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wyntir_knightTitle: 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: Day 18 and I am ahead of schedule by one day. I've just completed the Epilogue, but I won't post it yet since it may change, depending on what the characters decide they want. But just having it gives me a goal to aim for. And, of course, I've finished this chapter and am partway through Chapter 14.
31894 / 50000 words. 64% done!
Chapter 13
“Excuse me?” Waverunner said.
“I’m sorry?” Arclight replied as she looked up at the Neutral leader.
“Repeat what you just said,” he demanded.
Arclight exhaled as if mentally preparing herself for what she had to say, looking down at the corpse mournfully.
“I said that I think that these mechs survived the crash. I think that they died here, on this world. They were attacked by something,” she said softly.
“I thought that was what you said,” Waverunner replied.
He turned and walked away, stopping in front of Windsaber. He placed his hands on his hip struts and looked up at the Seeker defiantly.
“I would suggest that we gather what we can carry and leave immediately,” he said.
“I would be apt to agree with you, however, it is getting close to moonrise and these mechs need rest, otherwise they’ll collapse on the next leg of the march,” Windsaber replied.
“No, we need to leave now. There has to be a better place for us to rest,” Waverunner argued. “This place is filled with death. It is a cursed place!”
Windsaber laughed mirthlessly then turned to Updraft.
“How much further until we get to the city?” he asked.
“It’s about forty-five klicks. If we keep at the same pace we should be there in eight orns,” Updraft replied from his place next to Arclight.
“There is no such thing as curses, Windsaber said as he turned back to Waverunner. “There is only death and that is all that has happened here. With another eight orn march ahead of us we need to get moving before we’re safe.”
“But this place-” Waverunner began.
He was cut off by a wave of Windsaber’s hand.
“We will gather the corpses and put them to the side, rest here for a few orns and then keep moving,” the seeker said. “There will be no further discussion on this matter.”
“Sirs?” Twostrike said as he approached the pair defferentially. “We’ve been speaking, I mean, all of us,” he motioned to the assembled Neutrals, “and we … well we’d like to have an honouring of the dead.”
“That actually sounds appropriate,” Windsaber replied.
“We need to make it quick,” Waverunner grumbled. “I do not like the idea of us staying here. This place … this place is-”
Again, he was cut off by Windsaber.
“Do not say cursed,” Windsaber growled.
“I wasn’t going to,” Waverunner grumbled. “I was going to say that this place is far too dangerous. Whoever attacked might come back and we need to be far away when that happens.”
“We have time,” Windsaber said calmly. “You have two orn to rest, refuel, and do what you want with your dead. Then we move out.”
“Thank you,” Twostrike said. “Thank you,”
He turned and walked back among the Neutrals who began to gather the dead in sombre silence. Without a word, Arclight moved to help. Finally thirty bodies were assembled and laid out side by side.
“Back on Cybertron we would have brought these mechs and femmes to the Catacombs to be entombed with full honours. Of course, if we had still been on Cybertron, if it hadn’t been for the war, if it hadn’t been for the … accident, these bots might not be dead. But that is far too many what ifs to ponder on such a day as this,” Waverunner said solemnly, pointedly ignoring the dark looks that Windsaber and Cobalt shot him. “Here, we do not have the Catacombs and we have no way of honouring these dead. We have only our words.”
He paused and looked at the assembled Neutrals and the bodies lying on the ground before him.
“I knew each of these bots,” he continued. “I knew them each by name, and I mourn their passing. But has been pointed out by our good medic on several occasions, we must think of the living. So keep them in your processors and in your Sparks. Never forget them, but don’t allow them to keep you trapped here. This place is now a place for the dead. The city that lies beyond these woods will be a place for the living. It will be a place for us until we find a way to a place we can call home.”
The collected Neutrals all bowed their heads in silence, mourning the loss of their friends and colleagues.
“All right,” Windsaber said, breaking the silence. “I want you to pile the dead in the remains of the ship. That can be their tomb. Updraft, start distributing the energon.”
“Yes sir,” Updraft replied.
“And Updraft?” Windsaber said as the pilot began to walk away.
