A/N: Well this is the chapter that you finally get to find out who Nightstalkers creator is. As well as some other stuff but I'm not going to say and ruin a good read. Hope you like the way I ended this chapter.
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Approaching the base her attention was grabbed by a commotion over at the main access road. Picking up on Sunspots week energy signature her concern over Fastscans message gave way to fear. Coming in fast she transformed, landed and slid right up to the group. "No! Oh Primus what happened?" Stepping forward she was grabbed around the waist by Windstorm, which almost caused her to fall. Pushing down on his hands she tried her best to break free. "Let me go! Let me go!" Squirming in his grip she finally gained her freedom as Fastscan stood up, shook his head and stepped back. Falling forward she landed on her knees next to Sunspots broken and crushed body. As she reached out to him her voice reflected her light and hesitant touch. "Sunspot?"
"Nightstalker? Is that you? I was so scared they would not find you. Oh how I wish I could see you one last time." His spark yearned to reach up to her, to touch her, and he would have if his right arm was still present and his left existed past the elbow joint. Still, pooling his energy he lifted the torn and useless stump towards her. "I'm really glad…" a coughing fit interrupted what he was trying to say. After he spit up some coagulated oil he managed to continue. "that you didn't come. The flyers, they were decimated."
"Shh, it will be alright. Fastscan will fix this." She hovered her hands millimeters above his body afraid that if she touched him he fall apart. As her hands moved over his legs in examination she could see the burns and crushed plating, wires and tubing sticking out through gaping holes, and his lower right leg crushed beyond recognition. His upper body did not fair any better. Where his right arm should have been all that remained was a few wires, sparking in protest from having been unkindly torn from their housing. His left arm was a twisted energon and oil covered stump that still twitched as impulses arrived to move a hand that no longer existed. Overall, well he looked like a gestalt did a tap dance on him.
Twisting her head she looked to Fastscan pleading. "You'll fix him right? He…He'll be ok?" Seeing him shake his head and look down she turned to Windstorm then Refit, each only averted her gaze. "NO! You have to fix him. He, he's not that bad."
The older mechs surrounding the group could tell from their years of battle field experience that Sunspot was not going to make it and when the CMO gives up then it's official. They had found him here, laying on the ground, last of his energy just not enough to make it the rest of the way. Prior to this Windstorm had received a notice that a group of new recruits had been ambushed as they made their way to a training site and that many were reported missing. He did not expect this.
Sunspots body shuttered as his death became eminent. Barley audible he needed to tell her, to warm her, so doing his best he started to speak. "Nightstalker please listen to me. I need to warn you. There is fighting already in many of the outskirt areas and its headed this way. Please you have to leave. Go and explore space for me, do what I can't do anymore but just get away. They blame each other, you're not safe here, they'll fight over you."
Reaching down she wrapped her arms around him and gently lifted him up into an embrace. Resting his head on her shoulder he could hear her unstable venting and while his pain was terrible, the comfort of her hold overcame it. Although he knew it was more likely that the part of his system that registers pain had just ceased to function. "I want to tell you that you are my best friend. Ha, did we not have some good times together. Don't stop playing pranks on others, especially Skuffle. I just wanted…to make you proud…of me."
His voice was starting to fade as she held him tighter, hoping that in doing so he would not die. She watched as Refit collapsed to his knees, punching the ground in front of him; Windstorm shooing everyone away; and Fastscan, well he just stood there with his face covered by his hand. Leaning her head softly against his "Sunspot I was always proud of you and I'm proud to call you my bro. Yah, we did have a lot of good times." She knew he was going to die soon and did her best to hold herself together but a small energon tear still managed to leak from her optic. "I'll miss you a lot. Just, just promise me you won't prank Primus when you meet him."
"You were…proud of me! I…prom……is………I'll….." his body slumped in Nightstalkers arms.
"SUNSPOT!" Sunspot?" Shaking him a bit she thought that maybe just maybe he would come back online saying "gotcha" but in shock the realization set in that he was gone. "Sunspot" her voice quivered and faded as she said his name one final time. Clutching his body close to her, she silently rocked back and forth.
