Traps

It seemed strange to Emerald that the silence could sometimes seem so loud and so hard. It surrounded her like concrete about her ears and she lay still, her eyes open, little pools of light in the pitch darkness of the room. They kept dimming as she felt the need for her tired body to recharge start to overwhelm her. She didn't want to sleep. She mustn't! It could cost her her life.

She too had watched Kaiya walk but her gaze was not one of awe but of fear and suspicion. It alarmed her how the dark femme could move in such silence, especially in beast mode. She feared that she could walk into her room and she wouldn't even notice. Emerald had come back later that evening and was surprised to see that everyone had gone to bed for an early night, even Dinobot. It was not unusual for the raptor though. He hardly slept during the later part of the night and so he tried to get what rest he could from the evenings. She wondered if he was sleeping now, or if he too was keeping on the alert for movement.

Dinobot was asleep, and dreaming. Going through the forest in an uncontrollable motion of repeat performance. He attacked the creature who turned out to be Neolca. He felt the same horror, the same burning regret as she twisted in the flames. And then, forming in the ashes she transformed into someone else. Then, just before it revealed itself...

Wait. The dream did not end there, like it had always done. Instead, it changed. Suddenly he was in a different place. He was still in a forest, but he knew this forest. He often went here when he needed some alone time. There beside him was the little waterfall and rock pool. The tall, thorny acacias created a spindly canopy through which the moon gleamed in pieces. He turned and looked towards the rock that cropped out over the waterfall. There, sitting with her legs crossed was Neolca. She was smiling sadly. He stared at her and she reached out her arm for him.

"Dinobot, I found you..."

He took a step towards her, his emotions running high. His baby sister... There she was in all her youthful beauty. The silver and grey transformer with the bright green optics and slender form. Her face was soft and elegant and her voice as calm and soothing as he remembered it.

"Neo..." he whispered.

"Come to me. I'm waiting her for you in this forest on this rock. But you must wake up, Dinobot. Wake up and come for me."

"This is a dream," he stated, withdrawing.

"Yes," she said, "As long as you are asleep. Dinobot, I'm reaching you through your dreams because I don't yet have physical form. My spark never found the Matrix, but it followed yours to this place. Please come for me."

He woke up with a start, his spark almost burning in his chest. Dinobot had not felt such high emotion since the day his sister had died. Was she truly back, or was it just a dream?

The night seemed full of mystery and the silence held no answer for him, so he got to his feet and slipped out of his quarters, down the corridor, into the control room and down the elevator. He did not even allow himself to think about what he was doing as he slipped out into the night, into Kaiya's trap. All he knew was that he felt an overwhelming desire to check by the waterfall. Maybe, oh, just maybe...

Tarantulas stood as firmly and as confidently as he could as he watched Galena move to open the machine door. It was time for Blage to wake up.

"Now don't make any sudden moves," she warned as she typed the activation code on the machines panel.

"He might react just as suddenly. Remember, he is programmed to kill."

"You don't have to tell me that!" Tarantulas grunted.

Galena cocked an eyebrow in his direction with a shake of her head and then turned back to the machine. "Wakey wakey..."

She pressed a final key and then stepped away as the door hissed and opened. The yellow liquid in the machine had all drained away and standing, still a little wet, was the transformer they'd been slowly bringing back to life for the past few weeks. He was still.

Tarantulas stared at him and Blage seemed to be looking right through him when he suddenly jolted. Tarantulas almost had a spark attack.

The Jaguarundi stepped out onto the dank cold floor of Tarantulas's lair and jerked his head to face Galena.

"Welcome, Blage. I am Galena and the bot behind me is Tarantulas. We are your creators, and leaders."

"Acknowledged," he said, his voice low with a hard metallic ring to it.

"Do you know your power and your function, Blage?" Galena asked smoothly.

"Destroy all enemies. Terminate with raw strength. Obey leaders."

She twisted around and grinned with an 'I-told-you-so!' expression. Tarantulas shrugged.

Looking back at Blage, she said: "Blage, your brothers and sister are still coming online. Until they are functional, your purpose is to remain here and protect them. Is that understood."

"Yes, Commander."

She again turned and looked at Tarantulas. "Ooh hoo hoo! Commander! Now that sounds good."

Tarantulas grunted and approached the new bot slowly.

"Blage, I command you to transform to beast mode."

"Yes commander. Blage, transform."

In one swift motion the towering dark bot transformed into the sleek, stealthy form of a Jaguarundi. Tarantulas preferred him that way, at least he didn't look as menacing.

"He's not a transmetal," Tarantulas noted and glanced at Galena.

"Neither am I, dumbdo, but we don't need to be. The Vok enhanced our internals to be energon resistant. Well, at least far more energon resistant than you were when you arrived. We can stay under these raw crystals of energon in robot mode for as long as we want, without getting radiation. You must have noticed!"

