Chapter Text
"Wait you don't understand," Dee reached out to their ‘escort’, "we were supposed to go to Sentinel Primes service pod!"
"YOU GO BOTS AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE! I'LL MAKE SURE OF THAT!"
"You’re making a mistake ask Sentinel!"
*SLAM*
Well, you had to give it to Darkwing. He didn't leave either bot with a bruised face plate this time. Something, something any progress is better than none.
“Ugh, I hate that guy!” Orion steadily leaned up, his joints twinging to bring you back up on his shoulder. Carefully rubbing any aches or pains from your own body.
“Motion seconded.”
*CRASH* *CLANG*
Metal scrapping and clashing against more metal with hints of glass and iron in between made quit the uncomfortable sandwich of sounds for your ears. An elevator tossing everything on it into a gapping hole of light and fire. Hearing more crushing and wet sounds as they fell.
But you three were not the only ones watching.
A yellow bot, with only one red line for an eye staring at the conveyor belt. Thankfully Orion and Dee had taken cover before you even noticed.
But the bot had noticed.
Head turning menacingly mechanically, which for giant robots while accurate was still unnerving, toward you three and pointed.
“YOU!” The voice came booming, even Orion and Dee shuffled back in surprise.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, THERE IS NO ACCESS HERE, THERE IS NO ONE ALLOWED DOWN HERE BUT ME!!!” The figure came stomping over. For a single kilk you wished Darkwing was here instead.
“YOU, YOU!” Then the figures head flew up.
“You’re real!” A new face had appeared from the figures head, realising it was a helmet.
“You’re others, you’re not me! You’re here and you’re not me!” The bot exclaimed absolutely ecstatically. You kept hidden behind Orion’s shoulder.
“Uhh yes?”
“AWESOME!” All three of you jumped again at this third bots voice.
“I am so sorry, that must have been weird for you, I-- I just... haven't had a lot of company since they put me down here in sublevel 50.”
“50? But there are only forty sublevels.” Dee’s optics shifting to both of you.
“That's what I thought!” Bee continued, “Turns out there are ten more and they are NOT pleasant, probably why nobody ever really talks about them.”
“How long have you been here?” Orion inquired.
“How long have I been here?” Bee repeated, chuckling. “Let's see, uh, somewhere between a long time and forever? I mean, I had other jobs, but I kept getting reassigned, 'cause I'm so good at what I do. Oh! I'm B-127, by the way, but you can call me B. I'm actually working on some nicknames, the one I'm floatin' right now is um, Badass-a-tron, which is actually pronounced”- Bee’s voice suddenly went deep as he blurted out;
“BADASSATRON!”
…
“It’s sort of catchy.” You whispered, Orion giving a half grin.
“But if-- if you have any critiques--” Dee quickly interjected, before another lovely nickname could be announced so eloquently.
“Great, great. How, HOW do we get out of here?”
“Great question -- you don't.”
"We don't?!" At the Bee’s answer Dee's shoulders sagged while Orion helped himself and Dee up.
Gosh, even three bots on this room felt cramped. If the living quarters for the miners seemed neglected this whole place was wiped unclean from the map. Rainbow stains of age and silver mould practically peeled any of the originally colours away, as more trash was thrown deafeningly from the throat of chamber above and out from the trash heaps mouth.
All toward a scorched black furnace opening. Everything else inside the chamber was so claustrophobic, no sleeping quarters, sitting or any sign of what little comfortable living could be offered. If the mining station was crowded and criminal its treatment of inhabitants, this place was violation of some sort of Cybertron convention.
"Nope!" Bee confirmed, "We have limited access to the waste management area, but the new shift manager there does NOT like distractions. No, no - they prefer we stay here on the task at hand."
"Which is?" Catching a quick peak above Orions shoulder.
"Oh, The scrap comes in from the chute there, onto the conveyer belt," to demonstrate Bee dropped his own mask helmet onto said conveyer belt, "our job is to look for anything worth salvaging before it hits the furnace and gets smelted."
His helmet fell and a fiery roar emerged in the back ground.
Hope he doesn't miss that anytime soon.
"So, you watch Garbage burn?" Dee concluded.
"Yes! It is so great that your here now! I can't wait to learn everything about you, and then tell you everything about me! I have a lot of hopes and dreams that I am just dying to share with one or two new best friends!" As Bee continued his chattering, you carefully tapped on Orions helm and tried to whisper.
