Disclaimer: I only own my OCs.

Pandimala: Slag, that is a lot of words.

Authoress: *nods* I know. I can't remember the last time I wrote a chapter this long. Just under ten thousand words is a lot to take in.

Pandimala: It is. Is this to make up for not updating for that long period?

Authoress: *gives so-so hand motion* Sort of. But I've also been inspired to work on this story a bit.

Pandimala: *smiles* I'm glad about that. That means I will be much closer to returning to Lord Megatron.

Chapter 7: The Eternia Embassy

Pandimala's 1st P.O.V.

This was amazing! I was already on my third solar, and no one near me had a fragging clue that I was a soliform. Of course, that might have helped during the first solar when I went to one of the restaurants—The Sargart Inn and Restaurant. Given my lack of knowledge about other species, I knew it was too risky to be any other species outside of human. However, there was also the problem of humans not being well-known in the galaxies. I got several suspicious looks at the beginning. The restaurant owner, Farnak, had his eyes on me until I got my food. Maybe he thought I would waste it if I were a soliform.

Fat chance of that.

The surprised look that came to his eyes as I dug into what looked like a ribeye steak almost caused me to choke on my laughter. I knew I was a soliform, but they had no idea I was one, and I was sure I blew all suspicions out of the water with that stunt. I also noticed he was friendlier when I started eating. He even pulled a chair with me after he asked if he could, and we began to talk.

At first, he answered some questions I had for him. The quensar, which his species was called, came from Druidia. Druidia, which wasn't relatively far from Earth, was a subordinate planet to Antiga Prime, who was currently a sitting member of the Galactic Alliance as Vestium Major was. What was surprising to hear was that Druidia was what was called a sponsor planet. They were currently the only ones in the alliance who had this status. Being a sponsor planet meant they had another planet under their sponsorship that they were responsible for teaching and protecting.

As for the quensar himself, he was unique to look at. He had blue-scaled skin and four feet that looked like lion paws and legs. Farnak's lower body was also like a lion though it strangely had a giraffe pattern in the short fur, while his upper body was like a human male. He had four arms that would be similar to a human if it weren't for the retractable claw that came out of the top of each hand. And then we got to his face. It was similar to the elegant elves that were often and fiction, and its color was a lighter blue than the rest of his body. The neon orange of his eyes seemed to glow as it grew darker outside.

Also, the quensar was familiar with humans, having met a couple in his lifetime. He said he was about middle-aged and around three hundred, which meant that humans must get off-world more than I thought. He did mention that he was surprised to see a human so far from Earth, given that we hadn't gotten the hang of deep space travel. I told him the line that I had come up for this.

A group of calthrians, who Swindle told me were famous traders of goods, had stopped by the planet to harvest some carbon and pick up some other items for trade. I had been camping when I accidentally got mixed in with their supplies. They hadn't realized their mistake until we were well away from Earth. To make it up to me, they gave me a few space suits, rations, and a decent amount of credits so I could move my way across the galaxy until I ran into someone heading toward my planet. Unfortunately, most ships I got on were heading in the opposite direction, so I just went where fate led me.

It was a great fake story.

We had a few laughs about that. According to Farnak, that wasn't the first time the calthrians had mistakenly picked up another species. Then, he asked about my plans for now, and I said I wanted to stay for the Advancement Fair and see what it had to offer before I tried to find my next ride. He offered to set me up in one of his rooms, and, seeing as how that would help keep suspicions off of me, I gave him enough credits for seven solars.

And since that moment, I have been having a blast!

"So, what are your plans for today?" Farnak asked, adjusting the universal translator around his neck that was similar to mine. That was another good thing about this embassy. They had galactic translators for organics who visited since we didn't have scanning abilities which mechano species like my actual self had to learn a language automatically.

That had been another fun test. I had been exploring the town market when one of the labac got upset that I had bought the last ready caramel apple that a vendor had. So, he claimed that I was a soliform and said that if I weren't, I would take off the translator and speak my default language.

Since english came naturally to me still, I handed my caramel apple to the vendor and took my translator off for the rhinoceros-esque bipedal in front of me. While they didn't have large horns on their foreheads like rhinos, they did have tusks that grew, which still made them an intimidating species. He must have hoped to intimidate the truth out of me. However, I simply asked in english if this was acceptable.

It had been.

So, now the labac were primarily off my trace and away from me. However, there was one that still talked to me. However, I wasn't sure if that was out of suspicion or a desire for friendship. And that was who I had plans with this solar. "I'm meeting with a friend I made the other day. She offered to show me some highlights of the embassy, and I couldn't say no."

He let out a laugh. "Well, make sure you enjoy yourself. It's not often you humans get to see the universe, and you need to take in every sight you can to make it worth it."

"I don't know, I could get used to your sakarras loaf every seven solars," I joked with him. Though that sakarras loaf that we had for dinner last night was terrific. It was reminiscent of meatloaf but seemed to hit a sweet spot I didn't know I needed to hit. And I didn't know what that blue and purple mashed potato-looking thing I ate was and, with how good it was, I never wanted to know.