Tarantulas scratched his chin. "Actually, I didn't. I'd love to have a look inside you and see just how they did that."

"Fat chance!" she snorted and stepped away from him. Blage watched them dumbly.

"So, what are we going to do with him until the others are online?" Tarantulas queried.

"Nothing. He has instructions to guard the cavern. Having a ten foot guard cat isn't a bad thing, I'd say. Besides, you never know: we could be found by a scout and then we'd have to kill him quick and efficiently. And if we're not at home, at lest we know Blage can do the job for us."

"Hmm, I suppose. Did you hear that Blage? You must kill anyone who enters this cavern and who is a stranger to you. No one other than Galena and I, you and your siblings are allowed in here. Understood?" Tarantulas raised his voice with authority, his inhibitions fading away.

"Yes, Commander."

"Good," he chuckled and rubbed his claws together. He faced Galena. "Now, where were we?"

"Planning the destruction of the Predacon base, and diplomatic talks with Kaiya, I believe," Galena replied.

"I hope the latter does her job. She is certainly taking her time," Tarantulas grumbled.

Galena gazed up and through a small crack in the ceiling of the cavern. She could see a star peeking through. It was early in the morning, about 2 am earth time.

"I dunno. I have a strong feeling that the end is getting very close for the Maximals. I think we will be seeing a victorious Kaiya within the next few days," she mused thoughtfully.

"Let's hope it doesn't go to her head. We don't want her as another enemy to deal with," Tarantulas grumbled.

Galena transformed to beast mode and went to her favourite corner of the cavern. She had made a bed for herself out of dry sticks and leaves . She curled up in a ball and yawned.

"I couldn't agree more," she replied and lowered her head to sleep. Blage and Tarantulas were left alone, although Tarantulas made no effort to strike up a conversation.

Megatron had decoded some of the data that the alien disk contained, and found a reference to six powerful robotic beings that would come and destroy some evil on the earth. Megatron knew that this could not be a co-incidence, but a record of what was going to happen, or in this case had just happened. Only, the six were destroyed, or at least five of them, to his knowledge.

"I wonder how much more it will tell me," he thought aloud. He had been working late into the night. The base was silent and the lights dim as all his Predacons slept. He was very tired himself, but the matter that Blackarachnia had brought up would not stop bothering him. That, and he felt he was getting close to discovering something.

He typed away a few more variations of keys and managed to decrypt some more data. In its own strange symbols and pictures, the disk displayed an explosion and shattered pieces. Yes, the energon explosion. It went on to show one large form rising from the ashes...

Kaiya. The form was...

No. It was not one form. There was a thin dividing line. There were two forms! Two had survived!

Megatron started typing frantically away, cursing under his breath that he lacked the knowledge to do this properly or quickly. Nothing came up except a garbled mess. He kept trying for another half hour, but he could find no more on the second form. Then it occurred to him. The disc was showing what had already happened and what was happening. The rest was not there because it was still being written.

He relaxed back in his chair, the realization finally sinking in. The second form was not with the Maximals and it was not with the Predacons. That meant only one thing.

"Tarantulas," he whispered. The name sounded eerie in the silence. He knew then that it was more important than ever that the spider be found, and stopped.

Megatron opened a comm. line to Rampage.

"Rampage, this is Megatron."

The crab's reply came over a crackled line.

"Battling with insomnia as well, are you?"

"Something is on my mind. I have uncovered some unnerving information about the spider. Have you found him yet?"

"No, not yet."

"Well, I implore you to keep trying, but be warned: he has an ally with him who might be the only thing on this planet capable of killing you."

"Now that's interesting," the crab said with slightly sarcastic curiosity.

"Keep looking, Rampage, and alert me as soon as you find him."

"I'll try to survive to do so, your highness."

Megatron cut the connection and stood up. Insomnia indeed. His mind was buzzing, but his body ached for recharge. Quietly he made his way to his quarters and lay on his bed to sleep, although it was some time before his mind would allow him some rest.

Kaiya could sense that Emerald was awake. Curse the little buzzard! She was trying to listen out for any mischief. Still, Dinobot was out of the base, as was planned, and Rattrap should be heading over to the bird's room in a moment. That would keep the little witch busy.

She sat in beast mode, her ear to the door of her room, listening. She waited several minutes and was getting worried that Rattrap might have forgotten or slept through when she hear a door opening down the hallway.

She grinned sadistically. "Keep her busy, Rattrap," she murmured. As soon as he'd taken Emerald to his room, or stayed with her in hers, Kaiya would begin her killing rounds. All the Maximals were expecting her to pay them a visit tonight, lustful fools.

The only two who could foil her plan were taken care of. She opened the door silently and stuck her head round to see Rattrap open Emerald's door and close it softly behind him.

"Stay there," she whispered.

To make sure he didn't walk out on her, she waited in the shadows, listening with her sharp ears for any sound of commotion. As soon as she felt the coast was clear, she'd start.

