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"Save him now, Autobot scum."

The horrific realization slowly but surely dawned across the depths of those blue optics. It was morbidly fascinating to watch Optimus try to compute exactly what was happening and why it was happening.

*Nights, please don't—!*

Airachnid growled and turned the Immobilizer on Bumblebee. Nightstalker flinched when bullets rang out, but they weren't aimed for her. After a quick bout, Nightstalker turned to see Bumblebee petrified while running for cover.

A sultry chuckle caught in the back of Airachnid's throat. "All alone, love," she purred to Nightstalker. Nightstalker turned back to Optimus, feeling her spark beating violently in her spark. This was what she wanted—she was going to avenge Fli-Ni!

"What are you waiting for?" Airachnid taunted. She tapped the Immobilizer to Optimus's exposed chest. "He's all yours."

Helpless screams and an explosion rocked in Nightstalker's memory core. Nightstalker ignored Airachnid, baring her teeth at Optimus. She dug her claws into his neck cables.

"Isn't that right, Optimus?" she hissed at his frozen form. "Kaon. Do you remember? Who was that poor youngling you left to die?" Nightstalker ripped some of the cables up, earning a deep-set groan from the Autobot she crouched on. She felt his shoulders shudder beneath her peds. "Do you remember? He was just a kid! He was BEGGING you for help! And what do you do?" Nightstalker sank her claws into his neck, face twisting into a snarl as she hissed just inches away from his face,

"YOU LEFT HIM TO DIE."

Nightstalker savagely pulled up another heap of cables, making another low groan catch in his body. Energon began to pour from his wounds, staining her hands a slick bright blue. "Do you remember!" she shouted at the immobile bot, hot tears of hate and sorrow beading in her optics. She roughly brushed them away, unwittingly smearing his energon there in their place. Transforming the tips of her fingers open, Nightstalker's spark sang in lustful triumph. "This is for my brother," she snarled, raising her hand.

She slashed down over his right audio receptor with a vengeance, and the sheer pain she exploited on his hot spot made his frame rock in agony. A high pitched whine shrieked from within his body, and Nightstalker clawed him without mercy, hot lava slowly oozing down his neck.

"Isn't it ironic?" she gloated above his pained whines. "You once preached to Arcee that revenge isn't the right way when you should have been preaching to me!" Nightstalker gave a sick laugh, falling into oblivion. She punctured several claws through that audio receptor, the screams catching inside Optimus's body as he shuddered beneath her.

"Now revenge may not bring me peace . . ." she whispered to him, and she leaned down to the other audio receptor.

"But it sure does bring SATISFACTION."

Fear began to coil in the depths of his crystal blue optics. Nightstalker gave a harsh laugh, eyes glittering like black fire. "How does it feel to be so helpless? What does it feel like to be at my MERCY!" Nightstalker's lava-dripping fingers tore across the middle finial of his helm, and like she had guessed, it was a hot spot too. Optimus's body howled beneath her, the gears shrieking they were trying so hard to move, but the effects of the Immobilizer kept him frozen.

She laughed with sick amusement, feet planted firmly on either side of his broad shoulders as she crouched on him. "Does it hurt?" she asked mockingly. She bared her teeth again, and she plunged her hand into his sensitive neck cables, causing a more potent groan to strangle through his throat as he suffered her punishment.

"Good," she purred to him. Trailing a leisure finger down around his wide optics, she smirked when those optics dilated tight in pain. "Because trust me, it's going to hurt, a lot, MORE!"

Ripping up more of his neck cables, Nightstalker felt his energon gush over her hands and begin to slick her grip. Tossing the parts to the side, she murmured to the helpless Prime, "This should be fun. I get to take you apart piece by piece at my pace, and I get to play with you unlike I've played with others." She let a lip quirk up, and she closed off her fingers that dripped lava. Instead, she dipped her forefinger into Optimus's left eye, greedily drinking in the sight of fear raging inside the depths of those optics.

Optic lubricant began to leak from his eye as she began to apply a small scratch to the delicate material. "I wonder how much I could exploit from just your eyes," she murmured. A sick grin crossed her features. "Or, since the almighty Primes are supposed to be PURE, I bet you would respond well to me violating your interfacing delicates."

