CHAPTER 35
Only five minutes left…
As she drove closer and closer to the white ship, Night felt her spark beating to the point it'd almost tear her chassis through. More she went closer, more she felt like she would die before reaching it.
Five minutes…
Had she made the good choice?
Yes…She did what she'd had to do…
No…it was too risky…
But that situation…She'd always thought it only happened to others. She would never come to live it one day…
Condemning a person…or another.
What kind of choice was it? What kind of person would force that choice on others?
She kept driving.
She needed to speed up.
Five minutes…
From far, she noticed the bounty hunter's armour coming out of the white ship.
He still held Esmeral against him, his laser-gun on her temple.
She almost stopped.
The single idea of Esmeral losing her life…in only one instant…
She struggled hard to go to the end…she needed to control herself…
She must keep on…
She sped up again.
She now reached the white ship. She transformed, facing the bounty hunter. She looked down for a few seconds. They were above the sea. She almost fainted, but not due to fear of heights.
The bounty hunter's expression didn't change. He looked still as furious. If she moved to attack him, he'd shoot.
She only looked back at Esmeral.
She tried not to focus on the laser-gun on her temple…
"So?" The bounty hunter growled.
Night froze, remaining silent.
She was struck with fear…
His aggressive tone made it worse…
"Where is she?"
He yelled louder.
Night inhaled, trying not to give in the panic.
She ended up by answering.
"I…I don't know"
"What?"
"I…I don't know where she is. I…I didn't find her"
She hadn't managed to do it.
She hadn't been courageous enough to sell her out. Because that femme was right…Bounty hunters were bloodthirsty monsters who only killed for money.
Whatever she did to get a bounty on her head…selling her out to her future killer wasn't the most morale thing to do.
She'd nearly done it. Nearly.
And it was already too much.
But she almost regretted it while witnessing Esmeral in such a situation…
But she needed…She needed to hold on.
The bounty hunter growled, his servo going up for Esmeral's neck, holding her closer.
"I gave you a delay"
"Xedgar…Xedgar, is that right? I don't know where she is hiding!"
"You think I care? I lost a bounty because of you!"
The laser-gun's metal froze her again.
"…You choose a pitiful bounty over your friend?"
Yes…
She felt stupid…She condemned Esmeral…
She should have sold that femme out…
No…Don't think about it, she tried to repeat to herself.
"Though…" Xedgar added. "It doesn't surprise me really"
It left her completely astonished.
What was he talking about?
"Too bad for you." He said. "Your friend is going to die"
"No! Please, no!" Night shouted.
"Too late"
Something…
Something to gain some time…
Three minutes…
"My delay…My delay isn't over yet!" Night suddenly cried out.
Xedgar stared back at her, a bored expression.
There was a hint of pity in his optics.
"Unless she surrenders…you're too optimistic"
"Why? Why doing this?"
That's a simple question…enough to give her some time…
Only a bit of time…that's all she needed.
Yet it seemingly worked. Xedgar didn't pull the trigger.
She wanted to reassure Esmeral.
Everything will be alright.
"Why? You dare ask me why? But because I'm a bounty hunter, you pretty!"
She let him keep on.
"Taking bounties, that's all I do! It's my job…killing, torturing…any bounty hunter does that. I'm just in the continuity!"
Her own energon went icy to this.
"You wish to know how many bounties I killed? Around fifty during the last millenaries."
Fifty…
Fifty bots had died because of him…
"And still…Some bounty hunters did worse than me. They got a better career…While they didn't deserve it!"
"What do you mean?"
Fifty bots…It's already too much to her. And yet, some other bounty hunters had killed more bots than that guy…
He was a monster…and there were some others.
"It doesn't matter anymore. You chose the person to kill"
"No!"
Night's spark nearly exploded.
At this distance, she could see one of his digits on the trigger.
Had she failed?
Her optics went wet.
Esmeral's vision would never leave her memory…
A purple dot appeared on Xedgar's forehelm.
A dot…
"Let's negotiate"
Night turned around.
The pirates' canons were aimed at the bounty hunter.
Saberhorn had his swords out, ready to order his crewmates to fire.
Kat was among them.
She repressed a relieved sigh. The plan had worked out well…while driving back to the ship, she'd come across the captain in his beetle-mode.
Kat had acted well, trying to warn them…but she'd been afraid of being short of time.
Night witnessed Xedgar clenching his fists.
"Mind your own business!" The bounty hunter spat.
"Believe me, I would like to." Saberhorn retorted. "But if you shoot, we shoot."
Xedgar didn't waste time to recognize them.
"…Damned pirates…Insecticons as well. A fucking race of thieves…"
Xegdar didn't lower his weapon down though.
Saberhorn granted him a mischievous smirk back.
"I came here for a combat but…your ship looks so welcoming. I wonder what it contains."
"Get scrapped! You'll not shoot!"
"Really?"
Xedgar slightly moved back, not releasing Esmeral.
Night focused back on him. Was he…afraid?