Emerald was in that state of almost asleep and not quite awake. She felt herself being uncomfortably roused when she heard her door click. It took a second for her instinct to kick in and she sat straight up and hit the light switch of her lamp next to her bed.

Rattrap blinked in the light and brought a hand to his face.

"Geez, Emmie, it's just me!"

Emerald stared incredulously at him. The last time he was in her room was a month ago when they were listening to music on her laptop. It seemed an age away.

She suddenly took note of what he had called her. Emmie - it had also been a long time since he's used that affectionate term. She forced a weak smile.

"Oh, sorry. I guess I'm just a bit...on edge."

"Aren't ya sleeping well?" he asked his hands falling limply at his sides as he adjusted to the rather bright light of her lamp.

"No," she answered, staring at him searchingly. "What are you doing here?" She glanced at her clock. "It's two thirty in the morning."

He sat down at the foot of her bed. "I came ta talk ta you. At least at dis time of morning no one will interrupt us."

She folded her arms and frowned. "I thought you didn't want to talk to me anymore."

He sighed. "I'm sorry if I've been a bit hard on ya, Ems, but ya have been actin' weird lately."

"With reason," she answered firmly.

He decided not to take notice of the comment and turned his head to look at her.

"Anyway, I thought I'd come an' talk ta you, ta clear the air...about a thing or two."

She lowered her eyes, feeling a flush come to her cheeks. She knew what was coming and dreaded it.

"We've known each other a long time, Em. Well, as long as you've been alive. I've watched you grow into da femme you are today. As Rhinox's pal, I spent a lot of time around you an' I always liked you."

She raised her eyes a little.

"But not in da same way you like me now..."

"I didn't always have feelings towards you," she said slowly, "or at least not the kind of feelings I have now. I always saw you as a friend and I liked you because you treated me as an equal and not as a kid... I'm not sure what changed, but when I saw you again, when I awoke from my coma... I don't know. You just looked so...so perfect. I--"

She dropped her eyes again and fidgeted with her hands. This was getting messy.

Rattrap nodded slowly, as if something had finally clicked into place in his mind.

"It is an awkward situation, I know. Sometimes these feelings just happen," Rattrap said softly. "But at least we're close enough ta be able ta talk about it openly, hey?" he tried.

Emerald remained still, emotions boiling inside of her. Was he back? Was this the Rattrap she knew talking?

She heard him get up and walk over to her. She felt his hands touch hers and she glanced up. He was watching her earnestly. Slowly, he pulled her to her feet and into an embrace. She felt her spark shuddering in her chest, her mech fluid charging through her. This felt so strange. She wasn't sure whether to feel joy or discomfort. She wasn't sure at all what to feel. At present, it almost seemed wrong, this close contact, even though she'd desired it for so long.

"Emerald, no matter what happens, I'll always be your friend," he told her softly. She looked up, her throat seemed to have closed up. He gazed at her with unreadable eyes and she froze on the spot, unsure of what to do or say next. He pulled her in, and her body stiffened at the sudden closeness. He leaned forward, and kissed her.

Her head was spinning. Her hands twitched in his and she felt a surge of guilt and nausea and lust all at the same time. As if in slow motion, she felt him push her carefully down onto the bed. She tried to resist, but it was like all her limbs had been locked. Her eyes were closed instinctively, she almost feared to open them. He touched her gently on her arm and pulled out of the kiss. He was lying beside her with a serene, almost dazed smile.

"Aj...Ajax..." she blurted a whisper. "I--I thought...I thought that..."

"It's ok, I'm not gonna do anythin' to ya. I promise. I do love you, Emmie. I just wanted ta show you that. I wanted to make you feel better."

"B-b-but, but that's kinda...kinda pushing the boundaries of friendship, isn't it?" she stammered, her fingers still twitching with shock.

He chucked and stroked her forehead. "Naw, it was just a little display of affection. Kaiya thought you'd be pleased."

She froze, her eyes were wide with horror. Her body turned cold almost instantly.

"What?" she barely whispered. "Did...did Kaiya set you up to this?"

"Well, ah, I--"

She'd heard enough. She leapt off the bed and ran with weak legs to her door and tried to open it. It was locked.

"Did you lock it?" she exclaimed, almost hysterical. Rattrap got to his feet in alarm.

"No. No! Emerald, what's wrong wid' you?"

"I have to get out," she said softly, then yelled it. "I have to get out!" She started hammering at the door.

"Kaiya! Let me out!! You can't keep me in here! Dinobot! Dinobot!!"

She felt a firm grip come around her. "Emerald, stop dis! You're gettin' hysterical!"

She elbowed him sharply. "Don't touch me!" she hissed and continued to beat at the door.

"Dinobot! Optimus!! Anyone!"

"Emerald!" he sounded angry.

He tried again to pull her back, but she jerked forward, ignoring him.