“Yes, sir?” Updraft asked.
“Bind her again. I do not want her wandering around.”
“Yes sir,” Updraft whispered.
Arclight gave Updraft an understanding look before placing her hands before her.
“I’m sorry,” Updraft whispered.
“Don’t worry about it,” she replied softly as he put the bracers over her wrists.
After he was done, he guided her to sit next to Cobalt in a safe space away from the rest of the Neutrals, but also away from the edge of the woods, shielded from any potential danger by a large piece of hull.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can with some energon,” Updraft whispered before moving away.
Cobalt watched the Decepticon as he walked away, shooting daggers at his back.
“I can’t believe you haven’t taken the opportunity to do something against them by now,” he grumbled. “Primus knows you’ve been free enough times.”
“I really don’t see the point,” Arclight replied. “It’s not like I can do anything against Windsaber.”
“No, but you can do something against the pilot and you can get me loose. Pit! You could even talk to some of the Neutrals. They’d listen to you,” Cobalt argued.
“If I tried anything like that Windsaber would turn me into scrap,” Arclight said.
“And you’d much rather make optics at your bonded over there,” Cobalt sneered as he nodded toward Updraft’s back as he served out the energon to the Neutrals.
“Don’t!” Arclight spat. “Don’t you dare! Don’t even joke about that!”
“Oh? So haven’t become chummy with him?” Cobalt asked. “Those quiet little talks were just strategy discussions, and you of course haven’t noticed the way he looks at you when he thinks no one’s watching.”
“They were discussions. Nothing more. And I will not continue this discussion with you,” Arclight said, turning away from Cobalt.
Cobalt snorted and shook his head in amusement.
“You’re being awfully defensive about it,” he said. “I’m guessing that you have a mate back home.”
“I do as a matter of fact,” Arclight sniffed.
She remained quiet for a long time staring out at the Neutrals.
“We’re going to get back to Cybertron,” she said softly. “I’m going to get back to him. And we can put all this behind us.”
“What was he?” Cobalt asked conversationally.
“He is a surgeon,” Arclight replied tightly.
“All right,” Cobalt said, rolling his optics. “Does he have a name?”
Arclight turned and glared at the Autobot.
“Why do you suddenly care?” she asked narrowing her optics in suspicion.
“Just looking for conversation,” he replied with a shrug. “Just looking to get to know you a bit better. After all, we are stuck in the same pod.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet,” she snorted. “You’re probably just looking for something to use against me. To get me to help you.”
“Well, yes I want you to help me,” Cobalt replied. “But no, that’s not why I’m asking. I’m not as corrupt as you see to want me to be.”
“I don’t want you to be corrupt, you just are,” Arclight said. “You made that abundantly clear when you attacked me on that first night.”
Cobalt was about to respond when Updraft came over and sat near them.
“I’m here to guard you,” he said. Then he dropped his voice as he pulled several energon cubes from his pocket. “I slipped you these,” he said.
“Thank you,” Arclight replied with a smile as she took the cube.
“I don’t need charity from a Decepticon,” Cobalt sniffed.
“It’s not charity,” Updraft replied confused. “You’ll need that for the next leg of the march. Windsaber wants to keep you as low as possible, but … well … I think that you’d be – we’d all be better served by you being at full capacity.”
“Really,” Cobalt replied disdainfully.
“Yes really,” Updraft said, holding out the cube. “Believe it or not, I don’t have anything against you.”
“You’re a Decepticon. Of course you have something against me,” Cobalt said.
“You know, just because our two factions do things differently doesn’t mean that we’re after different goals,” Updraft said calmly. “And besides, on this world, I highly doubt that Cybertronian politics actually matter.”
“Where we are doesn’t change the fact that you bots are a bunch of cold sparked killers,” Cobalt replied.
Updraft shook his head and put the energon cubes on the ground.
“We do what we have to do, just as you do,” Updraft said. “This is war. But that doesn’t mean that all of us want the battles and the devastation. Just as it is with your side, some of us have been drafted.”
He picked up the energon cube again.
