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

Author's note: GoBots are cyborgs , NOT robots like Transformers. Therefore, they may have another set of life variables to explore. I'm doing just that in this fic. Though at times, I may use the term "robot." I use it to make it easier on the reader to determine which form a GoBot is in...vehicle or non-vehicle (robot) form.

My reference photos for the new bots in this fic can be seen here: www.chaoswolf.com/gobotffref.html

If the link url doesn't show, then click on my name here and contact me. I can send you the link via email. Or go to my website and type in gobotffref (dot) html after the main url.

Planet Earth...

A soft roar echoed through the morning sky as a pale grey jet effortlessly sliced through it. Its human occupant tried to stifle a yawn, but it forced itself outward anyway.

"Heheh, did I wake you too early, Matt?"

"No, not at all Leader-1. I'm used to waking at 4AM when I lay down at 1AM."

"I'm sorry Matt, but General Newcastle wants us at Headquarters immediately."

"When is it NOT immediate with him?"

"You're right, but I received a joint transmission from the Guardian Council as well. This is something big."

"And YOU were not informed of it beforehand?"

"Matt, even I am kept in the dark on many things. Security precautions. What I don't know, the Renegades can't get out of me."

"So they're assuming you're going to be captured again."

"I try not to think about it that way Matt."

"You and me both Big Guy." Matt finished as Leader-1 carved into a descending dive towards UNECOM HQ.

Upon landing, Matt lept out just before Leader-1 converted back to his GoBot form. General Newcastle greeted them on the tarmac.

"Good Morning Matt, Leader-1."

"Good Morning General." both replied in unison.

"I have a surprise for you both."

Leader-1 and Matt exchanged looks of ignorance while following the general towards a secured, closed off UNECOM hangar.

"Where's Turbo and Scooter?" Matt asked the Guardian commander in a whisper.

"The same place Nick and A.J. are. I presume we are the only two that 'need to know' at this time." Leader-1 responded quietly as he did his best impression of the standard USA military line.

General Newcastle signalled the guards to allow them to pass. With a salute, the guards parted and one pushed a code to open a portion of the hangar doors. Once all three entered, the door was closed again. It was dark within and took some time for their eyes to adjust. When they did a huge shadow loomed before them. A ship--not just any ship. It was painted solid black with no insignias or markings. Sleek, slim, and rounded, it contained no right angles nor sharp panels. Broad wing like appendages stretched from both sides with a tapered, but evident nose to its front and a tail like appendage to its rear. It appeared almost Gobotic, yet at the same time, not. Leader-1 eyed it curiously while simultaneously scanning it without a thought to it.

"Matt, there are Guardian frequencies inside!"

"Wha???"

"Leader-1, Matt Hunter, may I introduce to you the Guardian Star Ray Prototype. Stealth without a Stealth Device."

Matt turned his stare to Leader-1, who for whatever reason, was completely unaware of this ship's existence. The Guardian Commander appeared as impassive as ever however, and just continued to look the ship over.

General Newcastle continued, but this time on a comm unit. "Shadow Brigade Commander, you may make your presence known."

A soft, sexy voice responded. A voice that sent strange vibes through Leader-1's body. "Roger, General. Disembarking now."

A door slid open and walk ramp down as four GoBots casually exited their ship. Leader-1 remained quiet and stoic, though he was watching with a sort of excited anticipation. Matt's attention drifted back and forth between the new team of Guardians and the legendary Guardian Commander.

Once the team reached the floor, they stood side-by-side in an attention-like stance.

"Leader-1, Matt--may I introduce the Shadow Brigade." General Newcastle said as he walked over to the first in the row. A female GoBot, nearly as sleek and sexy as the ship she exited. Nearly all black as well. If one weren't better versed in GoBot identities, she could amost be mistaken for Snoop, a Renegade. It was obvious, she converted into some sleek, fast jet. as well, but a notable difference from Snoop were the canards near her cockpit. To Matt's eyes, the shapes reminded him of a prototype stealthy test plane that never was--the F-19 Spectre. "Meet Aurora, the Shadow Brigade's Commander."