"Dinobot!" she wailed. Suddenly, Rattrap seized her from behind and lifted her. She kicked and screamed.

"Put me down!! Don't touch me!" she shrieked.

"You'll wake da whole place up! I'm sure it's just a malfunction wid' da door. Now sit down an' calm yerself--ack!"

She thrust her elbow into his gut and he dropped her. Without even thinking, she spun her leg around and kicked him across the face. He fell back, sprawled on the floor, unconscious.

She stared down at him in shock, panting. A little voice at the back of her head told her that he didn't even know what he was doing, that he was still under Kaiya's spell, and yet she despaired as she felt things between them would never be the same. She'd never feel at ease with him ever again.

She knelt beside him and took his gun from his holster on his back and faced the door. She fired two blasts into it and it blew open.

She ran outside and looked left and right. The hallway was dark and ominous. Even the dull lights were out. It seemed the light from her room was the only light in the whole ship. Her mind was a whir as she tried to think what to do next. Kaiya was formidable, she had seen her in battle. What chance did she stand against her alone? Dinobot.... Dinobot would help!

Without hesitating further, she sprinted down the hallway to Dinobot's quarters.

The forest loomed up ahead. The sky was clear and the moon was full, like it was in his dream. The grass was cool and wet with dew under his raptor feet. An owl swooped silently out of the forest as he approached. The only sound came from the crickets chirping in choruses. They went silent as he walked over them, and then started up again when they thought he was a safe distance away.

Despite the warmth of the day, the nights were very cold. His breath misted in the chill air as he came to the perimeter of the forest. He stood there, knowing it was only a short walk to the waterfall...

He drew in a deep breath and braced himself as best as he could for the most heart-wrenching find, or the most bitter disappointment.

Emerald skidded to a halt inside Dinobot's room, hit the light switch and stared at an empty bed. "Dinobot?" she called. He was not here, that was evident.

"Ohhh," she moaned, too terrified to think what might have become of him. She knew Kaiya's power and the mere thought that she could have already taken out Dinobot alarmed her deeply.

She ran out into the corridor and hurried to Cheetor's room. To her horror, the door was ajar, and upon entering, she could make out his limp form lying sprawled on the floor. Charges of blue energy tore through him and her hand came up to her mouth as she looked at him in shock. Her body was trembling, her instincts were screaming at her to get out.

"Optimus, Uncle..." she blurted and spun on her heels and ran blindly down the dark hallways. She was just about to turn into Rhinox's room when she felt someone grab her around her stomach and pull her back.

"He's already done for!" came the familiar, violent hiss. Emerald knew as she felt herself being dragged backwards that Kaiya had caught her, and if she did not escape now, she would die. She screamed as loud as she could, kicked, thrashed, struggled.

Kaiya snarled and backed into a room and threw her. Emerald crashed to the ground, rolled and hit her head against something made of glass. She shook the trickle of mech fluid out of her eyes and watched as Kaiya closed and locked the door. They were in the storage room, and she'd just hit a CR chamber door. This room had a permanent dim light on and it allowed Emerald to see Kaiya in all her terrible splendour.

The maned wolf transformer was standing upright, her arms at slight diagonal angles at her side, fists clenched. Her head was turned down enough so that her burning stare caught Emerald's gaze. Her eyes were pitch with two red pupils burning in the center and around her a dark flame flared. She was surrounded by an unburning, black fire that ended in flickers of red, giving her a grander, more fearsome stature. Emerald scrambled to her feet and backed up against the CR chamber door. She was cornered.

"You're too late, you wretched fool. I have taken out your uncle, your leader, your cat-friend and Rattrap will be next. I will tear him to shreds in front of you."

Emerald watched as Kaiya flicked her wrists and long silver claws, charged with energy slipped out. Various indentations revealed themselves on her body. She was littered with secret compartments that contained any variety of small weapons.

Emerald realized that Kaiya had not mentioned Dinobot, and with what hope she had left for her own life, she opened her comm. channel to him. All she got was static.

Dinobot stepped forward into the thick jungle and went as quietly and as stealthily as he could in the direction of the waterfall. It was not long before he heard the distant and familiar rush of water. He was so close, so very close....

A disturbance broke his trance. His comm. channel was hissing and buzzing. He paused and listened. The signal was jammed. Curse those towers of Megatron's! He frowned as he tuned his ears into the pitch and buzzes of the static. It was loud and coarse and then suddenly, very abruptly, was cut. Someone had been desperately trying to reach him.

Emerald.

He glanced up at the sky. The moon was full, perfect. The waterfall was only a few minutes away. If he turned back now, he could miss his chance. He closed his eyes and remembered the dream. It did not make sense. All this time he had been dreaming of a build up to something horrible, something that Neolca was trying hard to show him. He remembered how she was yelling at Rattrap and how he seemed oblivious to her, simply staring ahead in fear and crying for help. Then why did this vision of his sister appear all of a sudden? A vision where she was calm and serene after having been in a ball of flame.