“Now, even though you’re an Autobot, I don’t actually mean you any harm,” he said. He took a small sip of the energon and handed the cube over. “There. If I’ve tainted it in any way then I’ll suffer the consequences as well.”
“That doesn’t prove anything,” Cobalt replied. “I have no way of knowing that you haven’t immunized yourself against whatever’s in there.”
“Now you’re just looking for excuses,” Updraft replied. “But fine, if you won’t trust me, then there’s nothing I can say to change that. But I’ll leave the energon. Just in case you come to your senses.”
Updraft stood and started to walk from the two prisoners when a soft moan sounded from the wreckage behind them. He spun and raised his gun, aiming it at the noise.
“Get behind me,” he ordered.
Arclight moved to the defended position, but Cobalt stood defiantly, positioning himself to use his body as a ram if needed.
A piece of bulkhead fell from the wreckage fell aside and a thin grey arm came out of the resulting hole. Another thin moan was heard followed by a small voice.
“Help … me … please …,” a female voice said.
“Syzygy!” Arclight cried, recognizing the voice.
She jumped forward and tried to grab the hand, but her bound arms made her clumsy and unable to help. Updraft came up next to her and reached into the wreckage to help Syzygy out.
“What is going on over there?” Windsaber demanded as he and the Neutrals noticed the disturbance.
“Sir!” Updraft said as he helped Syzygy down. “Sir, we have a survivor!”
“Undo my hands so I can check her status,” Arclight demanded as she moved to stand next to the injured Neutral.
“I … I think I’m okay,” Syzygy said weakly. “I’m just low on fuel.”
“What happened to you?” Waverunner demanded. “We thought you had been taken.”
“I … I had been,” she replied. “But as we passed here, we stopped, and I was left behind. I don’t know why.”
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Twostrike asked as he came to help support her weight, helping her to walk away from the wreckage.
“Yes, dear, I’m fine. Really,” she replied. “But I have something to tell you, Waverunner.”
“What is it?” he asked a strangely suspicious note in his voice.
“I don’t think that we should continue to the city,” she said. “I think that was where they were taking me.”
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: Day 18 and I am ahead of schedule by one day. I've just completed the Epilogue, but I won't post it yet since it may change, depending on what the characters decide they want. But just having it gives me a goal to aim for. And, of course, I've finished this chapter and am partway through Chapter 14.
“Excuse me?” Waverunner said.
“I’m sorry?” Arclight replied as she looked up at the Neutral leader.
“Repeat what you just said,” he demanded.
Arclight exhaled as if mentally preparing herself for what she had to say, looking down at the corpse mournfully.
“I said that I think that these mechs survived the crash. I think that they died here, on this world. They were attacked by something,” she said softly.
“I thought that was what you said,” Waverunner replied.
He turned and walked away, stopping in front of Windsaber. He placed his hands on his hip struts and looked up at the Seeker defiantly.
“I would suggest that we gather what we can carry and leave immediately,” he said.
“I would be apt to agree with you, however, it is getting close to moonrise and these mechs need rest, otherwise they’ll collapse on the next leg of the march,” Windsaber replied.
“No, we need to leave now. There has to be a better place for us to rest,” Waverunner argued. “This place is filled with death. It is a cursed place!”
Windsaber laughed mirthlessly then turned to Updraft.
“How much further until we get to the city?” he asked.
“It’s about forty-five klicks. If we keep at the same pace we should be there in eight orns,” Updraft replied from his place next to Arclight.
“There is no such thing as curses, Windsaber said as he turned back to Waverunner. “There is only death and that is all that has happened here. With another eight orn march ahead of us we need to get moving before we’re safe.”
“But this place-” Waverunner began.
He was cut off by a wave of Windsaber’s hand.
“We will gather the corpses and put them to the side, rest here for a few orns and then keep moving,” the seeker said. “There will be no further discussion on this matter.”
“Sirs?” Twostrike said as he approached the pair defferentially. “We’ve been speaking, I mean, all of us,” he motioned to the assembled Neutrals, “and we … well we’d like to have an honouring of the dead.”
“That actually sounds appropriate,” Windsaber replied.
