Chapter 3
An alarmed broke through Night Stalker's recharge. Blearily opening her optics, she noticed that she was alone in Optimus' room.
"Slag. How long has this been going on?"
With a groan she got up from the berth and stumbled outside the room just in time to dodge a blaster fire from down the hall. By the All Spark! Were they under attack? Peering around the corner she didn't see anyone so she rolled to the other side of the hall where she could get some cover. Peering out there were Autobot bodies all over the place. Fear clutched Night Stalker's spark. Were they dead? Rushing forward she heard several groans.
"Are any of you hurt? Tell me what to do."
"Medics…"
This came from Wheeljack. Night Stalker narrowed her eyes and snapped at the injured Autobots.
"The one or two of you that are LEAST injured I will require your help getting the injured to First Aid, Ratchet, and Knock Out."
Struggling to their feet, she saw Bulkhead and Ultra Magnus helped take the wounded to the three medics. Upon seeing them Ratchet began barking out orders. However, Night Stalker did not see Knock Out.
"Where is he?!"
"I don't know! He won't answer his comm link. Slipstream managed to escape once again and we had to revive Starscream in order to help. Knock Out and Starscream were last seen chasing after that slippery rogue!"
Night Stalker rushed off with Ratchet yelling at her, but the femme was not to be deterred. Racing through the base she came to a stop where Starscream's prison had been. It was empty, Ratchet's first bit of correct news. A whimper sounded and Night Stalker whirled to see Star Cross.
"What are you doing here?! You need to get to safety!"
"I got separated. In all the commotion I got lost from Midnight Chaser and Nightwing. I don't know where they went!"
Star Cross wailed and Night Stalker picked up the Youngling and raced through the base with her. No sign of Starscream or Knock Out. A voice called out. Night Stalker turned and saw Rapidfire. Thrusting his little sister towards him, Night Stalker continued on her mission. Where was Knock Out? Pain filled Night Stalker's body. Something had happened to Knock Out! With a roar of anguish, Night Stalker turned a corner and thrust a fist into Slipstream's back.
"Leave them alone!"
The rogue Transformer went crashing into the opposite wall. Taking in the scene before her, Night Stalker saw that Knock Out was pretty banged up, however, he managed to still produce his saws which meant he wasn't going to go offline anytime soon. However, Starscream was another matter. The recently released Decepticon was in a pile of metal, leaking energon. Night Stalker knelt over him, checking his injuries.
"Forget about me," Starscream struggled. "Take care of S-Slip… S-strreeam…" Starscream's optics went off.
A shadow fell over Night Stalker and she prepared to defend herself when purple canon fire came down the corridor. Slipstream slammed into a wall again and Night Stalker saw that it was Megatron. He was livid. Night Stalker had no idea why.
"What happened?! I woke up with an alarm blaring and everyone running around like mad."
"Slipstream caught wind of the plans I gave you. She slipped free and forcefully crashed the Autobot ship. Jolt and Topspin were severely injured. Have you seen Soundwave?"
"No. I barely found Knock Out and a few others. I do not even know where Optimus is!"
"I'm right here. You were so weak from going to long without recharging that we didn't think you would ever show up. Soundwave managed to get a message to Megatron before we lost communications. Agent Fowler got the humans out of here."
Worry filled Night Stalker's face. Soundwave was her's and Knock Out's lover and Megatron's bondmate. The three of them had due cause to be worried. An idea came to her, the femme made her way down the corridor and to the energon supply storage.
"We haven't checked there yet."
Opening the door she scanned the room, nothing.
"No one's here."
"Pyro are you here? Status update!"
It was a game that she played with the little Youngling. It helped prepare him to become a full grown Transformer. A meek voice came from a corner.
"I-I'm alright. Scared, but alright. Grand Slam has a fractured leg servo and Soundwave's visor is cracked."
Relief coursed through Night Stalker as she made her way over to the voice. There sat Pyro, fear in his eyes. Upon seeing her he jumped into her open arms with a cry of delight.
"I suggested coming here. Energon was important and wouldn't be destroyed unless absolutely necessary. You taught me that."
"Good boy Pyro."
Megatron stepped up and Pyro cowered.
"It is alright. This is Soundwave's bondmate, your other sire. This is Pyro and that is Grand Slam."
Soundwave struggled to his feet. He had managed to find his Younglings and gotten them to safety, prepared to give his life if necessary. Grand Slam moaned in pain. Night Stalker knelt down. Nothing too bad, a damaged servo that would have to wait to be fixed.
