Disclaimer: I do not own GoBots nor its characters. Just this strange plot.

Author NewsFlash: I am presently writing ANOTHER GoBots fic! Titled "Escapade", I go back into the past of two of GoBotron's most known GoBots...to their years as Guardian cadets. It's now available in the same places "Femme Fatale" is. Speaking of "Femme Fatale"...I've obviously expanded out on it. I was originally going to end it soon, but I've opted to build on it and develop a little more of it. I still don't know how long it'll be...that whole 'writing on the wing' thing, but it's already longer than I anticipated, if that's any clue.

GoBots: Femme Fatale

Chapter 17: Bring It, Piece of Junk!

On the Moon...

Bad Boy charged into the main control room as fast as he could. He had been monitoring 'air space' in one of the few remaining Thrusters until their base's own scanners were up and running properly. Panting, he spoke between breaths.

"Snoop! We detect a new ship approaching!"

Snoop spun, having forgotten about her own injuries. She cringed as a bolt of pain coursed through her body, but otherwise, ignored it. "Guardians or humans?!"

"Neither. It's Renegade."

"Renegade?!"

Before either could respond, they could hear the shuttle landing among the already parked Thrusters. They didn't need to ask who it was. A very familiar cackle gave the identity away. Crasher!

Crasher greeted the few Renegades she met as she coursed her path to the main control room. She entered with the air of confidence, but it was obvious she was still trying to figure out what was going on.

Snoop growled under her breath. She had no desire to relinquish control of the Renegades until Cy-Kill was able to lead again himself. Crasher, being the Renegade's third in command already and completely healthy would naturally assume rank.

"Welcome back, Crasher...though you reek of Guardian." Snoop snarled out.

"At least I'm a keeper. They left you for rust. Where's Cy-Kill? What's the situation here?"

Snoop wasn't about to give her the vital information necessary to take command, but another jet was. Bad Boy completed the questions with answers in the perfect tune of a GoBotic canary.

"Cy-Kill and Cop-Tur are seriously hurt...though still live...I think. We've all just been coming to this base to see who and what we have left." he blurted.

Snoop shot him a nasty glare. He cowered slightly, but remained clueless as to why Snoop was upset with him.

"I don't think this base is the best option right now. We need to retreat into a safer star system until our wounded heal and our ships are rebuilt and repaired. We don't have the numbers to combat what's to come." Crasher informed.

"To come?" Snoop asked.

"I was a prisoner of the Guardians. And I've seen first-hand what Leader-1's become. He's not the same GoBot we've come to know before. Cy-Kill has really ruffled his feathers this time. He's more dangerous than ever before...not just physically, but mentally. He's got an edge to him now that is borderline Renegade in its own. Guardian or Renegade...he's dangerous to both."

"So, it was him who did this to me." Snoop scowled as she looked at her own exterior damage. "I had crossed paths with an unidentified jet on an intercept course with our base before I was shot out of the sky by said jet. Its profile did not match Leader-1 nor any modified GoBot in my databanks. I recovered in time to barely rescue Cy-Kill and the others before the base blew." Snoop continued.

"Fitor's still a prisoner of the Guardians. I don't know if he's alive or dead." Crasher continued.

"We can't go back for him. Too much at stake. He's on his own, IF he's still alive. I do not think we should move. If the Guardians and humans come, we have ships and if we get this base operational, weapons. We can handle one Command Center and any petty human ships and..."

Crasher cut her off. "Foolish and stupid! NEVER underestimate your foe! Leader-1 single-handedly took out you, Cy-Kill, AND our base on Earth! If he and his crew with a Command Center and revenge on their minds comes here or worse yet, brings reinforcements from GoBotron, we are sitting ducks simply waiting for where they want to place our tombstones."

"So where should we go if you think you know it all, hmm?" Snoop shot back.

"As much as it leaves a sour taste...to Zero and his rebuilt faction of rebel Renegades. He's got supplies, a base, and other equipment that can rebuild the Renegade structure fast. We don't have the numbers to be split like this right now. All Renegades must fight under a single flag for a common cause now."

