CHAPTER 14

Many Hours Later in the Forest near the Carbon Mines…

"Bumblebee we've been searching out here since late last night and haven't found one trace of little StarChaser, can we go home yet?"

Bumblebee stopped and let his engine idle as a large green police utility van pulled up next to him.

"Bulkhead, we can't give up yet! What if Star is in big trouble and she needs us?"

Bulkhead sighed heavily as he transformed into his robot form. "I know…but neither one of us has had any stasis since yesterday, and I'm so exhausted I could probably fall over and power-down here if I wanted to."

Bumblebee transformed too and surveyed the area. "Okay fine, if you wanna power-down go ahead but I'm not going to rest until I find Star."

Bulkhead sighed and trailed after Bumblebee. "Okay, okay little buddy I'm coming."

Several minutes Later…

"Bumblebee, we are NEVER going to find her! We could probably turn this entire planet inside out and still not find her!"

Bumblebee stopped abruptly and growled. "Fine if you wanna go back to the base, then go! No bot is stopping you!"

Bulkhead stopped and shrugged. "No way…I'm not going to let you wander around out here alone. You're my best friend and we have to—."

Suddenly Bumblebee covered Bulkhead's mouth. "SHHHHHHHHHH, Bulkhead did you hear that?"

Bulkhead cocked his head and raised an optic. "Hear what?"

Bumblebee motioned Bulkhead to shut it down for a few nano-clicks and listen. Sure enough in the distance there was the sound of metal on metal.

Bumblebee looked at Bulkhead and started running toward the sound. Bulkhead hesitated but soon followed.

Within minutes, Bumblebee stopped and rested in the trees that were next to a vast clearing. Bulkhead stopped and kneeled down next to him.

"Bee, why'd ya stop here?"

Bumblebee turned and whispered. "I was almost positive that the noise was coming from—."

Suddenly there was a loud clash of metal on metal and a small purple, gray and black figure flew through the air and landed in the long grass. It stood up and rubbed the back of its neck plate.

Both Bumblebee and Bulkhead sat in awe and disbelief until finally Bulkhead pointed and whispered. "Is that…StarChaser?"

Bumblebee shook his head and whispered. "No-no it can't be, that's a Decepticon."

Bulkhead turned to Bumblebee. "A Decepticon sparkling? No way…what femme would be dumb enough to go with a 'Con?"

Bumblebee rolled his optics. "I don't know…maybe…a Decepticon femme."

There was a moment of silence until their attention went back to the sparkling who had their back to them. Then without warning Megatron charged out of the tree line opposite of them straight for the sparkling. Both Bumblebee and Bulkhead sat and watching in awe as the sparkling showed no fear and charged at the ruthless Decepticon leader. The sparkling swung a large metal rod at the 'Con and was fighting back. Megatron swung his arm in self-defense and sent her flying across the field again. The child landed hard in the grass but stood up and posed in battle position ready to fight again. It was then that Bumblebee and Bulkhead saw the sparkling's face plate. Both Autobots froze in fear and awe. Even though she was in Decepticon colors, they recognized those antennas and that look of determination anywhere. It WAS StarChaser! And she was being attacked by the Decepticon leader!

Bumblebee rose to his stabilizing servos. "We have to help her!"

Bulkhead grabbed Bumblebee and pulled him back down. "No wait, look."

Megatron slowly approached the sparkling standing there in the grass ready to strike again. Megatron put a hand up and smiled. Eclipse lowered her steel beam and relaxed. Megatron kneeled and watched the sparkling fell backwards into the grass.

Megatron smirked as he still towered over the child even though he was kneeling. "Had enough for one solar-cycle have we?"

Eclipse nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I've had enough…can we go back to the base now."

Megatron nodded. "I could really use some refueling…how about you?"

Eclipse sat up and nodded. "Oh yeah, I could defiantly go for a barrel of oil right now."

Megatron nodded and rose to his full height. "Very well, let us return to the base."

Eclipse nodded. "Race ya?"

Megatron laughed as he proceeded to the tree line. "I think not."

