Shadow of the Guardian, Part 7

Sheba was lying down on her bed, but was hardly relaxing.  After what she’d learned from the Autobots earlier, intentional or not, she was getting more and more disturbed about the Hunter.  Something really wasn’t adding up, and she was getting really mad trying to figure out exactly what was wrong.  The fact that Andromeda continued to interfere with her Guardianship over Starscream was really annoying her too.  This has to stop, she realized.  I can’t let this continue.  This absolutely has to stop.

Starscream entered her quarters, sensing… something… through their telepathic link.  “Sheba?  What is it?”  He asked curiously.

“I’m just thinking about the Hunter,” Sheba replied, jumping off of her bed and rubbing her head against Starscream’s hand.  She was so preoccupied, she couldn’t purr when Starscream began petting her.  “She’s really annoying me.  I need to beat her, once and for all, and stop this cat-and-mouse game we’re playing with each other.”

Starscream took a seat on the floor and Sheba lay down next to him.  “You know, I heard that Megatron’s about ready to raid a power-plant.  I bet the Hunter’ll be there,” he suggested.

Sheba shook her head.  “No, we can’t fight her when she’s near the other Decepticons.  You saw what happened the last time that happened.”  Starscream grimaced at the memory.  “I think we’d be better off if we confronted her separately--away from both Autobots and Decepticons while they battle it out their way.”

“Maybe, but do you think Megatron’ll agree?”  He asked.  “He was counting on you to keep the Autobots out of the way.”

“He’ll see it my way,” Sheba replied confidently.  “After all, if I’m there, the Hunter’s bound to attack all of us again.  If I fight her separate from the mission itself…”

Starscream grinned.  “Can’t argue with that, but what about me?  Should I be with the main force, or with you?”

Sheba was quiet for a few seconds, wondering about that herself.  “With me,” she finally decided.  “Even though that’ll put you in danger from the Hunter, if the Autobots start firing on you, I’ll automatically come to your aid and she’ll follow me to the mission--especially if she knows about it herself.”

Starscream nodded--that was a good point, but he didn’t intend to attack the Hunter.  He knew Sheba had wanted to defeat her once and for all ever since the two Organic Transformers first met.  “Let’s go tell Megatron,” he said, standing up.  Sheba nodded, her eyes flashing eagerly, and the two exited Sheba’s quarters to do just that.

***

At the Autobot base, things had calmed down significantly.  Andromeda had taken care of the Mako fountain by digging a hole in an area where the Mako could drain back down into the depths of the earth.  Unfortunately, in doing so, she had absorbed enough Mako to nearly give HER Mako Poisoning, so she was forced to teleport all over the place to get rid of much of the energy.  There were no lasting after-effects, since she didn’t feel the ‘Mako-high-crash’ as keenly as non-Hunters did, but she did rest after the fact.  Besides, it was past sundown and she wanted to hunt for her meal this time.

She found, while watching the Autobots continue on their daily routine, that she was starting to consider herself one of them.  At first, such a thought alarmed her, but… there was something about being a part of a team--a pack--that resonated with both her wolfish instincts and her Autobot programming.  She knew she would miss the Autobots when… or if… she returned to her Master.  She fully intended to fulfill her promise to Prime--the next time she and Sheba would meet would be the last time.  It would result in either the Guardian’s capture… or the Hunter’s death.  It was an end she accepted.

Teletran-1 began blaring its alarm and Jazz beat Blaster to it this time.  “Optimus, we’ve got ‘Cons in the air, heading to a power plant,” he reported.  “Might be after more energy, m’man.”

“As always.”  Prime didn’t hide the annoyance that crept into his voice.  There were times when not even he could tolerate Megatron’s constant energy-gathering missions.

“I’m coming as well,” Andromeda stated calmly as she stood up and shook the dust out of her fur.  She needed to choose her resting places more carefully.  “No doubt, the Guardian will be with them--especially after our last actual battle.  And if not, she will be.”  She shot Prime a look, basically dropping him a hint as to what she’d told him earlier on, before shifting to her robotic form.  

Prime got the hint, although he hardly agreed with it.  “Very well,” he agreed.  “Hoist, Grapple, Wheeljack, Ratchet, Blaster, Jazz, Bluestreak, Prowl, and Ironhide--all of you are going with me.  Let’s roll out!”  

The Autobots on the roster exited the base, transformed, and headed towards the power plant in question.  Andromeda melded in with both the Autobots and the darkness that was falling with the coming of the night.  However, her exit hadn’t escaped the notice of two Decepticons waiting outside of the base.  “Now what?”  Starscream hissed softly.  Like in the last major fight, Sheba had given him Quetzalcoatl and a few curative spells, but with the same restrictions as the last time--not that he minded.  He didn’t plan on fighting anyways.

Sheba shifted to her own robotic form.  “We follow,” she replied simply as she backed away from the base.  Seconds later, two jets shot out of the woods and began tailing the Autobots from a distance--just close enough to make them suspicious but too far away to be certain.