"Zero...that egotistical piece of has-been junk..." Snoop snarled. She'd never met the bot, but she thought that a good thing. Just hearing the tales of him made her want to pop his pistons into another galaxy.

"And after the Guardian threat is over...we simply wipe Zero off the map permanently...if the Guardians don't do that for us. I'm sure Leader-1 and Turbo share as much distaste for him as I do. AND Cy-Kill, should he recover in time, would be delighted to have a helping of Zero for dessert." Crasher commented.

"Perhaps, but you're forgetting one vital thing Crasher..."

"Oh? Really?"

"Cy-Kill and Cop-Tur, as well as several others cannot be moved right now. Their injuries are too severe for simple stasis. Until we can stabilize them...we're stuck here. Plain and simple. Solution would've been simple if we had Rogue Star." Snoop added.

Crasher growled. "Yet another thing we owe to Leader-1! Boy, he's really due for serious metal-bashing now."

"But if he's as strong as you say...how are we going to even get past him?"

"He may be physically strong, but one thing I still notice with him...mental weakness...feelings, emotions, values...we CAN manipulate those. They seem to have a stronger hold on him now than ever before. Not sure what's caused him to be so emotional, but take down his mental foundations, and the rest of him WILL fall."

"WAIT! That bitch of a bot! Why didn't I see it before! It's so obvious now!" Snoop exclaimed out of nowhere.

"What?" Crasher replied with a raised brow.

"That female other black jet! I bet she somehow survived! She's Leader-1's weak point. I'd bet you an entire month's salary that Leader-1 has fallen for her. SHE is his emotional link."

"I've crossed paths with Leader-1 for a very long time, Snoop. He's never allowed any female GoBot THAT close to him. Many have tried and failed. The most recent...that little pest of a Guardian, Smallfoot."

"Wow Crasher, you sure missed that boat. The answer's so obvious, I'm surprised it didn't smack you in the head! They couldn't get close to him because he was 'already taken.' Based on the data Cy-Kill had of that female, she's a past link to both he and Leader-1. It wouldn't be the first time Leader-1's kept something 'under the table' from friends and foes. His 'personal' life is perhaps his best kept secret from all. Cy-Kill's been trying to crack into that for a very long time for something to use against that do-gooder of a bot."

"So, no matter how great he may be, he still falls prey to the whims of a female. And I thought he was above such 'petty' matters. Oh well...his undoing. Guess you DO make a useful secretary, Snoop!" Crasher cackled.

Snoop hissed, but refrained from action. It just wasn't worth the energy sometimes.

In Command Center I...

While others were dying to ask and know more about what went on with Leader-1's little 'solo' mission, none felt it was their place to ask the GoBot Commander.

Staring at a couple of screens and printouts, Leader-1 stood at the bridge trying to formulate the best course of action. Deep down, his own course was now clear on a personal level, but it had to remain buried. Business before personal needs were more important at this time. Though in his own mind, he had to question the 'more important' part. Any life in danger was VERY important. But that old saying that was drilled into him since he was a Guardian cadet danced to the forefront of his mind, 'the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one.' The planet, be it Earth or GoBotron though in this case, both and all inhabitants with them were more important than his personal interest in a certain dying female Guardian Commander. Had to be. That's all there was to it. Plainly simple. So, why was it so hard to keep it as such in his own mind?!

"Scoot, are you SURE they are on the Moon?"

"Leader-1, there are Renegade signatures all over it. Ships, GoBots, increasing energy fluxes. It SCREAMS Renegade."

"But how many?"

"Probably whatever's left from the attack here. UNECOM has confirmed that there are no Renegade ships or GoBots detected within Earthspace." Matt added as he returned back to the command bridge.

"We need to find out who's in command of them right now." Leader-1 mentioned to no one in particular. There were times he'd speak and pretty much be talking aloud to himself. Though sometimes, others would answer anyway.

"Wish we had a recon Guardian here now. Aurora would've..." Turbo started then immediately cut off as he saw Leader-1's reaction upon hearing that name. "'Ups...sorry Leader-1, didn't mean to---" he trailed. Leader-1 had returned to gazing at the screens thus giving the unspoken message to just drop it.

