CHAP 28

Prowl looked XR in the face, confused by his statement. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me!" the space ranger robot said, shaking the blow torch in his face, causing the cyber ninja to flinch. "You're the biggest idiot I ever met! What in the name of Pluto were you thinking running in there like that without any back up or a plan for that matter?!"

"I was thinking that I wanted to save Sari," the cyber ninja responded, shortly. He was feeling very defensive about his decision. "That is all I cared about."

"You can't just go running into things without a plan!" the space ranger robot reprimanded as if were his father. "What would you have done if your fembot energy vampire had been waiting for you? What if Nos-4-a2 had been waiting for you?" he poked the cyber ninjas damaged chest plate. Prowl moved his hand to deflect it because it hurt. "You want to have a repeat of this? Your little tehcno organic friend is lethal when her temper is up!"

"Sari had no control over what she did-" he began to say.

"She was under Nos-4-a2's control!" XR shouted, cutting him off. "I know from experience that when that energy vampire uses a powerful being to his advantage he makes it more powerful by corrupting it! If we had not gotten to you when we had she might have killed you, much as you refuse to believe that. As for the other energy vampire..." he looked long and hard at Prowl's face. "She's still got some kind of hold on you which makes me wonder how it all would have ended."
"She has no hold on me," Prowl informed him. "Why would you think such a thing?"

"Because she- Forget it," XR finished up the repairs and headed out of the cell. When he reached the door he stopped and turned around to say a few more things. "By the way. Do you have any idea why your energy vampire would want Nos-4-a2 or team up with Warp Darkmatter?"

"How should I know?" Prowl asked him. "I don't know what goes on in that twisted mind of hers. She could have any reason."

Prowl's answer was a disappointment. "Oh. Never mind then." he started out of the room. "You just get some shut eye then and we'll wake you up when we have arrived at Star Command."

"Star Command?" Prowl was instantly on his feet. "Why are we heading back there? Shouldn't we be going after Shadowstar and her companions?"

XR turned back to him. He folded his arms and gave the Autobot a look. "You'll find out why we're going back to Star Command when we get there and besides you're not really in any condition to be fighting anyone at the moment," he said. "and honestly I don't want to talk to you anymore right now. If I have to I might do something I'll regret."

"What?"

XR extended his legs until he was right in the Autobot's face. Something in his features revealed a deep loathing that hadn't been there before. "Let me say it in words you'll understand," he said. "I want to punch you and if I stay in here any longer I will. In fact if I stay in here any longer I will take advantage of your weakened state and beat you to a pulp!"

"What did I do to you?" the cyber ninja asked, taking a step back.

"It's not what you did. It's what you didn't do." he poked Prowl in the chest, forcing him to walk backward. "You didn't follow orders. You didn't listen to advice. You didn't even do anything by the book in this dimension or in your own. I was inside your head for awhile Prowl! I've seen the things you've been through. Now while I don't understand them, I was led to believe that you learned your lessons! It looks like you didn't!"

Prowl looked away. "That does not explain why you are so angry at me," he said.

"I am mad at you for two reasons," XR answered. "One you didn't let me recharge because you stupidly wanted to search the entire city for Nos-4-a2 and I was forced to follow you around and keep you out of trouble and Two you lashed out at me and the others and accused us of not caring about you or your friend. If we did not care about Sari we wouldn't have helped you look for her." he poked Prowl again, harder this time. "One other thing I'm mad about; you had to open your big mouth and tell Mira that I had a crush on her which I did not want her knowing."

"So you're mad at me because I told the truth?"

"Oh no don't you dare push the blame back on me," the space ranger robot snapped. "You revealed a highly kept secret! Now Mira won't even look at me!"

"Probably because she feels the same way."

XR instantly calmed down. He blinked. "You think so?"

"It's most likely."

XR looked toward the control room. "Interesting." then he realized something. "Hey! Are you just saying that to change the subject?"

Prowl looked away again. "Sort of but not totally." he walked over to the other cell and looked inside, his optics falling on Sari's limp form. She looked so vunerable that way, so helpless. He studied her frame, noticing the puncture marks on her neck and the dried blood on her clothing. "Why was he so cruel? Why must they all be so cruel?"

