid, the Autobot medic on duty, was cooped up in his own research and since no one expected any patients, it was almost deserted. Phoenix sat on a chair close to the bed now occupied by Tornado. He was lying flat on his back, his optics dark, his hands, feet and chest restrained. The last seizure had been so bad that Skywolf had had no other choice than to do it. Tornado was in danger of hurting himself when he lost control -- not to mention the medical personnel he might hit. Humans had been banished from the room long before that, except for Jill who could phase into Skywolf if things turned rough. Phoenix hated to see him chained up like that but it was necessary. The Seeker second-in-command sighed softly.
Suddenly she heard a noise and turned, her golden optics showing surprise when she discovered who her visitor was.
"Hi," Shanygn said softly.
"Hi, Shanygn. What are you doing here? I thought you were sleeping."
"Couldn't."
Phoenix understood. Shanygn climbed up on another chair and watched Tornado for a while, blue eyes haunted and dark. Phoenix thought she knew how the alien woman felt. Nick was her partner, her life mate, and now he was in the hands of whoever, getting mistreated, and no one knew where he was held prisoner.
"Have you been together long?" Shanygn suddenly asked, surprising the Seeker.
"Very long," Phoenix answered softly.
"It doesn't show," Shanygn remarked with a fine smile.
Phoenix tilted her head, trying to understand the remark. "You mean to the outside?" she then asked for clarification.
Shanygn nodded. "I know Rodimus and Silhouette are not very open concerning their relationship when it comes to the public display, but the two of you are downright walled off. Why?"
Phoenix looked at the silent blue robot on the bed. "We've been together for a life time, Shanygn. And this life time has been hard and dangerous and was never pleasant until Braintrust died. It was almost a death sentence to show affection and we both knew it. Our shared moments were brief, but we made the best of it, always aware that a wrong step might make the other a liability. After Braintrust's death .... it's hard to change a behavior that is set deep down inside."
Shanygn nodded.
"And then there is Tornado himself," Phoenix added with a fond smile. "He is fiercely private. I know him well, but believe me, I don't know all of him. He hates to open up completely because of the vulnerability factor, but in the last years I think it changed. Since the alliance between Sentinels and Seekers he has come to trust more. He trusts Midnight, which is a big step."
Shanygn looked at the Seeker leader. "Nicholas said he opened up more lately. He was surprised by it. He also communicated through the link more often."
Phoenix smiled. "He has accepted it."
And now......
Pain lanced through her. If Tornado lost Nicholas...... No! She didn't want to think of that but she discovered that Shanygn thought about it as well. Her expression said it all.
Both females sat together in silence, each wrapped up in her own thoughts, neither daring to accept the fact that their partners might not make it out of this.

* * *

F/X looked at his partner and met a pair of eyes that appeared like chips of ice inside a pale face. "I know you could help, Cathy," he said softly.
Cathy Lee felt a muscle twitch in her cheek. She knew exactly what would happen if she got involved and word got out. Whatever was left of her career would be forever screwed.
As if it isn't already, she thought sourly. She was stuck here, no chance to get a transfer home, and her position as an evaluator was dubious at least. Earth would let her rot, not inclined to help, leaving her to fend for herself. But she at least got payment, she had her quarters and she had some kind of position. If she now agreed to be part of this plan she would be fired. That meant no more money and all the consequences coming from having no income. Being an Interface didn't mean she was entitled to all of the luxuries.
And for what would she give it all up? The life of a Seeker! A robot! And his human partner. Cathy Lee shivered. Her xenophobic side cheered at the prospect of having this robot suffer and eventually die. Her reasonable side, the one that had grown more and more lately, felt sympathetic pain and advised her to go and help.
"I know what it means," F/X now said. "I understand your fears.... but you are our only hope right now -- without falling back to brute force and fire power. You have contacts you can use. They wouldn't suspect you!"
Cathy looked sharply at him. "Contacts?" she asked coldly.
F/X smiled softly and she cursed him for it. "I know you have been contacted by ACL people, Cathy," he told her gently. "And I don't condemn you because of it."
"Why?!" she exclaimed.
F/X always managed to baffle her. The other Sentinels, the Seekers and all the Interfaces with the exception of Jefferson Winters detoured her. They didn't exactly express hatred of her but they gave her an idea what they thought of the Ice Queen. She didn't make an effort to overcome her Xenophobia and radiated an aura of 'Don't talk to me, don't touch me' twenty-four hours a day. F/X was different. Maybe because they were Interfaced, but she had found out that this didn't exactly mean that both partner felt friendly toward each other right from the start. Cavanaugh and Tornado had not had such a good start either. F/X treated her differently, he didn't give up and he was stubborn in his efforts to show her there was more than hatred and fear of aliens. Much more.
"Because I know what is inside you," the Sentinel now answered. "I know Cathy Lee."
She inhaled deeply, cursing him for saying this out loud. Yes, she had contacts and she knew of some people of the ACL who were on Cybertron. They knew her because her parents were quite active ACL members and they had contacted her now and then.
"Just get us the information," F/X went on. "We might be able to take it from there. Please?"
She looked up again and was unable to avoid his pleading optics. Are you influencing me? she asked silently, not using the link. She hated to link up with F/X, mainly because it meant she was confessing that she could and wanted to. F/X wouldn't influence her..... He had never done anything that gave her any reason of distrust.
"I see what I can do," she then said. "I won't promise anything at all, understood?"
"Understood."
She felt the smile he then gave her go through her like a warm shower. Closing her eyes, Cathy fought for composure. Finally she turned and walked away, leaving a quite satisfied F/X behind.