Eclipse got up and trailed a ways behind and yelled. "Party pooper!"

Megatron disappeared through the tree line leaving Eclipse standing in the middle of the field. She shook her head and continued after Megatron when she heard a quiet but sudden. "PPSSSSSSSSSSTTTT!" from the opposite side of the tree line. Eclipse froze and looked behind her. Then she heard it again. She looked back toward the direction Megatron had disappeared the proceeded to the other side and froze.

She turned and looked back toward the Decepticon base and sighed. "That's weird, I thought I heard—."

Suddenly two pairs of robot arms lunged out, snatched her and pulled her back into the tree line. A yellow and black hand clamped over her mouth to keep her from screaming. She froze out of fear and prayed to Primus for him to give her a place in the Well of All Sparks.

She looked up and her jaw dropped. It was Bumblebee! After she stopped struggling, Bumblebee removed his hand and smiled.

She looked up and froze. "Bumblebee..."

She then turned her head and saw Bulkhead sitting next to him smiling. "…Bulkhead?"

She then looked over towards the direction of the Decepticon base and whispered angrily. "What are you two doing here?"

Bulkhead smiled and laughed slightly. "Rescuing you of course, now come on…let's get out of here before Megatron comes back."

She looked down shaking her head. "No you guys don't understand, I can't—."

"ECLIPSE!"

Megatron's voice range out from just beyond the opposite tree line. "ECLIPSE, RETURN TO ME NOW!"

Bumblebee looked at the child in his lap in awe. "Who the slag is 'Eclipse' StarChaser?"

She sighed and rubbed her optics. "It's my Decepticon name."

Both Bumblebee and Bulkhead's optics widened. "WHAT?"

Again Megatron's voice rang across the trees. The sparkling hesitated and jumped away from Bumblebee and almost looked to be in tears. "Look guys I would explain everything to you right now, but I don't have time…if Megatron see's you guys and me with you, then we are all dead."

Megatron's voice again rang out. She hesitated and spoke quickly. "Please guys, just promise me that you won't tell mom and dad about this… and don't worry I will be home soon."

She then jumped through the trees and ran for the opposite tree line just as Megatron stormed through. She stopped in front of him and smiled sheepishly.

Megatron stared coldly and growled. "And where have you disappeared off to?"

Eclipse again smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "I just thought that I saw—."

Megatron growled more harshly. "You thought you saw, what?"

Eclipse passed a glance behind her and then looked back to Megatron. "It was nothing my lord…lets go get some oil."

She then walked quickly past the Decepticon leader toward the base. He passed a glance in the direction she was previously looking then followed the child through the trees.

Both Bumblebee and Bulkhead watched in awe as Megatron's mass followed their leader's sparkling through the trees. How could this be possible, how could little StarChaser betray them like this? How could she become a Decepticon?

Bulkhead turned to Bumblebee and hesitated. "Did little StarChaser really call Megatron 'Lord'?"

Bumblebee remained silent. Bulkhead sighed and looked in the direction in which Megatron and StarChaser disappeared. "Why do you think she's doing this?"

Bumblebee sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, but we can't tell StarRacer and the Big Bot."

Bulkhead looked at Bumblebee confused. "But wouldn't they want to know that StarChaser is okay?"

Bumblebee looked at Bulkhead shaking his head. "No, not at the expense of their daughter possibly switching allegiances, that would tear both their sparks out…besides, she said that she would be coming home soon."

Bulkhead nodded. "Yeah…we can only hope she's telling the truth."

Bumblebee looked at Bulkhead and nodded slowly before transforming into his vehicle mode and driving away in the direction of their Autobot base, both holding the same very frightening secret.

Later that night back at the Decepticon base Megatron sat on his throne watching Eclipse with cold optics as she giggled while talking to both Lugnut and Blitzwing.

Megatron then 'cleared his throat' and rose from his throne. "Eclipse…"

She turned around and looked up. Megatron stared coldly as he pointed to the floor in front of him. "Come here."

