All Creatures Great and Small.
Directors Edition
Chapter 8

Sunburst was kicking a massive bolt down one of the immense, abandoned storage corridors. She was not in a good mood.

//////One and a half hours ago\\\
'Ironhide to HQ, Decepticons attacking the nuclear power station! All Autobots needed, quickly!' They were a good ten minuets away from the base when they intercepted the transmission.

'Autobots Roll out!!!' Prime turned almost 100 degrees on the spot and shifted into overdrive. Checking the review mirror Sunburst could see the others doing the same after she pulled herself out of the seat.

'Sunburst to Grimlock, Swoop and Xander. Jet ahead and take out any Decepticon moving.'

'Grimlock think that good idea.'

'Swoop says; lets do it!' The two Dinobots flew over head aiming for the distant power station.

It took Prime, Jazz and Prowl a bit longer to get there with their small companions onboard. When they did get there they found a heavily out numbered Autobot patrol fending off the entire Decepticon army. Recklessly they headed into the large group of Decepticons trying to slip past the entrenched defenders. Prowl and Jazz transformed in a flash and jumped into the middle of them firing as fast as they could, Sunburst flipped out of Prime and onto Lazerbeak smacking it repeatedly across its head with her pistol. Prime himself converted into robot mode caught Buffy, who had transformed herself, and sniped of two Decepticon jets with the small but powerful Buffy gun from what limited cover he found from a demolished out building.

Sunburst was having a blast, due to the nature of the Key she could deliver 100 power with each blow, far more than the conservative attacks of most Autobots. Lazerbeak's head was seriously dented before crashing into the wall. Badly damaged he returned to cassette mode at the smug Power-master's feet. Standing up with a few scuffs on her paint she found herself facing Dirge. The special power of his engines sent shivers down her spine, pinned to the spot with fear she scanned for her blaster It was under the rubble at her feet…

//////Now\\\
Sunburst kicked the bolt again, it bounced off the corner ahead of her and down the hall. She was about to follow it when she noticed a silver suitcase lying in the alcove. It had obviously fallen from something and been forgotten. Pulling it out of the shadows she read the stylised symbols of the Autobots descendants, the Maximals. There was a simple numerical key lock next to the owners name. With a small smile she tapped in her first guess, the Predacon code number for "rodent" and it opened.

Good old Rattrap duplicity, it's a pity that those that knew him could see it coming a mile off. Even her third hand memories were enough to know him. Inside was the Maximal's spy favourite rifle, a master crafted photon cannon, with four spare energon cells. Noting that she needed a new gun, and the ancient law of finders keepers, she strapped the gun to her leg and pocketed the extra cells. After a moment of practicing her fast draw Sunburst decided to play a new game. Find anything else the Maximals or Predicons left behind. If Faith could play with the stuff so could she.

Buffy sat next to Prime while he had his arm replaced. She had no idea why he wasn't angry at Dawn. If she had just stayed out of the fight…

/////One hour ago\\\
It was a strange sensation just being a gun, she couldn't walk or really move. Like watching an action film in 3-D surround sound ultra vision, all she could do was relax. She had to admit the feeling of power she got each time she was fired was euphoric but she was still being used and that was freighting. Was it? For a strange moment she turned the thought on is head, as a Slayer she fought fear every day and had gotten to know it well. She was simply afraid, almost enough to terrify her still, but there was nothing to be afraid of at the moment. Something was forcing her to be afraid the question was who and why?

Buffy used her scope sights to look around, a crimson red Decepticon jet was pointing his arms at Dawn. She knew that was the cause of it and now there was a reason to fear. That thing could squash her sister like a bug. 'Prime! Behind us!'

'Dirge.' As Optimus paned around as the Decepticon fired. Dawn somehow jumped backwards just in time, skidding away from the blast. The Autobot leader quick-fired Buffy to take down Dirge before he could react. Both of them looked to see Dawn get up and point behind them.

Buffy clattered against the ground, out of the corner of her eye she saw a silver Decepticon with a super sized cannon strapped to it's arm. 'Eyes in the back of your head not working Prime? Shame. Then again here ends your life, every cloud and silver linings. Wouldn't you agree Optimus?' Prime's right hand was still clutched around Buffy, his arm a good distance from his body.