*

Catherine Lee Russell walked into town, ignoring everyone and everything, her mind set on her task. No one had said anything about infiltration but she had decided that there was no other way. She had contacted someone who had approached her the first week she had come to Cybertron and whom she knew intimately. He was her best way into whatever organization had kidnapped Cavanaugh. Maybe he was even part of it. A cold smile played over her lips. If there was money in it, he was most definitely part of it!
She had slammed up every shield she had and hoped that if anyone tried to scan her the link wouldn't show. The bar in question was a rather popular place, filled to the top with people throughout the day. She stepped in, looked around and discovered her contact right away. She knew him -- very well. Memories of their shared past flooded her and she banished them forcefully.
"Hello, Catherine," Carter greeted her as she approached the booth. "Long time no see."
She reigned in her first impulse -- hitting him square in the jaw -- and only nodded and then sat down in the offered place.
"You are even more beautiful than I remember you," Carter told her and smiled suggestively at her.
Cathy Lee treated him to her icy looks. "Get to the point."
His smile didn't fade. "I have heard much about your ... career. You made quite a few jumps up the ladder."
"How nice. You called me here to tell me that? Well, I expected more professionalism. Good day, Carter." She knew it had been a mistake. She should have listened to her instinct when she had found out who might be behind it all -- but she hadn't.
"Oh, please, Cathy."
She flared another icicle at him. "Don't call me Cathy," she said in a tone of voice that suggested his coffin was already measured.
"As you wish, Catherine." Carter leaned forward again. "I was pleasantly surprised to hear you have been transferred here. It gives me such great opportunities ... and you. I know you hate these aliens. All of them."
"That's no secret. Everyone can read my file. Get to the point."
"You are stuck, correct? Earth dumped you here among the aliens and you can't get back."
She looked coldly at him. "I have a job here."
"Please, don't give me that. Evaluator, right?" Carter made a dismissive gesture. "What does Earth offer you? Nothing! Aliens all around you until you retire because of age of psychological problems, then a meager pension and a handshake! You worked hard for those bastards, Catherine. You deserve more! I can offer you something else, something much more .... challenging. And away from here. On Earth, away from the aliens." He smiled. "Come back, work with me. Both of us, side by side! I know you want it deep down inside. Your abilities and expertise, combined with mine! We'd be unbeatable! What do you say?"
"In exchange for what?"
"Access to some of the files you read."
She frowned. "Files? Which ones?"
Carter smiled more. "That I tell you when I need it."
Russell shook her head. "Not like that, Carter. I know about you as well, remember? You are a former terrorist. You sell your services to those paying your fees. You don't always believe in the cause of those you work for; you simply take the money." Now she leaned forward. "You want my services because you can't get to those files, so I want to know why. What files? And what do I get besides a job on Earth?"
Carter gave her a calculating look. "I knew I hadn't underestimated you. Well, let me tell you so much ... you can get your revenge on the Cybertronians..."
"You are planning something?" she interrupted, voice snapping like a whip.
He chuckled. "We are already executing it."
Cathy Lee raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly. "Oh?"
"And it will be a lot of fun to watch it work."
She raised the other. "Need another participant?"
Carter copied her mimicry, his smile slowly growing. "What gives you the idea you can get in?" His hand suddenly touched hers and she had to hold on to herself not to pull it back.
"Because if you want the files, I want in on whatever you are doing."
"I could find someone else."
Russell didn't stop smiling. "No, you couldn't. You asked for my help, you will get it. In exchange for information from your side. I've been here too long. Let me in on your little scheme and you have a new partner." Her smiled grew very suggestive. "I can get you all the files you want in no time. I have access." Carter was silent. "I know you checked my background," Cathy went on voice level. "And I checked yours. What more do you want to know?"
"I will contact my associates and discuss your offer," the ACL terrorist then said. "We will get back to you." His eyes danced over her. "And I hope we can arrange a rather ... intimate working-relationship."
Cathy painted a smile on her face in return, feeling like vomiting deep down inside. She rose and left the bar. She walked down several streets and then took the monorail back to West Central, watching carefully whether or not she had acquired a shadow. No one seemed to follow her. When she was safely back in the secure areas she dared to drop her shields, suddenly feeling exhausted. She had to wait and see now, hoping everything was going as planned.
Are you okay?>
"No!" she snapped. "I'm not!"
Oh>
She rubbed her aching head. "Leave me alone."
Cathy....>
"Out!" she nearly cried.
F/X retreated and she closed her eyes, breathing deeply. This encounter had roused too many old memories of a time when she would have done anything to see an alien removed from her sight, when she would have accepted a death just so her own fears could die with it. It had been the time she had been together with Carter, when they had shared more than just a hatred of everything. She hated this part of her past -- fiercely.
Right now she felt dirty and disgusted with herself because throughout the conversation with Carter she had felt this old hatred rise again. Yes, she wanted to help the ACL but then there were two factors against it: One -- she was an Earth official; and two -- she had changed, slowly, subtly, but she had changed.
Cathy Lee walked over to the small bar and poured herself something strong. She needed it now. After gulping the liquid down she didn't feel a lot better. Not better at all, really. Just more dirty.

* * *

"She made contact," F/X said quietly.
Midnight nodded, giving his friend a scrutinizing look. "We can't let her continue this way, though. Too dangerous."
F/X shook his head. "We still know no more than we did before!"
"What if this Carter discovers what she is up to?"
"I know it's risky and so does Cathy, but it's the only way!"
"He's right," Jeff agreed. "Cathy is our only ticket into this and she can take care of herself."
The Sentinel leader frowned. "All right," he said after a while. "But the moment it gets out of control, we go in and pull her out."
F/X nodded. "Thanks."

* * *

A large, silvery shape glided over the former South Continent, the huge wings almost translucent, shining in a crystalline light. With every beat of his wings Spike learned more and more about his new body. And he got better at flying, too. It wasn't very hard to fly, it just required some concentration and co-ordination, which soon became a normal routine, something he didn't think about. He just did it. And with flying came a new, never before experienced feeling: he felt incredibly free. The surface was far below him and the lights were pinpoints of life. His sharp eyes told him exactly who or what he was looking at and it was so unusual that it thrilled him like a rollercoaster ride. Stabilizing his wings he activated his thrusters and enjoyed the rush of thin air against his skin.
Suddenly someone else joined him in his flight. It was a gargoylesque creature with a terrifying grin and a face that would have been the hit on a Halloween party.
"Neat!" Volta cried, eyeing Spike's alternate mode. "You did it!"
Spike smiled, revealing a set of sharp teeth. Like his human mode, the dragon-like mode was a Protogen construct. He still had the 'ant'-skin.
Yes, he had done it.
No turning back now.
"Hey, you got a moment?" Volta now asked.
"Sure."
"We want to show you what we came up with concerning a new symbol for us."
Spike smiled. "Lead the way!"
They swooped down toward West Central.