He was unsure what it was that stirred inside of him, but he knew at that moment that something was terribly wrong. With some regret, Dinobot turned around and started to sprint back to the Axalon, as fast as his raptor body would carry him.

The young femme cried out in agony as she felt the blades penetrate her mid-section. She had tried to fire a shot at Kaiya, but the gun was unsteady in her hands and she had reacted too slowly. If it had been Rattrap or Dinobot, they would've been quicker on the uptake, but Emerald was unfamiliar with guns and life-threatening situations.

"This should stun you for a while Not enough to put you into stasis lock, but enough to keep you immobilized. Perfect for keeping you in one place as I finish off your little crush," Kaiya spat the words into her face. Emerald turned her head and squeezed her eyes shut as she felt the nauseating, burning hot waves of energy rip through her insides.

Kaiya withdrew her claws with a swift jerk of her arms and stepped away from Emerald and watched the femme crumble to her knees, her hands grasping her wounds.

"Did you have fun tonight?" Kaiya asked superciliously. "Did Rattrap show you a good time? I'm sure he did, as I told him that's all you wanted from him. It's all that you pitiful beings want. Your weakness is love, is lust. You become so blind, so pitifully stupid when you desire another so strongly. I'm rather surprised you figured me out so quickly. Guess you chickened out in the end, huh? Like a true baby."

Emerald fell forward, her hands flattened on the ground to try and break her fall, but her arms gave way and she found herself lying on her stomach. She rolled, groaning, holding herself as the waves of pain continued to tear through her.

"You're so easy a species to figure out. You have such primitive desires! Power, respect, attention, love and lust. I was almost sickened by how easy it was to ensnare everyone in this place. Sure, I used some mind control, but all I do is tap into what that Transformer really wants. Rattrap wanted my body, Rhinox wanted my insides on a table, Dinobot wanted his sister. His dreams were an open window into his desires. He was so easy to persuade to go out tonight, and be out of the picture while I finish you all off."

Emerald opened her eyes weakly and glowered at Kaiya. The dark femme was now standing in the middle of the room, hissing and spitting her words to her crumpled form on the ground.

Kaiya walked over to her and bent over her.

"Was he worth it, Emerald? Was he worth all this?" she asked.

She shook her head. "I die...with my dignity...still....in tact," she wheezed.

Kaiya drew back and snorted.

"I'm not that surprised. You have no appeal, anyway. You're a worthless, obnoxious, pitiful piece of slag that isn't worth the bullet in my gun."

With her words she drew a thin black gun out from her holster on her upper right leg and took aim.

"Even so, I will enjoy watching you die. As for Rattrap, well, you can trust me that his death will be quick and painless. He will invite his killer into bed with him with open arms, just like the rest of them."

"No."

The voice was not Emerald's and Kaiya spun around to face the speaker. If she was surprised, she showed no sign of it. Standing at a now unlocked and open door was Rattrap.

He had another gun in his hand. His expression was one of bitter betrayal. He stood and stared at her with a quiet fury that was so acute, even Kaiya shifted under it.

"I may die today, Kaiya, but I sure as da Pit ain't dyin' quickly," he said coldly, his voice etched with pain. He drew his gun up and took aim.

"Go on, you arrogant, pompous idiot. Shoot me. See how much good it does."

Rattrap shook his head, visibly seething with hatred, and pulled he trigger. The shots bounced off Kaiya harmlessly and she stood, completely still and unfazed, her _expression remaining the same throughout the volley.

"You seem to have forgotten one simple thing, Ajax," Kaiya said as she put her gun away.

"I am Vok. I am fully charged Vok. I am invincible. And whether you like it or not, I have already won. Your fellow Maximals lie dying in their rooms, your only ally is out chasing his dreams in the forest and little Emerald, " she paused a moment to chuckle sadistically, "little Emerald lies here in a helpless pile, watching with much misery as the one she loves realizes too late that she has been telling him the truth all this time. Yes, she may have seemed foolish, out of character even, under my spell, but I only clouded your vision. It was you who selectively chose what you wanted to see, what you wanted to hear. How disappointing it must be for her to watch you fall so pathetically, and for her to know that she was never, truly loved."

"Rattrap, get out of here, save yourself!" Emerald cried, lifting a trembling arm to point at the door. "There's no stopping her now."

Kaiya turned her head towards Emerald ad rolled her eyes. "Oh stop being so cliché, will you? It's already too late. No Maximal leaves this place alive - I will make sure of it."

She turned back just in time to duck a blow from Rattrap. He'd discarded his weapon and had decided to fight like he used to in the back alleyways on Cybertron. It was how he'd grown up. Brawling came second nature to him.

Kaiya rolled left and sprang to her feet.

