CHAPTER 29

"Night…no"

Night, no…

There'd been the words that Kat had repeated over and over.

Night remembered Saberhorn' expression at the exact moment where she'd made her choice to fight. He'd looked up back at her, a malevolent smirk on his face.

Then, his words. Their conversation…

"I'm always ready for a taste of metal. But I'm not sure you realize the consequences of your choice…"

Combat or death…

Her mother had never given up.

He'd have chosen the combat. And she was sure that he'd would have won if he'd been there.

Unfortunately, she wasn't her mother…

And another more important problem: her opponent would be the captain. She didn't need to know him. She already knew that he was a fighter.

Kat didn't believe that she'd be victorious. Not at all.

"Please…"

They were in the training room. The battlefield was on a platform in height. The other crewmates were underneath and watched. Including Kat who'd joined them. There was just a security fence in order to prevent the fighters to fall down but she doubted it'd be very useful.

At the other end of the battlefield, she watched as Saberhorn cleaned his weapons.

She remembered that she'd no weapon…

"What about your beloved? Won't she fight as well?"

It didn't involve her…

I win and you'll let us go, Night thought.

"At least, you go to me alone. Without your cohort. Very sporting."

She didn't know anything about being sporting.

But in the Insecticon's optics, it's just a competition. He was probably used to do this…choosing a crewmate every morning to spar with them.

Unless some other prisoners had already chosen this option?

"As it's your decision…Allow me to remind you something. Whatever the experience or the lack of experience you do have, in combat, I don't like to waste my time. That's the reason why I'll not spare you"

Then he'd added.

"It means…if you lose, you and your girlfriend are dead."

She'd roared.

Kat hadn't chosen anything!

"Dommage. You're the one who chose it. You'll leave together or you'll die together. Which other alternative do you actually have?"

At this moment, Kat had shivered as well.

And she'd realized how her choice had been important…

They'll die together or they'll escape together…

"Night!"

Night got startled.

She turned back to Kat. Even without any expression on her face, she knew the cyclops was begging her not to do this.

In front of her, Saberhorn kept polishing his weapons. Two swords.

If she lost…

Kat and she would die…

For one moment, Night wanted to shout. She wanted to throw herself at Saberhorn's pedes, begging him to spare them, crying that she'd changed her mind, that Kat had nothing to do with it…

I just wanted to find my natural mother, Night bitterly thought.

My natural mother…

Htab…who was at Crystal Cities.

In the end, she looked down.

"…Kat?" She called her, a low voice.

"What?"

"I'm sorry…I endangered you in that mess…I wanted to apologize even if that'd be a weak comfort"

Kat didn't look away.

"…Just do your best, okay?"

Night took a breath.

Doing her best…

But unless a miracle sent by Primus, it'd be not enough.

"…Kat?"

"Yes?"

She realized that Saberhorn was up. He headed for her.

It's time.

Night felt her legs giving way. Soon, she'd collapse.

"I…I wanted to tell you…"

"What?"

Telling her…

Maybe she'd have no other chance…

But…no word came out from her mouth.

Frustration came up.

If she told her now…it meant that she'd already lost, that she was too desperate for it…she shouldn't display any weakness.

As her mother told her…don't ever display any weakness.

"…Nothing"

It didn't satisfy Kat.

Saberhorn was a few meters away from her. He'd got an excited expression in his optics. Night bit her lip. He was already warming up.

She'd lose…

She'd lose…That's sure.

"So. Shall we begin?" Saberhorn questioned. He'd finished his warm-up exercises. "Unless you wish to warm up too?"

Shall she warm up?

It's a tempting offer but…Any training session she'd got with Jetstorm had vanished out of her processor.

She didn't know how to warm up anymore.

Especially since…

"…I have no weapon" She stated.

After all, what else did she have to lose? So much was at stake…

He could tell her that it's her loss. In this way, he'd win more easily.

Why…?

She hadn't anticipated anything.

"Okay"

Saberhorn turned back to his crew.

"Can someone bring a sword to her?"

She didn't believe it.