* * *

Cathy Lee looked around, surprised, but the surprise didn't show. She was as composed as always. The building had looked like any other old warehouse that would soon be torn down. Since the war had taken its toll on everything, the most important projects were going on in and around West Central. No one had the time and the manpower to do anything about the old buildings.
The room she now stood in was dark, only lit by the light of a large flickering screen. It looked like a hotel room, a very expensive hotel. It was luxuriously furnished. Curtains covered the steel gray walls and gave the whole room a warm look. Near the door stood a male figure. The man had his arms crossed in front of his chest and he was watching her.
"Well?" he asked.
"Nice, Carter. Who did you have to buy to give you so much privacy right in the middle of the enemy?"
He had called her an hour ago, given her directions and then had someone pick her up and driver her here. She had been unable to see where the driver was going to because all windows were dark, but she had caught a glimpse of old warehouses. Still, it didn't mean anything. There were hundreds of them all over Cybertron.
Carter smiled and moved toward her. "You just have to know the right people. I know all the right people." His smile had something predatory.
Cathy moved deeper into the room, getting some distance between herself and Carter. "So, what is it you wanted to talk with me about? Other than you taste concerning interior decoration."
"I thought about our little conversation.... and my associates would like your participation in our plan. They have heard of you. We could use your high priority access very well."
One hand suddenly ran down her arm. Cathy nearly flinched away at the touch. But she controlled herself and turned, the sweetest smile on her lips.
"And what is the plan?" she asked.
Carter drew closer. "Something ingenious. Something beautifully entertaining. We will not blast them or blow them up or poison them... we will kill them through a weakness. The Council!"
Cathy gave him a questioning look. "You cannot get to the Council," she said coolly, though she knew they already had.
"But we already have," Carter whispered. "We have our key to one of them and it's so easy!"
Cathy Lee detached herself from him and walked over to the couch, sitting down. "So you kidnapped an Interface, right? Carter, I always thought you were an intelligent man! He will contact his partner and 'voila!', you are in deep shit."
He smiled at her. "Oh, you underestimate here. I have taken this into consideration ... and took precautions. Have you ever heard of a race called Bemaahhn?"
She shook her head, intrigued.
"Well, they are an old race, loners, without a planet after theirs blew into tiny pieces millennia ago. I found one of them and he has amazing powers. He can shield a telepath for a while ... completely.... and he can drop the shield and prod him to send what he is feeling. Amazing, isn't it?"
"It sounds like fun," she finally said, mind whirling. Part of her was still keeping a link to F/X open and she knew he was receiving this.
"Let me introduce you to him," Carter went on and punched a small button on his wrist-band.
One of the doors at the far end of the room opened and someone stepped in. Cathy Lee raised an eyebrow as she saw that the figure was clad in an exo-suit.
"They can't exist in oxygen-heavy air," Carter told her, one hand caressing her arm. "And believe me, you wouldn't want to look at him. His name is unpronounceable, so I called him Bob. Bob, meet Catherine Lee Russell, a new member of our little family."
The helmeted head turned and she thought she saw several small, red dots looking at her from behind the dark screen. Her next action was purely on instinct: she slammed up her shields, all of them, protecting her link to F/X. The exo-suit clad figure nodded and the noise he made sounded like a clicking and hissing, then he left again. Cathy Lee didn't dare to drop her shields one inch. Suddenly she became aware of Carter's caresses.
"So you want to use him to get to the Council one after another?" she asked, trying to ignore him.
"Yes. Ingenious, isn't' it?"
Carter interrupted his approach long enough to hand her a glass of wine.
Taking a sip from the red liquid in the glass Cathy crossed her long legs and smiled. "Yes, it is. But how do you know it works? Who did you target first?"
Carter rose and walked over to the giant screen, which was currently showing panoramic views of Earth. He punched in a code and suddenly the view changed. Cathy nearly dropped her glass and she had to force every ounce of willpower into the mask she wore. The screen showed a cell. It looked like a lab, but the high security energy bars and the surveillance told enough. In the middle of the room was a table. On it lay a human being, a dark-haired man she had seen multiple times. Nicholas Cavanaugh, chief-engineer of West Central, Tornado's Interface partner. The condition he was in was disastrous. One side of his face was a big bruise, his lip cut open, his eye nearly swollen shut. One hand showed a swelling at the wrist. She didn't want to guess what other injuries were hidden beneath the clothes. Two IVs ran into his arm and he was restrained on ankles, chest and wrists.
"I think I've seen him around West Central before," she said and noticed how cold and controlled her voice sounded.
"Oh, yes, he is an engineer and bound to the Seeker leader Tornado." Carter smiled again.
"What are you using?" she asked with a clinical detachment that surprised and frightened her.
"Well, first we went for the physical aspect to have a background of transmission of pain. Then we opted for the drugs. Hallucinogens and the like." Carter chuckled. "Bob opens the link when we think he is transmitting broadly and gives this mechanoid a dose."
Cathy forced herself to look at the unconscious human. Inside she was screaming in rage and shared pain as her mind presented the facts to her. Nicholas was linked, just like she was, and to even imagine F/X going through what Tornado had to suffer....
"How do you know it works?" she asked, pulling herself together.
"Inside sources."
She made a note of that, not daring to dig deeper. He wouldn't reveal who it was and she knew she'd tread on dangerous ground.
"Ah."
Carter shut off the screen. "Now, about your .... assignment. We need some files .... on other Interfaces we will target." He drew closer and laid his hands on her shoulders from behind. "You think you are up to it?"
Cathy smiled. "Of course."
His breath tickled her hair. "I knew you hadn't lost your edge."
She drew away. "Who am I working for?"
"For me."
"You know what I mean, Carter. Who is behind this whole scheme? ACL never came up with such extreme plans, though some of the members had wild ideas, granted."
He smiled. "Our boss is a secret person. I don't know him and I don't care who this guy is as long as the money flow to my account."
Cathy hadn't expected anything else, but it had been worth a try. "I should get back before someone gets suspicious."
"Of course." Carter grinned. "We wouldn't want to compromise you." He walked her to the door.
Cathy Lee didn't dare to breathe a breath of relief in fear some one would see it. She took the monorail back to West Central, all the time keeping her shields up, afraid this Bemaahhn might pick it up. After half an hour of silently watching the landscape flash by she arrived home. The moment the doors of her office/quarters closed she sagged and stumbled over to the couch.
"God...." she whispered as she curled up, not knowing what to do next. She couldn't lower her shields even if she wanted to. It was like trying to move a hurting limb because you knew on every emotional level that it would hurt like blazes. But she also couldn't send a memo or mail in fear that someone had hacked into the system and would read it. Cathy ragged her brains as to how to get the information she had to F/X when someone knocked softly.
"Open," she commanded.
The door slid open and she nearly wanted to yell at the huge robot to get out again.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed instead.
"Looking for you.... You didn't call back when you came in." F/X looked confused.
"I couldn't. Looks like we have a security problem," she snapped. Forcing calmness back into her voice she gave him a brief idea of what was going on.
F/X gave an almost noiseless gasp as she reported on Nick's condition. "Any idea where they have him?" he asked, audibly shocked.
"No. It was a transmission. Could be in the building or some place else."
"I'll give your information to the others. We need to research on this Bemaahhn. Maybe there is a way to counteract his powers." F/X paced the room, then he stopped and looked at her. "You did great, Cathy. Thanks."
She found herself smiling involuntarily. "It's not over."
"For you, yes, it is."
"We don't even know where Cavanaugh is! And I can get to Carter easier than anyone else."
The Sentinel shook his head. "Too dangerous. What if he finds out?"
"He won't," she said icily. "I can protect myself."
"Yes, I know," he said softly and Cathy became painfully aware of the shields again. But she couldn't drop them. It was impossible.
"You get the information to the others, but not to an outsider. Someone in here is watching your moves. Be careful." She tried to put even more ice into her voice. "And don't contact me that often. It might raise suspicions."
F/X looked a bit hurt, though his voice showed none of it. "You are Earth's contact to Cybertron. You talk to us. Nothing suspicious about it."
Cathy wanted to tell him that she was sorry about the shields, that she just needed time to drop them one by one, but the words wouldn't come over her lips. F/X nodded at her and then left.
"What am I doing?" she whispered and tears welled up. She fought them down and walked to the bathroom, the only human-sized room in the whole apartment. A shower was what she needed now, though she knew it wouldn't clean her conscience.

* * *

Spike gave the symbol on the screen a scrutinizing look, very much aware of the fidgeting Volta and the mysteriously smiling Backdraft. Domino was trying to reign in his impatience while their leader looked at the new insignia.
"Well..." he started and Volta flinched. "Look good. Very good."
"You really think so?" Volta asked nervously.
"Yes, I think so, Volta. This actually looks ...cool."
Backdraft chuckled.
"I have a meeting with Optimus tomorrow and I'll talk to him about it."
Volta and Domino cheered, Backdraft only nodded.
"Did you hear that Disaster had to build another shell?" Backdraft asked when the two others had gone off, both happily talking about the new symbol like two kids who had just found out what they'd get for Christmas.
Spike nodded. "I saw him when I was released from the chamber. I'm going over to med bay now. Care to accompany me?"
She nodded. "Why not. I'd like to meet our new brother or sister."
And they were on their way.

* * *

The message came in two hours after she had come back. Cathy Lee stared at it, then deleted it from the screen. She leaned back, closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.
This was it.
After a while she rose, walked over to the bedroom and got dressed.