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Refit was soundless as he sat and watched Nightstalker holding Sunspot. His creation, his sparkling, his Sunspot was gone. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I didn't create him to fight, he wasn't supposed to die fighting or before me…He came back for her. Her whom I'm sure shares the same programming as those who killed him. Her who refused to join with him." In his sorrow he almost misdirected his anger when he noticed that Nightstalkers optics had darkened and her face was stark. It felt like he wasn't even there as he watched Windstorm walk over to Nightstalker and try to get her to let go of Sunspots body.
"You have to let him go. He's gone, I'm Sorry." Windstorm didn't know what else to say or do. He never was good at this and during the war death was just accepted, abet reluctantly. However the more he tried the tighter she held on. Suddenly she stopped rocking and eerily turned her head up to face him.
As she stared him down a feeling registered that she had never felt before. It was powerful, deep and as she glared at Windstorm she wanted him to suffer, suffer as Sunspot had. She knew what being mad felt like but this, this was different. It was dark, encompassing and pulsed from her very spark- she learnt was it was to hate. Letting go of Sunspot unexpectedly she stood up, her posture radiating the hatred she felt towards them. As her optics narrowed and darkened further she reached out and shoved Windstorm back. "YOU'RE SORRY!? You should slaggin well be sorry. You killed him. You Autobots killed him. He never wanted to do this but you told him to join." Screaming, she punched him in his chest plate and continued to yell at him while he tried to block her blows. "You said they never send him to battle yet. You said that he was probably getting upgrades. You said he would not be in danger. You said….. I HATE YOU!" Punching him twice more, his chest amour cracked as he grabbed her wrists, pulled her arms up over her head and dangled her in the air.
"ENOUGH! You think you are the only one hurting? What do you think Refit is going through?" He gave her arms a quick shake to make his point. Then noticing that he was yelling at her he lowered his voice. However his logic chip had not caught up to his speech processor and what he said next he regretted the moment it came out. "The autobots did not kill him. If anything it was you and your kind who did. You're always fighting; it's in your nature. No! We did not kill him you did."
Being dangled by her arms, she had started to calm down till he said those last few words and something snapped inside. Using his grasp she folded and lifted her legs up, kicking Windstorm hard in the head as she completed her strange form of a back flip. As her wrists broke free she twisted around mid air, engaged her thrusters and flew up above them. Taking in the chaotic scene below for a nanoclick she transformed, engaged her engine and bolted into the sky.
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Skuffle had been lazing with his optics off when a motion detector sounded. Spinning around in his chair he activated a monitor. Not even a bream latter he hit a button on the console "Riverrun she's here and something is wrong."
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Approaching carefully Riverrun could see her standing at the coordinates in a strange droid like state. As he approached he emitted an audible gasp upon seeing her canopy covered in dried oil and energon. Transforming he ran to her. "Nightstalker are you hurt?" Not getting a reply he frantically checked her over and once satisfied that it was not hers he took hold of her shoulders and looked into her optics. "What happened?"
Nightstalker just stood there looking straight ahead, her face completely void of expression as the shock of what happened finally caught up with her. "Sunspots dead. I…" Riverrun held on as her knees buckled and she collapsed in front of him.
"Frag!" Switching his grip he picked her up and held her in his arms. "It's ok your coming back with me." As he cradled her he could feel the trembling and soft sobs she was emitting. "I'll take care of you, you're safe." Turning around another mech moved up in front of him. "Sir, I'll carry her back so you can keep an eye out for any autobots who may have followed her."
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Arriving back at their encampment Riverrun transformed and picked up the Black and Purple seeker. "Online but nobody's home. Poor things still in shock." Walking into the base he was greeted by Skuffle.
"What happened to her? Is she injured badly?" Approaching he was about to ask her but the sight of the expressionless face provided the knowledge that she would not have answered anyway.
Brushing past him Riverrun carried Nightstalker towards his quarters. "Why the sudden concern Skuffle? Thought you hated her circuits?"