“We need to make it quick,” Waverunner grumbled. “I do not like the idea of us staying here. This place … this place is-”
Again, he was cut off by Windsaber.
“Do not say cursed,” Windsaber growled.
“I wasn’t going to,” Waverunner grumbled. “I was going to say that this place is far too dangerous. Whoever attacked might come back and we need to be far away when that happens.”
“We have time,” Windsaber said calmly. “You have two orn to rest, refuel, and do what you want with your dead. Then we move out.”
“Thank you,” Twostrike said. “Thank you,”
He turned and walked back among the Neutrals who began to gather the dead in sombre silence. Without a word, Arclight moved to help. Finally thirty bodies were assembled and laid out side by side.
“Back on Cybertron we would have brought these mechs and femmes to the Catacombs to be entombed with full honours. Of course, if we had still been on Cybertron, if it hadn’t been for the war, if it hadn’t been for the … accident, these bots might not be dead. But that is far too many what ifs to ponder on such a day as this,” Waverunner said solemnly, pointedly ignoring the dark looks that Windsaber and Cobalt shot him. “Here, we do not have the Catacombs and we have no way of honouring these dead. We have only our words.”
He paused and looked at the assembled Neutrals and the bodies lying on the ground before him.
“I knew each of these bots,” he continued. “I knew them each by name, and I mourn their passing. But has been pointed out by our good medic on several occasions, we must think of the living. So keep them in your processors and in your Sparks. Never forget them, but don’t allow them to keep you trapped here. This place is now a place for the dead. The city that lies beyond these woods will be a place for the living. It will be a place for us until we find a way to a place we can call home.”
The collected Neutrals all bowed their heads in silence, mourning the loss of their friends and colleagues.
“All right,” Windsaber said, breaking the silence. “I want you to pile the dead in the remains of the ship. That can be their tomb. Updraft, start distributing the energon.”
“Yes sir,” Updraft replied.
“And Updraft?” Windsaber said as the pilot began to walk away.
“Yes, sir?” Updraft asked.
“Bind her again. I do not want her wandering around.”
“Yes sir,” Updraft whispered.
Arclight gave Updraft an understanding look before placing her hands before her.
“I’m sorry,” Updraft whispered.
“Don’t worry about it,” she replied softly as he put the bracers over her wrists.
After he was done, he guided her to sit next to Cobalt in a safe space away from the rest of the Neutrals, but also away from the edge of the woods, shielded from any potential danger by a large piece of hull.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can with some energon,” Updraft whispered before moving away.
Cobalt watched the Decepticon as he walked away, shooting daggers at his back.
“I can’t believe you haven’t taken the opportunity to do something against them by now,” he grumbled. “Primus knows you’ve been free enough times.”
“I really don’t see the point,” Arclight replied. “It’s not like I can do anything against Windsaber.”
“No, but you can do something against the pilot and you can get me loose. Pit! You could even talk to some of the Neutrals. They’d listen to you,” Cobalt argued.
“If I tried anything like that Windsaber would turn me into scrap,” Arclight said.
“And you’d much rather make optics at your bonded over there,” Cobalt sneered as he nodded toward Updraft’s back as he served out the energon to the Neutrals.
“Don’t!” Arclight spat. “Don’t you dare! Don’t even joke about that!”
“Oh? So haven’t become chummy with him?” Cobalt asked. “Those quiet little talks were just strategy discussions, and you of course haven’t noticed the way he looks at you when he thinks no one’s watching.”
“They were discussions. Nothing more. And I will not continue this discussion with you,” Arclight said, turning away from Cobalt.
Cobalt snorted and shook his head in amusement.
“You’re being awfully defensive about it,” he said. “I’m guessing that you have a mate back home.”
“I do as a matter of fact,” Arclight sniffed.
She remained quiet for a long time staring out at the Neutrals.
“We’re going to get back to Cybertron,” she said softly. “I’m going to get back to him. And we can put all this behind us.”
“What was he?” Cobalt asked conversationally.
“He is a surgeon,” Arclight replied tightly.
