The journey was long and slow. Every stride was measured, and each step was taken with great care. Keystone was weary to his frame, the injuries he had suffered in battle were aching, and the straps from the sled he dragged were digging into his massive shoulders. But he kept moving, the thought of his little brother's cold, dead frame lying on the sled he bore keeping his complaints silent and unheard.
Ahead of him, Shadowfang's massive steel-gray frame gleamed in the sunlight, highlighting damaged armor plates and faintly glowing energon, both his and that of the enemies he had slain that morning. Keystone's second brother moved quietly and calmly, but underneath the mask, his grief and rage roiled in his spark and made the black mech tremble slightly. Shadowfang was a hairs-breadth from exploding into an all-out fury, and Keystone knew it.
Moonflight was quietly walking along at the black mech's side, his broken arm clamped tightly to his chest to keep it from moving too much. Despite the injury, the Predacon marched steadily along without complaint, his dark red optics distant and sad. Every once in awhile, the golden brown mech's attention would turn to the final two Cybertronians in the company, and Keystone didn't miss the curiosity in Moonflight's optics, which was beginning to rival his own.
Warrior Star walked along silently behind Moonflight, with the strange smoke-gray mech Breaksteel limping along at her side. Keystone's processor turned to the mech immediately, and he couldn't help but wonder at so many things.
This neutral, the one whose brother killed our creators, is different. Somehow he is different…why else would sister spare him? He defended us, we who have threatened his life from the moment he landed here. He fought his own brother and slew mechs that he had been sparked and raised with…why? Keystone thought, his gold optics focusing on the mech for a moment before he looked forward again. Breaksteel's presence raised so many questions, but very few answers. He made the black mech a little uneasy, and not only him. Shadowfang's suspicion of the massive beast-mech was plainly clear, but what troubled both brothers the most was Warrior Star's calm acceptance of Breaksteel.
Thinking about our guest too, Keystone? Shadowfang's voice whispered softly to the black mech through their bond, and Keystone tugged lightly at his brother's spark before quietly responding.
I am, brother. He makes me uneasy. He is a force to be reckoned with…his performance on the battlefield says as much. But his behavior is what has me the most puzzled, and the most concerned. Why turn on the mechs he has known and was raised with, for us, we who have threatened his existence since his arrival? It does not make sense, and I don't like it. Shadowfang was quiet, pondering his eldest sibling's words, but before he could reply, Moonflight's deep voice broke the silence.
"There's the Autobot base. Only a little bit more and we're there." Keystone didn't see it but he felt the shock that jolted through Breaksteel when the mech's gaze fell on the massive buildings that grew closer with every stride.
"Moonflight, open a channel with Optimus and let him know that we will be coming through the gate shortly. I would rather not have them try and shoot any of us as we approach." Warrior Star's voice was quiet but Keystone still heard her clearly. A distant rumble split the still air, and a cloud of dust appeared, heading towards them rapidly. Shadowfang stopped with a snort, a snarl curling across his face, then he spoke scornfully.
"Too late, sister. Here they come." Keystone halted as well, shaking loose from his harness and broadening his stance as Moonflight squared his shoulders, his dark red optics narrowed and cold. A snarl ripped through the air, and Warrior Star leaped forward, bounding over Keystone to land next to Shadowfang as the first of the Autobots appeared out of the dust.
"Stay back, Breaksteel." Moonflight warned as Warrior Star took one pace forward, paused, then launched into the air, her massive forepaws striking the lead Autobot in the chest as the mech transformed. She slammed him down onto his back, baring lethal serrated dentals right in his face as the remainder of the Autobots screeched to a halt in shock.
"Make one false move, Autobot, and I'll rip out your spark. Where is Optimus?" Warrior Star snarled, glaring down at the mech until the sound of a mech transforming reached her audios. She raised her head, staring at the mech as he stood at his full height, his red and blue armor gleaming proudly as his blue optics stared down at her warily.
"Warrior Star. What brings you here?" The huge Prime asked as she stepped down from the mech she had tackled, letting him scramble to his feet as she walked up to the Autobot leader.
"An unexpected visitor, several injuries. And Swiftpaw…has been slain." The bronze femme stated, stumbling over her words slightly when she mentioned Swiftpaw's name. Optimus's optics widened in shock, and his gaze swept over them all before pausing when his gaze fell on the golden mech's energon-soaked frame. His optics returned to hers, then he asked the question that they were all expecting.
"What happened?" Warrior Star turned, her gaze searching until she found Breaksteel, then she beckoned the smoke-gray mech forward.
"This mech landed early this morning. We tracked him up until news reached Moonflight that William Lennox had been injured. We started this way, then ran into a pack of mechs that seem to have a long-standing grudge against Guardian-class Cybertronians, and my creators as well. In the ensuing battle, Swiftpaw was killed and the rest of us injured. Those enemy mechs left online fled, and we came here. I would like to request that Ratchet repair us, and that Ironhide prepare Swiftpaw for his final rites. That and I would like to see Will personally…we heard his injuries were grave." The silence that fell when Warrior Star finished was nothing short of suffocating, and when Optimus next spoke, his words were cautious and carefully chosen.