"You think I care for her life?" Saberhorn questioned. "It's your ship that is interesting. I can still shoot you through the hostage"
"No!" Night screamed.
She hadn't expected it.
Xedgar went pale.
"You'll not do this"
"Yes, yes. It's so much easier to assault people that cannot defend themselves" Saberhorn pointed.
"Leave me alone!"
The Insecticon rolled his optics.
"I'm quite disappointed. I thought that bounty hunters weren't cowards and that you would resist a bit. But…we easily can see through people's true personality whenever their life is endangered. So, you better listen to me" Saberhorn declared.
Xedgar winced at this.
"You'll put your weapon down…or I'll get you exterminated. You'd be our hostage. I could easily offer you some options between a combat or death but…I doubt you'd want one or the other."
"Let me go!"
"I don't think so"
His crew didn't lower their weapons. The bounty hunter shivered. He'd lost his self-confidence. It felt like roles had been inversed.
Now it was his turn to be afraid.
Xedgar made a step aside.
Night held her breath.
Was he going to obey?
Another step. Aside.
"If…If I let her go, you'd leave me alive, right?"
"I'm not sure I want it anyway" Saberhorn sighed.
Xedgar nodded.
Another step. Aside.
He slowly released Esmeral…
Night bit her lip. He was listening…
Then at the last second, it struck her.
They were dangerously close to the edge.
And then, under her optics, he suddenly pushed Esmeral off the edge. The femme lost her balance…
And fell.
Night let out a shrieking scream.
No!
She never tore her optics off Esmeral…the femme slowly disappeared in the sea underneath them…
No!
No!
Xedgar's cannon was now close to her face.
She didn't think any longer.
She jumped aside.
She didn't care about height…
Laser shots were heard.
Night didn't pay attention to them either.
She took a long breath and jumped into the sea.
"Night!"
Kat lost her voice, reaching out to her orange armour while Night jumped into the precipice.
She'd thought that Xedgar had shot her…No! She'd willingly jumped to catch Esmeral…
Everything went dark around her.
Pirates had fired at the bounty hunter.
The scene went too fast for her. Xedgar jumped into the air to dodge any shot, while Saberhorn shouted at Kat to take cover. He lunged at his direction, swords at servos and using his wings to give him more speed.
Kat wanted to follow Night…
But shooting around stopped her from moving. She managed to kneel down, covering her face with her servos.
The bounty hunter rushed over to the ship to take refuge in.
Saberhorn didn't leave him any time.
One of his blades up, he nearly stabbed through his face.
Xedgar hurriedly kicked him back and tried to get to the ship again.
He didn't want to fight him…
He was running away.
Saberhorn kept chasing after him. He managed to grab his leg and pulled him far from the ship's entrance. His swords went above his head to finish Xedgar.
Xedgar dodged again, rolling aside.
He tried to stand up. Saberhorn hardly kicked him in the side to slow him down.
The bounty hunter screamed in pain. Kat witnessed as he used his arm to protect himself from the next blow. The pirate wasn't impressed and used his second sword, crossing his blades to get his chassis protected, as a form of shield.
Night…Kat thought back, her body shivering under fear.
She suddenly realized that the bounty hunter only used one arm.
In the other…his laser-gun.
What was he…
She got it.
"Watch out!" She screamed.
But her warning went to Saberhorn's audios at the exact moment where Xedgar had his laser-gun up.
He pointed at one of the crewmates who ran closer.
Then he pulled the trigger.
The pirate was close to Kat when the bounty hunter shot. The pirate was suddenly projected backwards and collapsed.
Kat couldn't suppress a horrified scream.
The pirate was dead, a laser right into the head.
Energon formed a pool around him.
And that attack was enough to distract Saberhorn. Shock evident on his face, he screamed his crewmate's name.
Xedgar then hit him back with his shoulderplate to disarm him. It worked. Then he pointed the laser-gun on the captain's spark.
Kat froze.
Saberhorn had just time to fly off as soon as Xedgar shot him.
Kat heard a moan of pain from the Insecticon. He collapsed on the ground. She realized that his leg had severely been injured. Saberhorn tried to press on the wound.
Xedgar stood up. Another crewmate tried to attack him from behind. Xedgar turned around and shot him through his chassis. The pirate fell as well.
The bounty hunter's optics met Kat's.
A devious smirk appeared on his face as he walked ahead for her.
She tried to stand up but Xegdar grabbed her arm to force her to follow him.
"Come with me, you pretty. I'll use you as my shield"
"No!"
Kat struggled. She noticed Saberhorn crawling to his sword. Kat tried to step back. She tried to aim at his optics with her claws. She was temporarily blinded by a punch into her globe. Everything span around.
As soon as she got her vision again, the bounty hunter's canon was right near her globe.
Please…no…
Above them, engine noises…
Why…
Xedgar's smile widened.
And before he could take her away, a fist appeared in her field of vision to punch his wrist hard.
He let out a gasp, dropping his laser-gun that landed only a few millimetres away from the edge.
A blade noise.
Kat caught her breath. She looked up.
Fracture stood between Kat and Xedgar.