Before the Decepticon could fire, killing the injured Autobot leader, Dawn shouted 'Hey Megatron! Catch!' She ran up to Prime and bounced off him, right into Megatron's face. Her drop kick landed with the full force of her momentum and the strength of both legs. Buffy suspected that would do something impressive and it did. Dawn landed with a crash, only a few feet away. Megatron clawed himself out of a cooling tower, one eye was shattered and his helmet was bent into his face. Dawn, on he other hand, didn't move.

Time dilated for Buffy. She was helpless, trapped by the iron grip of Primes' amputated arm. Dawn was unconscious and bleeding both oil and human blood. 'That was a mistake little one. Your first and last.' Megatron was having trouble aiming thanks to his obvious concussion but yet again he was stopped from firing. Prime shouldered the gunmetal grey Decepticon back into the cooling tower. With two added kicks Prime brought Megatron down to his knees. The Decepticon looked around as someone shouted; 'Megatron! Autobot reinforcements approaching'

Megatron did the only thing he could, 'Decepticons! Transform and retreat!' He fired with a built in shock blaster, knocking Primes' legs from under him. The Decepticon leader hovered for an instant and flew away. Despite still having his own gun and one arm Prime couldn't hit Megatron as he and his army escaped.

///Now\\\
Buzzsaw was helping him repair his face. Megatron wasn't paying the bird shaped twin of laserbeak any attention. His massive database was running over the battle again and again. The turning point was when Prime turned up with that new Target-master and that other Nebulan. She was his next target, that little bug took out Lazerbeak like it was a game. 'Ravage! Come here.' He called, ignoring the flair of pain when his repairs were strained. Megatron's loyal spy ran to him; 'Transform, I want to see your records on that kidnap you failed at.'

The Decepticon tape looked guilty just before compiling with his masters orders. Playing back the tape on his undersea base computer Megatron paused the image of the Nebulan that had stopped Ravage. 'The same 'bot. Gah!' Megatron bounced his fist of the console. Buzzsaw flew back from his master's rage, Ravage transformed out of his slot and cringed behind a near by chair. 'Whomever this worm is she works with Prime. And she has annoyed me, stopped my minions and prevented me from obliterating that sanctimonious Prime . She will regret crossing Megatron! Oh yes she will!' he growled before shattering the screen.

Sunburst stopped outside the old shuttle bay. Buried under a volcano there wasn't much use for a roof top door, so no one had tried to get inside and it was long forgotten. Next door were the automatic medical and armoury supply distribution rooms, basically giant cargo bays. Both were working without supervision and at full speed. No Autobot had been up here since The Ark was launched, almost four and a half million years ago.

This was the perfect place to hide any technology and equipment the Maximals left behind.

Only one problem. The door wouldn't open. Not to a standard code or Prime's override. A sure sign someone had sealed it from the world. With a wry grin Sunburst decided to try Rattrap's preferred code breaker. When the lock stopped smoking the door opened a little bit. After shooting out the door motors she was able to push the thick metal shutters open, just big enough for her to squeeze through. Inside was enough equipment to restart the Beast Wars and then some.

Wreckage from both bases. Crates of ammo, weapons and technology lined the walls and were scattered all over the deck. Sunburst laughed almost constantly as, for her, Christmas came early.

Angel, Faith and Wes sat facing the newly conscious Conner. They had given him a pencil and paper to communicate with. It was a long time before they had excepted his written word that he had nothing to do with Cordy's disappearance. The others were out patrolling. Leaving the four of them alone in the house as a radio switch board for the two dozen Air Force teams dotted around the town.

A short knocking on the door was followed by a demon opening it. 'Hello? Slayer? Dawnie? Gak!' Angel dropped from the rafters as Faith pointed her new spinning sword at the demons head.

It was kinda short, with great flaps and folds of skin tumbling on top of each other 'Who are you? What are you doing here? Answers now or I'll skin you alive. From the looks of things that will take some time.' Angel threatened. What the hell was a demon doing walking into a Slayer's home?