Puffing up from the indignity of having his motives questioned he turned and quickly caught up. "I did but circumstances dictated a change in perspective. It's obvious that the bots could not help her. Windstorm always was useless at command but why take her back, she chose them over us?"
"No, she chose Sunspot over us but something has happened and he is dead." Seeing Skuffle eyeing her canopy "no, this is not hers. She is not injured, well physically; mentally that is a whole other question." Arriving at his quarters, Skuffle excused himself to go monitor incase the autobots should try to retrieve her.
Stepping into his quarters he laid Nightstalker down on his recharge berth, made sure she was comfortable, then sat down beside her. Leaning over he propped himself up by resting his hand on the berth next to her side. Watching her he though silently to himself for a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry you lost him and that you even had to experience that. Nothing I can say will make you feel any better. That is something you will have to work out for yourself." Pausing for a moment he was glad to see her move her head to look at him. Waiting for a moment to see if she was going to say anything he continued. "I think it is about time I told you everything. I've been keeping the truth about whom you are and who your creator is from you because I did not see a need for you to know, but now I think it is the correct time."
Seeing her start to sit up he lifted his hand and placed it on her canopy, lightly pushing her back down. "No, not now. You are exhausted and need to recharge. Once you get a full rest then I will tell you everything. Now go to sleep, we will watch you." He was correct in his assumption for almost as if he turned a switch she shut down and went into a deep but fretful recharge.
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A few cycles latter Riverrun walked into the monitor room and over to where Skuffle was sitting. Leaning over the monitors he looked distant in thought before focusing back to Skuffle. "Can you keep an optic on her for me? I have to go do some thinking."
"Sure, no problem." Leaning back in his chair with his feet propped up on the console "how's she doing?"
Turning to leave Riverrun paused to answer his question. "Pretty shaken up but in recharge. Any autobot activity outside?"
"No. You going for a walk?"
"Yes. I need to think about something. Take care of her till I get back."
"Be careful." Skuffle watched as Riverrun left, then turning his attention back to the monitor he changed the view to Riverruns quarters. He could see Nightstalker in recharge and every so often her optics would flicker slightly. "Still in recharge but caught in a nightmare. Don't worry kid, I'll protect you. I won't let those bots hurt you anymore."
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Standing outside he vented deeply to take in the cool night air. Walking forward he tried to think of the best way to tell her everything. Looking up to the stars as he walked "oh I do miss you old friend. You be so proud of her, she is almost like you." Besides having a second alt mode, slight pink highlighting and being a robotrix, she did look exactly like her creator. "You'd be happy to know she has your gift for getting under mechs platting and I think that once I tell her the truth she will be just as loyal to the decepticons as you were." Sighing, the memories of the past came back to him. He remembered when her creator had come in to tell him his plan for creating Nightstalker. Had he told anyone else they would not have taken him seriously but Riverrun knew he had never been more serious about anything else in his life.
Coming up to an old ruined building Riverrun sat down on a cement block and looked out across the surface. "Oh Skywarp…why did you have to die?" Thinking back to the last time he saw Skywarp it was just before he left with the others for that one final attack on earth. He had come to Riverrun all concerned and agitated. They were leaving in a few cycles but he had not yet finished building Nightstalker and was worried that if he didn't make it back then she would never get finished. Being his closet friend and the only one who knew about Skywarps drive to create a sparkling, Riverrun agreed to take care of her completion. "Did you know you weren't coming back? Have I lived up to your expectations or have I let you down? Would you be upset that I never told her before now?"
Standing back up he continued to walk in no particular direction. "She doesn't have your warping ability but she does appear to have this very interesting ability to manipulate minds and perceptions. And I'm sorry to say I almost lost her once." His memories again drifted to that night long ago when he arrived to find the building on fire, mechs running for their lives while others, trapped, perished in the flames. He risked it all to save her but could not get through the door. He pounded and tried to get to her but was driven back by the flames and explosions. It had taken so long to finish her construction, as the war tended to get in the way, and the fact that he might have lost her was a wound that still would not heal. He remembered shifting through the rubble the next day thinking that he had lost her but was surprised to find that she survived. Miraculously she was buried by just enough nonflammable material that it protected her from the deadly flames. "I will not lose her again, that I promise you."
