Somewhere in the skies over Africa, a lone UAV dutifully scanned the ground below as it flew. This lone drone wasn't performing surveillance for any human government though. Instead, it was scouting for Energon, the fuel and life-blood of its Cybertronian allies: the Autobots.

Although not a truly living machine like the Autobots, this gray and gold machine was sentient, and had decided for itself to take on the task of scouting for Energon and monitoring for Decepticon activity outside the range of their base's scanners. Initially, this construct, known as Skybolt, attempted to aid the Autobots on the battlefield, another decision it had made on its own. Unfortunately, a series of events following the death of its mentor, Dashlane, would lead it to determine itself unfit for battle.

"Skybolt to Autobot base," the UAV spoke into its internal commlink in a soft, masculine voice.

"Jazz here. 'Sup, Sky? Did ya find Energon or 'Cons?"

"Energon cache detected, along with unidentified signal," Skybolt replied. "I am moving in to investigate further."

"Careful out there, Sky," warned the Autobot lieutenant. "That signal could be bait for a 'Con booby trap."

"All sensors are on full alert," Skybolt replied. "Weapons systems are primed and ready for hostile encounters."

"Don't get in over your helm out there, and keep us posted, okay?"

"Affirmative. Skybolt out."

Skybolt closed the comm connection before landing outside of an abandoned diamond mine. He transformed into his robot mode and activated his weapons and performing a cautious scanner sweep of the area, which didn't pick up any Decepticons, either inside the mine or approaching. He proceeded to enter the mines, activating his night vision to compensate for the lack of light as he traveled deeper and deeper, following the Energon readings and strange signal.

As he continued, he noted that his chemical sensors were still picking up traces of diamond, indicating that the mine wasn't abandoned due to being stripped. He began to wonder what caused the humans to abandon this mine prematurely, and his mind began to drift toward trying to answer that question. The most logical explanation he could come up with was that the Energon overloaded the mining equipment, as most human machines couldn't handle the power of the substance. He would soon refocus his mind on the task at hand once the Energon crystals were in view. With them was something else, which Skybolt assumed was the source of the signal. He cautiously approached the object in question, which appeared to be a dark green and silver, feminine-looking robot who appeared to be Cybertronian. He activated his comm once more.

"I have located the Energon and the source of the unidentified signal," he reported. "It appears to be a Cybertronian or similar mechanical being. I am transmitting coordinates now."

"Coordinates received, Sky," Jazz replied. "We'll be wit'cha soon. Jazz out."

Skybolt leaned over the mysterious robot, whose green eyes flickered as if she were low on power. "Are you damaged?" Skybolt asked.

"Motor relays...are offline," the robot replied in a soft, feminine voice. "Propulsion systems are critical."

"My allies will be coming soon. They can see to your repairs."

"That is...kind of you," the femme replied. "What is...your name?"

"I am designated 'Skybolt.' What is your name?"

"I do not have one. I am a third-generation Camien Energon Probe...Model 1221."

"Why do you not have a name?"

"I'm...not really alive. I was never intended to be sentient."

"Neither was I. Skybolt is the name given to the project that created me. I determined that it was a suitable designation early in development."

"I never thought of a name for myself," the probe admitted. "By the time I became sentient, I had long since lost contact with Caminus."

"Your voice pattern indicates sadness. What happened?"

"My first conscious decision was to find that out for myself. I traveled back to Caminus, but there was nothing but empty buildings and rusted scraps. Nobody was left...anywhere. They all rusted away."

"I understand loss. I have experienced it myself. My mentor...and closest friend...was terminated in battle."

"I never developed such a bond with anyone. By the time I gained that capacity...there was no one left to bond with. I spent six million Camien Steller Cycles...alone."

"I...chose isolation. My mentor's death was only the beginning of a series of events that would lead me to conclude that I was not fit for frontline combat. I opted to serve as a remote scout."

"What happened?"

"Grief consumed me. It led to anger...a desire for revenge. The Decepticon Starscream capitalized on that. He offered me weapon and armor upgrades to terminate the one who terminated my friend...Megatron. I accepted Starscream's offer, and once the upgrades were complete, I confronted Megatron. He was ready for me. He anticipated my attempt at vengeance. He exploited it to reprogram me, turning me against my allies. Were it not for my main human creator, Andrea Morales, I would still be a Decepticon. The Skybolt standing before you would no longer exist."

"I'm...I'm sorry, Skybolt."

"You do not need to apologize."

"I don't know what else to say. Caminus has never been at war that I know of."

As Skybolt continued to speak to his new companion, the Autobots had made their way into the mine and were approaching his location.