And we weren't going to get into the green drink that came with the meal.

Rolling his eyes, the quensar shook his head and stood up. "You are not going to stay away from home for my sakarras. But I appreciate the compliment anyways." He then shook his head. "Just make sure that you are back here before nightfall. I have a group that rented the private dining room, and they asked not to be disturbed. So, if you want a place to sleep tonight, you'll need to be back."

While I was curious about who would be at Farnak's tonight, I knew I needed to get to my own meeting. "I'll remember. Thanks again, Farnak!" I then got out of my seat and ran to the door. My hopefully soon-to-be friend was waiting, and I didn't want to disappoint. I was supposed to meet her in the central square, and I didn't want to be late! Being late meant I could miss out on something about the embassy, and she seemed knowledgeable about the area.

It took me a few minutes to reach the square, and once I skidded to a halt, I looked around for her. Thankfully, she stood out, and I soon saw her waiting by the main fountain. "Caigal!" I called out as I moved toward her.

The labac looked around at my call, and after a few moments, our eyes locked. "Lizzie. I thought you weren't going to make it."

Once I got to her, I let out a laugh. "And miss out on this? Not a chance."

"Good. I hope you brought some water activity wear." A swimsuit? Why would I need that? "The first place we are going is somewhere labac like to go and train while enjoying ourselves."

Wait…just what place was this? At first, I thought we would be going to the beach. But, the labac didn't like to train alone in such open spaces. And, given that they would be enjoying themselves wherever we were going, I realized this was somewhere a little more exclusive.

However, we were running into our first problem. "Given how I hadn't planned on leaving my homeworld, to begin with, I didn't think to pack a swimsuit. Is there anywhere nearby we could maybe buy one?" While I doubted they would have a perfect fit for me, I would figure something out to make it doable. Hell, I'd wear swim trunks and a waterproof shirt if I needed to.

Thankfully, Caigal had an answer to that. "My apologies. I allowed myself to forget your circumstances in arriving here." If only you knew the real one. "Come. There is a shop that can make you what you need. You will need to pick out the materials, though."

Was this a custom shop? Could I afford that without looking suspicious? It seemed better to play on the side of caution. "Um…Caigal, I'm not sure I can afford that."

"Nonsense. You will not be spending a credit this solar. I am your guide, so I need to ensure you are prepared for wherever I may take you. And I will hear no argument on the matter." She said that as if the matter was settled.

"Caigal, that really isn't necessary," This didn't seem fair. She was taking time out of her day when I was sure she had other stuff she could be doing than showing me around.

However, that got a huff out of my guide, and before I knew it, she had placed a hand on my head. "I know you aren't hard of hearing. I said no arguments."

I let out a huff but let it slide. She was showing me around and taking me to this place, so I would let her win for now. If she ever visited Pyrovar, I would return the favor. "Fine,"

She seemed to almost smirk before she nodded and led the way. I'd let her enjoy the victory for now. I was sure there would be more challenges for me to win later. We walked into a shop off the main path five minutes later. Inside, about every fabric I could think of was used for water was there. While my practical mind said I should go with the best I could get without spending too much, I knew that being a human, I would want a little bit of flair with my suit.

"Welcome. What can I do for you?" The cashier spoke up as I wandered the aisles.

It was strange how quiet it was before Caigal spoke up. "My friend is here to acquire a custom swimsuit. Give her whatever she may need."

Since the racks were taller than me, I wasn't surprised by the cashier's next question. "And when should I expect your friend?"

Popping my head around a corner, I waved toward them. "Sorry, I got distracted. My name's Lizzie Val. Nice to meet you."

The alien species I didn't recognize stared at me in surprise before he nodded. "And I am Espar. Any friend of Caigal is welcome here."

Wow, I didn't realize that Caigal knew the cashier personally. "Thanks! I think I need to look around a little more before I make my choice."

"Take your time," I heard him call out as I explored the options.

After about ten minutes, I decided on decent water able material in gunmetal gray and red and a sewing pattern that I thought would look nice on me without being too…flamboyant. "I think I'll go with these," I spoke up, drawing the two out of a conversation. "Do you need my measurements?"

To my surprise, Espar shook his head. "No, when you walked in, scanners on the entryway took a comprehensive scan of your body. Give my seamstresses about twenty minutes, and then we'll have you settled." He then glanced at Caigal. "I'm assuming this will be on your account?"

"Correct," She responded before she moved to me. I must have missed some signal because Espar immediately moved to the back with my items. Guess my stuff was getting the express treatment. "Espar is a psiar, another species inhabiting Eternia." She must have seen my curiosity about him. I didn't realize that they were from the same planet. But that made sense, given the familiarity between the two of them. "In ancient times, their home planet, whose name is lost to time, died. They came to Eternia as wanderers wanting a home. They gave that to the psiar in return for their loyalty to Eternia and its ruling family."