"William Lennox is fine, Warrior Star. I know not where you received the report of him being injured but I assure you, such is not the case. As for Swiftpaw, I will see to it personally that he is taken to Ironhide. He was a good mech and deserves nothing less than our best efforts. The rest of you can report to Med-Bay. I'll have Ratchet informed to expect you all." With that, the big red and blue mech turned away and transformed. Once the Autobots had turned and started back towards the base, Warrior Star started walking again, pausing momentarily as Keystone got back into his harness, then she slowly led the way with Breaksteel at her side.
As they walked, the bronze femme pondered over what the Prime had said, especially the news that Will Lennox was alive and perfectly fine.
So we were right…that was an elaborately planned trap that we raced straight into. And Swiftpaw paid for my foolishness with his life. Shaking her head slightly, Warrior Star's cobalt blue optics flashed as she passed through the gate, barely suppressing a chuckle at the expressions on the faces of the humans there. She had never seen them before, so she assumed they were new and that no one had ever told them about her and the pack.
The procession paused at Ironhide's workshop long enough for the battle-scarred old weapons' specialist to murmur his condolences to them all before he gently dragged Swiftpaw's body inside to begin his sad task.
Their journey finally ended when they reached the massive Med-Bay doors, which were already open. Waiting with a scowl on his face was none other than Ratchet, the Chief Medical Officer of the Autobots.
"Good to see you, Ratchet. I assume Optimus told you we were coming?" Warrior Star called, pausing to let Keystone, Shadowfang, and Moonflight make their way inside as the old medic glared at her through icy blue optics.
"Warrior Star. What have I told you about you and your pack and my Med-Bay? This is why I hate having you around. You're always in here." The bronze femme snorted as Ratchet's attention turned to Breaksteel, the mech lingering quietly at Warrior Star's side. His optics narrowed thoughtfully, then he spoke again.
"And who is this? Another lost waif you have taken into your merry band of misfits?" Warrior Star barked out a laugh, turning to gently press her helm into Breaksteel's shoulder as she nudged the mech inside the Med-Bay.
"Something of the sort. At least we fared better than my little brother. He is with Ironhide now...I promised I'd never bury any of my brothers. Some slagging scum-sucking mech made me a liar. I'm going to make him pay for that." She snarled softly, and instantly Ratchet's gaze grew sad.
"Yes, I heard…I am sorry for your loss, Warrior Star. Come, let's get you all settled and figure out the damage." The bronze femme nodded, taking one step before halting when a hauntingly familiar voice reached her audios. She turned instantly, her optics searching, then they grew soft when they fell on the one that had hailed her.
"Warrior Star! You came back!" Oily tears filled the bronze femme's cobalt blue optics, and she lowered her huge head as Will Lennox ran up to her, throwing his arms around her muzzle and hugging as tightly as he could.
Breaksteel turned to watch their reunion from where he stood just inside the Med-Bay's doors, and Ratchet paused next to him, his optics on the human and the femme as well. Without taking his gaze away, Ratchet spoke, making the smoke-gray mech's ears twitch slightly in surprise.
"Those two have always been close, you see. Will was the one that tamed Warrior Star, not us. She came to us as bitter and broken as any Cybertronian I have ever seen, but that human helped her to heal. She's always been grateful to him for it. Come, mech. Let's get you on a berth so I can figure out where to start." With that, Ratchet turned and walked inside, but Breaksteel found that he couldn't move. He was captivated by the femme's gentleness with the little human, and he couldn't help but wonder how the human had 'tamed' Warrior Star, as Ratchet had put it.
The bronze femme finally turned to enter the Med-Bay, the little human sitting on her nose, and Breaksteel felt his spark stop in his chest when he saw the look in her optics. It was a combination of deep affection and trust and relief, and it all disappeared the second her optics fell on his. His spark squeezed painfully in response, and then she walked by him, the warmth of her frame there and gone again before he could even move. He stared after her, wondering stupidly at what was going on with him, then he moved when Ratchet snapped at him and pointed him to a berth.
That femme is a mystery. An absolute mystery. Breaksteel thought as he settled on the indicated berth, shuttering his optics as a mech with blue armor came to his side and started removing his armor. He faded into recharge before the first plate could even be removed.
A/N: So. One very long week under my belt. One very long chapter to make up for it. This one is kind of a mess in my opinion but eh...muse was feeling tricky.
To all my wonderful readers and reviewers, you guys are awesome! A lot of reviews piled up over the last couple chapters; you guys made my day! Lots of new favorites and follows too; thanks so much!
As always, love if you will, hate if you must. I will take anything that you care to dispense.
Until we meet again...
Kani