***

Within the bowels of a ship waiting in Jupiter’s shadow, near one of its many moons, a strange, almost bestial Transformer was prowling in front of the bars of a cell.  Within, a pair of red optics tracked the Transformer’s movements outside their cell, narrowed in worry and… fear?  Oh yes, it could smell the caged one’s fear, almost tasting it--just as it could almost taste the Transformer‘s mech-fluid.  Oh, this one was prey of the best kind, one the Hunter never let him feed on--although it had tried many times.

“Number 91, come to me,” the Master’s voice filtered through the ship’s comm-system and the clawed Transformer looked up at the ceiling with a whine.  It knew better than to disobey, but… well, it was hungry, and there was prey just waiting for him.  It gave one last look at the prisoner within the cell, something akin to drool running down its beard, before it turned and bounded down the hallways towards its Master.

The Transformer within the cell released a sigh in relief, but he was still quite worried.  His wrists were shackled and an energo-chain wound behind him, but it was only long enough to allow his arms to hang naturally at his sides.  Unless he wanted to twist one of his arms behind his back and risk damaging a shoulder or elbow joint, he couldn’t raise his arms--or at least both at the same time.  He was also alone in the holding cells, all of the other prisoners taken to the laboratories, no doubt--or maybe even worse.   Only a dual-toned green mark on his left shoulder prevented such a fate befalling him as well, as it had prevented him in years past from becoming the next meal to beasts like Number 91.

He didn’t care about his own situation, however--it was another’s that worried him.  She’d been gone for far too long and now their Master was getting angry.  No doubt that creature would be sent to finish her mission for her--and he knew that her reception back here would be less than pleasant.  He well knew what happened to her once before after a failed mission and he didn’t want to see it happen again.  “Andromeda,” he whispered softly, “hurry.”

*****************

Andromeda remained near the center of the mini-formation as they rumbled down the highways towards their destination.  Even at their distance, the Autobots could see the tell-tale flashes of laser-fire and hear the rumbling echoes of the weaponry.  Silence had ruled over the group from the instant they left the vicinity of their base, but there had been a faint, but familiar, sound that had followed them from that certain location.  It was easily recognizable as jet engines, but their scanners weren’t alerting them to anything.

One of them came a little too close and Andromeda’s instincts began screaming at her.  “By the Pits,” she cursed under her breath as she carefully weaved her way to the outside of the formation.  “Autobots, continue on your mission.  I think our aerial friends have a specific target in mind.”

“Where are you going?”  Bluestreak asked, one of his side-mounted mirrors shifting slightly to reflect Andromeda’s headlights.  “What target?”

“They’re after me,” Andromeda replied bluntly, “and I have a feeling that the Guardian and her Guarded One is not going to be involved in your mission this time.”  Before more questions could be asked, Andromeda took the next exit and punched the accelerator, disappearing down the streets as she tried to place as much distance as she could between herself and the Autobots--and their mission-site.

The two jets tailing the Autobots banked away from the main group and followed the dark, futuristic car instead.  Prime was concerned, but he knew that this was probably the only way any of this would end--one way or another.  “Good luck,” he muttered under his breath.

The two jets dived sharply, firing their weapons at the car as it swerved and dodged around traffic and buildings.  Andromeda inwardly winced each time they scored a direct hit or even a close-call, but focused only on the task at hand.  As soon as she was satisfied that sufficient distance had been placed between herself and the power-plant, she left the road and disappeared into the woods that had begun to grow right up to the road.

Starscream and Sheba were momentarily disoriented at the sudden change of direction and Andromeda took advantage as she transformed and shifted back to organic form, using the trees as cover.  “Bolt3 All!”  A powerful thunderbolt struck Starscream first, then Sheba--aggravating both of them.  

Sheba transformed and shifted to her own organic form, landing on the ground as she picked up Andromeda’s scent.  Starscream landed next to her, unable to really see much with the combination of the thick wood and the night--it was a new moon that night, so there was no light from the heavens to help him see.  “She’s close,” Sheba told him, her fur bristling and wings flaring.  Her eyes were narrowed and a faint green light flickered in the depths of her pupils, but Starscream didn’t notice it.  They slowly advanced, wary of each and every shadow that moved--since one of those shadows could very well be their opponent.

They reached a clearing and two whitish-green lights were staring at them, waiting for them.  Starscream remained near the edge of the clearing while Sheba continued to advance.  “So we are of the same mind,” Andromeda said as a way of greeting.  Though still condescending, her tone wasn’t nearly as sharp as it had been in past engagements.  “This is the final time, Guardian.  I shall not lose.”

“A pity,” Sheba replied, her pent-up anger over the past few weeks finally given voice.   “There will be one loser tonight--and it WON’T be ME!”  

She Summoned Cerebrus to put her in Double and Triple and Andromeda cast Resist on herself.  Sheba then cast Triple Flare and Andromeda countered with Big Guard.  Once Hasted, she was able to cast Cure3 on herself before Sheba could attack again.  Sheba cast Haste on herself as well before charging at the Hunter, knowing that she had the advantage in physical fights.

