WaterToa Notes:

Oh. My. Dang it it's been FOREVER since I updated on this story! To anyone who has waited this long, I'm soooo sorry. Life got in the way, along with newer stories needing my attention as well. And while I will never promise an update will be soon, I hope to have another within the next few months. And sidebar-I plan on fitting up the first few chapters. Because, honestly, I cringe when I look at them. But at least this (awkward to me) chapter is 3,064 words.

Reviewer thanks to all!

AllSpark Princess: Thank you and I'm sorry you had to wait so long. PS, love your name :)

Luna's Insanity: Thanks! I hope the rest of my story is to your liking too ^u^

That Buggy Girl: I know, I know. I meant to explain that but I fixed it somewhat in this chapter. And the eye's will be explained sooner than later.

Chapter 7

No One's P.O.V

Speed Strike sat on the roof of a small ship watching the clouds and just thinking as the boat rocked gently back and forth. When the sad and sorry group got back to the base, Ratchet moved everyone to the Med Bay and went to work fixing them up with the help of Arcee. The two most damaged turned out to be Bumblebee and Speed, the before mention's leg was almost clear off and the latter with the odd sword cut to the stomach. Optimus was beat up and probably had some of his 'mechly pride' bruised, but overall he was fine. Bulkhead literally had to hold his jaw and Prowls' jets were sparking from a lucky shot from the toad Con but that was it.

After everyone was fixed they told Ratchet what happened. When he heard the description of just one of the Con's he froze up and if Cybertronian's could pale, he would have been as white as a sheet. Arcee looked just as worried and seemed scared as she cleaned up. When it was all over Ratchet turned to Optimus with an odd look. It was a mixture of…something and fear. Optimus looked back with a look of the same, and Ratchet proceeded to tell the others the really bad news.

"We are slagged. No, we're worse but I won't say those words in front of ladies."

That set everyone on edge, just the way Ratchet said that was enough. "What are you talking about, Ratchet?" Bumblebee asked confused like the rest of them.

Ratchet helped Optimus to his feet and gave him the floor, shaking his head slowly, in a way that told everyone even more that these Cons were different. He then stood next to Arcee and gently took the cleaning cloth out of her hands, now that she was mostly cleaning to clean as normal when she was worried about something. Already knowing he had the full and undivided attention of the other Autobots; Optimus began to speak in a grave tone.

"The Decepticon we faced today are Team Chaar. They are comprised of Spitter, Oil Slick, Cyclonus, Blackout, and their leader Strika. And they are Megatron's strongest, most powerful and most efficient team. And their his Beta Team, the one he is known to hold in reserve in case something went wrong with his plans. They are veterans from the Great War, hardly ever take prisoners unless it benefits them and the Decepticon cause, and had hardly ever been fought off. Many an Autobot has fallen to them and those that survive either don't live long or are stuck in ER Med Bay's for a complete Cybertron Solar cycle, if not more."

"A whole year?!" Bumblebee exclaimed in shock, summing up what everyone was thinking and also helping Sari to understand. She has still to fully remember all the Cybertronian time terms, since one term could mean two or more things, depending on the context or spelling.

"No one has ever defeated them?" Prowl asked, sounding calm but there was a hint on concern in his voice. Optimus and Ratchet both shook their helms.

"If somebot did they didn't tell the tale." Ratchet grumped crossing his arms. "It's safe to say they have come for information on Megatron. Out of all the Decepticon teams, they seem the most loyal. So it is safe to bet they won't leave until they know where their Lord and Master is being held."

"But we don't even know!" Bulkhead said incuriously.

"We chose not to know, so how will they get the information from us if we don't have it?" Prowl added from his spot on the wall.

"By any means they wish to use." Optimus said gravely. "They have destroyed cities, even blown up a whole planet and even started a plague of Cosmic Rust that took out over five planets until they got what they wanted."

"Detroit doesn't stand a chance." Speed Strike said lowly in light horror, speaking for the first time since they returned from her seat on the couch. Her optics was wide as she realized, along with the others, how royally in trouble they were in.

After she said that, everyone started talking at once. Speed soon couldn't take all the noise and after signaling to Prowl she was going out quickly walked to the door, transformed and then drove off into the afternoon.

Her wheels took her to the docks, where she had transformed and stared off at the water. After looking at the island afar off she suddenly decided to go there. It wasn't too far, and if something went wrong the others could come get her in 10-15 earth minutes, tops. So after asking a bored boat captain if he could give her a ride, she soon found herself headed towards the island.

The ride wasn't very long and soon they were docked. As she had watched the clouds, she carefully calmed herself and forced herself not to freak out about the first Con's she had ever fought and were now a threat to her current home. Speed carefully climbed down off the roof and then onto the sand. "Thank you very much, captain. I think I'm going to stay here for a few hours; two or three at the most. So you can go back home if you want." She said to him.