At the utter disbelieving horror that rose to the surface of his optics, Nightstalker let herself have a long, triumphant laugh. Slinking a leg down, her flexible body easily making the stretch, Nightstalker chuckled and tapped her ped to his interface paneling. "I'll save the rape for last," she laughed at him, and she instead dug her hand deep into the top of his exposed shoulder wiring. "Then, I'll proceed to rip off said spike." Tearing up more wires, this time Optimus's scream shrieked from within filled with impending terror for her promises to come. "And then I'll take apart your chest and proceed to rape your spark you of your purity again!" She slashed across his ruined audio receptor, causing his body to shriek in protest, but unable to help himself. "Only then will I tear your spark out with my bare hands and crush it in my grip!"

Slicing through more cables in his shoulders, Nightstalker scowled when she heard the screech of his vocals unable to properly say words as he tried to scream. "If only you could scream," she hissed, forcibly restraining from tearing apart his other audio receptor—he had to hear her gloating as she killed him. "What would you say, I wonder?" Toying with him more, Nightstalker let one of her whips dangle out and activate with the menacing sound of electricity. The high volts would cripple him. "Would you beg for my mercy?" Sneering, Nightstalker brought the whip down hard on the Prime's back. Optimus's body howled in protest, unable to move from his crucified position, arms spread. "Plead forgiveness?" The thought just made the hate surge more. Snarling again, Nightstalker slammed the whip down harder, and another helpless shriek echoed from Optimus's body. "Would you want me to stop, or just put you out of your MISERY!" Slashing the electrical whip down with all her might across his back again, she relished in the sounds of his screams that she coaxed out. A Prime—brought low enough by her to scream and fear like he had never felt the cold grip of terror. That rising panic the Prime was feeling brightened his optics until painful to look at, and she felt him trembling beneath her peds.

"A pity I can't make you beg like Fli-Ni did," she hissed, digging her fingers into his helm. A heavy groan emitted from his chest, straining against the petrification. "Help me, Optimus," she mocked cruelly, "help me. Help me, PLEASE." Nightstalker slashed roughly across his face, making a cry catch inside him. "You just turned and ran like a pit-spawned coward! You let that bloody fragger—that Decepticon just—"

Nightstalker felt herself choke on her vengeful tirade. She froze, lava slowly dripping on Optimus's shoulder as she looked down on his crystal blue optics tight with pain.

Her lips trembled. "That . . . Decepticon . . ."

Primus knew Optimus's back stood so clearly in her memory banks, engraved there by years of hatred, but the Decepticon seeker she had all but forgotten . . . As she tried to remember it, she drew up a hazy fog in her mind, a void that couldn't be filled with anything but the sound of a high-pitched voice shrieking with delight, "Save him now, Autobot scum!"

The tips of her fingers transformed shut, and Nightstalker gasped, catching herself from falling by gripping Optimus's shoulders. He was looking at her, face so close she could have kissed him, but Nightstalker was busy groping through her mind's eye for the picture of that seeker, but it was gone, just an elusive miasma that slipped like silk.

Yes, Optimus had run, but he had run because there had been no time. Nightstalker shuddered, remembering the blast that had nearly taken her too, and she had barely gotten three strides closer. Which meant Optimus had barely gotten three strides to safety while Fli-Ni was still three strides away and closer to the bomb.

Nightstalker gasped thinly, fingers clenching Optimus's metal as she quaked hunched over him. Optic lubricant welled up. He . . . couldn't have done anything. The only thing in trying to save Fli-Ni any further than what he had would have only ended in his death. It . . . It . . .

"It's not your fault," she whispered hoarsely, so quietly she barely heard herself.

She heard Airachnid's multiple legs clicking as she turned around. "What?"

Nightstalker shuddered in a horrified breath, tears streaming down her face. "It's not your fault," she rasped again, covering her mouth.

A furious snarl slashed through her revelation.

Nightstalker screamed when one of Airachnid's legs snapped around her throat. She slung her to the dirt, and Nightstalker gasped when she hit the unforgiving ground hard, sensitive wings echoing her pain.

