Gaslight_Dreamer (
wyntir_knight) wrote2007-11-01 11:25 pm
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The Devil You Know: Prologue
Title: The Devil You Know
Series: G1 universe, focusing on Original characters
Rating: R
Summary: In the early days of the civil war on Cybertron, Sentinel Prime authorized several refugee vessels to take Neutrals away from the planet in hopes that they could start peaceful colonies where they would be safe. Many of these refugees were never heard from again; lost to us through time and distance. But history does record the fate of one of the vessels. The Stormchaser was three orns away from its destination when it was shot down by Decepticons in an act of cowardice and deceit. There were no survivors. That is what history tells us. But in this case, history is wrong.
Author's Note: This is the first day's work on this year's NaNo challenge. It will be rough and wild, and sometimes contradictory, but I figure that if I post this, it will remain the kick in the pants that I'll need to finish.
1710 / 50000 words. 3% done!
Prologue
Cybertron. Jewel of the Universe. Home of fantastic cybernetic being of untold power and ability.
For billions of years, Cybertron represented the pinnacle of art, culture, and status in the known galaxy. And then it all changed with the Civil War. Consumer Goods and Military Hardware, who once lived and worked side by side, suddenly found themselves at opposing ends of the social spectrum. Talks and partnerships crumbled and failed as the Military Hardware, now calling themselves Decepticons, took it upon themselves to recreate Cybertron in their image. They advocated peace through tyranny, something the Consumer Goods could never support. The Consumer Goods, now known as Autobots, in their turn, wanted to see a world where all were equal, where there would be no classes and peace would be achieved through the will of the collective.
Neither side would compromise to the other, and what started as an ideological argument became full out war. The two commanders, Megatron of the Decepticons and Sentinel Prime of the Autobots lead their armies on the battlefields of Cybertron and beyond, and those who wished to remain Neutral in the conflict found that they were being ground under foot. And so, Sentinel Prime suggested the Exodus Program. Those who wished to leave could, and they would be welcomed back with open arms once the war was over, assuming, of course, that the Autobots won. Megatron for his part did not object, so long as the Exodus vessels were not used for military purposes.
Agreements were reached and the Neutrals began to flee in droves as the world they once knew crumbled around them. But not all were happy with this arrangement. Many of the Neutrals felt that it was not their place to leave, after all, Cybertron was their world too. They felt a strong kinship to their home. They would defend it from outside invasion, they would not fight they fellow mechanoids, and they felt that they shoulod not be punished for their selective pacifism.
Other mechs refused to leave because of the dark rumours that floated through the alleys and underground of Cybertron. According to the rumours, the Exodus vessels were carrying much more that just refugees. Some claimed that Sentinel Prime broke his pact with Megatron and was using the Exodus vessels as mules to carry weapons and other goods to far off races as payment for services that were to be rendered. According to rumour, these outsiders were to come to Cybertron and back the Autobots. These theories remained nothing more than rumour, however, as not outside race ever came to aid the Autobot war effort.
Soon the war took its toll on Cybertron. Cities, in fact entire sectors, were destroyed, and the Neutrals found it harder and harder to keep their stance as fuel supplies began to dry up. For all their vaunted charity, the Autobots provided nothing to the Neutrals except the Exodus program. And so, many who would not have left, found themselves compelled to do so or be forced to choose a side in the name of survival.
As these last few escaping Neutrals fled, a small number of brave sparks, both Autobot and determined Neutral, volunteered to ferry the refugees, seeing them safely on their way to new Cybertronian colonies, and hopefully, a better life.
x-x-x
“You know, there’s an awful lot of good you can do here,” Ratchet said, as he watched Arclight from the berth.
“And there’s an awful lot of good I can do out there too,” she replied as she continued to buff the light grey armour of her legs.
“True,” Ratchet replied, “but there are other medics who can go. Medics who don’t have ties here.”
Arclight looked up at Ratchet and smiled. She carefully put the buffer and wax away and moved to sit on the edge of the berth.
“It’s only two solars, love,” she said, taking his hand in hers. “I’ll be there and back before you know it.”
“I know, but knowing that won’t make me miss you any less,” he replied as he pulled her closer to him.
She let herself melt into his arms, listening to the soothing sound of his engine rumbling softly. Gently, his hands came up as he ran his fingers up her back, stopping at her shoulders where the blades of her wings attached to her frame. With a delicate touch, he traced the outline of the joints, causing her back to arch and her hands to spasm slightly against his chest.
“I have to finish getting ready,” Arclight whispered.