Starscream remained at the sidelines and watched as the fight alternated between physical attacks, spell-casting, and Summoning.  His concern was clearly revealed on his face.  Even though he had Quetzalcoatl and some curative spells, he knew from the instant the Hunter first appeared that she was far too powerful for him to challenge directly.  With that said, he wasn’t going to let the Hunter walk away with his Guardian should the fight go badly for Sheba.  Almost unnoticed, he could hear the very faint sounds of a battle in the distance, coming from the direction of the power-plant.  The fight was going full-force there, so there would be no back-up.

Andromeda was too focused on the fight at hand to worry about whether or not back-up was coming.  She was keeping her Mako levels and Magic Points up by using items, but she was wearing down.  She was trying to avoid using her most powerful spells and Summons, but she was just barely holding her own as it was.  Although she refused to let it show, she began to resign herself to her fate.  Well, she certainly wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

Sheba was wearing down as well, casting attack spells and Summons in-between bouts of healing.  The two magic-users had fallen into a pattern--one would attack while the other healed themselves, then it would alternate.  It had become a test to see who would outlast the other, and Sheba could tell that the Hunter was beginning to weaken.  That gave her a morale boost of sorts and she began a far more aggressive attack pattern, one that Andromeda could barely manage to survive even with her Final Attack-Life combination keeping her from being knocked out.

Andromeda was thrown against a tree from the effects of a Leviathan Summon and was very slow in standing back up.  Her wings were drooping visibly, almost to the point of dragging on the ground, and she was breathing very heavily.  Her body was shuddering, as if her legs could barely support her body, and the glow in her eyes was dimmed almost to the point of non-existence.  This is it, she realized, the grim facts staring her straight in the face through Sheba’s eyes.  The Curse has taken hold, and there is no escaping its penalty now.  

Sheba stood tall, head up proudly, but even she couldn’t hide the exhaustion she herself could feel.  “Just give up,” she hissed angrily.  “You’ve lost, and you know it.”

“I cannot,” Andromeda replied grimly.  There was an almost sad note in her voice, one that Sheba didn‘t notice.  “I do not expect you to understand, Guardian.  I cannot simply retreat this time, not like the last fight between us.  This is the last time I will fight you, regardless of the outcome.”

“You’ve got that right,” Sheba snarled, flaring her wings as she prepared to Summon again.  Andromeda raised her head and wings defiantly, staring at the Guardian as she prepared her own ‘end-game’ attempt.  Starscream could feel the energy building in the air and instinctively understood that whoever survived this onslaught would win the battle.  He just prayed that it would be Sheba.

*****************

However, there was a sharp change of plans.  Unnoticed to the trio present, not all of the shadows within the wood-line were the mere absence of light.  Andromeda spotted two large, round orbs of light hiding in the tree-line behind Sheba and her expression slackened in shock.  It… It cannot be!  She thought, stunned at what she thought she saw… before fear ran through every cell in her body.

Sheba could smell the sudden fear emanating from the Hunter, see the shocked expression on her face, and started to turn her head to see what was going on.  A golden energo-net flew towards her with a firm *crack* of a weapon firing and Sheba was entangled within before she could react.  She yowled in fury, trying to slash her way free, but a sharp jolt from the net stunned her and she collapsed, unconscious.

“SHEBA!”  Starscream screeched, suddenly rushing forwards to try to free his Guardian from the net before Andromeda recovered.  A shadow shot out of the woods behind him and, with a loud snarl, slashed open Starscream’s left side as it knocked off the arm-mounted laser on his left arm.  The Seeker screamed at the pain, pinning his left arm across the deep wound in an instinctive attempt to staunch the bleeding, and staggered.  He saw a shadow of some kind crouched in front of him, a flash of red light, then nothing as a second slash ripped into his face from one side of his helmet to the other.  

Starscream fell, turning slightly from the force of the slash, and landed on his front.  His left arm was pinned underneath him, still clutching at the deep wound that nearly sliced him in half across his torso, and he tried to swipe away the mech-fluid streaming down his face from that slash using his right hand.  His hand brushed against his optics and he realized that they’d been all-but-shattered--hence the reason why he couldn‘t see anything anymore.  He tried to get up again, grimacing, but his left leg didn’t respond and the pain from the attempt was too great.  All he could do was lie still, blinded and in pain, as he could feel mech-fluid draining from him.

Andromeda finally snapped out of the shock as she saw the beast approach the injured Seeker with an all-too-familiar glint in its optics.  “Number 91!  Halt!”  She barked sharply.  The beast snarled at her and she growled back, taking a dominant stance despite her exhaustion.  