Nightstalker shrieked when each of Airachnid's legs pinned her like a bug, and one pressed so hard against her throat Nightstalker was sure she was trying to suffocate her. "You little glitch!" she hissed, and Nightstalker screamed in terror when venom seeped from Airachnid's teeth. "Traitor!" Nightstalker choked on a scream when Airachnid's leg began to splinter the weaker metal of her neck. "I'll kill you for this you weak, incompetent whore!" Nightstalker howled in pain when the venom dripped on her metal, feeling the fires of pain tear through her systems, and choking on the pressure that closed off her throat. Nightstalker struggled for breath, unable to lift her arms to defend herself when Airachnid's legs pinned her down. The smell of burned metal filled her nasal sensors, and she felt Airachnid's hands grip her jaw.

Infuriated purple optics seethed at her. "But I won't kill you yet. Not until I've made sure you've suffered the consequences." Nightstalker whimpered in terror when Airachnid forced her mouth open, and she chuckled darkly. "How about a kiss?" she crooned, and Nightstalker twisted, shrieking with hysterics. The lethal venom began to froth thicker in her mouth for preparation of helping her drink it.

A flash of yellow and then Nightstalker gasped in a cycle of air to help her systems recalibrate when Airachnid went flying. The Immobilizer popped from her grip, and pulling herself up to hands and knees, Nightstalker saw Bumblebee's lasers shatter the precious item. Airachnid howled in rage and transformed, fleeing.

Nightstalker shivered, optic lubricant seeping down her cheeks. Clutching herself, she felt Bumblebee scoop her up quickly, chirping, *I'm sorry, Nights, I'm sorry, she kept looking at me. She kept looking and I only had one chance . . . She was on to me, I'm sorry, if I moved earlier, she would have got me with the Immobilizer, I'm sorry . . .*

Nightstalker began to sob, literally shaking so hard she couldn't control it. Bumblebee gave her a squeeze and a sad whir, stammering, *Nights, I have to go a second. Arcee—I keep getting distress signals from her—Please, I'll—I'll be right back, I promise—!*

He let her go, and she heard his transformation and his engine rev loud as he took off to help Arcee. Nightstalker collapsed at Optimus's feet, weeping.

Primus, what a fool she had made of herself! Worse than a fool, a wretch. A disgusting, pathetic, moronic wretch. Nightstalker shuddered with tears soaking the dry ground.

How stupid could one get! Why hadn't she thought through what had really happened that day? Why had she let herself go feral like that, turning into some primitive animal for revenge? She was better than . . . that—Fli-Ni would despise her! Nightstalker sobbed harder, clutching Optimus's foot in a wordless plead for clemency she didn't deserve.

"I'm sorry . . ." The words were naught but a rasp in her mouth, and she wasn't sure if Optimus could even hear her above his own pain, but she wept tears on his foot until she felt like she wasn't even good enough to touch him. Letting go and pressing her face into the dirt he stood on, she gasped, "I'm—I'm sorry! I'm sorry . . ." And what for? She didn't deserve forgiveness. Not after . . . after . . .

"WHAT?"

Nightstalker didn't even flinch at Arcee's odious voice. *Arcee, wait—*

"She did this to him!"

The next second happened so quickly Nightstalker couldn't keep up with it. One moment she heard running, the next she heard a gun cock and angrily whir, and then she was scooped into Bumblebee's chest, arms clutching around her protectively.

"Get out of the way, Bumblebee!"

*No!* he shouted back, and Nightstalker stopped her pointless crying in shock to try to look at Arcee, but her line of sight was blocked by Bumblebee's shoulder. *I won't let you!*

"You see what she did to Optimus!" Arcee snarled, bitterness overlapping an exhausted voice. "She can NOT live for that."

*What did Optimus always say about revenge?* Bumblebee pleaded desperately. *He wouldn't let you do it either, Arcee, he—*

"This isn't revenge!" she shot back, trembling in anticipation of the attack. "This. Is JUSTICE."

*No it's not!* Bumblebee fought, voice quavering with the threat of tears. Nightstalker leaned tiredly on his chest, drained of any fight. *You know it's not, Arcee, don't do this! She's my sister, you couldn't possibly—*

"She's a fragging Decepticon!" Arcee shouted, voice cracking with raw emotion. "She tricked us all, just to get a close shot at Optimus!"