That was pretty cool. Thinking back on Earth, I didn't see us being that welcoming to an alien species so openly. It made me appreciate all of these species I was interacting with more and more. It gave me hope that one day, humanity would catch up to these fantastic beings and experience what I was. "Outside of whatever I need this swimsuit for, is there anywhere else we are going that I'll need a change of clothes?" I figured it would be safer to ask now, just in case we went outside the city and into the woods, which were still considered embassy lands. It would be a waste of time to go out there just to come back for more clothes if I just bring them with me.

"What you have now should suffice for the rest of our day. A few shops don't open until later in the evening that I wish for you to see." Caigal responded to that as we continued to wait.

Remembering Farnak's warning from earlier, I felt like I needed to speak up. "I need to be back at my lodgings before nightfall. A party has rented one of the rooms and wishes for privacy. If I don't return on time, I'll have to figure out somewhere else to sleep."

Caigal grew a thoughtful look. "It should not take us long. However, should events take us past your curfew, I shall give you quarter for the night."

"Oh, thanks Caigal. It would make things easier if I wasn't worried about returning on time." And I was grateful. However, that also made me nervous. I still wasn't sure about all my soliform did while I put it in sleep mode, and I didn't want it to give me away. While I had already beaten Skywarp's record, I wanted to see how close I could get to the seven days I gave myself. This way, it would be harder for someone to break the record I was setting as we spoke.

"You are welcome," She glanced up as movement came from the front. "Espar, you have finished?"

Moving to see the front, I was surprised that Espar was standing there with a swimsuit that would work. The primary color was silver with red accents, and while it was a one-piece, Espar had thrown in a matching pair of swimming shorts that I could wear over the suit. "It looks amazing!" I thanked the cashier as I was handed the suit.

It was weird being the shortest person around. While Caigal towered at nine and a half feet tall, Espar was about six and a half feet. Both were taller than my 5 foot eleven self. "There is a changing room that you may use to change." Espar offered while motioning to a door on the wall.

Nodding, I took the offered bag for my clothes and almost ran to it. It was amazing how well they got this swimsuit to fit. It was snug against my body without cutting into my skin. Honestly, it felt like a second skin. They could make bank on Earth if it were open for intergalactic exchanges. I threw back on my t-shirt that I was wearing along with my shoes before I put the rest of my clothes in the bag. Once I was sure it was secure, I walked back out and smiled at them. "Fits like a glove," I then looked to Caigal. "Are we ready to go?"

She gave one nod. "Thank you, Espar."

The two of us then left the store. As we moved toward the woods, I noticed curious eyes following us. Guess they weren't used to humans yet. Oh well. If I lasted the seven days I wanted, they would have time to get used to me. But it was kinda weird. While humans weren't common, some species around were similar to us. Why the hell did they have such a fascination with me right now?

After about a fifteen-minute walk, we arrived.

My eyes were wide as I watched labac of all shapes and sizes lining up underneath the mighty crash of a waterfall. I was guessing that they were using it as resilience training. That was pretty awesome. If I didn't know that the water would drag me under and drown me, I would volunteer to try it out. But, not only did I know that most humans couldn't survive that sort of pressure, but I wasn't sure how long the soliform would last under that same pressure. "This is amazing, Caigal. I don't think I would survive the waterfall, though."

"Do not fret," She spoke with humor in her voice. "I believe, however, that you and the psiar can interact safely with each other. Should you need me, though, you simply need to call."

I appreciated the thought but was sure I could care for myself. "Will do," I agreed before going over to the rapids the psiar were using to build strength. Once I was over to them, I smiled and waved. "Hi, the name's Lizzie. What's yours?"

The more masculine looking one of the group came over and held out his hand. "I'm Estar. You wish to train with us?"

I gave a nod. "I would enjoy that if you all wouldn't mind."

He gave a nod, though he seemed distracted. "Good. I welcome those who wish to better themselves. We are currently working our legs and cores against the current to strengthen them. The further down the stream you venture, the stronger the current. Once you have reached your maximum resistance, try and hold your ground. Don't let it sweep you away."

This was clever training. I would have to see if there was any way to implement this among the Decepticons when I eventually returned home to Pyrovar. "Sounds like it should be beneficial," I responded to Estar before walking down the stream. Of course, I said stream lightly. The water, while only up to my knees at the beginning of the walk, was already making its way toward my upper thighs. This current was powerful. I had to make sure I didn't venture too far. Humans could only resist so much.

So, when I was at my waist, I stopped walking and let go of my thoughts. Just feeling the water move past my legs made me think of Earth. Of home. Of the days when mom and I would find a small creek and go hunting for minnows and crawdads. Laughing and playing in the mud, it was the life. While I wouldn't give up anything I had in this world now, I did miss mom.

You know what; maybe I would stay in soliform longer than the seven solars I wanted to. This kind of training, even in soliform, would only benefit me in the long run. I'm sure Sandstorm and Physis would understand.

Actually, nah. Physis would make his own soliform, which he would make known was a soliform, and drag me out of here.