The creature, ’Number 91’, backed down and growled something at her.  --I’m hungry,-- the Hunter interpreted.  --The Master said I could.--

Andromeda snarled a reply back in the more bestial language she normally reserved for extreme circumstances.  --The Master said… Sweep, this one is not prey!  He is protected!--  

Number 91’s shoulders raised as it glared at her.  --The Master said I could.  The Master isn’t happy.--

The Hunter’s mind finally clicked in-sync with her memories.  ‘You will know if you have dawdled too long in completing your mission,’ she realized with another jolt of fear.  Number 91 turned its attention back to Starscream, who was looking worse and worse with each passing second, and Andromeda saw a group of rotund shark-like robots grabbing hold of the net holding Sheba and begin dragging her away.  

Andromeda looked down at the ground, her mind racing for any possible options, and the final realization hit her like a ton of bricks.  I have failed, she thought numbly.  It doesn’t matter if I return the Guardian to the Master or not.  I am dead the instant I return, for failing a mission of this importance.  My protection over… my Confidant…

Her shoulders trembled for a brief second as she felt the last of her loyalties to her Master fray and shatter.  “TERA FLARE!”  She screamed, howling at the invisible moon above them.  She, Starscream, and Sheba disappeared into the protective dimension of the Summons, leaving Number 91 confused and the odd robots trying to take Sheba away holding nothing but air.  

Above the Earth, a white dragon with six wings swooped around its circumference before stopping in orbit directly above the battle-site.  Bahamut ZERO flared all six of its wings, as if anchoring itself in place.  It raised its head back and took a few seconds building up a strong cyan flare as it took aim.  With a jerk coming from the force of the blast, Bahumut ZERO fired the flare down at the planet, creating a shockwave effect in the atmosphere, and disappeared as soon as the last of the beam left its mouth.

On the ground, there was a twinkle in the sky like a bright star, but the clouds were suddenly rent in a circular pattern when the flare pierced the atmosphere and struck the area Number 91 and the other robots were at.  A massive explosion engulfed the group, causing the maximum allowed damage to Number 91 and completely disintegrating the robots with him.  

At the power-plant, the sudden outburst of energy was hardly unnoticed by the Autobots and Decepticons despite being in the midst of their own battle.  They stopped fighting and watched as the beam lanced towards the earth, then recoiled when the explosion erupted.  The shockwave from the explosion took a few seconds, but it bowled everyone over the instant it hit--even from such a distance.  

Megatron immediately feared the worst.  “No!”  He shouted, immediately taking to the air and forgetting all about the original mission.  “Decepticons, follow!”

Prime was also concerned.  Andromeda had split away from them en-route, and he was worried that either she had caused such an explosion… or she was the intended target.  “Autobots, with me!”  He yelled, transforming in mid-stride and following Megatron and the other Decepticons.

Andromeda wasted no time as soon as she, Sheba, and Starscream returned to the real world, which had (remarkably) taken no damage from Bahamut ZERO‘s Tera Flare attack.  She tackled Number 91 to the ground, pinning its arms to its sides, and snarled in its face.  Her eyes were glowing bright red, like a Decepticon‘s optics.  “Go back to the Masterrrrrr, and tell him I will be therrrrre as soon as I‘m done herrrrre,” she snarled, the line between the snarl and the speech marred almost beyond recognition.  She saw the fear in Number 91’s optics and understood that her message had gotten through.  The Hunter jumped off of it, snarling threateningly and snapping at its heels as it scrambled away, back into the woods.  

Panting heavily, Andromeda turned as her eyes lost their optic-like red glow.  She padded back towards Starscream, who looked like he was near death--and the rasps coming from his ‘breathing‘ confirmed it.  Considering the Energon and mech-fluid pooling underneath his torso, it was to be expected.  Worried, the Hunter nosed at the side of his ruined face with her muzzle and his right hand clenched in reflex.  “Cure3,” she whispered softly.  The spell stopped the bleeding and restored his sight, but nothing beyond that.  He was still visibly injured and weakened, but at least he wouldn’t die from his wounds.

Andromeda turned and walked towards the unconscious Sheba, who was still trapped within the net.  Starscream looked up, still unable to move, and his optics widened in horror as the Hunter stood in front of his Guardian.  He wanted to Summon Quetzalcoatl, to cast a spell to wake Sheba up--something--but his vocalizer stuck and he couldn’t even make a sound.  He couldn’t even lift up his right arm to fire his null-ray at her, even though he didn‘t have the energy to power more than a mere ray of harmless light.  

The Hunter didn’t seem to notice Starscream’s distress as she struggled to finalize her decision--for once she made it, there would be no going back.  Narrowing her eyes and raising a paw, she hesitated for just a few split seconds before she let it rest on the netting above Sheba’s head.  She shut her eyes at that point, taking in a deep breath, before she snapped them back open with a sharp glint and slashed the net apart.  With a few more well-placed slashes and bites, the net deactivated and fell to the ground, freeing Sheba within.  

She walked back to Starscream, who noticed a sudden change in Andromeda’s demeanor--her tail was now limply hanging towards the ground, her wings were folded on her back, and her head was lowered almost as low as her tail.  Her expression… he couldn’t quite place it, but he could’ve sworn that he saw her eyes glint from something other than what little remained of the Mako within her body.  “W-Magic: Cure3,” she said quietly as two Cure3 spells took effect on Starscream.  Although not nearly enough to heal him completely, it was enough to somewhat heal the slashes to his face and the slash across his side.  