* * *

[Shan?]
The soft voice invaded the silence of the dark room. Shanygn had her legs tugged under her as she stared at the emptiness around her, unwilling to either move or speak. She had been here since ..... she didn't know how long.
[Shanygn, I know you can hear me]
Of course she heard him. They were linked.
[What's up?] she asked, unable to keep her mind voice stable enough to sound normal. She didn't even try; Rodimus knew what was wrong already.
Someone approached her silently and sat down, the massive body shadowing her. [Nothing that needs attention] he answered. His blue optics were the only piece of color in the darkness. [Except for you]
Shanygn looked up and though she didn't see a lot of her partner, his emotions coming through the link were quite enough to give her an idea of what he was feeling.
[I'm doing okay]
[Good one, Shan. Try again] he told her dryly.
Shanygn inhaled deeply and leaned against him. Rodimus cupped a hand around her, unable to do more. The difference in size made it impossible.
[I don't want to lose him, Roddy] she finally whispered.
Rodimus didn't say 'You won't' or protested that she shouldn't think so negatively. Losing Nicholas was a very real option everyone had to face, especially when looking at Tornado who was a mirror of what Nicholas had to feel.
[I can't lose him] she continued, her mind voice choked with emotions. [We survived so much and now.... now we have become targets! All of us! It simply continues!]
The young Autobot knew what she meant. Shanygn had been the target of an assassination attempt because someone had tried to hit Rodimus with it; she had nearly died. Now someone had kidnapped Nicholas to hit Tornado and he was succeeding.
Rodimus touched her through the link and tried to comfort her the only way he had: his presence. Shanygn let him, her mind open, her shields down, her emotions quite clear now. He didn't care.
[Yes, we are] he said after a while. [I wish you weren't as well, but....]
[No guilt trip, okay?] she whispered, voice choked with emotions.
He smiled down at her. [Me? Never!]
[Good one, Roddy. Try again] Shanygn told him with a forced smile.
He chuckled, but there was no humor in it. Everything was going down around them, a least concerning Earth, and the humans on Cybertron were caught in the middle. Where would it ever end?

* * *

Midnight rubbed his forehead and felt a headache coming. Unlike Cybertronians and most of the non-Interfaced Sentinels he had somehow adopted this human headache business. Well, it was no surprise, really. He was Interfaced with a human and had been so for almost all his life. Right now his brain unit was aching.
"It's getting out of hand," he finally said.
F/X gave him a pleading look. "She is so close, Mid!"
Midnight returned the pleading gaze calmly. "No one ever said anything about infiltrating! F/X, you know what the dangers are better than anyone. She is among those who have kidnapped Nicholas, who have managed to separate him from Tornado and she has slammed up shields strong enough to induce pain through the link! This has gone far enough!"
F/X shook his head. "No! Midnight, please! Please let us finish it!"
The Sentinel leader sighed deeply. "F/X, listen.... I don't want to lose you and Cathy because of this stunt."
F/X hung his head. "You won't," he finally told his friend.
"How do you know? If they discover her....."
"Then I'll get her out," he answered quickly.
Midnight shot him a surprised look. "How? Don't tell me she phases at this distance!"
F/X shrugged. "I think we could do it when she opens the link...."
"What if she doesn't?"
The blue and yellow colored Sentinel sighed. "Give us a few more hours, okay? This Carter has accepted her and she has returned to their base. Please!"
Midnight fought his inner voice of reason and finally nodded. "Okay, you two have twelve more hours, then she has to get out. Take someone along when you get airborne."
"What will we do if the twelve hours don't give us a clue to Nicholas' whereabouts?" F/X then asked quietly.
His leader looked lost. "I have no clue, F/X. None at all."

* * *

Cathy walked around the complex and kept an eye out for security. No one was apprehending her. And then she stopped abruptly, her throat tightening, her stomach turning into a fist of ice. In front of her stood a humanoid figure in an exo-suit. The featureless helmet was more frightening than an actual alien face. Cathy Lee felt her shields slam up unbidden. They were stronger than anything she had ever done and she hoped that it would be enough to hide her Interface link from the strange creature.

F/X winced and nearly fell against the table. His mind rocked under the impact of a shield.
"F/X?" Wild Card asked, worried.
"Something must be happening," the other Sentinel whispered, voice laced with pain. "Stronger shields...." He groaned again. He had never encountered such a strong wall before, not even when she had willingly tried to shove him out. Something was forcing her to cut them apart.
Wild Card caught his arm and stabilized him. "Shields?" he echoed.
"Trying to ... shield all traces of the ... link!" F/X gasped.
"She is trying to separate?!"
He shook his head. "No," he answered weakly. "I think I heard her think about this alien again......"
Wild Card stared at his friend, the consequences of this sinking in. Some alien life form was keeping Nicholas shielded from Tornado, occasionally opening the link and torturing the Seeker leader with the agony and desperation Nicholas had experienced or was still experiencing. And now Russell faced this person.
"If he detects the Interface...." he said slowly.
F/X nodded. "That's the reason for the shields." He breathed deeply. "I can take it."
Wild Card gave him a dubious look.
"Really," F/X added, straightening. "Just have to adjust to the shields...." His voice sounded strained.
"Maybe you should sit this one out," Wild Card started. The look in F/X's eyes silenced him immediately. "Let's go," he then simply said.
The two jets took off.

Cathy Lee trembled, though on the outside she was completely calm, almost stoic. The Bemaahhn didn't move a finger, simply stared at her. Again she thought she saw tiny red dots behind the visor, glowing, fixed on her, searching. Then the alien said something that was nothing but clicking and whirring. Then the translator kicked in.
"You have come to help your friend."
"What are you talking about?" she asked coldly.
"I know you have. I want to help you."
Cathy Lee frowned. "Help me with what? I'm not here to save anyone."
Amusement rang in the next words. "Of course not. Follow me."
He turned and walked down the corridor. Cathy Lee hesitated for a second, then followed cautiously. The Bemaahhn lead her down a flight of emergency stairs and into what looked like a normal cellar. It wasn't normal, she knew, because to get in you needed a special code card which he used.
"Your friend is here," he then said and opened another door.
Cathy Lee steeled herself against the picture presenting itself. Nicholas Cavanaugh lay on a bunk in the corner, curled up, obviously in pain, but not unconscious. When he heard the door open he looked up. His eyes widened as he discovered the alien in the exo-suit and he gave a moan of denial.
"Why have you brought me here?" Cathy Lee asked quietly.
The alien turned to her and she saw her reflection in the mirrored visor. "Inflicting that much pain is wrong. Destroying lives is wrong."
"Well, you should have thought of that when you hired on for the job," she told him coolly.
"I never hired on."
"Oh?"
The Bemaahhn didn't go further into it.
"And what do you think I can do?" Cathy asked as she walked over to Nicholas and carefully brushed hair out of his face. She winced. He looked terrible, his skin pale and drawn, a beard stubble shadowing his chin and cheeks. His eyes looked glazed and he didn't seem to recognize her. Cavanaugh was in shock.
"Get him out of here so his friends can take him home," the alien said.
"Listen ...Bob, right?" She frowned at the name. It just didn't sound right. "Listen, I won't do anything the like ...."
"You don't work for Carter," he interrupted her.
She raised an eyebrow.
"You are Interfaced," Bob stated softly.
Cathy caught herself before blurting, "How do you know?!" and simply smiled coldly.
"You must be hallucinating."
Bob tilted his head. "No. You are shielding this link, I can feel it, and you are hurting not only yourself but also your partner. You link is fragile and new."
Cathy felt the fist of ice grow. "Why don't you run to Carter and tell him then?" she whispered.
"Because I want this to stop. The human is in pain and his partner is close to losing himself completely. I do not want it to continue. I never had a way to stop it, now I have. Help me." Bob's voice had an almost pleading tone.
"I can't get him out of here! He's totally out of it!" she protested.
"You only need to get him out into the open. I can help you as far as that." Bob took a syringe out of a hidden compartment in his suit. "This will help your friend for a short time, then he will collapse again."
Cathy took the medical instrument with cautious fingers. "How do I know I can trust you?" she asked quietly.
"You don't," the mysterious alien said.
She hesitated a second longer, then injected the liquid into Nick's veins, praying she was doing the right thing.

