Disclaimer; I own Shadow Stalker and the plot. That's it.

Warning: Due to language and violence, this series is rated PG.

Of Shadow And Light

Chapter 12

Comrade

by Switchblade X

"Shadow Stalker is taking her situation rather well." Optimus said, sitting down beside Rhinox at a computer console. "That's got to be a good sign."

Rhinox shook his head, "Optimus, she's acting like everything's okay in front of other people. I've been flipping through some security files, and I've found her crying several times. Most of the time she's by herself, but sometimes Dinobot's there with her. It's bad enough seeing her like this and knowing that I can't do anything for her, but when he's with her and it gets to him… I tell ya, Optimus, one of the scariest things you'll ever see is Dinobot lose his composure and start cryin'. This has really affected those two. And, I'm afraid it's in a very bad way."

Optimus sighed, "I was afraid of this. …Is there anything that we can do for her? Anything at all?"

"Be nice to her, try not to talk about what happened in front of her, comfort her if she needs it, and try not to make her mad or uneasy, I guess." He looked at his commander closely, "If I remember correctly, you were talking about deactivating her the day of the incident. What made you change your mind?"

"We talked for a while the other day. Or, rather, she talked. She apologized for her behavior and said she'd work on her attitude."

"And you felt sorry for her."

He shifted a bit uncomfortably, "And I felt sorry for her."

At that exact moment, Rattrap sauntered into the command center, munching on an apple. "Afternoon, all." he said, flopping into a chair and switching on the main monitor.

"Hey, Rattrap." Optimus replied. Rhinox nodded.

"Any word from Lady S an' Lizard Lips?"

"No." Rhinox answered. "I was starting to get worried, but a scanner picked up Dinobot's energy signature about ten minutes ago. They should be back any time."

Rattrap nodded, turned his attention back to the monitor, and choked on his apple. "Holy slag!"

"What is it?" Optimus asked, standing.

"We got a Pred at our back door! Readying auto guns!"

Optimus looked over Rattrap's shoulder at the incoming bots. "Hold your fire! It looks like the mission was a success."

"What mission?"

"Dinobot and Shadow Stalker went after Waspinator. Shadow Stalker was hoping Waspinator would defect. Looks like he did."

Rattrap shook his head, "Oooooooh no! I am not puttin' up wit Waspinator! Dere ain't no way!"

"Waspinator could prove to be a major advantage, Rattrap. He knows the Predacon base better than even Dinobot, and he can tell us if Megatron's up to something."

"An' how do you know he'll tell us anythin'? Waspinator's da biggest idiot we've eva come into contact wit! He's lucky ta know up from down! Dere ain't no way we can get anythin' from him!"

Rhinox sighed, "Oh, ye of little faith… You're forgetting one thing, Rattrap; Shadow Stalker and Waspinator are allegedly good friends. If I know Waspinator, he'll tell her anything she wants to know."

"Are you suggesting that we use Shadow Stalker to get information from Waspinator?" Optimus asked.

"If Waspinator won't tell us himself, yes. I'm hoping that we won't have to resort to that, but, if worst comes to worst…"

The elevator lowered, and then came back up with the trio in robot mode. Shadow Stalker and Waspinator were on either side of Dinobot, supporting him as best they could; his wound was beginning to get the best of him.

"Welcome to the Axalon, Waspinator." Optimus said, smiling. "I'm glad you decided to join us. We could always use another Maximal."

Waspinator snorted as he helped Shadow Stalker guide Dinobot over to a CR chamber. "Wazzpinator did not join Maximalzz, Wazzpinator joined Zzhadow and Dinobot. Wazzpinator hazz sworn fealty to Zzhadow and Dinobot, not Maximalzz."

Shadow Stalker gave Dinobot a quick kiss before she programmed the CR chamber. She said something to Waspinator in a language that none of the Maximals understood.

Although he didn't know what was being said, Rattrap knew the heavily coded Decepticon language when he heard it. Dinobot had spoken Decepticon to Shadow Stalker when she had first arrived, and he had heard the two talking in that particular language on several different occasions.

Waspinator answered her in Decepticon, and stepped into the next CR chamber.

Shadow Stalker programmed it, then fell into a chair with a heavy sigh.

"What'd you say to him?" Optimus asked.

"I told him to cool it." she answered. "I also told him that he needed to be repaired."

"You need repairs, too." Rhinox pointed out.

"I do?" she asked.

He pointed to her right forearm, which had some minor damage.

"Oh. …Huh. Wonder how that got there? Uh, Rhinox, do you have some tools that I can borrow?"

"Sure." He opened a compartment in his hip, and removed the tools that were stored there.

"Thanks." she replied, taking them, and began working on her arm.

"So, what happened out there?" Optimus asked.

"Quite a bit, actually." As she worked on her arm, she retold the whole story. She finished her report at the same time that she finished with her repairs.

"You can't be serious about dis!" Rattrap exclaimed. "For all we know, Waspinator might've been sent here ta spy on us! An' even if he's not a spy, what makes you tink he'll fight wit us?" He shook his head, "Dere ain't no way dat dis can work. Da hatred between da factions runs too deep."

"Just give him some time, okay?" Shadow Stalker asked. "He'll come around, Rattrap; Waspy's too much of a sweetheart to hold a grudge for very long."

"I hope you're right, Shadow Stalker. I really do."

................................................................................................................................................

Later, Shadow Stalker, Dinobot, and Waspinator were lounging around the river that ran beneath the Axalon. Waspinator was in the process of reading a data pad from the library, and Shadow Stalker was snuggling up to Dinobot, who was leaning against a rock, half asleep.