She stood at his right side and crouched, snaking her head underneath his arm until the elbow-joint rested over her spine.  She slowly attempted to stand back up and Starscream got the hint--he used her as leverage to regain his own footing, although he was still severely weakened and damaged.  She stayed by his side as he slowly limped to Sheba, kneeling at her side to check on her, and the Hunter backed away.  “Why?”  Starscream finally asked, looking at Andromeda.  “Why didn’t you take her when you had the chance?”

“What good would it do now?”  Andromeda asked quietly, her tone no longer condescending or even strong.  That’s when Starscream could finally place her expression--it was hopelessness.

A cannon roared, shattering the moment, and a powerful blast slammed into--no, THROUGH--Andromeda’s spine, right behind her wing-joints and shoulders and nearly rending her in two.  With a cry that sounded like a mix of a scream, a howl, and a yelp, Andromeda was thrown clear across the clearing.  She rolled along the ground and finally came to a stop, her back facing Starscream with one wing horribly bent beneath her and the other not looking much better.  She did not rise.

*****************

Megatron stepped out of the treeline, his arm-mounted cannon raised and smoking--he had been the one who’d fired that blast.  His face… Starscream couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen Megatron look so furious, but was there something else there too?  The inside of the barrel began to glow again and Starscream immediately realized what was going to happen next.  “Megatron, WAIT!”  He screeched, throwing out his left arm in a ‘stop’ motion as he tried to stand--but he forgot about his side.  The pain from the sharp movement reminded him and he gasped, doubling over and falling to his knees.

The Decepticon leader looked at Starscream and, for the briefest of seconds, his optics flickered in worry.  Despite wanting to finish the Hunter off once and for all, he restrained himself and lowered his arm.  Soundwave, Astrotrain, Skywarp, and Thundercracker all moved to Starscream and Sheba to check on them.  “Did that Hunter do this to you?”  Thundercracker asked, shocked at the wounds Starscream had sustained.  Had the situation been any different, Skywarp would’ve made a joke about Starscream’s ruined face--but such a thing was the furthest thing from his mind.

“No,” the white Seeker gasped, grimacing as a line of mech-fluid began draining from a corner of his mouth.   “Something… else.  It… snarled… when it… attacked.  She…”  He looked at the Hunter, visibly confused.  “She… protected us.”

There was dead silence as everyone tried to comprehend what Starscream had just said as Soundwave laid him down on the ground and began working on stabilizing his condition without using magic.  The Autobots arrived, unwelcome yet unnoticed, and they transformed back to their robot modes as they watched the scene themselves.  “This doesn’t make sense,” Blitzwing stated, shouldering his scimitar.  “The Hunter’s been after you and Sheba ever since she got here.  Why’d she protect you--and why is Sheba still here?”

Starscream couldn’t answer; he simply shook his head.  It was clear that he didn’t know and was hardly in a condition to answer any more questions.  Next to him, Sheba stirred as the stun effect wore off.  “Hnnn… what…?”  Her eyes suddenly snapped open and she jumped to her feet, snarling.  The other Decepticons backed off uncertainly, the Autobots tensed, and a fast look around told Sheba that something had changed.  “Wait.  What’s going on here?”  Her eyes widened when she saw Starscream and immediately cast Curaga spells on him until he was back up to full health.  “What happened?”

“If I can interrupt,” Jazz spoke up, earning more than a few glares from the Decepticons, “why don’t you ask her?”  He pointed at Andromeda, who was still lying some distance away and hadn’t even twitched.  

“If y’all di’n’ kill ‘er first,” Ironhide added gruffly, noting her injuries.

Starscream slowly stood up, still somewhat weakened from the injuries he’d now been healed from, and walked back to where his arm-mounted laser had fallen.  “She had more than enough time to take Sheba,” he said clearly, grimly, as he reattached the weapon to his arm.  The revelation stunned everyone present, even Sheba herself.  “I saw it.  I couldn’t stop it, but I didn’t have to.  The Hunter freed her instead of taking her away, as she promised.  When I asked her why, she only asked me ‘what good would it do?’  That‘s when Megatron shot her.”

Megatron nodded to Soundwave, who cautiously approached the Hunter’s still body.  The Decepticon cassettes tensed in worry, and rightly so--even if the Hunter was severely injured, she could possibly still attack him.  Starscream cast Curaga on the Hunter, just to satisfy his curiosity, but there was no visible effect.  Soundwave hardly noticed and knelt next to the Hunter’s head, resting his hand on her forehead as he activated his mind-reading ability.  There was nothing at first, then he encountered a ‘wall’ of sorts--the wall of one’s willpower.  He tried to circumvent it, penetrate it, but it stood firm and refused to let him by.  