'I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't know she had moved. Can I go, please? I won't trouble you again. Just don't hurt me.'

'What's your name?' Angel asked picking himself up of the lump of skin but kept his foot on it's back, pinning the demon.

'Clem, I'm called Clem. I knew the people who lived here, I thought they had gone on holiday. I was walking past and saw the lights were on. I thought they were back' The thing wasn't struggling ,only shaking with fear.

Faith moved the sword closer to the demon, Angel could feel it ripping the air. 'How do you know Buffy?'

'She's the Slayer, I'm a demon. That's a good incentive not to annoy her. I wouldn't hurt anything not even cats, no I love cats. I don't eat them.' Angel was having a hard time not laughing by now. This guy was no threat, he finally let him up.

'Buffy's out saving the world, we're here to keep Sunnydale safe. That's Faith the other Vampire Slayer.' Clem jumped back, almost grovelling in the doorway again.

'I'm harmless, really.'

Faith smiled, the first smile Angel could remember for a long time. 'I can see that. If B says your alright then so do I.'

'And I'm Angel'

'Angelus? The vampire that sired Spike?'

It would take too long for him to explain so Angel let it go with a; 'More or less.'

'You have a soul now right? You fight for the powers?'

The en-souled master vampire had no idea where this was going. 'Yes?'

'You can help him then. He did something terrible and wanted to be like he was before but he didn't know what he was asking…'

'Who?'

'Spike, he needs help…'

'Spike's in Sunnydale again? Damn him, that's the last thing we need. Faith get your coat.' Angel pulled his duster from the rack and glided out the house, Faith followed close behind.

'You, Clem, stay here with Wesley.' Faith shouted behind her. 'Wes, he does anything other than breath, kill him. You guys do breath right?' Before the demon could answer Angel had begun to run. Faith was trying to keep up with him as he took off into the night.

Sunburst was hacking open another box of assorted gismos when she saw it. There wasn't a crate big enough for it. A scale replica of Optimal Optimus Primal. It was made from harsh steel and simple bolts and rivets. The same size as Bumblebee and the other smaller Autobots. It also looked like some sort of suit.

When she got closer she ran a detailed scan. It was a suit, capable of receiving and transmitting on multiple channels, almost like a remote control. Whatever it was designed for Sunburst had other ideas on what she could do with it. She started by ripping off the antenna...

///three quarters of an hour ago\\\
Sunburst woke up. What was left of her human body had repaired its own damage as had her Power-master armour, with a little help from Fixit. The small Autobot medic was now working on Ironhide's damage. Prime was the first to notice she had full reactivated; 'What, by Primus and the sentient universe, were you thinking? Taking on Dirge unarmed not enough for you so you go after Megatron?' He shouted at her. She saw that the horrific damage he had suffered hadn't been touched yet. Typical Prime, he could be a disembodied head and he'd care more for his warriors scuffed paint than himself.

'I had a gun when I started.' She weakly replied. 'What was I supposed to do? Let that oversized musket send your spark back to Vector Sigma?' she could feel the newly repaired systems settle into place with her aches and pains.

Buffy was suddenly there with them. 'You shouldn't have been there in the first place. The Decepticons could kill you like I would swat a fly. I thought you knew better than to get killed.'

'Buffy I do. What I did was needed. I don't care if you, either of you, think it was stupid. In the end I'm just one life and not that important. You are the Slayer you protect this world from darkness. You are infinitely more important than me Buffy. Prime, you are the leader and the spirit of the Autobots. When you stand they all stand. If you fall they all fall. Anyone of them would willingly give their lives for you. So must I,' Sunburst sat up and looked at both of them. 'I might carry the Key but that's all. If die someone else can carry it. No one else can slay like you and no one else can lead like you.'

Prime leaned back, 'No. You say that but we both care for you. If something happened I wouldn't be able to carry on knowing that I let an innocent die for me. I'm sorry but you cannot fight with us. The only reason I got injured was because I worry about you. That's a distraction I cannot have while I'm out there.'