"Oh, so you wanna fight tough-guy do ya?" she mocked, licking her lips and relishing in her power. Her surrounding flame flickered and spat around her. "This is no way to be behaving in front of a lady."

Rattrap snorted with a mirthless snigger. "You're no lady. You're a bitch."

Kaiya glanced over her body. "My my, would you look at my beast mode! Aren't we the observant one!"

She charged forward and threw a punch at him. He swerved and caught her arm. With a sudden rush of strength she jolted it and he stumbled back. She spun and kicked him on his left side and he fell awkwardly. Kaiya strode towards him with visible malevolence and kicked forward. He grabbed her foot and pulled. She hit the ground with both arms out and sneered. A second later, a blade shot out of her foot and dug into his wrist. He yelped in pain and let go and she rolled forward and up onto her feet causally.

"I'm not actually a good fighter," she said as she watched him return to his feet, clutching at his severed wrist. "I hate it. But what gives me an advantage is no matter what move you pull on me, I can deflect or better it with raw strength. This is a done match, Rattrap. Let it go."

Emerald lay paralyzed on her side. The only things that seemed to be working were her vocal circuits and optics. She watched helplessly as he walked forward and tried again to fight her. Kaiya suffered a punch to her arm and a kicked shin. Rattrap was thrown several feet back and skidded in a crumpled mess on the ground, twitching with shockwaves.

"Leave him alone, Kaiya!" Emerald wailed miserably.

Kaiya seemed to notice her again and stared at her with mock sympathy. "It's he who wants to fight, little Emmie. Not me."

She faced him again. He was struggling to get to his feet, his face contorted in pain, but with a mask of stubbornness as well. He would not give in.

"You're upsetting the children, Rattrap! Cease this nonsense," Kaiya cried out teasingly and pointed absently at Emerald.

"Besides," she said huskily, "We were so good together. You can't deny the fact that I had you. Oh, I had you completely. Every night was the same. You wanted me so badly you forgot everyone around you, even this precious little thing lying limp on the floor. Poor Emmie. She must have been so jealous!"

"Shut up!" he snapped, his voice full of fury. Emerald had never heard him so angry.

"I was trapped in my own body. You forced me wid' yer twisted tricks an' spells ta act da way I did! Emerald was an' always will be more important to me than a fling wid' some slut."

"Ah ha! But an alien slut, let's not forget!" she laughed and burst into roaring black flames that licked as high as the ceiling. Her grin was wicked, terrifying. Somehow she managed to both darken and lighten the entire room. Her form stood illuminated in a hellish light and her claws slid out with ease.

Emerald whimpered and closed her eyes, filled with an overwhelming sense of dread. This was it. Kaiya was going to kill him.

"You made me, Ajax. If it wasn't for your sparing my life on that battle ground, none of this would have happened. It's because you brought me into your home with such conviction that I was worth it, that I was good, was beautiful, was everything you needed that everyone accepted me so openly! And with that I took full advantage and now I have completed my function; to destroy the trouble makers foiling the Vok's experiment. If it is any consolation, I will do the same to the Predacons. All will be mended."

Rattrap had been secretly easing a bomb out of his arm and at the moment she finished her rant, he threw it with as much force as he could muster.

"Emerald watch out!"

Emerald lay there in stillness, unable to move, and felt the heat of the blast on her body. It tore a few feathers off her and burned some of the others, but did no more damage. It was a very localized, specific bomb he threw, designed to only destroy its target.

Kaiya was blown back and she hit the wall so hard she made an imprint on it. She crashed to the ground, her eyes squeezed shut. When the smoke cleared she was revealed. She was on her knees, her head was down and she was smoking from various joints. Otherwise, she was totally undamaged.

She raised her head slowly, her expression conveying that she was well and truly peeved.

"Now that meant business," she growled and rose slowly to her feet. Emerald let out a moan of despair. What would it take to kill her?!

Kaiya was quick to make the best of Rattrap's stunned moment of surprise and she drew out a knife and threw it.

He caught it and threw it back but Kaiya had transformed to beast mode and was charging at him, her fangs glistening in the light. She lunged at him, transforming again in mid air and heaved him back against the wall.

"Rattrap!" Emerald screamed as she saw Kaiya's claws slide out with a swift flick of her wrists.

Rattrap brought his hands up to grab her throat but suddenly cringed with a yell of pain. Kaiya had already thrust in her lethal claws.

"HOW'D you like that, huh? Energon charged claws thrust RIGHT into your gut! Welcome to the pain everyone in this base is experiencing as they slowly die in AGONY!" she hissed.

"Raaaatrrraaaap..." Emerald sobbed. How she wished she could move! She had forgotten entirely her own pain in watching his and every part of her was aching to move, to run to him...to save him.

Kaiya tore her hands away from him and stepped back to watch her poison take effect.

"There's only one thing in the world that can save you, and she's dead," Kaiya stated, bitten by some vague anger.