*That's not true and you know it!* Bumblebee cried back angrily, the foreboding whine of Arcee's guns underlying their spat. *Arcee, if she was a traitor, she would have killed Optimus back when he had the Plague!*

"Bumblebee, get out of the way!"

*NO!* Bumblebee trembled as he held her, arms tightening. *I won't do it! If you want her you'll have to go through me!*

"I said MOVE!"

*I won't! Arcee, she's my SISTER!*

The silence pounded for long seconds. Nightstalker heard Arcee's heavy gasps and felt Bumblebee's tiny tremble as he held her. Finally, the hideous whir of the gun stopped, and Bumblebee slumped over her, holding her tight.

*I won't let them hurt you* he whispered, and by the way he was pressing his face to hers, Nightstalker realized that he was trying to put kisses on her. *You knew what was right, and you freely didn't do it. I KNOW you're good. I won't let them hurt you . . .*

Moving the petrified Autobots into the silo was tedious, especially Optimus. Ratchet received Nightstalker's handiwork much like Arcee had, and after Bumblebee fought and pleaded again, using his own body as protection, the two healthy bots began to move the others back into the base. Bumblebee rushed back out for Nightstalker since she merely sat on the ground, unwilling to help herself.

Ratchet repaired Arcee first as she was in the worst condition next to Optimus. He left Nightstalker's wounds to fester, but that was all right with Nightstalker. Let them fester. It reminded her of all the venom wounds she had left in Cliffjumper, and she felt like she deserved it. Ratchet also repaired the Immobilizer in a snap, the damage merely superficial. Bumblebee held Nightstalker protectively from the others, soothingly kneading that upper spot between her two wings, but it failed to calm her.

When Ratchet reversed the Immobilizer, he did each Autobot in turn, warning them to be careful that their full range of movement would come back within the hour. However, when he released Optimus from his petrified prison, an agonized whine filled the room.

Optimus pitched to his hands and knees, one servo clutching at the side of his helm as if to stop the bleeding. His weak, trembling and wordless cry punctuated the horrified silence for the Autobots to see their leader brought so low, shaking in pain that he couldn't control. Energon seeped between his fingers, and dried lava cracked free. Another agonized moan escaped his lips before he could stop it.

Nightstalker shrank into Bumblebee, shivering delicately. She felt her joints freeze up with dread for what was to come. Optimus quickly regained control of himself and put on his leader façade, but he was clearly in excruciating pain, cringing much more than usual as Ratchet quickly tried to repair the damage. However, before Ratchet was finished, Optimus waved him off. The medic barked that he was in charge, but Optimus leveled a serious look that silenced even him.

Meekly awaiting her execution, Nightstalker trembled, plucking weakly at Bumblebee's chest. She felt his arms tighten around her as Optimus's heavy footfalls cut the palpable silence, and she heard Bumblebee whisper, *Please . . . Optimus please, she didn't mean . . . It wasn't . . . Optimus, have mercy, please . . .*

Nightstalker squeezed her eyes shut, but those heavy steps hadn't wavered a moment. Instinctively she fluttered her wings, dreading to see the cold ice in his optics that could cut through steel.

*Optimus, please* Bumblebee pleaded quietly, a desperate tone lacing his voice. *I know she—But she didn't do it in the end, that's got to account for something . . .* His voice hitched painfully, and Nightstalker felt him squeeze tighter, hands gripping her with fear. He scooped her closer, protecting her from his coming leader. *Optimus, please—*

"Let go of her, Bumblebee," Optimus ordered quietly, and the coldly severe tone of his voice caused Nightstalker to wince and whimper. Bumblebee only held her tighter, a hand pressing her helm to his chest. Nightstalker's sensors could faintly pick up his racing spark beneath his armor.

*Optimus, please, I'm begging you, have mercy!* Bumblebee's shaking heightened. *Please, Optimus, please, I'll do anything! She—She's my sister, Optimus, my sister, please—!*

"Bumblebee."

Nightstalker felt a hitch splay through Bumblebee's systems. She felt her wings flutter, but she knew Bumblebee. He was loyal—he could never disobey Optimus.

His protective arms fell from around her.