7. Capture
Lockdown, to his credit, did not seem surprised to see me. He grinned as I walked nonchalantly onto the bridge. "Knew they couldn't keep you. How'd you…"
Before he could finish, I unsubspaced the latest addition to my growing collection of stasis cuffs.
"You're a clever one, Void. Those Autobots never learn. Did you bring me a treat?"
"Information," I replied, connecting to the main viewscreen and uploading the data I carried. I'd taken the liberty of a stop at Sumdac Tower, and by combining the data I'd collected there with my own, I'd pieced together a reasonable story. An outdated profile of Skyfire was the first to appear. "This is the Autobot protecting the juvenile human female. Designation: Skyfire."
"Primus, he's big."
If it were possible, I'd have rolled my optics. "He was once an explorer and scientist, specializing in xenobiology and spacebridge technology."
"Spacebridges? Then…"
"Conclusion: Skyfire is the one Megatron wants," I confirmed. "Not Alexis. She was his bargaining chip."
"Well, why didn't he say so in the first place?" Lockdown demanded in exasperation. I shrugged.
"Don't ask me to comprehend Megatron," I said. My partner peered closer at the profile.
"Wait a klik. This is older than I am. Wasn't there anything from this astrocycle?"
"There's a good reason. Look closer," I said, pointing to the relevant information. "Skyfire went missing while exploring an organic planet— Earth, as it happens— close to a centicycle before the outbreak of the War. He was never recovered, until three solar cycles ago." I pulled up a new file. "Records from Sumdac Systems. Sumdac sent an exploration team to the North Pole. Instead of energy, they found Skyfire." I pointed out a pair of names. "Alexis's creators headed the team and brought her along. Evidently she befriended him, then the rest of the Autobots."
Lockdown made an impressed sound. "Okay. I'm gonna contact Megatron and see what he'll pay for Skyfire instead of the human. Hey," he added, peering at me. "You okay? You look funny."
"I'm fine." I left the information on the screen and about-faced, heading for my quarters. "I'm going to have a cube and get some recharge."
"We'll need a plan," he called. "He's bigger than you and me put together. We could get a Pit of a fight."
"He won't fight," I snapped. "He's an Autobot. I'll think of something. Contact Megatron and don't bother me."
I'd probably said too much, I thought angrily as I stalked to my quarters. Lockdown had noticed my strange behavior. If I was lucky, he would attribute it to my capture; if I wasn't, he would demand answers.
I frowned in the security of my quarters, sipping a cube of energon. Skyfire was alive. Not only was Skyfire alive, but he was here, right here on Earth, and it was tearing me apart. My bond to him was dormant, as it had been for astrocycles, but the longer he was out of stasis the more it gnawed at my Spark. It was driving me slowly insane… or at least, more so than I already was.
But it was only temporary. I was no longer Nova Prime, Skyfire's bondmate. I was Void, Lockdown's partner, bounty hunter, and my directive was to capture Skyfire and deliver him to Megatron. And I would do it, and do it gladly, and then maybe I could convince Lockdown to take me to the outskirts of the galaxy and we could work there.
Yes. That was it… I was a bounty hunter. A professional. Honor-bound to complete my mission, with no second thoughts as I collected my reward and turned away to the next job. I would use my intimate knowledge of Skyfire to my advantage and then I would forget about him.
With this resolve I finished the cube and settled down for some recharge.
It was almost a megacycle before I achieved standby.
My plan was simple and the likelihood of success was high. I still knew Skyfire's comlink frequency; it would be the work of a moment to lure him to some secluded area where Lockdown and I could capture him. I told Lockdown as much, and he didn't ask questions as to how I would get Skyfire away from his fellows. This saved me some awkward answers.
I tried the frequency and was rewarded a moment later by Skyfire's answering signal.
//Skyfire, this is Void.//
It took a moment, but he answered, signal uncertain and untrusting. //Void? How did you get my frequency?//
//I have contacts. Skyfire… I have information for you, something you might find interesting. I know where your friend Nova is.//
The response was immediate and powerful. //Where?//
I pretended to hesitate. //Wait. This signal could be intercepted by the Decepticons. Do you think you could meet me somewhere… alone?//
//Why alone?// He sounded suspicious. He had every right to be, after I'd given him the slip.
//Your Autobot friends would rather attack than listen, I'm afraid.//
//…all right. Where will I find you?//
I gave Lockdown a nod and he grinned. //There's a small island in Lake Erie with a crater in the middle. I'll be on the shore opposite the mainland in a megacycle.// In truth, we were already there. We couldn't risk landing Lockdown's ship when Skyfire could see us.
//I won't be late.//
I closed the line and turned to Lockdown, who hadn't heard any of the conversation. "He'll come. You're ready to handle someone his size?"
"Hey, stasis cuffs fit everyone. Is he a dope or what? This has gotta be the easiest bounty I've ever collected."
I waited on the shore… on the rocks, actually, since sand did horrible things to my thrusters. I tried not to think about what I had just done or what I was about to do. Skyfire was no longer a part of my life. After this solar cycle, I would never see him again.
My resolve nearly crumbled when I saw him approach, but I shut out the cries of my Spark and focused on the mission. Skyfire transformed and landed on the beach, smiling in a fond, distant way.
"Sorry," he said, as though he thought his expression would offend me. "But Nova never stood on sand either if he could help it, something about his thrusters." He gestured at my ridiculous perch. "You reminded me of him for a moment."
He'd always laughed at me for my obsessive care of my turbines, whenever we had to travel in sand or snow or rough terrain. Sometimes he'd carried me, and I had curled up against his chest, feeling the warmth of his Spark on my cheek as my head rested on it…
I snapped out of my memories after just a klik too long.
"You said you have information for me?" he prompted, and the hope in his optics was almost too much for me.
"Yes," I answered. "I have to admit, I was curious… it was an entertaining hunt. The trail was cold…" Where the slag was Lockdown? "…and I don't normally work for no pay, but I have a gift for finding people." He watched me expectantly. I cast about to stall further. "Actually, it was easier than I thought."
"Truly? I will pay anything you ask for your troubles. Where is he?" Skyfire asked, excited. Did Lockdown enjoy watching me flounder?! There was only so long I could draw this out!
"He's here on Earth," I said truthfully, and I watched the surprise come onto his face. And there was Lockdown, finally, creeping up behind. Our signal dampeners rendered him effectively invisible to Skyfire's sensors.
Skyfire… I'm sorry.
Lockdown brought all of his bulk to bear in the first blow, taking Skyfire by surprise and getting him off balance. I raised an arm and fired, letting my null-ray do the hard work. Skyfire toppled with an earthshaking crash; Lockdown sealed the deal with a pair of stasis cuffs. It was a routine that never failed: my null-rays incapacitated them and stasis cuffs finished the job.
But now I felt none of the satisfaction I usually took from a hunt's successful conclusion. I was silent as I helped a crowing Lockdown drag and heave Skyfire onto the ship. Lockdown didn't mention my unusual behavior, for which I was grateful. I could almost feel the curiosity gnawing at him, however, and I knew it wasn't to last.
"I'm going to recharge," I told him as soon as we'd managed to get Skyfire to the brig, turning abruptly around. "Don't bother me for a few megacycles."
"What's eating you?"
"I'm tired," I growled, and left him behind.