'That's Nos-4-a2 for you," XR said, wheeling over and standing beside him. "He doesn't know what nice is."

Prowl studied Sari for a moment longer then looked at XR, his expression changing to one of pure malice. "When we find and capture him I am going to make him regret ever being built." he clenched a fist, his grip so tight his finger servos whined in protest. "I'll make sure of it. I already lost somebody important to me once, I will not let it happen again!"


Nos-4-a2 came to a few hours later, after being carried onto Warp darkmatter's ship and placed in a cell, with a pounding headache. Moaning he grabbed his head and sat up. His optics flickered then came online... instantly taking in a smiling black face.

"Whoa!" he exclaimed, reeling back. His head hammered painfully, punishing him for moving so fast. But that wasn't the only pain. His neck hurt too. He touched the spot and felt bite marks. "Huh?"

That face laughed. "So you found them rather quickly, I see."

"Wha-" he looked back at the speaker. Now he saw her entire face. He recognized her as that crazy vampire fembot he'd fought with earlier when he'd stolen her source of food. She was sitting cat like in front of him, her taloned hands clenching and unclenching themselves in anticipation. "You again."

She smirked. "Yes me again," she said. "Did you expect me to let you get away with humiliating me the way you did?"

He squinted at her. Why was the light so bright? Why did hangovers have to make his senses go crazy anyway? "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you do," she said, leaning toward him like a vulture. "If you didn't we wouldn't be having this conversation, Nos-4-a2."

"How do you know my name?" he demanded.

She moved back, sitting on her haunches. "That's an easy one," she said, her smile widening until he saw her white metal fangs. "your father told me."

"My fa-" Oh lovely! "You mean Zurg."

"Yeah him,"she said waving that off. "The purple freak in the dress." she made a face, informing him that she did not like Zurg all that much. That wasn't a surprise, most people didn't. "He told me all about you. How he built you for one purpose and one purpose only. To take over Star Command. Oh, how nice." she stood up and looked down at him. her hands on her hips. "He told me how you tried to take over and almost succeeded. Now is that any way to treat your dear old daddy?"

Nos-4-a2 did not reply. He could tell she was only trying to rile him. Right now he didn't feel like being riled. His head was pounding and her voice was only making things worse because it was so loud. Didn't she know how to whisper? He rested his head in his hands and moaned.

"Got a little headache?" she asked, hearing.

"Not that it's any of your concern."

"Oh it is my concern," she responded, kneeling in front of him again. She licked her lip components, hungrily. "It tells me something about you. You've been feeding on other worldly energy. Which leads up to the question of where you got it."

No reply. It wasn't her business.

"Not that you have to tell me," she continued, running a finger down his face. He smacked it away.. "I can figure it out through process of elimination. There are only three beings that could have that kind of power. Me, Prowl, and the techno organic freak. Now I know you haven't been feeding on me because I was stuck on your daddy's little planet. And it wasn't Prowl because he had no bites on his neck except the remains from my own feeding. So....that only leaves one person." she grabbed his chin and looked into his eyes. "The freak."

Nos didn't respond.

She smiled. "You don't have to tell me, I know already. That little puppet show told me enough. There was no way you could control her without biting and plus the dried mech fluid on her clothing was a dead give away." she let him go, allowing him to fall back onto the floor, and stood back up. "Interesting. You've been feeding on her and by the way you've been acting. you're really enjoying it." she laughed. "That's rich! My rival has a taste for techno organic power and he's addicted to it too! I knew you were a pathetic wannabe but I didn't know you were that pathetic! Hahahaa!"

Her laughter was only making his headache worse. He started to feel sick, like he had to throw up. Which is xcactly what he did two seconds later. He turned his back to her and started retching, hurling black oil onto the floor. She stopped laughing and looked down at him in disgust.

So repulsive. she thought, curling up her lips in disgust. Such a filthy creature. He has no self respect. He shouldn't be calling himself a vampire.

When he stopped throwing up he looked back at her and saw the repulsed expression on her face. "You did not have to watch," he growled, wiping off his mouth. Why had she? Was she just looking for more things to mock him about?