"Unfortunately this will have to wait. Ratchet and First Aid are up to their optics with injured. Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead helped take Wheeljack, Bumblebee, and a few Decepticons to Ratchet. I came to find Knock Out and Starscream and ran into Star Cross."
"Where is she?!"
"Rapidfire appeared not long after and I thrust his sister into his hands. I didn't stop to give any orders. I knew Rapidfire would care for his sister. I don't know where Midnight Chaser or Nightwing went."
"Here. We almost couldn't keep up. Just glad to know that Star Cross is alright. We were worried when she didn't come in behind us."
The two other Younglings peered out from two different stacks of energon piles. Just then the sounds of firing ceased.
"Optimus. Slipstream has been successfully deactivated. However, there are a few…. injuries that we aren't sure will ever recover."
"Who?"
"Starscream, Wheelajack, Arcee, and…"
First Aid hesitated.
"Who?"
"And Knock Out. His is the worst of injuries. His processor was damaged and he's leaking energon pretty badly. Not only that, but one of his optics was damage beyond repair, he may never be able to transform again. It's bad Optimus."
Night Stalker didn't hear anymore. She raced away back to the medical bay. Upon entering she was almost deterred by Jolt.
"You cannot be in here."
With a snarl, Night Stalker threw Jolt into a wall and found her bondmate and knelt by his side. Taking his hand the Autobot stirred. Opening his one good eye he smiled when he saw who was with him.
"N-Night Stalker."
"No. Don't speak. Four words. Midnight Chaser and Nightwing."
Knock Out's face went from pain to determination. The injured sports car closed his good optic, but Night Stalker stayed with him. Jolt wanted her to move, but she snarled and First Aid told him to work around her. Night Stalker would not be deterred. After the injured were seen to, a unanimous decision came around that Slipstream was to be terminated. She had proved to be too dangerous to keep online.
The days passed and Knock Out remained in critical condition. The other Transformers seemed to get better, but Knock Out remained the same. After the battle, Miko and her two friends came to check on Night Stalker, but always left when the femme ignored all their attempts at cheering her up. Night Stalker was not going to leave her bondmate's side.
"Night Stalker it's been four days and you haven't recharged once. You need to go lie down before YOU become a patient."
"Then a patient I shall become. I am not leaving his side."
"Night Stalker," Ratchet begged in a pleading tone.
Night Stalker ignored him too. First Aid gave it a try.
"Night Stalker. How do you think Knock Out and your Younglings would feel if they knew you had worn yourself out in waiting for him. Even if Knock Out does not survive, your Younglings need you. They need one of their creators to stay with them as they grow up. Please go recharge."
For a moment, Night Stalker was tempted to ignore First Aid too, but she finally sighed. As she stood up, Knock Out tightened his hand around hers.
"Thank you for staying with me." A pained smile lit his face before he fell into an uncomfortable sleep.
Night Stalker made her way to her berth where Midnight Chaser and Nightwing were waiting. They wanted her attention, but she told them that she had been gently told that she needed to recharge. She would be there again when she woke and she would return to the medical bay, with them if necessary. The femme lay back and closed her optics. It took her nearly a day and a half for her to fully recharge. When she awoke, Midnight Chaser and Nightwing were asleep next to her. Gently shaking them she suggested the three of them go to see Knock Out.
As they headed to the medical bay, First Aid came out. Fear crossed his face and he turned away. Something was not quite right. She asked if First Aid would watch the Younglings and the Medic took charge. Cautiously, Night Stalker entered the medical bay with Ratchet furiously working on Knock Out.
"He's relapsed. There is a high chance he might not make it through the night."
Night Stalker's spark sank. Knock Out had truly cared about her. The femme made her way to her bondmate's side, "Don't leave me. I love you Knock Out!"
"N-Night Sta-alker?" Knock Out was in a half sleep mode.
The rest of the day, Night Stalker whispered into Knock Out's audio receptors in order to coax him back to the living. She was never going to give up. Not on her bondmate and not on their family.
"What does he need?"
"An energon transfusion, but he's refused all kinds."
"I don't care. I'll give some of mine up for him. I wasn't injured during the fight. My over recharging saw to that."
Ratchet hesitated.
"DO IT!"
Ratchet set up the equipment needed to give Knock Out the boost he needed to survive. Night Stalker turned to her mate.
"Hold on Knock Out. I'm not giving up on you, not now, not ever." She kissed him firmly on the lips before she was pulled away to take her place in giving some of her energon to save her bondmate.