“You… shouldn’t…see.  Not… yet,” the Hunter’s labored voice echoed in his audios.  Soundwave was forced out of her mind and he took an involuntary seat on the ground as his mind reeled from the surprising force of the rejection.  The Hunter moved, rolling from her side onto her stomach and freeing her wing, before she turned her head to look at the group.  Soundwave crouched, ready to dodge to the side should she attack, but she made no such move--as he backed away, she seemed to stare at nothing in particular.

Lowering her head in pain, she forced her body to work and slowly attempted to stand up, her crumpled wings sagging and her left front leg bent unnaturally.  She held it up off the ground, somehow maintaining her balance on her other three legs, although the effort to stay standing was clear.  “I… have failed,” she said quietly, the statement somehow reaching the Transformers despite the lack of volume.  

The Autobots moved as if to approach, but Andromeda violently shook her head.  “NO!  No, do… do not.”  She raised her head, nose to the sky with her eyes shut, and something trickled out of the corner of her eyes.  It wasn‘t clear if it was from pain… or something else.  “My time… is limited.”  She also feared that she would lose her composure completely if the Autobots approached her.

Sheba approached her and Andromeda shied away, her tail curling between her legs against her stomach, but the Guardian wasn’t after vengeance this time.  She cast Triple on herself, then Triple Curaga on Andromeda, whose physical condition improved but not her stance.  “Why?”  She asked quietly, her tone curious, not demanding.  “Why did you free me?”

“I… I do not know,” Andromeda replied honestly, her wings fluttering despite the grinding that came from broken bones, yet she refused to meet Sheba‘s gaze.  “You… you are a Guardian.  You… may understand.”  She hung her head.  “But first… I must understand… myself.  So much… so many things… have changed, and… I don‘t know what to think anymore.”

Prime remembered the conversation he had with Andromeda only a day or two before.  Then, she had voiced her doubts about succeeding in her mission, of what awaited for her if she failed.  He did not speak of it now, since he had promised to maintain his silence about such matters.  Still, what little of his expression that could be seen deepened in concern as he saw her fears being given form right in front of his optics.

The Hunter slowly turned her back to the assembled group of Autobots and Decepticons.  “Go back to your bases.  I need to be alone,” she stated with surprising strength as her head lifted.  Whatever weakness she had just shown had been shoved under by a mask of strength--the same kind often used by leaders to hide their own fears and frustrations from their soldiers.  “By sunrise… yes.  I doubt I will be on this world any longer than that.”

“Hunter, wait,” Ratchet spoke up, his voice shattering the silence that had fallen on the non-organic Transformers.  “You’re injured, and spells can only go so far.”

Andromeda laughed grimly, turning her head slightly to look at the medic.  “True, but I will be in far worse shape when all is said and done.”  She paused, looking at each Autobot as she remembered her associations with each one present, and her gaze softened.  “I will come, but not yet.”

A hand rested between her shoulder-blades from her opposite side and she stiffened in surprise.  “And… what of us?”  Starscream asked her quietly.  He’d walked up while Andromeda was busy talking with Sheba and the Autobots.  Once he might‘ve been afraid that she‘d lash out at him, but oddly enough, he didn’t fear her anymore.  Not after today.

Andromeda looked at Sheba, then Starscream, with uncertainty in her eyes.  “After I say my farewells to the Autobots, I must speak with both of you--alone,” she told them quietly, her voice a mere whisper so they wouldn‘t be overheard.  “If I may, I wish to teleport to your quarters, Sheba.  Once there, I will explain what I can.”  Her expression was troubled, as if she had a lot on her mind.  “What I have to say… I fear there is more than I can explain here and now.”

Sheba’s curiosity was piqued, especially since Andromeda had offered the chance to learn about the Hunter herself.  It was an offer she could hardly refuse, but she took the offer with a grain of salt.  “As long as you don’t attack…” She growled warningly.

Andromeda chuckled, one of her half-smiles briefly crossing her face.  “After this?  I have no reason to attack you anymore, Sheba.”  The Guardian’s eyes widened briefly at being called her name, instead of the condescending use of her title.  “Very well.  Until then.”  She walked away from the group, limping slightly from a leg that still hadn’t been healed completely, and the familiar green glow of her teleportation ability enveloped her.  With a flash, she was gone.

Prime and Megatron exchanged a glance as their soldiers coldly stared each other down.  “After what’s happened here,” Prime said first, breaking the silence, “I’m certain we have larger concerns than our previous battle.  I offer a temporary truce until things settle down to normal--relatively speaking.”

“Until sunrise tomorrow,” Megatron agreed, scowling.  As much as he hated Prime and his peaceful options, the Autobot leader was right.  As long as the Hunter was a loose cannon, they couldn’t take any chances.  “Decepticons, return to base.”

Prime waited until after the Decepticons had taken to the skies, heading away from the power-plant, before he began issuing his own orders.  “Hoist, Grapple--both of you should return to the battle-site and try to initiate some repairs on the area.  Our last fight left it in fairly poor condition.  Transport any Energon to our base as soon as you‘re done.”  Both Autobots agreed and headed back the way they’d come.  