Not that she didn't have any disgusting factors herself. He touched his neck again where she'd bitten him. The very fact that she'd dared to use him as a food source sent a wave of hatred coursing through his frame. How dare she! How dare she violate him like that?!

She watched him touch his neck and saw the look of pure rage crossing hims features. For some reason the look sent a thrill through her, as if his loathing was what gave her pleasure. Yes, that's right. I did the forbidden act.

As if reading her thoughts, Nos looked back at her, his optics burning with intense hatred. "I won't forget this," he told her. "You're not going to get away with it."

"If you're thinking of taking me out now I wouldn't advice it," she told him. "Besides it wasn't like I planned to feed on you, you stupid machine." she made that disgusted face again though the revulsion didn't reach her optics. "You gave me no choice, you dumb drunk."

His strength was returning as his rage grew greater. He slowly lifted off the floor until he was face to face with her. "I would advice you keeping your insults to yourself, wench," he growled hovering right in front of her face. "Let me ask you something, and you don't have to confirm if it you don't feel you have to but.. by any chance has dear old daddy promised you something you want more than anything else if you bring me to him?"

She didn't missed the sarcasm in his voice. "What he promised me does not concern you," she stated, folding her arms. "But, no, he did not. All he said was that we had a common goal in mind. I want you dead and he wants you dead."

Nos-4-a2 frowned. "So he never promised you anything?"

"I don't want anything from him."

He grinned, showing his fangs. "Oh but I think you do want something, even if it's not from him," he replied. He poked her in the chest. "I think I know exactly what you want. Maybe you weren't aware of it but I heard your conversation with that black and gold robot back on Trade World. By the way you spoke to him I could tell that you consider him your property."

She shoved his hand away. "What is it to you?" she demanded. "It's not like you'll ever see him again after this. Zurg's going to kill you and I'm going to enjoy the moment when he does."

Nos was still grinning which bothered her. "Don't think it will be that easy," he stated. "I still have ways of turning things around and when I am able to free myself, which will be before the intended event you mentioned, I think I'll have a taste of that other robot."

Just the thought of him even laying a finger on Prowl's frame filled her with rage. She punched him in the face, knocking him across the room. He slammed into the wall, denting it before bouncing off. "You will keep away from him," she growled, stalking over to him and kicking his body which now lay on the floor. "That robot belongs to me! I won't allow you to lay for filthy hands on any of my toys!" she slammed her foot into his back between the holes in his cape where his wings sprouted. "Do you hear me?!"

Even though he was in pain he couldn't help laughing. So there was something. He looked over his shoulder, his optics locking with hers. "If you want to keep your claim I would suggest renewing it before I overwrite it."

The fembot energy vampire knelt down and grabbed him forcing him around until he was facing her. "What you seem to forget, Nos-4-a2," she growled, through clenched teeth. "Is that you can't lay a claim on him while I have a claim on you!" she touched the bite marks on his neck, making him flinch. "You see this? It means something very profound, which I am sure you are aware of since you have the same ability. I can make you my servant anytime I want and, while you're already an energy vampire, this will allow me to control you because." and it was her turn to grin. "You are now infected with a virus."


Prowl was having another nightmare.

After he'd finished conversing with XR he'd taken the other robots advice and lain back down to recharge. He was low on energy again so going into stasis was a good idea. He had lost the item the LGMs had given him before they left so he had to wait until they arrived baak at Star Command to raise his power level. He was hoping to be able to sleep until they got back to the space station. But it looked like he wasn't going get accomplish his desire. Right now he lay on a cot in the other cell in the brig tossing and turning as he dreamt about energy vampires.

Yes vampires plural.

Both Shadowstar and Nos-4-a2 were in his nightmare and they were after him. In fact they seemed to be fighting over him as if he was some kind of prize. He was trying to escape them, in vehicle mode and racing over the familiar red terrain. It was almost like a sequel to his other dream. Same sky, same ground, same scent.. the metallic smell of human blood.

He had to escape from this hell. He didn't belong there. He didn't belong to them. So he drove without stopping, hoping to get away.

But he didn't get far.