Saberhorn seemingly read her mind and simply gave her a wink.

"It wouldn't be honourable. There shall be some panache or class in a fight."

"But—"

"Though…I'm not sure if that'd be useful to you"

One of Insecticons brought a sword.

She tried to lift it up. She was taken aback by how heavy it actually was. She nearly collapsed while just trying to hold it up.

Kat's globe kept staring at her.

I'm sorry…

Saberhorn waited for a couple of seconds. As if he'd expected that she'd take his advice to warm up with that gift.

Nothing…

And…she'd forgot everything…It's due to the stress…and because there was just one way out in that fight…

Night closed her optics.

She took a breath.

I'll do it…

At least, she'll try.

"Well" Saberhorn said. "Let's begin. En garde!"

Night nodded.

They faced each other.

Then they lunged at each other.


The first thing Night did was dodging a blow that aimed at her head.

Then, another…

And another…

She didn't even use her sword…even not to block attacks. It was too heavy! It handicapped her!

There was no word to describe how fast Saberhorn actually was. She'd the feeling that there was more than only one opponent, attacking her one after another. As she tried to step back, he immediately followed her, not leaving her any time to catch her breath.

She tried to kick him back.

But Saberhorn was already by her side.

She jumped aside to dodge another blow that'd have sliced her into two halves. She rolled up on the floor to stand up before running away to escape from some other assaults.

She was running on the platform…

She was running away from the combat…

She should have done it before.

Underneath her, she heard some protests and boos.

The crewmate was booing at her.

"Hey! You coward! Just fight!"

"You scraplet!"

Finally, she stopped.

Saberhorn wasn't even trying to run after her.

He just gave her a disapproving glare, his sword planted into the floor.

"You chose a combat but you just run away instead"

Night felt her servos trembling. Saberhorn looked up back at her. It's a waste of time to him.

"You have a sword, my dear. Just use it"

But the sword was way too heavy…

Or maybe she had no strength in her arms…

She thought back of Kat…

She couldn't lose.

She caught her breath.

Then she lunged at him again. This time, she was the one who went on the offensive. She used all her strength, using her two servos and painfully lifted it up above her head…

Head…

She needed to aim for the head…

Saberhorn easily blocked it.

However, her efforts went useless against him.

She noticed his second sword that aimed for her hip.

A kick…

Swaying his legs aside…

He just flied, landing a few meters away. Night felt tears covering her optics. He could fly…unlike her.

Why…why had she been so arrogant?

Saberhorn took a defensive stance.

Catch your breath…

And Night attacked again.

The captain blocked again.

Night tried to perform the same sequence again…A blow…A kick…

Nothing to do…

"Just vary your attacks" Saberhorn pointed. "It'd suit me better"

She let out a frown.

Was it a warning…or an advice?

Why would he advise her?

Night clenched her fists.

Varying attacks…

She didn't have any time to think…Saberhorn went on the offensive again, lunging at her direction, his wings giving him more rapidity.

She didn't have any time to block his next blow that she found herself ejected away, after a kick right into her stomach.

Night dropped her sword as soon she hit hard on the floor. An acute pain awakened her up.

Saberhorn moved closer.

"You see…You can just give up…if you want" Saberhorn said, a honeyed tone.

Giving up…

This word didn't make any sense, as her mother said…

Night stood up again with difficulties.

She gave him a cold glare.

"…No"

The pirate smiled at that.

"Bravo."

This time, his compliment sounded a bit more genuine.

Saberhorn raised his blades up again.

Night rolled on the floor again, landing close enough to her sword to pick it up again.

It felt…less heavy to her.

But still a handicap…

She caught sight of Saberhorn's reflection in her blade.

She blocked again.

She managed. Saberhorn pressed more onto the blade, using only one sword.

"My advice, dearest: stop jumping onto the floor. It's more a weakness than anything else."

Night didn't answer.

Her servos trembled under the pressure. She'll yield.

And if he attacked her with his other blade…

If she could…

His horn…

She took the risk.

She removed one of her servos and, as she was losing some resistance, she grabbed the pirate's horn.