My heart skipped a beat as I felt something knock into my legs and knock me over. Panic set in as I felt the current drag me down the river, and I tried to make myself get to the top. I needed air! How to get back? I knew there was a lesson during one of my swim classes to help me get back to the surface. Think!

I needed to sink! As strange as that was to remember, I once went on a water rapids tour with my school. The guide made it a point to say that if we were stuck in the current and couldn't breach the surface on our own, we were to sink lower where the currents shouldn't be as strong so we could get our bearings. Then, we could push off the ground and launch ourselves against the current to the surface.

So, I did just that.

When my head broke the water's surface, I gasped for air in relief. While I didn't need it, I still had the human instincts to appreciate being back in it. At this point, while the current was still pulling me, I felt like I could start swimming toward the shore. So, using another piece of information that the guide gave, I slowly started to swim sideways toward the shore. Just a little at a time so I wouldn't tire myself. That would teach me to pay better attention to my surroundings in the water. I had let myself relax too much in the experience, which almost cost me my soliform.

My heart rate jumped momentarily when a large hand grabbed me and removed me from the surface. Once whoever this was set me on land, I coughed a little water out of my soliform's lungs before I turned to see Caigal standing there. "Lizzie, are you alright?"

As I tried to reorient myself from that experience, I simply nodded and continued to try and get my focus back. Did I need to be tested every time I tried to relax on this planet? I was getting sick and tired of this. Maybe I would just stay in my room after all this was done?

"I am relieved to hear that," Caigal responded. "The psiar who caused you to fall in is being dealt with as we speak. One should not endanger the life of another during training. We enter a different state of mind during training and trust those around us not to interfere. You trusted the psiar, and that one broke that trust."

While I wanted to argue against it, I realized they didn't know I wasn't human. And that meant that what he did had to be treated with the same severity that it would have been would I have been human. I wouldn't want a human to have that happen to them. If I hadn't collected my thoughts when I did, and I was still human, that situation could have turned out a lot worse.

Plus, I already had one royal family in my debt because of what they accidentally did. I didn't need another one to find out. "As long as it stays between us here, I don't mind. I'm not going to be here for long, and I don't want to cause any unnecessary trouble that might make me have to stay longer."

Caigal looked hesitant for a moment before she nodded. "Very well. I shall also tell the others so word does not leave those of us here. Are you still wanting to train?"

Honestly, despite what happened, I did. So, I nodded. "Yeah, I was enjoying it before I went under. How much longer do you wish to stay here?"

She glanced toward the sun and stayed silent for a few moments. "Given your schedule, we will stay here for three more hours before we head into town. If you do decide to rest from training during that time, there is a small pool of water that will allow you to relax without getting into anyone's way while they train."

The two of us then walked back to the others. Honestly, I hadn't realized that my soliform had traveled so far down from where everyone else was training. I needed to stay aware of my surroundings better. Once we returned, the atmosphere was tense for a few moments as I reset myself. However, after a few moments, the other psiars focused on their training as I kept up with mine.

We did end up staying for three hours, and during that time, I went to the pool four times to take breaks from the training. What Caigal hadn't mentioned was that the pool was essentially a hot spring. It was hard to get out to return to training when I did. I needed to come back here during my stay on Vestium Major.

Once we were back in town, we wandered around for a few more hours, looking at different odds-and-end shops. They were interesting, and I picked up a few knickknacks to keep as souvenirs.

However, as we stood in front of the last shop, I felt a smile spread on my face. It was a weaponsmith shop. I hadn't seen any on my tours outside of the embassy here, and now I knew what I would suggest for those times. If the craftmanship was half as good as I saw on display here, I wanted to order a dagger or two as extra weapons.

As we walked into the store, I let my thoughts go back to when I entered the Ethosian Embassy the other solar. The guard didn't believe I only had my swords and shoulder cannons. It got to the point of arguing that he had a medic come over just to scan my systems and subspace to ensure I wasn't hiding anything.

I wasn't.

But that made me realize that I needed more weapons on servo in case something were to happen. While sturdy, my swords always stood the chance of breaking, and, as my only melee weapons, I would need backups in case of confrontation. Perhaps the owner of this shop could make me a recommendation about who to go to about swords for my actual self.

"These look amazing," I said out loud as I looked at a longsword on display. It wasn't the prettiest-looking sword in here. Honestly, it seemed pretty simplistic. However, I could see how well it was crafted and how secure the fittings were to all parts. The being who made this cared about their work. The only flare of design I could see was some etching down the center of the sword in the labac language…which I could not read yet. Maybe I could ask Caigal what it said?

"The breath of life comes from the fallen." I jumped and turned to see Caigal standing next to a labac who was about a foot taller than she was. He had scars littering the parts of his body that I could see, including a noticeable one on his right jaw. "I don't believe we have met. I am Garl. Caigal asked me the other solar if I could make time to show you my work. I'm glad to see I could impress."