Sari, clad in a blowing red gown blocked the road. Her optics glowed a hateful red color and she held a glowing red blade in each hand. "Going somewhere, coward?" she asked.

"Sari, move," he ordered, backing up slightly.

"Why should I?" she asked, stalking toward him. "Why should I do anything for you after what you did not do for me? If they kill you it's because you deserved it. You deserve everything you get."

"Sari," Prowl tried to reason with her. "I didn't mean-"

"Save it, coward." she raised her eyes and grinned. "They're coming."

He turned just as both vampires swooped at him and grabbed him up. As they flew off, the vampires laughed in sync then he felt two sets of sharp metal fangs sinking into both sides of his neck.


"NO!" Prowl yelled, sitting bolt upright. Panting, he looked around himself, his optics searching the room for the vampires. They were not there but he found himself in a cell.

Why was he in a cell?! He couldn't remember. Why couldn't he remember?!

Panicking the Autobot bolted to his feet and charged at the door that flung open the instant he rested his hands on it. He let out a yelp of surprise as he lost his footing and fell crashing to the floor of the brig. Moaning he pushed himself onto his hands and knees and looked around. Now he recognized his surroundings. He was in 42 with Buzz and his team. No enemies and no vampires.

"No.. no enemies."

Footsteps alerted him of an approaching figure. He turned his head toward the door just as Mira Nova ghosted through it. That ability of her always fascinated him but now wasn't the time to ask her about it. The red haired woman looked down at him worriedly. "Are you all right?" she asked.

"I am fine," he replied, looking away. 'I was just having a nightmare and..."

"Oh." understanding crossed her face. She walked over to him and knelt down, offering her hand. "Here, let me help you up."

He gratefully took the offered digit. She helped him to his feet. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"About as good as I can feel," he replied resting his head in his hand. "But I need to refuel soon or I won't be much good to anyone." he looked toward the cell, his optics falling on the empty cot. "I need to lie down."

Mira offered him her arm and he took it. She walked him back to the cot and sat down beside him once they were back in the cell. "The LGMs should have something for you once we get back to Star Command," she told him. "Buzz let them know ahead of time."

"Let him know I appreciate it." he was silent for a moment then said. "I don't get it.. I don't understand anything anymore."

"About what?" she questioned.

"This," he replied, waving his hands indicating the entire situation. "Every time it seems something is going to go right everything changes and worse things happen."

"That's just how it is I guess," Mira said, shrugging. "Hopefully things will get better soon."

"They won't be better until Sari's will is free and we have that vampire.. both of them," Prowl replied, clenching his fists. That rage crossed his features once more then vanished. "None of this would have happened if I hadn't asked Sari to set the space bridge up. I never should have asked her. I should have asked Bulkhead."

"Would it have changed anything?" she questioned.

"Nos-4-a2 wouldn't have bitten Sari," he told her. "and Bulkhead could have easily taken Shadowstar out before everything got messed up." he signed. "I shouldn't have let this happen. I should have known better." he rested his head in his hands. "This is what I get for being so selfish."

Mira rested her hand on his shoulder. He looked at her. "You couldn't have known," she told him. "It wasn't your fault. You can't see into the future. What happened, happened. The only thing we can do now is fix things." she smiled slightly. "We will get both Shadowstar and Nos-4-a2, don't worry. Once he's in custody we'll force him to release his hold on her free will. It can't be too hard."

He said nothing for a moment. The Tangean had a point. "But," he said, looking away. "can't you do anything for Sari now? I mean you can reach inside her head. Can't you break his control on her?"

Mira shook her head. "Where it is is a delicate area. If I try to alter or break his control I could kill her."

Prowl did not want that to happen. He didn't know what he would do it she died. "So what's going to happen to her?"

"Maybe the LGM's can think of something."

"Yes.. maybe they can.." but he wasn't sure he wanted them touching her. He was afraid they might do something horrible just to satisfy their curiosity. "I don't want them to."

"Why not?"

"Because they might not stop there," he replied, his expression changing to tormented. "I don't want her to be subjected to that."

"Don't worry," she assured him. "They won't. We'll make sure they don't."

"I hope so..."