* * *

F/X was cruising over West Continent, brushing by the South borders, keeping an open link for any sign from Catherine. Wild Card was accompanying him. He would be able to get wherever she was in no time if she only opened her shields to give him a homing signal. He was still suffering heavily from the shields and it wasn't getting better. He just hoped it would soon be over......

* * *

Nicholas was semi-conscious and walking, but Cathy still had to support his weight as they stumbled down a dark cellar corridor. Bob strode ahead and Cathy followed him as fast as it was possible with her 'patient'. After five minutes Bob stopped and keyed a code into an almost invisible door opener that had been set into the wall. Part of the wall slid back and Cathy looked down another corridor.
"This leads into the open," the alien explained to her. "And it is as far as I can come with you."
"It's as far as anyone of you comes," another voice rang through the tunnel.
Cathy froze. Carter! She turned and faced the terrorist.
"Well, I should have listened to reason," Carter said conversationally while a rather unconversational gun pointed at her. "After such a long time you come back to me and it was all too good to be true. I should have remembered how you openly separated from the ACL and tried to live a normal life, Cathy Lee." He shook his head. "But I didn't. Still, it's never too late to learn." He looked at Bob. "As for you, I expected this -- sooner or later." He shrugged. "I just have to find another way to follow my plans."
Prepare to run>
Cathy nearly lost it when the alien voice could be heard in her head, using the same frequency F/X usually did. Everything inside her froze for a micro-second, nausea rising up, and she could taste bile in the back of her throat. He stomach heaved and fought her xenophobia down with every ounce of willpower she had.
She shot an acid look at the Bemaaahhn who didn't even look at her.
Now!>
And Carter cried out. He grabbed his head, but he wasn't as shocked as Cathy would have thought. His finger squeezed around the trigger and the shot tore right through the exo-suit and exploded out of the back -- taking Bob's insides with it. Cathy felt like throwing up, her mind falling into what she recognized as the first stages of xenophobic shock as she saw the alien body collapse, bleeding and mutilated. She stared at the greenish white liquid seeping heavily out of the shot wound. Then her survival instinct kicked in and she began to run, dragging Nicholas with her. The dark-haired man was able to coordinate his legs into a running pace but she still had to pull him after her. Carter was still too confused from the Bemaahhn's attack to react to her flight, but he wouldn't stay that way.
Cathy Lee opened her Interface link a fraction as she ran toward what she hoped wasn't a dead end and was greeted by muted pain and the valiant effort to control it. Fear coursed through her, coming unbidden and completely out of an instinct she had never felt rise before. It combined with her still lingering shock and already present fear.
Fox?!> she whispered, unable to stop herself.
The presence at the other end of the link twitched slightly. Cathy....> a well-known voice breathed, sounding weak.
Russell felt a wave of guilt flood through her. She hadn't been aware of how much pain she had induced....
Home in on me! We need help! Fast!> she cried, relaying the urgency with the emotions that accompanied the words.
We are already on our way!>

* * *

Tornado's hands clenched and unclenched, his optics flickering into life. They focused on the ceiling above, grew stronger and then he sat up.
"Tornado..."
First Aid never had a chance. The Seeker's hand caught him by the neck, curling around it like a vice. First Aid gave a strangled gasp and tried to pry the hand open that buried itself into his sensitive neck. The softer metal protested and then cracked. First Aid gave a wheeze of pain. Tornado slammed him into the wall. The Autobot medic collapsed, visor flickering once, then switching off. Tornado didn't even look at him. He walked out of the door, no one stopping him. He was driven by an inner force no one and nothing would be able to stop: emotional pain. His Interface link was on fire with Nicholas' emotions, all of them fear, pain, agony and desperation.
He had to find him!

* * *

F/X was racing toward Cathy's location, ignoring every safety rule, leaving Wild Card behind. F/X was one of the fastest flyers and his abilities had increased since the Interface. It was no small wonder for Wild Card that his friend was soon nothing more but a distant spot.

* * *

The doors loomed up in front of her. Cathy's heart pounded, frantically pulling Nicholas after her. She thought she heard footsteps behind her. Surprisingly the door wasn't locked and she pulled it open -- and found herself staring into the business end of a gun.
"Where are we going, beautiful?" the man asked and she recognized him as one of Carter's henchmen. Hendricks, if she wasn't mistaken.
"None of your damn business!" she hissed.
"Tsk-tsk-tsk....."
Nicholas suddenly gave a loud groan and stumbled forward. Then man was caught by surprise by this movement and his weapon briefly swerved away from Cathy.
Cathy Lee wasn't as untrained as she looked. She had been given quite an extensive self-defense training some years ago and she had always freshened up her knowledge. It didn't mean she was a pro, but she knew where to hit so it hurt. Now she hit her opponent's wrist with one hand, disarming him quite effectively, following this with a fist squarely in the jaw. As Hendricks made a grab for her she rammed her heavily booted foot into a very vulnerable section. Hendricks went down immediately, eyes wide, threatening to pop out, and a wheeze passed his lips. Then he blacked out.
Cathy Lee straightened, panting -- and discovered that Hendricks had brought his friends along.

Nicholas, who had discovered the same just a minute earlier, focused all his strength into one move. He felt terribly weak and was disoriented, but he knew what was at stake. His Interface link was blazing with pain, screaming agony at him. His eyes fixed on the man beside him -- the enemy, the one who had done all of this to him -- and he exploded into adrenaline-driven movement, his fist driving into the mid-section of the man, doubling him over. The man gave a gasp, but he wasn't downed easily. He returned the favor. A knife slashed toward him and Nicholas stumbled out of the way, avoiding the sharp blade by sheer luck. He tripped on something and lost his balance. Cavanaugh fell backwards, slamming hard onto an unyielding surface. Suddenly the surface tilted and he slid back. With a gasp he tried to find a hold. His hands encountered something sharp and he cried out in pain as the sharp object cut into his hand. Blood slickened his hold and he fell. Nicholas hit the floor, or whatever, and was close to losing consciousness for a while, but he fought to stay out of the velvety darkness and finally he got his vision cleared.

His cry of pain was echoed by another cry coming from Tornado who had arrived a second ago. The Seeker leader stumbled, grabbing his left hand as if he had been cut as well. With all their shields down Tornado was experiencing everything his partner was and human emotions were overwhelming enough when the shields were up. Looking up, silver optics almost white, his gaze fixed on the enemy.
His gun appeared.

Carter arrived to see Cathy down one of his men and Cavanaugh falling into an old repair pit. A robot was leaning hard against the neighboring warehouse and he recognized him as the Seeker bonded to Cavanaugh.
Good!
Carter stalked over to the pit and looked down.