Dang, Caigal knew a lot of beings around here. She was more social than I gave her credit for. "And I am Lizzie. I'm sure it's a pleasure to meet you." The two of us shook hands, and I noticed his were quite calloused before I motioned back to the sword I was looking at. "It is well crafted."

He nodded. "It is one of my better works, though I am impressed that you noticed. Most would see the simplicity in the weapon and ignore it. Do you have a liking for forging weapons?"

Not me, but there was a spirit who I knew would read me the riot act when I got to Pyrovar, who did. "I have a friend who is slightly obsessed with it. Made sure I knew whatever information he had on it."

"He sounds like someone I would like to meet," Garl responded before he motioned behind the counter. "Now, let's go and look at my forge. I'm sure there are some projects that you would be interested in."

I smiled and followed him.

Caigal's 1st P.O.V.

I let out a sigh as I stared at the human. We had spent much more time at Garl's than I had planned, and it had been dark by the time we finished. Since she had not been able to return to her lodgings, I had offered her a place to sleep at one of the homes my family used here. I felt guilty when I realized I had gone over her time, but she had accepted the terms we had now. Of course, I had not wanted her to sleep on the couch. There was a guest room that she should have stayed in. However, the human had been insistent in her demands to rest here. So, I retrieved a light blanket for her, and surprisingly, she was asleep almost immediately.

It was impressive and worrisome to let her guard down so much around someone she had just met.

I had yet to inform the human of the entire story about what happened at the training falls. Not only had the psiar forced her to fall, but he had also used his psionic abilities to force her further down the river. When Estar saw the situation, he thankfully called my attention while he worked to subdue the attacker. Humans seemed so frail that I feared I would reach her too late. That her broken body would be found floating down the river.

Instead, I was impressed that, when I reached her, she had made her way to the water's surface and was well on her way back to the shore. Once I helped her out of the water and we returned, I was surprised that she wanted to show the attacker leniency. Of course, she didn't know her attacker's malicious intent behind what he did. She probably saw it as a prank gone wrong. But, even if that were the case, all those who trained knew never to interfere with others who were training.

So, I contacted my father and informed him of the situation. I also told him of the human's wishes and that he should not let that information reach the human if he wished to pursue the matter further. From my interactions with Lizzie, I was coming to learn of the empathetic capabilities of the race. It was staggering.

Of course, I was glad I could read the human correctly concerning where she might like to visit. Once Garl's shop had come into view, it was easy to read how excited the human had become. Garl was one of the best weapon smiths on Vestium Major and regularly completed orders for organic and mechano organisms.

Having Lizzie here meant I had to miss the meeting that father had set up to have. That was another thing I had kept from the human. Father's meeting was why she had that curfew in the first place. He needed to meet with his war council away from the embassy to discuss the current worry.

The soliform.

When we heard that the Decepticon guest of Lord Dawnbreaker wished to try the soliform challenge, father was amused. Decepticons, for the most part, only lasted a few cycles on the trial. Skywarp, who had the current soliform record, had lasted two days. And that had worried father greatly.

This femme was past her third day and about to enter her fourth.

To say that this concerned father and the war council was a gross understatement. He had even made sure the medics and doctors watching her chassis as she was in this state confirmed that she had not left her soliform. Since she had not, she was blending in almost seamlessly with us. It was terrifying to think. Despite all of the struggles reported, and news from the Cybertronian Civil War told to us, the Decepticons had continued into their research. We needed to figure out what kind of improvements they made to the system and find out who could implement these changes.

I had spoken with the heir of Pova, Sharpstreak, in an official state the morning the femme started the challenge to ascertain what he might be able to tell me. While I did not trust the mech, I did not want to risk bias from Lord Dawnbreaker's family, given their situation with said femme. Sharpstreak said that the femme was prideful, and he doubted she would even last an hour, let alone this long.

It was safe to say that he had grossly miscalculated the Decepticon.

Of course, that was partially the reason she was on Vestium Major to begin with. We had only come to Vestium Major because Lord Dawnbreaker sent a summons due to a delicate situation. When we arrived, father met with Lord Dawnbreaker and brought back a copy of the footage about what happened. Seabreaker and Firebrand jumped to conclusions about the femme and didn't bother to check all sources of communication and had the femme shot down.

When I saw the footage with the war council, I was amazed that the femme could take such a beating and be operational this soon after. It seemed impossible. Of course, with a chaos-centered god like Murav watching over us, I was ready to accept what I saw. I lived my life prepared for the unexpected, and that was what this femme seemed to embody. The fact that she was even conscious enough to berate the scouting team that found her was a show of strength and fortitude that we did not see often.

Father had been arranging a chance to meet with the femme when this challenge came forward.

With one more glance at Lizzie, I went to my room. Between the human and the hidden soliform, the embassy was experiencing more than it had in ages. Once the soliform revealed herself, I wanted to introduce her to Lizzie. From how Lizzie acted, I felt they would get along well.

Pandimala's 1st P.O.V.