Emerald frowned and tried to make sense of her statement. One thing. A she. Airazor? No, it couldn't be. Who, then? She...she... Blackarachnia? How could she help? And how could she be dead? How many had Kaiya taken down?

A small movement caught her eye and she cast her glance in the direction of the open door to see Dinobot. He was moving in robot mode, holding something sharp and glowing in his hand. Kaiya was unaware of his approach.

"I feel some regret in killing you this way, Rattrap," Kaiya said with smooth sarcasm. "I was hoping we could have one more good time tonight and that you could die happy. But I'm not the selfish type. I thought I'd leave that honor to Emerald. It's a pity she passed up the opportunity."

Kaiya drew he claws in and folded her arms.

"And it is a pity that poor Neolca---"

Dinobot heard her name too late. He thrust the energon blade right into the exact spot in Kaiya's back that her spark was in front of.

Rattrap was still standing, clutching at his stomach when he saw the dark femme's eyes widen and a peak of silver come through the top of her right breast. Her head twitched and shuddered sporadically as she slowly lowered her face to look at the blade tip.

She looked up again, her eyes still wide with shock, but her face carrying a totally different expression. An expression of loss, of defeat, of fear. Not expressions that Rattrap nor anyone else had ever seen on her elegant face.

She sank to her knees. Dinobot yanked the blade out and stepped away from her, his face with an equal expression.

"Dinobot..." she whispered, even though she could not see him. "Dinobot, I'm so sorry..." Her voice was different. It was soft, gentle, clear and sincere. Angelic, almost.

Her eyes shut and she leaned to the right and lay down on her side. The flames were gone and there was a strange glow coming through her body. Emerald watched weakly as a ghostly, skull-like entity rose up and out of Kaiya's body. Everything was deathly quiet. It was like she was watching a silent movie along with her two stunned fellow Maximals. The Vok spirit turned to face the ceiling and drifted unobtrusively through the air and out of the ship, into the dark sky above.

One by one the three of them cast their eyes on Kaiya's limp form. Little waves of blue energy charged through her occasionally and she was shivering. Rattrap seemed glued to the wall, his hand still firmly over his wound. Silver mech fluid dribbled through the cracks in his fingers. Dinobot walked around Kaiya and knelt in front of her, watching her intently.

"Neolca?" he choked.

The femme's eyes lit in pale red and she looked up with an air of melancholy and remorse.

"I tried to tell you. Rattrap wasn't the only one under her control. I tried...but she was too strong. I'm so...so sorry."

Her optics dimmed, and she died.

Dinobot's head lowered and his shoulders drooped. There was an intense, short silence before Neolca's spark rose up and out of her dead body and drifted silently away.

Rattrap sank with a weary sigh and landed softly on the floor. His hand slipped from the bleeding holes in his mid-section and his body sagged.

"Ajax..." Emerald breathed, her energy leaving her quickly.

Dinobot sighed softly as well and returned to his feet. He turned and looked at Emerald on the ground, his face calm but sad.

"Hang on, Emerald. I'm going to help you."

Emerald winced in pain, feeling it again for the first time in a while. "You can't. Kaiya said there was only one in the world who could save us, and she's dead."

Dinobot frowned. "Who?"

Emerald shook her head as much as her stiff body would allow. "I don't know," she whispered.

Her vision faded and she slipped into stasis lock.

In spite of Kaiya's words, Dinobot went ahead with trying to rescue his comrades. He succeeded.

In retrospect, Kaiya was probably convinced she was right and that there was no way to save them except for the 'one' she talked of. What Kaiya was unaware of, though, was that Neolca had taken enough control to lessen the power flow through her claws. She had diminished it just enough to enable the Maximals to survive as long as they got quick attention. Kaiya was so caught up in her own moment she didn't notice the lack of voltage she delivered. It was Neolca's only victory, but it was a great one.

This had been figured out by Dinobot and agreed on by the others. There was no better explanation and no one dared challenge his words as they meant so much to him. It was not only Kaiya who had died, but his sister as well.

It took a few days in the CR chamber for all of them to get back to normal. Emerald was the last to use it, because out of the lot of them she'd sustained the least damage. She had exited from her period in the CR chamber into an empty control room. She did not need to know the others were all right, she had watched them all recover in the CR chambers and had greeted all but Rattrap as they came out. Rattrap was still in the CR chamber, as he had taken a lot of damage. Kaiya had her claws in him longer than anyone else.

She walked sleepily down the corridor and to her room. It was as she had left it. Having a bird as a beast mode had given her the desire for a kind of nest, so she had fashioned a mattress out of leaves and dry grass and had covered it with fabric that had been used to keep dust off weapons in the storage room. There were plenty of those covers and she had taken another to use as a blanket. Most of her comrades found it strange that she sought comfort when she slept. For them it was just a period of recharge. Emerald liked sleeping. To her it was a sanctuary, a way to escape the troubles of her life. Her room was her comfort zone.