“All right,” Cobalt said, rolling his optics. “Does he have a name?”
Arclight turned and glared at the Autobot.
“Why do you suddenly care?” she asked narrowing her optics in suspicion.
“Just looking for conversation,” he replied with a shrug. “Just looking to get to know you a bit better. After all, we are stuck in the same pod.”
“Yeah, I’ll bet,” she snorted. “You’re probably just looking for something to use against me. To get me to help you.”
“Well, yes I want you to help me,” Cobalt replied. “But no, that’s not why I’m asking. I’m not as corrupt as you see to want me to be.”
“I don’t want you to be corrupt, you just are,” Arclight said. “You made that abundantly clear when you attacked me on that first night.”
Cobalt was about to respond when Updraft came over and sat near them.
“I’m here to guard you,” he said. Then he dropped his voice as he pulled several energon cubes from his pocket. “I slipped you these,” he said.
“Thank you,” Arclight replied with a smile as she took the cube.
“I don’t need charity from a Decepticon,” Cobalt sniffed.
“It’s not charity,” Updraft replied confused. “You’ll need that for the next leg of the march. Windsaber wants to keep you as low as possible, but … well … I think that you’d be – we’d all be better served by you being at full capacity.”
“Really,” Cobalt replied disdainfully.
“Yes really,” Updraft said, holding out the cube. “Believe it or not, I don’t have anything against you.”
“You’re a Decepticon. Of course you have something against me,” Cobalt said.
“You know, just because our two factions do things differently doesn’t mean that we’re after different goals,” Updraft said calmly. “And besides, on this world, I highly doubt that Cybertronian politics actually matter.”
“Where we are doesn’t change the fact that you bots are a bunch of cold sparked killers,” Cobalt replied.
Updraft shook his head and put the energon cubes on the ground.
“We do what we have to do, just as you do,” Updraft said. “This is war. But that doesn’t mean that all of us want the battles and the devastation. Just as it is with your side, some of us have been drafted.”
He picked up the energon cube again.
“Now, even though you’re an Autobot, I don’t actually mean you any harm,” he said. He took a small sip of the energon and handed the cube over. “There. If I’ve tainted it in any way then I’ll suffer the consequences as well.”
“That doesn’t prove anything,” Cobalt replied. “I have no way of knowing that you haven’t immunized yourself against whatever’s in there.”
“Now you’re just looking for excuses,” Updraft replied. “But fine, if you won’t trust me, then there’s nothing I can say to change that. But I’ll leave the energon. Just in case you come to your senses.”
Updraft stood and started to walk from the two prisoners when a soft moan sounded from the wreckage behind them. He spun and raised his gun, aiming it at the noise.
“Get behind me,” he ordered.
Arclight moved to the defended position, but Cobalt stood defiantly, positioning himself to use his body as a ram if needed.
A piece of bulkhead fell from the wreckage fell aside and a thin grey arm came out of the resulting hole. Another thin moan was heard followed by a small voice.
“Help … me … please …,” a female voice said.
“Syzygy!” Arclight cried, recognizing the voice.
She jumped forward and tried to grab the hand, but her bound arms made her clumsy and unable to help. Updraft came up next to her and reached into the wreckage to help Syzygy out.
“What is going on over there?” Windsaber demanded as he and the Neutrals noticed the disturbance.
“Sir!” Updraft said as he helped Syzygy down. “Sir, we have a survivor!”
“Undo my hands so I can check her status,” Arclight demanded as she moved to stand next to the injured Neutral.
“I … I think I’m okay,” Syzygy said weakly. “I’m just low on fuel.”
“What happened to you?” Waverunner demanded. “We thought you had been taken.”
“I … I had been,” she replied. “But as we passed here, we stopped, and I was left behind. I don’t know why.”
“Are you sure you’re all right?” Twostrike asked as he came to help support her weight, helping her to walk away from the wreckage.
“Yes, dear, I’m fine. Really,” she replied. “But I have something to tell you, Waverunner.”
“What is it?” he asked a strangely suspicious note in his voice.
“I don’t think that we should continue to the city,” she said. “I think that was where they were taking me.”