"Optimus, I'm not picking up any life signals," Ratchet reported with a sigh as he glanced down at his med-scanner.

"I don't think Skybolt would lie about something like a bot," Bumblebee countered.

"It's probably just another drone like him,"

"What if it's a Synth?" Jazz suggested. "If it is, we can't just leave it here."

"If that is the case, then I am in full agreement with Jazz," Optimus added. "If the mechanism in question is sentient and in need of aid, we shall render it."

"Oh, for Spark's sake," Ratchet grumbled under his breath. "One Synth is enough!"

Both Jazz and Bumblebee glared at the medic. "Aww, mute it, Doc-Bot," the warrior fired back. "If an innocent bot is hurtin' down here, you gotta patch it up no matter what."

"It's a bot alright," Bumblebee announced, having spotted the probe as he approached the Energon cache. "Looks like she's been down here for Primus knows how long."

"Hello, allies of Skybolt," 1221 greeted, sparks flying from her neck as she tried in vain to turn her head to face the approaching Autobots.

"Looks like you have some severed motor relays," Ratchet observed before aiming his med-scanner at the femme.

"You can repair them, can't you? You look like a medic."

Ratchet shook his head. "Ordinarily, I would, but you're contaminated with the Red Rust Virus. If I make any physical contact, I'll be infected."

"The Red Rust Virus?" Jazz repeated. "Ain't that the one that wiped out those colonies?"

"Indeed it was," Prime replied. "It is the very virus responsible for the dreaded Plague of Rust that ended the Age of Colonization and isolated Cybertron from its colonies."

"That must be...what happened to Caminus," 1221 concluded.

"Yes, that was indeed the fate of your homeworld." Optimus confirmed. "You are one of only two survivors that I know of."

"I'm not really alive though."

"The presence of a Spark is not the only indication of life, my friend," Prime countered. "You are alive by virtue of your sentience. Alpha Trion once said that life manifests in many forms, and its spark is not always tangible. That appears to be the case with you, as well as Skybolt."

"Alive or not, we cannot risk any physical contact with her. Infection would be a death sentence for all of us. To this day, no cure has been found for the Red Rust," Ratchet stated emphatically. "We should just gather the Energon and leave them both."

"Go ahead and take the Energon," 1221 offered, her voice brimming with sadness and guilt. "I'll be alright here."

"Won't you just run out of power and shut down out here alone?" a concerned Bumblebee asked.

"I'd...I'd rather do that...than be responsible for all of you dying the way the people of Caminus did."

"She will not be alone," Skybolt argued. "I will provide companionship. I am likely to be contaminated as well."

"No way," Bumblebee replied in protest. "We can't just give up on them. We never leave a bot behind."

"So you want to rust to death to save a couple of..."

"Don't say the D word, Ratchet," the yellow scout growled.

"'Sides, maybe we can find a cure."

"If it were that easy, we would've found one eons ago," Ratchet snapped, becoming increasingly frustrated with his companions' foolish optimism. "If I patch her up, we might as well just surrender EVERYTHING to the Decepticons! Once the Rust sets in, I won't have time to even BEGIN to work on a cure!"

"I've been alone for eons. Please...just take the Energon," 1221 reiterated. "The fate of a whole world is more important, and war can no doubt do as much damage as a plague."

Ratchet sighed. "You're...You're right about that. Cybertron is dying a slow death as we speak due to our war, and, left to his own devices, Megatron will inflict the same fate upon this planet."

"Then please...just do as I say."

Optimus let out a heavy sigh as he summoned his trailer. Even if it was for the best, leaving an innocent sentient alone to die didn't sit well with the Prime. It had always been his philosophy to never leave anyone behind. In this situation, though, the possible resurgence of a deadly contagion forced his hand. He turned to face the femme Synth with sadness in his optics. "Someday, we will find a cure. When that day comes, we shall return."

1221 fought for a smile while Skybolt knelt down beside her. "If you deactivate before then...I will see what I can preserve," the gray Synth offered as the Autobots loaded up the Energon. "After all, we will continue to exist so long as our data storage and AI cores remain intact."

"That's true, Skybolt. By the way, I think I detected a bit of optimism in your voice. You sound...happier...than you did when we first met."

"I am. I am not entirely sure why, but I believe you have something to do with it. You were...like a beacon...leading me to something more than just Energon...You marked a path to...closure. I do not know why, but I believe I am at peace. I can come to terms with what happened to Dashlane. You are...my...Pathfinder."

"Pathfinder," 1221 repeated, letting the word echo in her mind for a bit. "I like that name." With those words, she finally smiled as the light in her eyes dimmed to darkness.