"Uh yeah, we - we'd love to"- He nodded and looked about the room for any sign of an exit.
"Oh where are my manners? Come on, I'll introduce you to the rest of my crew. Hey guys, we got company!" Bee knocked harshly on the side wall before opening. Peaking through Orion’s digits was a room lit up by colourful Christmas lights and surrounding the only table were three figures who weren't moving. An alert from your device light up in a message.
“Device located nearby, syncing up!” You tried tapping, but all that came up was the loading screen.
"This is EP-508, this is A-A-tron, and this fella here is Steve." Bee happily introduced.
"Steve?" Orion repeated. Eyes moving away from your screen to said bot. Or what was supposed to be one, an amalgamation of spare parts and the kitchen sink made up these three metal scare crows, but why was the one Bee was leaning against have an Earth name?
"Yeah, he's foreign."
"Orion, about Sentinel," you whispered,
"Question do they talk to you?" Dee asked.
"I saw him before I fell into that pipe and he-"
"You saw him!" Orion exclaimed.
Dee and Bee turned, to the now smiling and waving bot.
"Does he have imaginary friends too?" Bee asked as Dee fumbled an explanation.
Before anything else was said your device lit up again. Letters you understood from Earth began to shift like a slot-machine from recognisable to alien. Settling on Cybertronian.
"Here just look at this." Orion gave a pleading glance to Dee who nodded trying to distract Bee, staring at the message, holding your tech up for him.
"I just got this message a moment ago." Explaining to Orion’s squinting optics.
"I can't read it it's way to small."
"Maybe Dee could?"
"Could what?" The grey bot joined. Bee meanwhile was happily going into great detail about his friends construction and favourite Primes, having loved Dee's decal of Megatronus.
"This message." Lifting it up to his optics now.
"No way that's way to small and also shouldn't we be focusing on getting out of here!"
"Yeah and this message might help." Orion added.
"He's right though that's way too small."
Everyone froze. Turning to Bee who was crouching and staring directly at the message. For a few kilks everyone kept still, until Bee actually focused his optics on you. Any idea or explanation left your head and merely offering a polite wave at him instead.
“AAAHHHHH!!!!” Bee pointed. You jumped.
"Is that, is that," he stammered out as Orion and Dee waved and tried to form any excuse that could work.
"A crawling hidden friend!" He exclaimed finally. Non of you could speak.
"I knew it, there were tiny things in the walls, it's so nice to meet you are there any more of you?!" Bee waved and excitedly got into Orions space, who gently backed away. Shaking your head at the lack of well, actually you weren’t sure what the expected reaction would be.
"Uhh no, at least not that I know of?" Answering honestly.
"That's ok, if not then we all know what that means!" Bee beamed. First nodding your head yes then truthfully shaking it, looking back at the still stunned duo.
"We all have a shared delusion," Bee happily exclaimed, lifting you up and around, "We're already so close already, already hallucinating tiny friends. Here you can join the gang!" You were about to protest, had the signal on your device not starting blinking and buzzing. Blue light shone through the grills of one Bee’s friends heads. Quickly jumping off of on the shoulder and reaching through unable to see let alone touch what was just out of reach. You motioned at Dee and Orion, the latter only now snapping back and heading over
"What is that?" Orion had seen too and was trying the head to see.
“It’s the signal I’ve been getting!” Walking to the opposite side to see if there was an opening.
"That's old Steve blah blah blah!" Bee mimicked the noise. Said noise ceasing as before you could find anything, the head crashed onto the table with a sputtering of electrical wires that once connected it.
"STEVE! NO!!!" Bee cried out.
Shooting an incredulous look as Orion placed you down and trying to busily stabilise Steve, all the while apologising profusely to Bee and trying to fix it. Dee merely face palmed and groaned.
Metal clinked onto the table once.
Then bounced and caught onto your wrist connecting you to your tech. Your yelp of surprise was muffled by the explosion of blue hologram figure, it’s voice calling out in desperation.
"ZETA PRIME HAS FALLEN! I REPEAT; ZETA PRIME HAS FALLEN-P-P-PROTECT THE MAT-TRIX!"
"That’s Alpha Irion!" Orion whispered.
"One of the Primes?" Dee breathed. The metal buzzed on your arm.
"SENDING LOCATION COORDINATES! SENDING LOCATION COORDINATES!"