Prime surveyed his soldiers, noting their expressions as they stood at attention before him.  He carefully kept his own emotions out of his optics and voice, but the Autobots knew him well enough to understand that he was still worried for the Hunter.  “Autobots, transform and roll out.”

******************

When Andromeda opened her eyes again, she found herself in her cave--the place she’d hidden the pod that had brought her there.  Faint from exhaustion and her injuries, she opened the lid and removed a container from deep within the walls of the chamber, laying it down on the ground and opening it.  Within this container was pure Mako energy--a reserve store just in case she used too much of the magic within her body and couldn’t restore it because of lack of resources… or in this case, time.  The opening was wide enough for her to lap it up out of the container itself and she did so, feeling the energy flowing all throughout her body.

Normally, such an effect would be rather relaxing, but she wasn’t in the mood to rest--not when so much was at stake.  My Master told me that my Sweep wouldn’t come here with me, she thought, trying to figure it out.  He said that it was too risky.  And yet, he ignores that risk when he sends Number 91 here to finish my mission for me.  Why?

She stopped suddenly, her eyes wide as she began making connections.  Sheba.  It’s all about that Guardian, she realized, returning to her drinking but increasing the rate she was drinking the Mako.  I should’ve known when I was told to capture her despite the fact that she’s a Guardian.  The Master wants her bad enough to sacrifice me in order to get her--today‘s events are clear enough for that.  He may not care who gets in his way, just as long as he gets her.  But why her?

She began mulling over everything she had sensed in Sheba--everything she had learned of her and even Starscream.  She can use Mako-based spells without any Materia, she remembered.  I’ve never seen an Organic Transformer react well to being in the vicinity of Mako, much less have the skill and the ability to use any Mako energy stored within their bodies.  In fact, I thought that Mako and Magitek energies are antagonistic to each other, so why isn’t she dead yet?  She could find no answer to that, so marked that as one reason.

There is something… dark… about her, something I’ve never sensed in any Organic Transformer before, Guardian or Hunter.  This darkness, this taint, is something I’ve only sensed in the Sweeps, but it’s clear she has no Sweep heritage in her.  Her Guarded One is more powerful than she, but he doesn’t use this power for some reason--either he doesn’t know he has this power or he’s unable to use it.  My Master either doesn’t know that or doesn’t care.

She finished up her semi-meal, casting Full-Cure on herself to heal her injuries completely, and walked outside, standing just outside her cave.  “No… he may know,” she said out-loud, talking it out as if she was speaking with a fellow Hunter or even her Confidant.  “That may be why Number 91 was sent here.  The Sharkticons would net and take away Sheba, and my Sweep would kill Starscream while she was incapacitated.”  Memories of captured Organic Transformers, especially of Guardians who have lost their Guarded Ones through one circumstance or another, flew across her mind and she grimaced.  She saw what such a loss did to them, and understood that the same thing--if not worse--would befall Sheba should anything fatal occur to Starscream.

Those reasons alone chilled Andromeda to the core, and she was certain that there were others she couldn’t even imagine.  At long last, Andromeda finally realized just how grave of a mistake she had nearly made in her attempts to capture Sheba.  “Tucana’s Grief,” she whispered softly.  “May the Guardian of Guardians forgive my errors…”  She turned and cast Fire3 on the pod, igniting what little fuel it still had and detonating it, thereby destroying it to unrecognizable bits.  From there, she teleported directly to the Autobot base.

***

It had been two hours ever since the Hunter had left the assembled group of Autobots and Decepticons near the power-plant.  Although Optimus was concerned for Andromeda’s well-being, he was certain that she would keep her promise to return to them, albeit just for a farewell.  With her gone, Prime knew that things would go back to how they were before she came--and he already knew that they’d all-but-lost Cybertron to the Decepticons.  It was a conclusion that he’d mentioned once before, just before Andromeda had appeared, but one that was becoming increasingly clear to himself and even some of his Autobots--especially his main strategist, Prowl.

He had already begun initiating plans to deal with what would probably become inevitable--laying out plans to leave Cybertron and set up bases on the two moons that orbited their home-world.  He knew that such a plan would be poorly received by his soldiers, but at the rate the war was going with Sheba on the Decepticons’ side… well, he had little choice and he definitely wanted to be prepared.  He had already spoken with Elita-1, who had spread the word to other Autobots putting up a resistance on Cybertron, and they were willing to do what it took to continue the fight however they could.  Prime had also requested his builders--Grapple, Hoist, Wheeljack, among others--to begin creating plans to build a secondary base on Earth.  He left the details up to them, since such things were hardly his forte.

Optimus Prime walked through the halls, which were all-but-empty at this time of night.  Everyone had wanted to stay active long enough for Andromeda’s return, whenever that was, but the battle had taken a high toll on them.  Many had been damaged, and all were tired out from the fight itself, so he had ordered that everyone was to be repaired and rest--and he wasn’t making any exceptions.  He passed by Wheeljack’s lab and heard someone working within, and for the briefest of seconds he thought that Wheeljack had disobeyed his direct order.  