Both Blitzwing and Lugnut passed glances to Eclipse who just shrugged and did what she was told. She approached and tried to seem innocent. "Yes Lord Megatron?"

Megatron again sat down as he put his face in his hand. "What did you think you were doing this afternoon?"

Eclipse cocked her head. "My Lord, what do you mean?"

Megatron struck the armrest of his throne. "Do not play dumb with me child! I wish to know what it was you thought you were doing!"

Eclipse hesitated then swallowed hard. "I-I thought I had heard voices my lord, but when I investigated it turned out to be nothing. I thought it better to be safe than sorry."

Megatron sat back in his throne. "Really?"

Eclipse nodded. "Yes my lord and I'm sorry for not coming to your calls earlier."

Megatron nodded and looked away. "Very well, but do not let it happen again."

Eclipse nodded then smiled. "Why? Were you worried about me?"

Megatron hesitated then turned away frowning. "You may be a soldier in training…but you are still a sparkling."

Megatron walked away down the hallway leaving a dazed sparkling behind. She turned to Lugnut and Blitzwing with confused optics. "What was all that about."

Blitzwing laughed. "I shink lord Megatron likes you kid!"

Eclipse was quiet for a moment before turning to the two across the room. "What about you guys, do you two like me?"

Blitzwing's face switched to 'psycho' as he threw a hand in the air. "Absolutely!"

Four long days later, both Megatron and Eclipse stood battle posed in the same open field they had been practicing in before, both holding a long steel rod with sharpened blades on the ends.

Megatron nodded and grinned. "Are you ready for the ultimate test?"

Eclipse smirked and spun the blades around her head and shoulders in a spectacular display of skill and aggression.

Megatron smirked and nodded. "Now, let us see if the training over the past few days will save you from me."

Eclipse smirked and spun the blade in front of her. "Bring it on Mr. High-and-Mighty."

Megatron smiled and readied his blade. "As you wish little one."

Suddenly Megatron raised the blade over his head and swung violently toward Eclipse. Raising the blade up to match his, she blocked his blow and pushed him away. She swung around only to be blocked. Each swung at each other with their blades clashing and bashing each other. It lasted many minutes both fighting until finally Megatron slid the blade across Eclipse's mid-plate. She sank backwards and held her mid-plate that was lightly leaking life fluid. She looked up to see Megatron laughing.

"Do you wish to cry mercy?"

Eclipse grinded her teeth and growled. "Never."

She then released a massive battle-cry as she lunged for Megatron's throat.

Megatron withdrew quickly and matched his blade against hers. He smiled and chuckled. "You're learning quickly young one, I don't even think we can call you a sparkling anymore."

Eclipse shifted the blade quickly and tried to strike Megatron in the crotch-plate only for it to be blocked. "Oh-ho little one, I don't think so!"

Megatron again attempted to strike only to have Eclipse jump and flip backwards thus landing on her stabilizing servos. Megatron paused and cocked his head. "I never taught you that maneuver…how did you learn that?"

Eclipse shrugged her shoulders. Megatron smiled and charged. "Well, you may be a youngling now…but that won't save you from me!"

Eclipse jumped from in front of Megatron to behind him and lunged for his back plate. Latching on, she wielded her blade around so it was merely inches from his throat.

Megatron froze and chuckled. "Well done youngling…well done."

Eclipse hesitated but slowly sank off of Megatron's back and dropped her blade on the ground. Megatron turned and kneeled. "Congratulations Eclipse, you have completed the test and passed."

Suddenly both Blitzwing and Lugnut cheered and swept Eclipse off her stabilizing servos. She smiled and laughed. "Yeah, I did it!"

She looked to Megatron and smiled. "I did it."

Megatron smiled and nodded in silent agreement. "That you did my child…but this is just the beginning young one."

Eclipse climbed down from Blitzwing's grasp and approached slowly. "What'd ya mean?"

Megatron looked away and smiled menacingly to himself. "Tomorrow, we're going to pay Detroit a little visit…"

What's going to happen now? Well, I guess you're just going to have to wait and see…