'Prime's right Dawn, we can count on all the Autobots to fight well because they're powerful enough to match the Decepticons, you aren't.'

Sunburst looked at Buffy she would have opened her face pates to stare her down but she didn't want to show her unshed tears. 'Your right both of you. Dawn was too weak and to innocent to fight. But I'm not her anymore. Neither of you understand that I'm Sunburst now. This isn't an act or a game to me. My life is what I make of it now. The person you remember Buffy never really existed. Dawnie was the little girl who the monks made, a story of a silly little girl they invented of the top of their heads. Dawn was the young woman who had to grow up too fast when the world abandoned her with death and then in life. I am now Sunburst I fight for the good in this world. The same as you and if you think that's wrong, if you can take away all the lessons life has taught me, then I will stay out of your way. I never could stand hypocrisy anyway.' She didn't even look back as she barged out of the medical room and for the abandoned corridors.

///Now\\\
Prime's arm was finally fixed back on both he and Buffy went looking for little Sunburst. Wheeljack was not surprised at their reaction, or at hers. Both points were valid and mutually exclusive. The Autobot scientist was shocked out of his thoughts when his comm board chirped at him. With a quick frown he activated it.

'Wheeljack. Sensors show Prime and my sister just left.' It was Sunburst, where had she gotten access to the internal comms?

'Yes their trying to find you.'

'Perfect. I think I have a way to help fight and still stay out of danger, but I need a brilliant mechanic that's up for a challenge.'

'Are you flattering me?'

'Yes.'

'It worked, Ratchet's dealing with the others. What do you need.'

'Meet me in the top storage decks and don't tell anyone I want it to be a surprise.'

Wheeljack was so intrigued that he did what he was asked. When he got to the right decks he saw the shuttle bay doors were part open. Pushing them all the way he was amazed by what he found. It looked like a control cabin for something the same size as a human, or maybe a little bigger. it sat in and amongst small storage crates that had been up turned and broken in some sort of search. Sunburst was sitting at one of the monitors with a wire frame model spinning on a table projector behind her. She was busily programming something into the computer before turning around. 'Hi. What do you think?'

Faith burst into the crypt, close behind Angel. Huddled in the corner was a pathetic whimpering shell of a vampire. Angel didn't change pace as he walked right up to Spike.

'You should have told me…' his voice was soft and hollow. Something about it worried the Slayer.

'Spike,' Angel's voice dripped with false friendship with one hand he picked the bleach blond killer up from the floor 'How nice it is to see you again. Mate' He uttered the last word while throwing the vampire through a stone coffin lid.

Faith watched as Angel pounded Spike through walls, fridge doors and, finally, the crypts roof. Outside Spike was still standing, not running, not fighting just standing there. She was determined to kill the bastard who bragged about bagging two Slayers. Drawing the cool sword back she was about to run him through when his eye's snapped into focus. 'I've been a bad man.' He announced to her.

'What the hell?' Faith stopped short. A bad man? she looked at his expression and there was something behind it, clawing at the world. What was wrong with this guy? Angel didn't notice or just didn't care, barging past her he simply started hitting Spike again and again. Spike, Vampire master, Killer of two Slayers, known the world over for his power and skill was just taking it. No blocks, no dodges. He was letting Angel beat him to death. Faith knew that look, the same one she saw in the mirror after her coma. Spike wanted to die 'Stop! Angel! Stop please, look at him!'

Angel backed off, his fists were slick with blood. Spike lay there half dead, well half dead-er. 'What's your point Faith? You want to finish the job?'

'Angel look at him! He wasn't fighting back, he isn't running or hiding. Some things wrong.' she was almost disgusted at Angel for how he was acting. Then again Spike was a vampire and they had a history. Could she be wrong?

'Like me not ramming this stake into his heart. Thanks for reminding me' Angel pulled a stake from his duster and spun back around. Spike was up like lightning, he grabbed Angel's hand and plunged the stake into his own shoulder.

'Must tell the girl, I have to apologise, say sorry. Peaches can kill the bad man then.' Pulling the stake from his shoulder Spike put it to his heart. 'Promise.'