He opened the door, slightly apprehensive, and was both surprised and relieved--it wasn’t the resident mad scientist, but the Hunter.  She had her back to the door and was standing on her hind legs--her front legs, supporting her body, were resting on a table, which had various types of items on it.  Her wings were folded over her spine and her general posture seemed relaxed, although her ears flicked back over her skull defensively when Prime walked in.  

“Hunter,” Prime greeted, closing the door behind him.  He didn’t want the whole base to wake up because of this.  Besides, by the way Andromeda was working, it was clear that she was in a hurry.

“Just the Autobot I wish to see,” Andromeda replied with a strained half-smile.  Her eyes revealed her worry.  “I apologize, but I have little time--I won’t be able to bid everyone farewell, so you’ll have to relay that to them for me.”

Prime stood next to her, puzzled.  “You’re going back to your Master, even when it means certain death?”  Andromeda, unfazed by the question, nodded once.  “By the Matrix… why?”

Andromeda paused, looking down at the items on the table before turning her gaze to squarely meet Optimus Prime’s.  “You know why,” she replied quietly.  “My Confidant… my friend… is now in grave danger because of my failure here.  I will not have his death be on my head because I wanted to save my own skin.  Besides…” her voice trailed off briefly, “…there are things I’ve learned that I… I cannot explain right now.  Suffice to say, as much as this may place your cause in danger, Sheba must NOT be captured by my Masters.”

The Autobot leader couldn’t understand what had caused such a sharp shift in Andromeda’s mind, but it was clear that her last fight with Sheba had changed her.  Whatever had happened in that private battle had turned her against those she was loyal to.  He had so many questions to ask her, but even he couldn’t figure out the best way to ask them.  Andromeda, sensing the heavy silence, put away the items and turned to face Prime.  “Optimus, I cannot tell you much right now, but I can tell you that you must be careful.  My Masters may attempt to capture Sheba again, and if they attempt it in the middle of a battle between yourselves and the Decepticons…” she shook her head, “…suffice to say, they care not who they harm--not as long as they capture the Guardian.”

“So this is hardly over,” Prime stated quietly, thoughtfully.  “It’s just your part in it that has ended.”

Andromeda nodded and dropped to the ground, back onto all fours.  “Yes.  You must be careful, you and your soldiers, but do not let this stop you from fighting your war.  Although I have never been to Cybertron, I doubt its condition will improve with the Decepticons controlling it--based on what I’ve seen of them here on Earth.”  She looked down briefly, then up at him.  “You yourself must be especially cautious, Matrix-Bearer.  My Masters know of the Matrix, but not who holds it.  I don’t want to see what may happen if they find out it is you.”

Prime knelt and, cautiously, extended his hand out to her, palm down.  She nosed it and rubbed her head against the palm, closing her eyes for a second.  “I am sorry,” she sighed.

The Autobot leader took the hint and slowly began petting her.  “No.  In your own way, you were trying to protect us from the effects of your mission--as well as yourself from our war.  I can hardly blame you for that,” Optimus replied.  “Perhaps you are more Autobot than we had thought.”

Andromeda chuckled, her wings fluttering.  “Half-Decepticon I may be, but I am also half-Autobot--and all Hunter.  Although I’ve left my mark here, with you Autobots, all of you have also taught me some very valuable lessons as well.  Lessons I will remember for however long I continue to live.”  She moved back, out of Prime’s reach, and slowly began walking towards the door.  “This, then, is my thanks… and my farewell.”  

“Hunter,” Prime tried to say, still kneeling on the ground as he watched her walk away.

Andromeda shook her head and looked back at him, a full true smile crossing her muzzle.  “No, Optimus Prime.  Not ‘Hunter’.”  Her gaze turned regretful.  “As one last favor between us, I ask that you keep this last sentence secret from everyone, even the one you yourself hold dear.”  She bowed her head slightly to show her respect for the Autobot leader.  “My name… is Andromeda.”  With that, she disappeared into the greenish-white glow of her teleportation ability and disappeared.

Prime stood, somewhat saddened at her departure but honored that she would tell him her name when she guarded it so jealously in the past.  He looked at the table and saw a note left there--it was typed in a dialect he couldn’t quite read, although it was… familiar?  The letters were in the humans‘ English language, but the words were nonsense in and of themselves.  As he picked up the piece of paper and studied it, the words slowly began to make sense and he was able to interpret it, although he didn‘t notice that his eyes began glowing brighter than usual and an odd but familiar power flowed through his systems.  

“‘These potions will cure health, energy, and even the status-effects the Guardian can cast on you.  Use them sparingly, but use them well--I taught Wheeljack their usages and purposes while making the Crystal Potion during my time here, and he can teach the same to the rest of you.  This is my final gift as both my apology and my thanks.  --Andromeda.’”