It got the Insecticon surprised. He hadn't expected it.

With a sharp move, he bent his helm back.

Night fell onto the floor, a few meters behind him.

Pain came back. Saberhorn lunged at her again. She was up on her pedes and tried to grab her sword again.

The pirate didn't leave her any time to and, suddenly, energon splashed her face.

She let out a shrieking scream under the atrocious pain she felt.

He'd targeted her hip.

Night wasn't thinking anymore. She put a servo down to press on the wound, forgetting that she was on a battlefield.

Saberhorn leaned over, Night trying to scream her painful screams.

"…Give up" He said.

It sounded less convinced.

Night couldn't…

His horn…his weakness…

"…I'll not give up…"

She stood up.

She'd to take her sword again.

But running away…he'd catch her again.

Using her arms to protect herself, she tried to kick his knee.

Grabbing his horn…

It didn't work well.

She aimed at his knee…

But the next instant, she saw stars. She was on the floor again, another horrible pain on her face. She touched her cheek.

Energon…

He'd used his horn as a weapon.

Her audios went deaf…

Heat came up at her head.

Her body wouldn't follow…

Night stood up again, with difficulties.

Kat…She must do it for Kat…

She shall drop her sword…for now…making him turn around.

She tried a punch.

She almost touched him…

And right afterward, she got another hard kick in the stomach, at the same place as before…

This time her breath was cut…she spat some energon…the kick had been more powerful than she'd expected. On the floor again…

Her vision went blurry.

"You said you'd not give up, right?" A voice asked.

She shook her head.

She didn't pay attention to the energon on her chassis.

She…she had to do it again…

She'd to endure pain…she'd to stand up…

She stood up…

She nearly fell down again.

Saberhorn appeared in front of her. He wasn't smiling this time.

Her body was shaking.

But she'd to keep on…

Saberhorn's sword was up again.

In a mechanical way, she blocked it with her wrist.

Her pedes slipped under the pressure.

At this time, she realized how close she was to the edge of the platform…close to the void…

Even the fence wouldn't protect her…

Her pedes kept slipping…and she fell backwards…

Kat…

I'm sorry…

An arm grabbed her wrist…

She was pulled up on her pedes again…

Now she was back on the platform…

She blinked. Saberhorn gave her a stare full of…Pity? Compassion? Respect?

She wouldn't guess…she didn't understand…

Her sword…

She'd to take it again…

Suddenly, the end of a blade stabbed through her right pede.

She screamed as hard as she could.

She was shoved aside, far from the edge…

Energon was running down…a pool was formed around her…her pede was bleeding…

Her sword…at a few meters away…

She tried to reach it…

She grabbed it.

She blocked Saberhorn' next blow.

Standing up…

No…she didn't manage to stand up.

"Get up. Surely that can't be all you have to offer!"

No hint of mockery.

Nothing…

Night sat up with difficulties…

She fell down again.

No…the last strength she could have…she'd to use it good…

She was short of breath…she couldn't even speak up…

She lifted her sword up above her head again.

She must touch him…

She had to defeat him…

The sword was kicked out of her servos, flying away…

Night blinked, staring back at her empty servos.

The sword had left the platform.

She had no weapon any longer.

Saberhorn used his pede to push her down.

She fell down again.

This time, she wouldn't get up.

Kat…

No…She had to…

She tried…but Saberhorn's sword under her throat stopped her from doing anything else.

"It's over"

No.

Saberhorn didn't tear his optics off her.

"Truth to be told" He said, a cold tone. "…It's better than what I expected"

She'd lost!

Tears covered her face.

She'd lost!

She was going to die!

Kat was going to die!

"Night!"

"Kat!"

Saberhorn lifted his sword up.

He was about to finish her…

Night closed her optics hard. Tension went down…

It's over…

Saberhorn would finish her…

He stopped.

The blow never came up. Night opened one optic.

Saberhorn stared back at her, an unreadable expression.

"Kat…Night…"

He paused.

"…I knew your names were familiar to me…"

"What?"

Saberhorn pulled his swords back, obvious shock on his face.