Tornado's mind was blank except for one thought: save Nick!
A man aimed his own gun at his helpless partner and it ignited a chain reaction inside the Seeker. Tornado's finger curled around the trigger.

The man did the same, grinning coldly.

Cathy saw it as well and her mouth opened to yell a word of warning or protest.

F/X was swooping out of the sky the same instant, yelling at Tornado to stop.

Two shots could be heard -- one after another.

Tornado's shot was the first, hitting the human with full force, propelling him forward, right into the pit. The second shot went wild as the man's finger twitched spasmodically. It bounced harmlessly off the wall. Tornado simply stood there, trembling, then the weapon fell out of his suddenly limp hand and cluttered to the ground.
He collapsed.

Nicholas rolled around and winced as he tried to lever himself up with his left hand. It radiated sharp pain and he hissed, nearly collapsing again. He managed to get into a sitting position and finally discovered where he was: inside some kind of old service pit. Above him were sounds of fighting, two shots could be heard, but suddenly there was nothing but silence. And then someone crashed down beside him. Nicholas gave an exclamation of shock and stared at the obviously dead body. He staggered to his feet, feeling a bit dizzy. He looked at his hand and saw a steady stream of blood running out of the deep cut. The sight made him feel even more dizzy and he had to lean against the wall of the tunnel. Nick shivered a bit, starting to sweat, though his lips were dry. He tried stanching the flow of blood by pressing his arm against his stomach, but the shirt he was wearing was soon soaked.
Pain raced along the Interface link, bouncing off his own mind, reflecting back into the link and multiplying in strength. He couldn't think clearly any more.
Something loomed over him all of a sudden and a large hand reached down, plucking him off the floor. He couldn't resist. Like through a haze he saw a familiar face. F/X. He was set down again and his knees gave way. Someone caught him and kept him from hitting the floor again.
His unfocused eyes identified the figure beside him as Cathy Lee Russell.
"You?" he asked, his voice weak and almost inaudible.
Cathy seemed to have heard him though. "Yes."
Nicholas licked his lips, trying to concentrate, but he was quickly losing hold on reality. "What ... happened?"
"We got them."
Nicholas smiled dimly, then he drifted into the waiting blackness. The last conscious sensation of was that of Tornado reaching for him.

Cathy Lee was just quick enough to catch the falling body, blood smearing over her overall. A stab of pain ran through her as she cushioned Nick's fall, the pain returning in full when she saw the freely bleeding wound. The bruises all over his face didn't help either.
Fox!> she cried through the mind-link. Ambulance! Fast!>
She wasn't even aware that she had used the link. Cathy Lee cursed under her breath and tried to stop the blood flow. She didn't know how much of this translated through the link. Tornado had to be going through living hell. Something told her he would not be able to take it on top of all the other stuff he had been through for a long time.
And then a well-known ambulance appeared and transformed into First Aid -- a slightly battered looking First Aid. Two human medics were with him, one of them Kyle. He took one look and knew what they had at their hands. First Aid went back into his car mode.
"Get him in!" he ordered.
Cathy watched them lift and carry Nicholas into the vehicle, then rush off with blaring sirens. Suddenly she felt very cold. Her teeth started to chatter with the reaction to it all. She saw blood on her hands and sweater and it made her think of Bob again. Bile rose in her throat and her knees grew weak. Terror swept through her and froze the blood in her veins.
Cathy?>
The gentle voice invaded the fear and pushed it away, embracing her in a way she had come to understand and accept. She forced herself to look up and discovered F/X. The sight of her Sentinel partner gave her a bit of her old strength back, but she felt incredibly exhausted now. Deep inside her xenophobic shock was still trying to take over but she wouldn't let it. A tremor passed through her and she fought it down.
Security was starting to swarm all over the place, taking those they she had downed into custody and searching the place. Wild Card and Phoenix had arrived with them, taking care of Tornado who was totally unresponsive.
I'm okay> she muttered, again using the link. Somehow she didn't mind, couldn't mind.... she was too tired.
Let's go back> her robot partner decided.
She nodded. She needed a shower and some sleep, then she was ready to face the world again.

* * *

Twenty-four hours later Nicholas sat on the examination table and let Dr. Kyle Scott check him a last time. There was a misgiving expression on his face and Nick knew he was counting the multiple bruises decorating his patient's body. Nick felt very bruised and sore, and then there was the deep cut which had severed not only skin and muscle tissue, but also sinews and had nearly nicked the bone. It had been cleaned and closed with several stitches. Three injections had deadened the pain and Nicholas had gone through hell when the injections had worn off. He clearly remembered the first wave of pain until the moment Kyle had given him some painkillers. But the worst of it all was his messed-up mind. He felt like packed in cotton and everything seemed to be far, far away from him. Kyle suspected this was a combination of still-lingering shock, the pain, the exhaustion and remainders of the alien's mind attacks.
"Okay, your wrist looks fine, but take care of the rib." Kyle shook his head. "You have more bruises than I can count. Keep that hand still and don't exert yourself."
"Thanks," Nicholas muttered, feeling like he could sleep for a week.
He wished his head would at least clear up a bit. It ached abominably, as did his link. He knew he had to find Tornado, had to see his partner, but he didn't feel up to more than simply collapsing on the next bed. The last day had been a blur. He knew he had been brought to med bay, then there had been nothing at all. A twenty-four hour blank. It was scary.
"Where's Tornado?" he asked.
"With the others. They had to restrain him in order to give us the necessary time to treat you. I know you two need to see each other, Nick, but just take it easy, okay? You've been through too much to do more than just say 'hello'. No phasing, whatever your instinct says. You would make your condition worse. As for Tornado's condition, I think we can count ourselves lucky that we don't have a raging robot on our hands. It was close for him. He nearly lost it."
Nicholas bit his lip, knowing this already. Even now his shields were too thin for his own comfort and he felt his partner close by. Tornado had very nearly made the step over the edge into madness. Close call indeed.
"I know."
Kyle nodded and helped him down, then accompanied him out of the treatment room. Shanygn was already on her feet, anxiously looking at her partner. Tornado was at her side in a flash, silver optics brilliantly lit with worry. He looked like hell and Nick knew just how he had to feel. He felt it as well. Their link was burning with remnants of what they had been through and he knew it would take time to heal. The damage done was more extensive than thought.
"Hi, guys," he whispered.
"Get him to rest, Shanygn," Kyle ordered. "Put him in bed and don't let him out until he has recovered enough to add two and two together."
"Seven," Nick muttered.
"What?"
"It's seven."
Kyle grimaced. "See what I mean?"
Shanygn smiled. "I think between me and Tornado we can keep him down."
Kyle nodded and left. Nicholas sighed silently and suddenly discovered Cathy Lee Russell, who was leaning against the door's frame. She looked tired and there was a bruise decorating her left cheek, but otherwise she was fine. And if Nicholas wasn't completely off, she looked really worried, though it was a worry she was trying to hide. When their eyes met, Russell turned and left. Nick blinked -- and was bodily lifted off the ground the next moment.
"Ey," he protested faintly.
"You are going to rest, just like the doctor ordered," Tornado said sternly and Nick heard the exhaustion and pain out of his partner's voice.
Tornado...I....>
Shut up and take care of yourself> Tornado managed to relay enough authority to shut him up, but Nicholas felt his worry even more now. We can talk later>
Nick wasn't sure how they got him to bed, really. He faintly remembered someone undressing him, then there was nothing.