Okay, this was enough. As I made the bed at the beginning of the eighth day since I started the soliform challenge, I knew a week was enough. They deserved to know. Honestly, what brought it to a head was the fight that Caigal had to break up last night due to the soliform not being found. We had been having a light dinner at a cafe when two labac had started to argue. They were a part of the task force that had been made to find me. I'm not sure what they were arguing about, but I heard the word 'soliform' enough to know that this was partially my fault.

I couldn't let my new friend shoulder that sort of responsibility. While she had no reason to do so, Caigal seemed to take issues among the labac and psiar seriously and stepped in whenever she could. Since she did, I knew I needed to turn myself in.

My stuff was already packed, and I just wanted to make my bed before taking my key to Farnak for checkout. I knew he would be surprised at my leaving, but I had spent enough time here. Plus, I had training to get started and checkups to go to, and I knew that Sandstorm and Physis would only let me miss those for so long. This added up to the best time to leave.

Once the bed was made, I moved my backpack that I had instead of a suitcase onto my back before I grabbed my key and left the room. The wood beneath my feet creaked slightly as I descended each step. This was it. For this trip, at least, this would be the last time I would be walking down these stairs. Once I was back on Pyrovar for a while, and if Lord Megatron needed a representative to come here again, I would be more than willing.

"Are you leaving?" Farnak asked as I turned the corner for the main hall.

Nodding, I placed my key and my last payment on the table. "Yeah, it's time for me to move on. I have a few errands to make in town before I go. I am glad I get to say goodbye to you, though," I responded before smiling. "It was great to meet you, Farnak. I hope our paths cross again."

"And you were hells of a guest girl. If you ever find yourself in this sector again, stop by," Farnak responded.

"Will do, Farnak," I agreed before leaving, waving goodbye as I walked out the doors.

I jumped with a start when I saw Caigal standing before me. Weird. I thought that she had something going on today? Well, this would help save me time in saying goodbye to her. "You are leaving?" She asked in surprise.

I nodded. "Yeah, I've been here too long and need to keep moving. I was hoping to run into you before I left, though. I wanted to say goodbye personally. You've been a great friend while I have been here. If we cross paths again, I would like to meet up."

She stared at me in shock and what looked like indecision for a few seconds before she relaxed her shoulders. "Before you go, Lizzie, I need to tell you something. There is something that I have been hiding from you. But I can't say it out here. I need you to come and meet my father."

Meet her father? What secret was she hiding that she needed me to meet him? Of course, she wasn't the only one keeping a secret. You know what. Frag it. Once I met Caigal's father, I would tell them before I told Emperor Thav. "Very well. But, there is something you should know as well," She looked down at me in surprise as we moved through the now familiar streets. "I've been keeping a secret as well. I hope you'll understand why I did once we meet your father."

Caigal studied me for a few seconds before she looked forward. "Everyone has their secrets that they keep. You had a right to yours just like I had the right to mine. It only seems fair that we trade them before you leave."

Of course, as we walked, I had to resist the urge to say that I would not be leaving in the sense that she was thinking because of this.

After we walked for about twenty minutes, I started to grow confused as we moved toward the main Embassy building…where the higher families of the labac stayed while they were on Vestium Major. That included their ambassador Galcan, the war council, and the Emperor's family. Just who was Caigal's father? Since I had read in the records that Galcan had no family, she had to be related to one of the members of Emperor Thav's war council.

Shit.

Well, at least it wasn't another ruling family.

While I wanted to ask her what I was about to walk into, she looked as nervous as I felt. Well, as nervous as I had seen her, at least. I guess she wasn't used to having people meet her father, whoever he was. Or, they had met him, and it didn't go well. Either way, it wasn't looking good for me. Hopefully, I could impress her father.

In a self-conscious moment I hadn't had in a while, I glanced down at what I was wearing and shuddered. Jeans and a T-shirt. Great. Just great. This was Caigal's dad, and I would meet him like I was going to the store. He was an important official, and I would meet him like I would go play in the mud. As we entered the actual building for the embassy, I let out a breath to calm myself down. I would be fine. Caigal would have told me to change if she was worried about how I would look to her father.

When the doors opened, I was impressed at this room. It had to be a main reception room. However, it was mostly empty of other beings. The only other one in here with us was causing me to panic internally. The labac in front of us was not the ambassador or one of the war council members. And I had a feeling, given Caigal's current relaxed state, that this was her father.

Emperor Thav.

"Daughter, I thought you had business in the city today?" He spoke with a deep yet soft voice. Much different than I pictured for him. In both the capacity of Caigal's father and as the Emperor.

Caigal nodded and motioned to me. "I did. However, my friend is leaving today, and I wished her to meet you before she left." She then nudged me forward a little. It took all of my willpower not to turn back and glare at her. "Lizzie, this is Thav; Emperor of Eternia and my father."

The Emperor was focused on me as Caigal gave her introduction of him. "If you are a friend of Caigal's, then I am honored. She does not make friends outside of the labac and psiar easily."