"You should not make promises you cannot keep."
Spinning around while drawing his gun, Riverrun aimed it at the shadowy figure that appeared from behind a building. "Who are you to say what I can keep? Now come out here slowly with your hand out in front." Watching the figure slowly come out of the shadows, he lowered his gun. "Refit?"
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Dropping his arms as he approached Refit had his job, retrieved Nightstalker at all costs. Windstorm knew she came here not out of loyalty but because of his words. He was sure that if they brought her back and with only a slight modification to her programming, she'd make a perfect autobot warrior. So he sent Refit to retrieve her as they distracted the remainder of the cons. All Refit had to do first was find out where she was.
"Where is she Riverrun? I know you have her and she is leaving with me." Folding his arms across his chest he adjusted his stance just incase.
Taking a step backwards Riverrun raised his weapon slightly but did not aim it at Refit. "She is safe but I'll be slaged if I let her go back with you. She belongs with us."
Venting sharply Refits fingers twitched at the mention that Nightstalker belonged with them. "Yes, from what I head you say over the last few breams apparently she does. Why did you lie to us? Did you think we would have treated her any differently if we knew she was a decepticon, the creation of that pathetic decepticon seeker Skywarp?
Hearing his close deceased friend called pathetic enraged Riverrun. "He was not pathetic and I'm sorry to say our friendship is over. I will never let you take her back." Raising his gun he opened fire.
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Motion detectors screamed to life as his security cameras started to blink out one by one. "Slag we're under attack!" Jumping up Skuffle slammed down on a red button causing the alert sirens to sound. Opening the base coms "we're under attack so expect anything." Grabbing his gun off the consol he ran out of the room. He knew everyone would do their part to repel the intruders. His was to get to Nightstalker as he had a nagging notion that she was the reason for this brazen and impromptu attack. Turning the corner he ran face to face into three autobots. Reacting instantly he raised his gun and fired.
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Against the light reflecting off the metallic surface two forms could be seen. One lay prone on the ground, motionless, while the other loomed overtop slowly withdrawing a knife from the mech, the sound of the metal scraping echoed off the building surfaces. The fight had been short and both fought well, yet only one victor remained as he withdrew his blade from the others extinguished spark. "I'm sorry my friend that it had to be this way but I could not let you do it." Standing up his com blinked with an incoming message. Receiving it he turned and ran back to the decepticon base.
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The alarms were still sounding as he made his way into the base. Cautiously he raised his weapon to be ready to shoot at the slightest movement. Making his way down the corridors he could see blast damage as well as fallen mechs, cons and bots alike, but he only had one focus and that was to make sure she was alright. Making his way along unimpeded he paused and kneeled down next to a dying but still functioning Skuffle slumped against a wall. His optics had been shot out and in his delirium was mumbling something. Leaning in closely he could just make out an apology about not being able to protect her before his functions ceased. Reaching out he placed his hand on Skuffles shoulder before standing up and continuing on, hoping she was in the same spot.
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Pushing the door open, as the power had failed by this point, he could see her lying offline on the recharge berth. Feeling relieved that Nightstalker was ok he walked over and sat down beside her. Subspacing his weapon he reached down and picked her up.
The sudden movement caused her to come online but being only slightly recharged she was still groggy. Looking up she could not fully make him out in the dark. "What's happening? Are those alarms?"
"Shh its ok now, you're safe." Reaching into his subspace pocket he removed a small device. Turning it on he attached it to Nightstalkers temple causing her to instantly fall offline. Cradling her in his arms he stood up and made his way out, still being cautious as he could hear fighting continuing in the corridors. Upon exiting the building his radio came to life "Status?" Looking down at the offline Nightstalker "I have her and she's ok. Returning to base."
"Good Job Refit. Windstorm out."
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