* * *

Cathy had curled up on her couch and watched TV. The soap opera wasn't rousing her interest and she had not dared to switch to NTV, the 24-hour News Television station. She didn't want to hear propaganda from Earth anymore. She was fed up with it.
"Coffee?"
A mug of coffee was placed in front of her and she looked up, smiling a bit. "Thanks, Jeff."
Jeff Winters smiled back and sat down beside her. "Feel any better?"
She took the mug and sipped at the hot liquid. She felt so tired and exhausted but she couldn't sleep. She had taken a long, hot shower, then made herself some tea and tried to sleep, but to no avail. TV didn't help. Neither did work. Now she sat clad in baggy clothes that were so totally different from her normally so crisp and styled exterior that she seemed to have transformed into another person. She remembered Bob's death in all the gruesome details but it seemed to be no longer such a big deal concerning her xenophobia, though she wouldn't take any bets concerning nightmares. She was still horrified by the events, but no more than a normal human being. Jeff had come over two hours after Nicholas had been brought back and asked how she was. She had kicked him out. He had come back again and this time she hadn't had the heart to repeat the procedure. Jeff was a friend, maybe her only friend among the human population, and she needed one right now.
"A bit," she confessed. "How is Cavanaugh?"
"Up and about ... well, as much as he is allowed to. Shanygn and Tornado are keeping a close eye on him and he can't do much with his hand." Jeff grinned a bit. "He finally has to take time off from work to relax."
Cathy Lee chuckled and it actually felt good. She couldn't remember when she had last laughed without forcing herself to do it. She sobered as she remembered that she still had to send some reports to Earth. She dreaded it; she hated it; she didn't want to continue any more. A few months among the aliens had changed her more than she had ever thought. Her fear of everything alien wasn't gone -- xenophobia wasn't cured that easily -- but she knew she was changing. Slowly, surely, without question.
"And so should you," Jeff added.
She looked at him. "I can't. I have a job to do."
"Cathy, you did more than enough already!"
Cathy Lee steeled herself. "I have a job, Jeff. I have to do it because it earns the money I need. As long as Earth doesn't kick me out I'm still employed by them. Please understand....?"
Jeff sighed and nodded. "Just remember that you can quit your old life any day," he said softly.
"I can't. It's not that easy."
A sad smile tugged at his lips. "It is, believe me. My life changed from one day to the next and I'm not talking about that." He pointed at the scars on his face. "Wild Card changed it. There is no denying your partner and what it means."
Cathy Lee rose abruptly and placed the mug on the table. "I won't accept it! I have a life! I have a job! Do you expect me to change everything because of ...of ... him!?"
Jeff shook his head, smiling softly. "You already have."
She hugged herself and he walked over to her, gently touching her arms.
"Your whole world changed when you Interfaced with him and it will continue to change. It's nothing bad and you know it. You have accepted his presence and all you have to do is to let him help you; let us help you. You did good out there, Cathy. You risked your life for one of us and you cared."
"It won't work."
Jeff forced her to look into his eyes. "It already is," he repeated. "Just let it happen."

* * *

Everything was silent and dark. Shanygn lay in bed, awake and very much aware of the warm body at her side. Nicholas had his head buried in the pillow. He had fallen asleep right after they had arrived at their quarters and hadn't even woken when she had slipped in hours later. She smiled at her partner, brushing one hand over his skin, wincing as she touched the bruises. Nicholas moved faintly and then opened an eye.
"Good morning," Shanygn whispered.
Nicholas gave her a faint smile. The reason were bruised lips. He turned so his head was resting on her stomach and she caressed his head, hands sliding through his dark hair. His heavily bandaged hand lay on her body, one more reminder of his condition.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"Hurting all over," he answered, voice muffled by the blanket.
Shanygn gently rubbed his back. "It will get better, Nick."
He looked at her, smiling as much as he could without pulling at the injuries. His face looked like someone had used it as a punching ball and someone had. He was still too pale, his cheeks slightly hollow, the haunted expression in his eyes only slowly fading away. Shanygn had no real idea what he had gone through, but she had a vivid imagination and she had seen Tornado..... It had been bad. Very, very bad.
"Yeah, well, it's just .... a pain."
She chuckled, but in a way she didn't feel like laughing. She had nearly lost him. She had been so terrified to lose him. Nicholas tried to rise, but sank back with a moan. Shanygn had to laugh.
"Just give your body the time needed and rest," she said gently and watched as he tried to find a comfortable position. There seemed to be none.
"Ow," he only muttered.
Shanygn chuckled again. "Oh, by the way: Merry Christmas."
He rolled his eyes to look at her and grimaced even more. "Oh, darn," he muttered.
"What?"
"I forgot."
Shanygn raised one blue eyebrow. "Forgot what?" She thought she aleady knew. He had probably forgotten all about the holiday. "Christmas?"
"No!" he protested. "I didn't." He sighed again.
"What?" she prodded gently.
Nicholas met her amused eyes. "I didn't wrap it." Shanygn had to laugh. "Not funny," he muttered.
She gently tousled his hair. "It is."
"It's hidden in the sock drawer," Nicholas murmured.
Shanygn, curious about his present, got out of bed and walked over to the sock drawer, pulling it open. She found a small box and took it with her back to the bed. Nicholas watched her with anxious eyes. Shanygn opened the box and froze, eyes growing wide.
How....?
How had he....?
Nicholas cleared his throat nervously. When she didn't react he briefly closed his eyes, inhaling as deeply as he dared with his battered ribs.
"I'm sorry," he muttered. "It's wrong."
Shanygn was jolted out of her shock and looked at her partner who gave her a pleadingly apologizing look.
"Nick, how....?"
"I.... I asked Rodimus because you are linked and he might know....." he stammered, looking mortified. "I know it was wrong, I'm sorry..... I'll return it...."
Shanygn laid a finger on his lips and stopped his stumbling apology. "No," she said gently. She took out the delicate piece of metal. "It's not... It's just.... unexpected."
A little hope lit up Nicholas' eyes. "You don't think it's ...offending?"
Shanygn slid the dark gray metal bracelet over her hand and fastened it around her wrist. It sat perfectly, reflecting the dim light. It was a piece of her past, a piece she didn't connect nightmarish memories with. The bracelet had been custom among her kind when two people got closer, becoming partners, sharing their lives. It was not like a human wedding ring though.
"No," she now said and caressed his cheek, kissing him softly. "Thank you."
Nicholas smiled happily. "Merry Christmas."
She chuckled. "To you too. And you'll get your present when you are back on your own two feet again because it means you have to be mobile."
"Oh?"
She snorted. "Take you mind out of the gutter, Mister."
Nicholas laughed, then moaned as his ribs protested. This would take a while and he knew he would hate every minute of it – just Shanygn would love every minute of him not working. Well, he'd suffer through it. Somehow.....