What the hell was I supposed to say to that? Thankfully, Caigal realized that I technically needed to be introduced to her father. "Father, this is,"

"Thav!"

We all jumped as a group of six labac and psiars that seemed attached to each of them burst through a set of doors to my left. Oh shit. Please don't let this be anything weird. Please. Wasn't the attempted murder I already faced punishment enough?

Emperor Thav, on his part, turned and gave the group of labac a sharp look. "Car'ular, do you not see I am in a meeting with my daughter? What sort of emergency brings you barrelling in here as an ill-tempered war beast might?" He didn't look happy. Something told me that this would be going a lot worse if I wasn't here.

One of the labac in the center, who I assumed was Car'ular, spoke after they came to a stop. "The situation has gone on long enough. It is obvious to this council that you do not have a handle on this soliform situation. We see that you have not prepared the labac well enough to handle this level of infiltration."

"Caigal, remove your guest for the moment. It seems some unexpected business has come forward." Emperor Thav ordered Caigal.

While I could see Caigal looking hesitant, she obeyed her father and led me out of the room. As we left, though, I felt a pang of guilt. This was my fault. I needed to make this right and quickly. However, I also wanted to play this smartly. That council member just challenged Emperor Thav's capabilities, and he was my friend's father. I could not let that insult stand.

Once the doors were shut behind us, Caigal glanced down at me. "Stay here, Lizzie. My father needs my support."

Before she could move, I reached out and held onto her arm. She jumped in surprise since I had never done anything like that before. "Then we need to do this right. Your father being the emperor was kind of a surprise, but not nearly as much of a surprise as my secret is. Honestly, I would have told you before if I knew the trouble I was causing you all with my secret."

"What are you saying, Lizzie? Be quick. My father is alone in there right now, and I must get to him with the best support I can." Caigal urged.

Nodding, I motioned to myself. As I spoke, I let the soliform program flicker. "I am the soliform."

Her face immediately dropped in shock at that. Of course, I couldn't blame her. Decepticon soliforms were on a new plane of technology that the rest of the universe had never experienced. "You…that can't be. You ate. You slept. You even needed to relieve your bodily waste."

I shook my head. "Recent conflicts forced us to focus on expanding the capabilities of the soliform program. You just saw me flicker the soliform. You know what I am saying is the truth. And since you never formally introduced me to your father, let's use that to our advantage and show these council members the folly of uprising." I then motioned to the doors with a smirk on my face. "Shall we?"

The smirk she gave back to me was one of the most terrifying sights I had ever seen…and I had seen a lot. "Yes. We shall. I would love to see the looks on their faces. We shall keep your identity a secret until the right moment, and then we shall bring the hammer down upon our foe." I nodded before she reopened the doors, and we walked back.

And it seemed we were right on time. Both the Emperor and his challengers looked tense. Something must have happened. "And what is your demand of me?" Thav questioned Car'ular.

The labac in question didn't hesitate to speak. "You have until the end of the solar to present the soliform before us. If you do not, you will have failed as a leader of the labac, and we will take your position from you. Forcefully if needed."

This was it. They gave us the perfect opening.

Thankfully, Caigal saw the opportunity as well. "Then it is good that I have decided to forgo my father's wishes to stay outside." Everyone jumped as we reentered the fray. I had to wonder what was going on while we were gone.

"Caigal, why have you returned with the human? I will not have innocent blood spilled in these halls this day." It made me happy that Emperor Thav was reacting this way. It gave me hope about what would come when humans eventually moved away from Earth and out into the stars.

Caigal, with confidence, nodded once. "Of course, father. However, it seemed to be in bad faith to give your introduction to my friend and not do the same for her." Then, before he could intervene, Caigal motioned to me. "Father, this is Lizzie Val, the human soliform of the Decepticon Pandimala."

The silence that filled the room was deafening.

Well, at least it was for a few moments before Car'ular finally snapped himself out of shock. "Lies! Such blatant lies from one's house is a sign of disgrace!" He then removed a war hammer that was stored on his back.

"No lie has been told here," Caigal growled, taking a large blade from one of her side sheaths. "And I would take care how you approach your next words, Car'ular. Otherwise, I may not be able to keep decorum in front of our guest,"

Instead of thinking about what he was instigating, the labac almost sneered at me. "The one beside you proves the lies you tell. The human has been seen bleeding lifeforce that was not energon as well as taking in organic food." As he spoke this, I started to let go of my soliform programming. Behind me, I sensed someone moving, most likely the psiar with Car'ular. Hopefully, I could shut down the more advanced aspects of the soliform program before he made a move.

However, that hope didn't quite come fast enough as I gasped in shock. Blood came from my soliform as a blade stuck through it. While I hadn't been able to turn off the bleeding aspect of the soliform, I at least was able to stop the dying element that the soliform possessed. To help with any covers we needed, we had an addition of the soliform program stay active, but lifeless, for an hour before it would disengage. Thankfully, I had stopped that part of mine before the blade struck. That would have made this situation even worse.