“We have lots of time,” Ratchet replied as he kissed her jaw lightly.
He trailed kisses down the cables of her throat, and encouraged by her moan, he beagan to work at her shoulder joint.
“Hmmm … Ratchet … I’ll miss my –hnnh- shuttle,” Arclight gasped.
“We have more than enough time,” he said.
x-x-x
Ratchet and Arclight walked slowly toward the spaceport with Wheeljack following closely behind.
“I wish you didn’t have to go, but I support you, you know that, right?” Ratchet asked.
“I know, and I appreciate it,” Arclight replied with a smile.
She drew him in a quick hug before turning to Wheeljack.
“Wheeljack, you’ll take care of him, right?” Arclight asked.
“Yeah, of course,” Wheeljack replied, his head lights flashing in a smile.
She reached out and hugged the engineer tightly. “And you take care of yourself too,” she said. “I don’t want to get back and find that you’ve blown yourself up permanently.”
“I’ll do that too,” he said softly as he returned the hug. “You be safe on your trip, and I’ll see you when you get back.”
He squeezed her tightly one last time before letting her go and stepping away.
“I’ll leave you two alone. Good luck Arc, and I’ll see you later at the Moons’ Shadow, Ratch,” Wheeljack said, before turning away and leaving the lovers to their goodbyes.
Ratchet swept Arclight into an embrace.
“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?” he asked. “I can’t convince you to stay and get bonded now? … I just worry. I have this feeling that something’s going to go wrong.”
“Ratchet, love,” she said with a laugh. “Nothing is going to go wrong! I’ll be back in two solars, and when I get back we can be bonded, just like I promised.”
Ratchet held her close and leaned in to kiss her lips gently.
“I’ll hold you to that,” he whispered.
“Yo! Arclight! We gotta get moving!” a young green mech called from the door of the shuttle.
“I’m coming, Cycle!” Arclight called back. “I’ll be right there.”
“That’s my call love. I have to go,” she said to Ratchet, in a soft voice. “I’ll miss you. So much.”
“I’ll miss you too. But as you said, it’s only two stellars,” Ratchet said as he let her go. “Go catch your shuttle. And you can tell me all about saving the universe when you get back.”
Arclight nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She kissed Ratchet soundly, one last time, before turning and running into the shuttle.
Ratchet watched as she took off, feeling a small band of apprehension wrapping around his Spark.
Series: G1 universe, focusing on Original characters
Rating: R
Summary: In the early days of the civil war on Cybertron, Sentinel Prime authorized several refugee vessels to take Neutrals away from the planet in hopes that they could start peaceful colonies where they would be safe. Many of these refugees were never heard from again; lost to us through time and distance. But history does record the fate of one of the vessels. The Stormchaser was three orns away from its destination when it was shot down by Decepticons in an act of cowardice and deceit. There were no survivors. That is what history tells us. But in this case, history is wrong.
Author's Note: This is the first day's work on this year's NaNo challenge. It will be rough and wild, and sometimes contradictory, but I figure that if I post this, it will remain the kick in the pants that I'll need to finish.
Cybertron. Jewel of the Universe. Home of fantastic cybernetic being of untold power and ability.
For billions of years, Cybertron represented the pinnacle of art, culture, and status in the known galaxy. And then it all changed with the Civil War. Consumer Goods and Military Hardware, who once lived and worked side by side, suddenly found themselves at opposing ends of the social spectrum. Talks and partnerships crumbled and failed as the Military Hardware, now calling themselves Decepticons, took it upon themselves to recreate Cybertron in their image. They advocated peace through tyranny, something the Consumer Goods could never support. The Consumer Goods, now known as Autobots, in their turn, wanted to see a world where all were equal, where there would be no classes and peace would be achieved through the will of the collective.
Neither side would compromise to the other, and what started as an ideological argument became full out war. The two commanders, Megatron of the Decepticons and Sentinel Prime of the Autobots lead their armies on the battlefields of Cybertron and beyond, and those who wished to remain Neutral in the conflict found that they were being ground under foot. And so, Sentinel Prime suggested the Exodus Program. Those who wished to leave could, and they would be welcomed back with open arms once the war was over, assuming, of course, that the Autobots won. Megatron for his part did not object, so long as the Exodus vessels were not used for military purposes.
Agreements were reached and the Neutrals began to flee in droves as the world they once knew crumbled around them. But not all were happy with this arrangement. Many of the Neutrals felt that it was not their place to leave, after all, Cybertron was their world too. They felt a strong kinship to their home. They would defend it from outside invasion, they would not fight they fellow mechanoids, and they felt that they shoulod not be punished for their selective pacifism.