She closed the door behind her and looked around. Her lamp was still on, although its light was less blinding in the daylight that poured in from her window. Her silly little knife that she had made for herself was still on her bedside table, next to her lamp. To think she was prepared to use that to fend of Kaiya's attack in the dark!

Her bed was unmade. Her blanket was still ruffled and creased where she had been lying that night...

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. That had been a terrible night. Nearly a week had passed and yet she still felt Kaiya's presence. She half-expected her to come swaggering out of the shadows with that malicious look in her eyes and that smug, confident grin. It was hard to imagine that Neolca was ever beneath that, although she had seen proof when she had spoken before her death. That was definitely not Kaiya speaking.

Emerald decided she did not want to stay in her room. Instead, she left the base, telling only her beloved uncle Rhinox, who nodded with his usual, calm understanding. It was good to have him back. He had apologized for his behavior, although she had told him he had nothing to apologize for. He was not himself, and she had forgiven him even as he'd hurt her.

Optimus had said she had a new air of maturity and wisdom about her. He said that she had grown. She wasn't sure if his words were true, but she did feel different. She felt a weariness that came with carrying a burden for so long. Her eyes had certainly been opened. She did not feel headstrong and carefree anymore. Her world had changed and maybe she had changed with it.

That afternoon she walked through the savannah near the base and watched the birds flutter up as she approached their hidden nests in the grass. She had spent hours sitting in the sunshine, weaving together a mat of dried grass, for no real reason other than she felt like it. It came out with a funny pattern on it. She fancied it looked like a rhino. She instantly fell in love with her creation as it reminded her of her uncle.

She had taken it with her as the sun had begun to sink into the distant hills and she had walked to the spot she had been some days before, overlooking the river. One again she let her legs dangle off the edge of the cliff and she picked out stones to throw into the water below. Her mind drifted and when she awoke from her dazes she found she couldn't remember what she had been thinking of.

She had been watching the very first star blink in the dusk when she heard the grass crunch softly behind her. She did not turn around. She had no fear of Predacons after all she had been through. Besides, she doubted they would venture this close to the base, within range of the autoguns.

The steps were a little tentative as if the bot they belonged to felt like an intruder.

"Emerald?"

She closed her eyes and drew in a silent but deep breath. It was Rattrap.

He came up beside her, stood a moment, and then sat next to her on her right and watched the sun's last rays fade away.

It was a long time before he spoke. The silence had been oppressive for Emerald and she started to feel very intruded upon indeed. She almost wanted to tell him to go away, but she knew that would hurt him more than it would her, and that wouldn't be fair.

"I'm sorry."

Two words. So much pain in them. A pause.

"I was so blind ta you. I made such a mess of everythin'. I even ruined our friendship. That, I regret deeply."

She stared at the river below. It was now a rich navy under the shadow of the canyon. It looked cold and barren. She felt cold and barren.

He sighed and placed his hands on his knees. "I know there's nuthin' I can do ta make it up to you. I violated yer personal space, I didn't listen to you, I didn't trust you. But fer what it's worth, I did mean one thing in all da garbage I spoke to you during that time."

She inclined her head slightly in his direction to indicate he had her attention.

He too seemed to be struggling with this silence.

"I do love you. I would die for you."

"I know," she said softly. Her voice came out clearly. It had lost its childish edge to it. She was not the first to notice.

She bit back a sudden sob rising in her throat. She turned to look at him. His gaze was distant, his face betrayed his emotions of grief.

"But it's too late for that. I've lost you," he sighed. "An' I don't deserve your forgiveness."

Emerald shook her head gently. "No. You haven't lost me. And I do forgive you. It's just going to take...to take time, for this friendship to heal."

He turned and looked her in the eyes, slightly taken aback.

"Is that how you honestly feel? I mean, what do you feel t'wards me now, Emerald?"

She looked back down at the river, finding it difficult to speak.

"I feel," she began, her voice on the brink of breaking. "That I've lost a part of me, and in doing so I've lost a connection I once had with you. And now I feel somewhat empty...and indifferent towards you. Rattrap I--" A brief pause to hold back the sobs. "I don't think I was ever ready to love anyone, and right now, I lack the energy... But I will always care about you. That will never change. When you kissed me that night, even if it was not entirely intentional, I felt like a bridge had been crossed that I was just not ready for. I need time...to sort out my life. To sort out my feelings."

She could see him nod from the corner of her eyes. There was another pause before he quietly stood up.

"I understand," he said after what felt like an eternity. He touched her gently on the shoulder, and walked away.

Emerald was left with her thoughts. She felt a hurricane of emotion whirl inside of her and at the same time a sense of relief as well. She was not sure what she felt for him anymore, but she was glad that at least they'd finally cleared the air. It was going to take time for things to return to normal. That was the only thing that she was certain of.