"UNECOM has a spy satellite we could spin into that direction. We could also spit a probe out from it. It has audio." Matt suggested.

"The Renegades might detect it, Matt. We don't know what level of survelliance is on that base now and how much of it is running. When we ran the Renegades out of there many years ago, we did destroy most of the electronics in there, but Cy-Kill may have quietly been refurbishing the place. We should've reduced the entire base to rubble, but UNECOM suggested against it thinking it would be a possible base for UNECOM space projects. Guess the roaches chose to return to infest it in the meantime."

"So let's go do some more extermination!" Turbo chimed in, itching for battle.

"We can't." Leader-1 replied simply.

"????" Was the reaction from all others on the bridge as they all stared at the Guardian Commander awaiting an explanation. They didn't get one.

Leader-1 had turned away from them all, but he could feel the weight of their stares. "Fine...I'll continue. We can't until we have the information necessary to determine what our force number and tactics should be. I'm not going in there blind. That's a mistake I will NOT make again. We need to know WHO is leading them. It will determine the next step in our own actions."

"And if they run before that?" Matt threw in.

"They WILL run. Something of a given. When, where, and to whom, are still unknowns." Leader-1 replied somewhat cryptically.

Matt sighed. Leader-1 WAS formulating a plan. All would have to be satisfied with at least that.

The Guardian Commander departed the bridge for more a more 'solitary' location where he could be alone with his thoughts. The others were left on the bridge staring at each other.

"So, who wants to order pizza?" Turbo chimed in, trying to break the newly formed ice within. He knew they were in for a little bit of a wait and as much as he hated waiting, there was little anyone could do about it.

Scooter jumped and nearly flew backward out of his chair at the sound of in incoming communication. Shaking his head out of the freakish reaction, he paged it through the ship's audio sensors.
"Uh, hello, General Newcastle." Scooter acknowledged.

"WHAT is going on?! I have not been briefed by anyone other than the latest in the UNECOM grapevine! That's a pretty pathetic way to find out important information on the security and well being of this planet."

"Well, General, we're hoping to get some more information ourselves. We're sort of on...hiatus at the moment." Scooter tried to respond in a calming manner.

"WHERE IS LEADER-1! I WANT TO SPEAK WITH HIM IMMEDIATELY!" General Newcastle shot back, a nerve protruding from his forehead as he grew more upset.

"Uh, well, you see, uh..." Scooter sputtered.

"IS HE THERE?"

"Yes sir."

"THEN PUT HIM ON. It's not that difficult." the Earth General responded, trying to calm down, but failing.

Matt came to the rescue of a nerved up Scooter who was trembling at the General's temper and Turbo who was about to step in and assist his little GoBotic friend by cutting off the communication completely.

"General, I will inform Leader-1 that you wish to speak with him. He will call you at his earliest available convenience." Matt replied feeling entirely like an answering machine. It was also his respectful way of telling the General to 'take a number.'

"WHY YOU---" General Newcastle started, but was cut-off by static and a garbled picture. AJ, taking the silent cue from Matt, turned off the communication access to the Command Center.

"We're gonna catch heat for this one, Matt. The General's really upset." Nick added.

"Stating the obvious again, Nick."

"Leader-1 will make it right. He always does." AJ added, trying to add a little positive to all the growing negatives.

"I hope you're right AJ, I really do, but I just don't know anymore. I can't read Leader-1 like I used to. He's not the same GoBot we've come to know." Matt muttered as he made his way to his own 'quiet place' at a console in a far corner of the bridge.

Further into the depths of the Command Center...

Leader-1 sat in his office, quietly staring at several screens, barely moving. He was looking over all the latest data his ship had, from the initial Renegade attack to its current retreat...trying to find any clue as to who survived, who died, who might possibly be leading them now. Sighing in defeat, he suddendly burst up from his chair. He quickly typed in a communication message to another Bot then, bolting out of his office, he ran down the corridor to the room housing the AstroBeam. Setting the coordinates, he then darted in front of the beam, and dissapated to a new location.

to be continued...