The captain decided to do just that, promising he'll be back for her in two hours. After waving the human off, Speed turned to the trees and grass and smiled. "A new place to explore; on my own, without help, and without any silly speed limits. It's perfect."

After rubbing her hands together gleefully, Speed Strike leaned forward a little then took off into the remains of Dinobot Island.

Even though it was wonderful for Speed to stretch her legs for real, she was still on guard. After running around for a bit she made it to the other side. She slowed to a stop and looked around. The trees stopped and the grass turned into sand about a yard from the water. There were a few huge and medium sized rocks placed around and a light breeze coming off the lake. Deciding to relax here, she picked a rock with a flat top and after jumping onto it laid down on her back. She sighed and closed her optics.

The peace she felt was wonderful and a nice breath of clean air after sharing a home with 6 other mechs and a femme. As the breeze lightly touched her form, Speed almost dropped her guard down completely. She had enough up though to notice a sound. It was the sound of light footsteps, and they were coming closer. She waited until they stopped then she snapped up, jumped and landed on her feet, with her tonfas in hand and ready to fight. She was expecting one of those new Cons from earlier and a part of her mind had worried she had accidently found were they were hiding out. If that was true, she was in big trouble. But that wasn't what, or I should way, who she saw.

Standing in front of her was a tall, dark purple and black femme with a helmet thing over her face. She was thin and seemed to be wearing a bikini like bottom and top and long boots and long arm gloves. She had two long sharp things sticking out of her back and something behind her bum. Her long claw hands, her multiple yellow optics, and her small Decepticon symbol on her neck finished things off. Speed was confused for a moment. Who is she? I don't remember seeing her with the others this morning. But she seems familiar…did the others describe her once or-OH! She thought and realized who she was dealing with.

"Ms. Blackarachinia, I presume?" Speed asked not moving from her pose. Now that she remembered what she was told, she didn't want to be off guard and experience Blackarachinia's cyber venom first hand. Especially when she had no backup that would get there in time and most likely haven't even noticed she wasn't there. Not for the first time, she wished the comm-links could be used mentally, as to not give away what you're doing. She couldn't even use the Cybertronian version of, what human's call, Morse Code, for fear of setting the other femme off.

"I have heard quite a lot about you."

"Nothing good, I would guess." Blackarachnia said smoothly, seeming at ease with her arms by her sides. If she didn't know better, Speed's first instinct would have been she meant no harm. That was yet to be determined and Speed kept her optics on the older femme.

"It depends on who is doing the talking." She admitted. Where Optimus would complement her on her unique fighting skills and gifts, the others weren't always as nice. "But I like to make my own first impressions."

Blackarachnia smirked at that. "Well, you'd be one of the first Autobots to not just shallow what you hear." She said, though the word 'Autobot' came out weird, like it left a bad taste in her mouth. "But let me tell you this-I am very dangerous, so that much is true. I can knock you down and leave you here for your teammates to find without much an effort."

Speed frowned for a moment. "…Alright. So why haven't you? You are most defiantly much stronger and much cleverer then I. You could have taken me out by now."

Blackarachnia seemed to think for moment then just shrugged, placing her hands on her hips in a still none threatening way. "Honestly; I just don't feel like it. I just had a long trip to get back here and I rather not have to deal with the others or that Prime so soon. Attacking you will bring them straight to me. Besides-" and here she looked Speed Strike up and down. "It's been quite a long time since I've seen a femme. And a young one at that; with oddly looking hair growing out of her helm."

Speed dropped her arms to her sides in shock as she realized what Blackarachnia was saying.

"You don't want to attack me because you don't want to be found…and because I'm a young femme?" she asked incredulously.

"Don't make a big deal out of it, femme." Blackarachnia snapped. "I can change my mind."

"No! No, I'm good, fine, great, and ok with that." Speed said quickly waving her hands. She watched as the other femme sighed and made a hammock out of what looked like webbing. Blackarachnia laid down in it and looked at Speed.

"Well? Go back to what you were doing."

Speed waited then slowly straightened up completely and subspaced her tonfas. After watching the other for a minute and not being attacked, she slowly climbed back onto the boulder. She laid down on it again, but this time on her front and facing the purple femme. Her arms folded underneath her chin, she quietly stared.

"It's a mutation." Speed randomly said. When Blackarachnia looked at her as though she was raising her optic-brow, Speed elaborated. "I don't know where it came from really. It's just something the doctor thinks in hereditary. It's cool though, sets me apart from the others."

"Ah, that explains it."

The two relaxed in silence. It was the kind that was both awkward and, oddly, kind of comfortable. At least for Speed, who didn't know how much she should trust the other femme's words. After a bit she decided to speak.

"So, are you going to join up with Team Chaar?" she asked nonchalantly, not sure what she expected the reaction to be. Equal nonchalance maybe or surprise that she guessed or even just a smirk as an answer. Not Blackarachnia sitting up in her hammock in shock and looking her dead in the optics.