Shadow Stalker maneuvered herself between his legs, eased herself down onto his body, rested her head on his chest, and darkened her optics. She sighed contentedly and smiled to herself as he wrapped his strong arms around her. Snuggling with Dinobot was like snuggling with a brick wall, but hey, he was a warm brick wall and he was her brick wall.

"I'm still not used to that."

"Not used to what?"

Apparently, he hadn't realized that he had spoken aloud; he paused for a split second before answering her. "I'm still not used to having this half-organic heart where my fluid pump once was. It feels…aberrant. One would think that I would be used to this constant beating within my chest, but I'm not."

"Oh. Yeah, I know what you mean; these new bodies are seriously weird. But, what can ya do, y'know?" She planted a soft kiss on his chest, "…Besides, I kinda like it. Call me crazy, but I find your heartbeat rather comforting."

"You're crazy." He smiled and began to run his fingers up and down her spine.

Waspinator, who had watched this little romantic moment unfold over the top of his data pad, couldn't help but smile. In a way, he was a bit envious of Dinobot, but in another way, he was happy for him. Shadow deserved the best, in his opinion, and it looked like she had gotten it.

The wasp sighed and went back to his reading. There had been a point in time when he could've been where Dinobot was now, but that had been before the accident in the lab. He had always had a crush on Shadow Stalker, but would never ever admit it. He could have had her once before, but that was then and this was now. Back then, he had been a talented young scientist who had stood a chance of making it big. Now, he was a bumbling scapegoat; he was damaged beyond repair, and could barely take care of himself, much less Shadow Stalker. Not that she needed taking care of…

Well, no, that wasn't true. Not now, anyway. After what Rampage had done to her, Shadow needed all the care she could get. Oh, she would naturally deny her own needs, but deep down, she knew she needed help. Dinobot was the one giving her that care now, not him. It would never be him now, not after the accident.

I hope you're happy with him, my love. he thought with a sad sigh. You deserve the best the universe has to offer, and I hope you get it.

"Well, well. Ain't dis a Kodak moment?" Rattrap asked, transforming.

Cheetor chuckled as he followed suit, "I'll say."

"What do you imbeciles want?" Dinobot growled.

"Nothin'." Rattrap answered, sitting down. "We jus' wanted a breath 'a fresh air, dat's all."

The raptor snorted.

"Whatcha readin', Waspinator?" Cheetor asked, trying to be friendly with his former adversary.

"Juzzt bruzzhing up on nuclear phyzziczz." Waspinator answered, mentally cursing his horrible speech defect.

"Yep, that's way over my head." He sat down beside Rattrap, who was shuffling his deck of cards, "Reading's overrated."

"Reading would do you a world of good, furball." Dinobot hissed. "It might rebuild some of those bran cells that you have lost watching cartoons and playing video games all of your miserable life."

"Ha ha." Cheetor shot back dryly.

"Not to mention that music you listen to." Shadow Stalker commented. "What is that shit?"

"It's called punk rock and pop." he defensively answered. "And I happen to like it."

Rattrap snorted, "Do ya like da music, or do ya like starin' at Britney Spears an' Avril Lavigne?"

"Hey!"

Shadow Stalker gagged, "Oh, Primus! You listen to the biggest slut in the music industry and the biggest poser of all time?"

"There's nothing wrong with Britney or Avril!"

"There's a lotta stuff wrong with Britney. Avril's got a few good songs, but she needs to grow up." She shuddered, "At least you don't listen to Good Charlotte."

"What's wrong with Good Charlotte?"

"Several things." Dinobot answered.

"Good Charlotte scares me." Shadow Stalker said.

Rattrap laughed, "Good Charlotte scares you? You listen ta Marilyn Manson, an' Good Charlotte scares you?"

"Yes. Yes, they do. Very much."

"Marilyn Manson is hardly what I would qualify as scary." Dinobot glanced at Waspinator, who was watching this with an amused look on his face. "Well? What do you have to say?"

For a moment, Waspinator was stunned into silence. Then, he became excited; someone was including him in a conversation! "Wazzpinator hazz no preferencezz. Wazzpinator likezz all kindzz of muzzic."

"What's your favorite, though?" Cheetor asked.

"Well…Wazzpinator likezz Weird Al a lot. Doezz that count?"

"That counts. Anything else?"

"…Don't laugh, okay?"

"We won't."

"Wazzpinator likezz the Beatlezz."

"Hey, there's nothin' wrong with a little classic rock-n-roll."

"Ah, yer all way off." Rattrap said. "Now, rap is da way ta go."

"Oh, please." Cheetor groaned.

"Ey, it could be worse. I could listen ta Creed, y'know."

"Now wait just a cotton-pickin' minute!" Shadow Stalker exclaimed, sitting up. "What's wrong with Creed?"

"Yes." Dinobot agreed, also sitting up. "What's wrong with Creed?"

Seeing that they were beginning to tread on thin ice, Cheetor and Rattrap backed down. "Nothin'." Cheetor quickly answered. "Nothin' at all."

"That's what I thought." Dinobot growled, laying back down and taking Shadow Stalker with him.

A few feet above the group, Rhinox and Optimus were making their way down to the river. Optimus chuckled, "Sounds like everything's getting back to normal."

"For now." Rhinox agreed. "…For now."

Author's Note; Thanks to Libero H and KatDrama for the reviews! They are very much appreciated! Libero, as to your inquiry of the Shadow Stalker/Silverbolt relationship; no, Shadow and Silverbolt don't have a thing for each other. Shadow felt she had a sort of kinship with Silverbolt because both of them are obviously genetic wild cards, thus she befriended him. Silverbolt felt the same way. You asked a good question, though. ;) More to come!