"See, the human bleeds!" A different labac, obviously encouraged by my bleeding, stood next to Car'ular more noticeably now. However, the other instigators looked hesitantly toward me. I guess they noticed that I hadn't fallen to the ground dead yet. Good on them. Not so good that they were a part of this, but at least they were more cautious about what was going on now.

It made me wonder how Car'ular convinced them to start this coup in the first place.

"You fiends!" Caigal snarled.

I noticed that she was getting into a position to attack, so I reached out a hand to her. "There is no need for that, Caigal. As you can see, I'm just fine. I just couldn't remove the lifeforce imitator we placed in our soliform program. I wanted to remove the dying aspect first just in case something like this happened."

After I pulled the blade out of my back, I turned to face everyone and noticed that Car'ular and the other labac that stepped forward, along with their psiars, looked petrified. "Lizzie, are you sure you're fine?" Emperor Thav asked. At this point, I noticed that he had a large blade in his hand.

Awe, they had been ready to avenge me. I was definitely visiting again.

Back to his question, though. "I am fine, Emperor Thav. The blood is simulated programming that we developed. The gasp is from simulated pain reactors we have in place so we can mimic what the pain would cause us to react with would it have been real." As I directed the programming to repair the damage, I smiled. "I do apologize for the trouble my soliform has caused you. I did not intend to cause such strife as a visitor to your embassy."

And I didn't. Frag, I didn't want to even think about the political trouble I was in right now. Hopefully, we could keep this as quiet as we could. While I felt guilty, I knew this was a part of their embassy and training. The Decepticons had just exploited a weakness in their training that they hadn't realized was there. So, in a sense, I could technically have the labac owe me for this. Honestly, I could have stayed a soliform longer if I wasn't so worried about how Physis or Sandstorm would react if I tried to stay longer.

"Impressive," Emperor Thav spoke. "You do not need to apologize, Lizzie. We should have been prepared for advancements in the soliform program and adjusted our search to that."

To my surprise, Caigal then jumped in. "Yes. Now that I have had time to think about our experiences this week, I can see moments that should have told me you were a soliform. However, my unfamiliarity with the species you currently are prevented me from addressing those concerns."

Emperor Thav nodded at that. "I will learn from Caigal what I must. I believe you are needed back with the rest of Vestium Major. From what Physis and Sandstorm have relayed, you have training to get to along with your continued healing." He then glanced at the group, who all now looked worried. "And it seems that I have a new war council to form. Caigal, please see your friend out. Upon your return, you will still have your place on my war council."

Caigal nodded, and while the curious side of me wanted to watch the inevitable beatdown that was about to happen, I knew that I was enough of a mess politically. I didn't need to add this as well. Once we were outside the doors, Caigal turned to me. "Do you wish to deactivate your program now or once we go outside?"

While I wanted to spend more time with Caigal, I knew she would be needed back by her father's side, and I needed to return as soon as possible. "Here should be fine," I answered before I smiled. "It was nice to meet you, Caigal. I am sorry to have misled you during this."

She shook her head. "No. I saw your honesty back then, as I see it now. Just because you were in hiding as a soliform doesn't mean you changed your personality. You are my friend now that I know that you are the Decepticon Pandimala as you were as the human Lizzie. We will have to meet more often now."

"Agreed," I then realized that Farnak should be told who I was. "Oh, and I do have a favor to ask."

"What is it? I shall try to accomplish it if it is within my power."

"Can you tell Farnak that I was the soliform? This morning, I decided I didn't want to give myself away before talking to the Emperor and you. Well, the Emperor part was only once I learned that he is your father." I asked.

Caigal nodded. "I will see to it. Stay safe, Pandimala, and trust your instincts. They are there for a reason."

"Stay safe as well, Caigal, and thank you. For everything." I spoke back before I let go of the soliform program completely.

Pandimala: *huffs* I think I'm just going to expect to come close to offlining in every chapter from now on.

Authoress: *rolls eyes* Don't be dramatic. You don't almost offline in every chapter.

Caigal: You do seem to have a proclivity to make such actions, Authoress.

Authoress: *surprised* When did you get here?

AN: And here is the next chapter! That took forever to write! But I hope that you all enjoyed it just the same. I considered splitting it up, but none of the parts I thought to split felt right. A lot happened in this chapter, and I hope you all caught some of the important points. One point I want to point out for Pandimala's time among the beings on this planet is that she gives little bits of information away about herself that will be useful in later chapters. That is especially since Pandimala doesn't even realize that she is letting this information out. Also, the labac and the psiar are inspired by a video game I have been playing lately. I wonder if you know which?

Well, enough of that for now. Here are the next chapter titles!

Chapter 8: Triple Changer Training

Chapter 9: Snaps

Chapter 10: ...(Find out next time!)

And that's all for now! Again, thank you for reading. If you wish to leave a review or say hi, go ahead and drop one off! I appreciate you all regardless if you do or not. Until next we meet, TTYL! *listening to Hunger by Spectre General*