"What did you say?" she asked, guarded and almost like she heard wrong. Speed looked at her with her optic-brows lowered slightly.

"I said, 'are you going to join up with Team Chaar?' they attacked us earlier today." Speed said, shifting her arms so she was balanced on her raised palms. "By your reaction, I can chance a guess you didn't even know they were here."

"Observant." Blackarachnia said in almost a snap. She looked away from Speed Strike, as she went into thought. Speed waited quietly, curious about the way Blackarachnia was acting. "How long ago was this attack?"

"At least two and a half Earth hours ago."

"Then they have been here for at least a day." Blackarachnia mused out loud, sitting up in her hammock. "I might still have a chance."

"A chance for what?" Speed asked, sitting up as well and crossing her legs, her hands on her knees. "To join up with them?" she asked though it was kind of clear that wasn't the case.

Blackarachnia scoffed. "Primus no. I wouldn't try to join those Con's if they were the last Con's in existences. They hate me for what I am."

"A Techno-Organic?" Speed said incredulously. "But, they have a toad on their team!"

"Yes, but we're quite different." Blackarachnia explained. "Spittor comes from a planet called the Beast Planet. They transform into the life forms there, which are animals, and can change whenever they wish. I, instead, am stuck as I am; as a freak of nature most hate and Oil Slick wants to dissect."

"…" Speed didn't know what to say or if she should say anything. Blackarachnia clearly hated Team Chaar as much as she said they hated her. And her face at the name 'Oil Slick' showed her extreme dislike of the idea of being dissected. "You probably should be going then; to find a good hiding place that can hide you from both teams." She said finally.

Blackarachnia looked at Speed Strike with a look of lightly hidden disbelief. She put on a neutral face and stood to her heeled feet. Speed followed suit, rolling of the rock onto her feet as well. "…You're not normal, Autobot." The older femme said finally, with noticeably less malice on the word. "But pardon me if I tell you not to follow me."

"Oh no, go right ahead." Speed said, waving her hands in a 'no problem' way. "I have to be getting back anyway. By now Boss Bot has probably noticed I'm missing. I just hope everyone has, as humans say, chilled out a bit."

Which that; the two awkwardly turned around and headed on their way. Blackarachnia stopped though and with a hand on her hip turned and watched Speed disappear in the brush and trees. She started at the last spot she saw her for a few moments. There was something really different about that femme. Blackarachnia didn't know what, but she liked her. It probably was just the last of female companionship she has had but whatever the case; she was shocked to find herself willing to trust Speed. Even though she had never gotten the blue femme's name during their talk. After that thought Blackarachnia went on her way. She had some base security to update. And a certain…friend…to make sure hadn't gotten out.

By the time Speed Strike got back, everyone had calmed down. Well, Bumblebee was spitting out doom and gloom as he was losing in a new game Sari brought over to cheer him up, but no one paid him much mind. Speed was given a light lecture on leaving without telling where she was going, but was fine. She made sure to thank Prowl for helping her.

After the lecture Speed learned that Optimus had decided they all needed to up their training and practices. They had gotten lax, just having humans and accidents to deal with. While none of them was on the level of even one of Team Chaar, training would help them last a lot longer.

Much longer.

Somewhat longer.

A bit longer-ok they might leave with all limbs attached and their sparks in their chests and that's all that matters, right?

Anyway, the training started the next day. The team worked with each other, fine tuning their attacks and defenses. Speed felt a bit left out, when she saw how well the original worked together.

"Frustrating, isn't it?" Arcee said to a quietly brooding Speed, having walked over to where she was leaning on a wall. The two femmes were watching the original five work on their makeshift training equipment. The old machinery, assembly line, and little add-ins-with a little help from Sari-actually gave everyone a pretty good work out. Arcee leaned on the wall next to Speed. Though they were way different in age and maturity, both were at the same height.

"Yeah." Speed breathed out, her eye's following Prowl as he avoided claws. "I trained my aft off to be worthy of a team, a real team. And now that I'm seeing one in action…I just wish I felt a bigger part of it. But all I seem to be good at is catching speeding humans and getting sliced in my side."

"I know the feeling, Speed." Arcee said understandably. "I was locked away for longer then you have been online. And now that I'm back I want to do my part to help. But it seems my skills have diminished over time. But, with time, I will find my place in the team." Arcee glanced over to Speed and they locked optics. "Maybe what you're really looking for, is your place in this team. Once you find that, you'll see how the puzzle fits together."

"…Hmm…" Speed mulled over Arcee's word for some time. She looked back at the mechs as the finished up their practice. "Maybe your right. I never really had a spot in my other teams. …Not really. Maybe all I need to do is prove myself worthy of a spot. And I know just how to do it."

Speed strike did just that. She ran the course when it was her turn and not only impressed the others, but gave herself some self-confidence. When it was over and as she was being complemented by everyone, she gave Arcee a special smile.

Last Updated: 1-13-12