Matt nodded, but Leader-1 remained impassive and unmoving. There was no way of telling what the Guardian was thinking or feeling.

General Newcastle continued on..."Next, her second in command, Tigress." Another female and another jet. This one, white with bold red striped markings. She had a long nosecone, longer yet slimmer than Leader-1's yet very short wings and an apparent single, somewhat short, somewhat broad vertical stabilizer. Matt recognized the shapes as an F-5 Tiger II jet.

"Beside her, the brawn of this outfit... Spinner." Matt was intrigued by this one. A car obviously, a sports car...but yet another female. Her paint was a glossy multi-tone scheme. It was difficult to tell exactly what color she truly was though the majority of the time, it seemed a deep purplish blue with glints of metallic flake. Her front end and tail lights were unmistakeable though...an older muscle car...a late 60's Camaro, but what year, Matt could not be sure yet. He could hear Turbo in his mind now...'what a chassis!'

"And last, but not least, their electronics and computer specialist, Jazzmin." Yet another female! The whole outfit was female! This one, shorter than the rest, only slightly taller than Scooter perhaps...and was some sort of dual wheeled motorbike...though it was difficult to tell at the moment if she were a scooter, moped, or motorcycle. She was nearly all white, with only dark blue penstriping along her sides.

"Welcome to Earth, Shadow Brigade. I hope to become acquainted with each and every one of you and learn a little more about your reason for being." Leader-1 responded formally, though Matt could tell, from his spending so much time with the Guardian Commander, that there was a hitch of venom in the ending of his sentence. Was it jealousy? Contempt for being left out about this team and ship? Something else? Matt was as intrigued about what was going on in Leader-1's head as he was about this new team and ship.

"Come, all. Let's head inside and we can progress from there." General Newcastle remarked as he led the way back into UNECOM headquarters.

Once inside, General Newcastle offered the Shadow Brigade seats at the table. "Ladies first." he said casually. Once they were seated, the General, Matt, and Leader-1 also sat.

"Now before you say it Leader-1, I know you were not informed of this unit's existence. I wasn't either until just yesterday. Zeemon told me to keep silent on the matter until now...even from you. It was a necessary precaution given the increased Renegade presence in this Solar System. This team has been operating, testing, and perfecting their skills and ship in other galaxies...away from Guardian and Renegade exposure. Not even Zeemon himself knew where they were at any given time. Only he and the Last Engineer were even aware of their existence period. Not even the Guardian Council..." Newcastle trailed as he noticed Leader-1's shift in attention from himself to the Shadow Brigade's Commander.

Aurora knew she and her team would have a hard time winning over the esteemed Guardian champion. Leader-1, though virtuous and good, had a tendency to be stubborn, territorial, aggressive, and tempermental. A typical alpha male. But she knew something about this legendary Guardian Commander that he probably didn't even know himself. And she would exploit it to the best of her ability...as would her team. She had little to worry about in regards to the rest of Leader-1's team. Turbo and Scooter were known to be more flexible and adjustable than their legendary leader. But once their leader was won over, his team would follow without hesitation. This whole team, had seen battle far too long, with far too few opportunities to rest and relax. An all-male team verses an all-female team. It was time to give the veteran male team a reality check and hope to reshape them into even better warriors and GoBots before any of them lost their lives.

The Last Engineer had privately spent time with Aurora, explaining to her the aspects of Leader-1 and his team, the constant engagements in battle they faced, and how all this was changing the best team the Guardians ever had. They were becoming cold and hardened in personality--a trait that spelled death to a warrior in time if not remedied. It was time to soften them up, break them down, and rebuild them again. The Last Engineer hoped that what worked on males of his kind would also work on males of the GoBot kind...namely a little more female persuasion.

Leader-1 and Matt remained silent. A cloud of tension was developing over UNECOM on this day and only time would tell whether or not it became a full-fledged storm.

to be continued...