It looked like Angel finally noticed something was up 'What's wrong with you?' he asked but before Angel finished speaking Spike slumped to the ground muttering nonsense in his sleep.

Between them Angel and Faith dragged the almost comatose, insane, vampire back to Buffy's house. They carried him easily over the thresh hold before realising that they shouldn't be able to without Buffy inviting him first. After excusing Clem (who hadn't moved so much as an inch) they threw Spike onto the couch.

The Air Force Colonel and his team returned from patrol a handful of minutes later. 'Goddess! Even my bruises have bruises. I've never known there to be so many demons. Something is definitely going on.' Willow limped in using a wizards staff as a crutch. She had gone with Colonel O'Neill's team as her experience gave them an advantage and the blond woman had questions only Red could answer.

'I'm so glad that you can complain.' The handsome Colonel shot to the witch. 'Mr Angel, you'd know best, can you kill zombies with guns?'

'If you get the head with a high calibre round, yes. Why?'

'Miss Rosenburg here insisted we use our swords. That thing about the dead rising from their graves. It's happening.' The Colonel looked like someone with no teeth had chewed him up and spat him through a stampede. He was black and blue but still better of than the other members of his team. They were cut, beaten and one was missing.

Wesley stood up. 'Did you lose anyone?'

'No Wesley-Price. However Daniel-Jackson was badly injured and taken to the field hospital.' The big dude answered. She still got the strange feeling from him but knew him to be a good guy.

Willow looked around, something felt off. she looked around and saw who was crashed out on the couch 'What's happened to Spike?'

'That's what we want to know some guy called Clem came round and told us he was in town so me and Faith wanted a word or two with him.' Angel sucked on a bruised knuckle, it wasn't much of a guess what sort of word or to he had.

'Angel, Spike was chipped by that secret government group. He's harmless to humans Buffy trusts him. Not very much but she still trusts him. Heck they even…' Willow stopped here self a fraction to late.

'They even what?' Angel looked her straight in the eyes just before Faith broke down laughing to the right of him.

'As interesting as that is' O'Neill interrupted, 'What secret government organisation?' he asked with some sarcasm. To Willow the older man reminded her of a younger Xander, still sarcastic and ready to lighten any situation. That was a long time ago, before the demon underworld crushed that out of her oldest friend.

'The Initiative. It was set up by some group called the Nid to research and use demons as weapons. They had all sorts of funky technology and drugs. They started experimenting on demons and their own troops. Luckily we stopped them before things got too far out of control.' she explained

Major Carter shared a look with her boss. 'Anyone left from the NID?'

'I think there's a team of demon hunters but we haven't heard from them in a while.'

'Carter...'

'I'll look into it, sir' Samantha went to the radio.

'So think you can do it?' She asked.

Wheeljack studied the screen for the fifth time. It was incredible, using the equipment and technology she had found Sunburst had designed a combat ready battle suit. It could take a long time and nether one of them could be sure that it would work. 'With what we have here and next door, maybe. I need to look at this thing again.'

It was a dull, metal, grey. Built like an overdeveloped human its arms were longer than they should have been. It had no head, something that Sunburst had worked on. She had programmed the computer to build a 3d holographic imaging array into an heavily armoured housing that included stereo and directed audio pick ups. The other interesting thing was the shells left arm. Sunburst had removed the hand and most of the inner workings and replaced them with a three barrelled rotating rocket launcher. Wheeljack could spend years investigating the technology involved but they didn't have the time. 'Yes lets get this battle armour into that chamber you found. I think I can program the alterations from there on.'

'Good. When we've done that I'm going to get some sleep. Please don't tell Prime or anyone else, I want it to be a surprise.' Sunburst asked of him.

He saw through the white lie easily. Prime, or her human sister, wouldn't agree to her fighting, even with the advantage of the suit. Though, in his eyes at least, it would be a waste of a perfectly good invention and they needed all the help they could get. 'Alright.' he agreed. Together they lifted the shell into the chamber, if he ever had the time Wheeljack promised himself he would build a larger scale version for the rest of the Autobots.

End Chapter 8