Other mechs refused to leave because of the dark rumours that floated through the alleys and underground of Cybertron. According to the rumours, the Exodus vessels were carrying much more that just refugees. Some claimed that Sentinel Prime broke his pact with Megatron and was using the Exodus vessels as mules to carry weapons and other goods to far off races as payment for services that were to be rendered. According to rumour, these outsiders were to come to Cybertron and back the Autobots. These theories remained nothing more than rumour, however, as not outside race ever came to aid the Autobot war effort.
Soon the war took its toll on Cybertron. Cities, in fact entire sectors, were destroyed, and the Neutrals found it harder and harder to keep their stance as fuel supplies began to dry up. For all their vaunted charity, the Autobots provided nothing to the Neutrals except the Exodus program. And so, many who would not have left, found themselves compelled to do so or be forced to choose a side in the name of survival.
As these last few escaping Neutrals fled, a small number of brave sparks, both Autobot and determined Neutral, volunteered to ferry the refugees, seeing them safely on their way to new Cybertronian colonies, and hopefully, a better life.
“You know, there’s an awful lot of good you can do here,” Ratchet said, as he watched Arclight from the berth.
“And there’s an awful lot of good I can do out there too,” she replied as she continued to buff the light grey armour of her legs.
“True,” Ratchet replied, “but there are other medics who can go. Medics who don’t have ties here.”
Arclight looked up at Ratchet and smiled. She carefully put the buffer and wax away and moved to sit on the edge of the berth.
“It’s only two solars, love,” she said, taking his hand in hers. “I’ll be there and back before you know it.”
“I know, but knowing that won’t make me miss you any less,” he replied as he pulled her closer to him.
She let herself melt into his arms, listening to the soothing sound of his engine rumbling softly. Gently, his hands came up as he ran his fingers up her back, stopping at her shoulders where the blades of her wings attached to her frame. With a delicate touch, he traced the outline of the joints, causing her back to arch and her hands to spasm slightly against his chest.
“I have to finish getting ready,” Arclight whispered.
“We have lots of time,” Ratchet replied as he kissed her jaw lightly.
He trailed kisses down the cables of her throat, and encouraged by her moan, he beagan to work at her shoulder joint.
“Hmmm … Ratchet … I’ll miss my –hnnh- shuttle,” Arclight gasped.
“We have more than enough time,” he said.
Ratchet and Arclight walked slowly toward the spaceport with Wheeljack following closely behind.
“I wish you didn’t have to go, but I support you, you know that, right?” Ratchet asked.
“I know, and I appreciate it,” Arclight replied with a smile.
She drew him in a quick hug before turning to Wheeljack.
“Wheeljack, you’ll take care of him, right?” Arclight asked.
“Yeah, of course,” Wheeljack replied, his head lights flashing in a smile.
She reached out and hugged the engineer tightly. “And you take care of yourself too,” she said. “I don’t want to get back and find that you’ve blown yourself up permanently.”
“I’ll do that too,” he said softly as he returned the hug. “You be safe on your trip, and I’ll see you when you get back.”
He squeezed her tightly one last time before letting her go and stepping away.
“I’ll leave you two alone. Good luck Arc, and I’ll see you later at the Moons’ Shadow, Ratch,” Wheeljack said, before turning away and leaving the lovers to their goodbyes.
Ratchet swept Arclight into an embrace.
“I can’t talk you out of this, can I?” he asked. “I can’t convince you to stay and get bonded now? … I just worry. I have this feeling that something’s going to go wrong.”
“Ratchet, love,” she said with a laugh. “Nothing is going to go wrong! I’ll be back in two solars, and when I get back we can be bonded, just like I promised.”
Ratchet held her close and leaned in to kiss her lips gently.
“I’ll hold you to that,” he whispered.
“Yo! Arclight! We gotta get moving!” a young green mech called from the door of the shuttle.
“I’m coming, Cycle!” Arclight called back. “I’ll be right there.”
“That’s my call love. I have to go,” she said to Ratchet, in a soft voice. “I’ll miss you. So much.”
“I’ll miss you too. But as you said, it’s only two stellars,” Ratchet said as he let her go. “Go catch your shuttle. And you can tell me all about saving the universe when you get back.”
Arclight nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She kissed Ratchet soundly, one last time, before turning and running into the shuttle.
Ratchet watched as she took off, feeling a small band of apprehension wrapping around his Spark.