* * *

Optimus looked at the man facing him on the screen and was glad that the human wasn't here in person. He wouldn't have taken any bets as to what his reactions would have been. Now he appeared totally calm outside while he was seething inside. He exchanged a few more pleasantries and then shut down the link, turning around. He wondered how Daniel could stand it. Dealing with Earth was slowly turning into a nightmarish migraine!
"I can't believe these people!" he whispered.
Silhouette looked at the dark screen. She had been in Optimus' office, giving him a report about the last Counterstrike missions she and Cyclonus had completed, when the call had come in and Optimus had gestured her to stay. She had listened silently to the exchange, mostly a one-sided monologue from the human while Optimus had listened. It all came down to a few sickening facts. The humans kidnapping Nicholas, those who had been caught, had been charged with kidnapping, attempted murder and armed assault concerning Nicholas, and armed assault concerning Cybertronian forces. They had also discovered the spy, the 'mole', and had charged him with assisting these crimes. Earth had asked that the prisoners would be brought to Earth and Optimus had complied. If he had only known .... if he had known that they would drop all charges and set them free, he would have risked a diplomatic incident by keeping the humans on Cybertron and trying them here. Now, to make it even more grotesque, Earth was pressing charges of murder against Tornado for killing the human who had nearly shot Nicholas.
"I don't know why, Optimus, but they are doing this intentionally," Silhouette said.
The Autobot leader sighed. "I know. They are trying to provoke and irritate us, and I think it works." He rubbed his forehead.
Silhouette placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't fight it but don't show it either. That's what they want. This is all a farce."
Optimus sighed again, wishing he would once be free of problems. He turned back to his files and reached for the paper right on top, looking at it with a faint smile in his optics.
"What's that?" Silhouette asked.
"Spike has proposed to give the Protogens a separate symbol. This is what they came up with."
Silhouette studied the symbol. It was a black triangular shape with 'ear's, looking like a stylish fox head with insectoid eyes. A red triangle was on the 'forehead', the only spot of color.
"Interesting," she said. "I like it."
Optimus nodded. "I told Spike they can use it as the new Protogen insignia." He looked thoughtful. "A new generation, Sil."
She nodded. "And maybe the future. Protogen."

* * *

Kyle wondered why these places had to smell like they did. Even on Cybertron an autopsy room was colored in what the medic could only call vomit-green, smelled strongly of disinfectant and was brightly lit to show even the tiniest detail. Gurneys were lined up and all were empty except for one. The body of the dead alien had not been brought back to West Central but was currently in the Medical Examiner's building in town. Kyle Scott had contacted Dr. Emily DeFries and asked her if he could use the autopsy suit before they had transferred the body and his colleague had readily agreed to let him. Now she stood beside the table with the body on it and nodded at him. Her blond hair was piled under a surgeon's cap, her face already covered.
"Ready?" she asked.
Kyle, dressed up in surgeon's clothes as well, nodded. "Let's start."
The autopsy turned out to be a long and complicated matter, interrupted by DeFries taking pictures of special features or zooming in the camera that was recording the event. Kyle worked methodically, trying to determine what they were looking at, but since he had no clue as to what species a Bemaahhn was, he could only guess. Skywolf was already searching through the files for any records of this alien species and Kyle hoped the Sentinel medic would find something.
Twelve hours after they had begun, two hours after finishing his report, Kyle stood in Midnight's office.
"I have no clue as to how this alien was able to severe the link," he told the black robot. "But then, you wouldn't be able to tell the we Interfaces are linked to a partner through an autopsy. It's a matter of how to use your areas of the brain, combining several aspects which can only be studied on a live brain. All I can tell you is that the Bemaahhn are an insectoid race." Kyle took out his notes and scanned them. "A bit arachnid in general look, but still humanoid. A spider on two legs. Not a pretty sight, I can tell you. His muscle power is five times the strength of an average human. Oxygen is poison for them, their eye-sight is mediocre, but his sense of smell must be incredible from what I can determine. He also seems to be able to pick up heat radiation. I found some tell-tale signs. I can give you a long list of his body structure, blood and things like that, but that's it."
Midnight sighed. "I expected as much."
"Could have told me that before I spent seven hours dissecting the bug," Kyle grumbled.
Midnight chuckled. "I appreciate your efforts, but we are none the wiser. I just hope we might one day find out what he was."
The human nodded. "Let's just hope it won't be another encounter like this."
The Sentinel leader had to agree. "Skywolf is still looking for files where Bemaahhn are mentioned, but they seem to be a totally unknown race."
"Well, from what this Carter told Ms Russell they are an old and forgotten race, hardly ever making contact with others."
Midnight nodded. "But why make contact now? And what did he mean that he didn't hire on? Why did he help Carter at first, then betrayed him later? Not that I'm complaining, but why did he first inflict that much pain and then make up for it?"
Kyle sighed. "We might never know."

* * *

Two more weeks passed and things settled down one after another. Nicholas' injuries had mostly healed, the link healing more slowly, but it was. In those two weeks Nicholas had seen little of Catherine Lee Russell, who had holed up in her office and tried to work her normal job. That this was quite impossible was general knowledge, at least among the Interfaces. Steve had tried to talk to her but except for Jeff, no one could get near her. She didn't want to see any human being she didn't really have to. F/X said she was okay so far, that she was not going through xenophobic shock, but she had withdrawn. Now he stood in front of her door and wondered what to do. Nicholas had never really taken the time to get to know Russell, just like the others. She presented such an icy aura that no one dared to dig deeper. Those who had tried had received major frost bite. Nicholas wondered what Jeff had done to get close to her. He seemed the only living being, besides F/X, she accepted.
He pushed the button beside the door and waited.
"Yes?" a neutral voice asked.
"Ms Russell? It's me, Nicholas Cavanaugh. I'd like to talk to you...."
There was a short silence. "Come in."
Surprised, Nicholas stepped through the automatically opening door. Russell looked up from where she sat, her usual chair behind the desk. She looked rather pale and drawn, but no longer as haggard and deathly white as when he had last seen her, before all of this had happened.
"Thanks for giving me a chance," he now said.
She shut off the screen and gave him the usual cold look. "What is on your mind?"
"A lot. First of all I'd like to thank you face-to-face for what you did. Not only in my name, in everyone's." Nicholas made a vague gesture. "Steve tried to talk to you, but...."
"There is nothing to talk about."
"Why do you avoid the others?" Nicholas blurted now.
She sat back and stared at him. "Avoid them? I think it's the other way around, Mr. Cavanaugh. True, I'm not a people-person but I feel their misgivings. They wonder what bad luck Interfaced F/X and me and maybe they are right. I don't fit into your nice little group, but it happened and I have to live with it. I finally realized that."
Nicholas nodded. He knew it was true. The others carried part of the guilt as well. Every person was different. He and Tornado had not had such a good start either.....
"But I also have a job which sets me apart from everyone here. I work for the other side," Cathy continued and her face darkened. "I can't change that. It's my job and I'll do it until they fire me." A wry smile passed her lips. "And when the truth about my involvement finally comes out, I will get fired."
"I understand. I won't even suggest you quit first." Nicholas smiled. "But you are part of the Sentinels now, a very close part, and I think it's time for a fresh start for all of us concerning you."
She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. "A fresh start?" she then asked. "I wish I could. I haven't changed that much, Cavanaugh. My fears haven't changed. I can accept F/X, but that's about it."
Nicholas looked at his still lightly bandaged hand. "I know this can't be cured immediately or completely, but I want to help .... we would like to help.... if you let us." A hopeful expression crossed his face.
"I appreciate your offer and I will give it a try, but I can't promise more. I didn't promise F/X more."
"That's all I ask of you." He rose and stretched out his good hand. "Welcome to the Sentinels, Ms Russell."
"Catherine," she said and took his hand, rising as well.
Nicholas smiled.