Alpha Trion disappeared. A scene of cascading starts and twisted galaxies flew above you before zooming onto a cluster of familiar planets.
Your solar system. A different voice took over.
"DISTRESS BEACON SENT! DESTINATION BARRED SPIRAL GALAXY UNCHARTED 87 THOUSAND SOLAR CYCLES AWAY!"
Shifting back to Cybertron, the projector becoming a map from above, as your screen reflected the same. A location point.
"Holy Primus!" Bee whispered.
"This map could lead to where the Primes fell in battle and if we find it, we might find the matrix of Leadership!" Orion’s voice gave you shivers at the determination.
"What are talking about its an old banged up transmitter from cycles ago!" Dee interjected.
"Or it's a clue, a beacon to the last known location of the Matrix!"
"No, no absolutely no way!"
“C'mon Dee, not only do we find an alien from galaxies away, their tech just helped unlock a message. That’s destiny!” He beamed servo reaching back out to the pixel map, “It has to be, this os our real chance to show everyone”-
"You already tried to show everyone what we were made of which got us stuck down here in this waste hole with uhh-" Stopping this gesture at Bee's confused expression.
-“really cool guy."
"Oh thank you!" Bee exhaled.
"There's a reason nobody goes to the surface it's dangerous!" Leaning against the conveyer belt, "I'm waiting right here until Sentinel Prime finds us!" Head turned away. Panic relit and you gave Orion a pleading glance, returning it with a reassuring wink.
“Fine ok we'll just wait here, that alright with you Bee?" Orion merely gave a knowing smile at you dismay.
"Alright, it's awesome! There's plenty of room now that Steve is dead! I usually take the conveyer belt but you can totally have it-" Dee gave a dramatic sigh. Meanwhile you carefully patted Bee and asked him for a lift.
"I mean imagine the look on Sentinels face when we bring him not only an alien but the Matrix of Leadership." Orion teased.
"Dee,” the bot barely turned his head, “what have we got to lose, plus I want to help, after everything you've both done for me.”
“Ok stop both of you! I know what your doing,” Finally turning around, “and it’s definitely working and I'm in."
“Haha, Yes!” Orion cheered.
Leaping from Bees servo to his shoulder you squeezed his neck and thanked him. You heard a mumble of ‘sure it’s fine,’.
“How do we get there?”
“Pshh, the surface easy I know a way," Bee paused dramatically, “but it won’t be easy.”
—
It was surprisingly easy.
For you at least. Your other three bot companions on the other servo.
Honestly it was actually managing to crawl into the trash receiver that was the hardest part. Until the trash came. Right on top of Dee and yourself. Orion close behind, ‘warn me next time my mouth was open!’. Dee merely snapped, ‘Fine! I’ll make sure to give your helm a good kick!’ With him letting a pede down for demonstration, only for Orion to grab it. The two playfully bickering before another heap of trash, with a particular stink was sent hurtling down onto you. With a very wet splat.
“Can we save this after we get out of the literal trash!?” Both bots merely nodded at your request and continued upwards.
Bee, meanwhile kept chatting a storm up, despite being told this was a stealthy part of the mission.
Dee unfortunately was constantly getting the brunt of the downpour of trash. While you had tried to keep an eye out, no bot could dodge anything in such a tight space. Orion at the very least, having lots of experience sneaking around was keeping pace very well.
“Exit’s just up ahead!” Bee finally exclaimed. Leaning outward to catch a glimpse of said exit, just two levels ahead. Then came another wave of garbage.
Unable to duck for cover in time the trash quickly took you with it down and fast. For a moment Dee reached out to catch you, barely grasping his digit, the grease slipping away any grip.
“Gotcha!” Suddenly finding yourself embraced by a blue servo, looking up at Dee’s startled to relived expression.
“Thanks Orion!” You huffed, while being placed back into his shoulder compartment, finally exiting out of this trash tunnel and onto a very dingy platform. Quickly following Bee, who had ran toward a giant half lift device and waved back. Following suit as the device reared itself up and violet hues from below lured a few giant crates into its grasp with a bang and shake. You clutched against Orion, not wanting a repeat of before. Shakily stopping as the train below opened and the boxes where released disappearing behind the trains doors.
Moving closer to another train compartment, as two transformers were loading more crates into storage, Orion prying open a tiny latch into the train. Recognising the leaving pair as Prowl and Iron hide calling out that this was the last crate before locking up. You four then moved silently onto the ground.
"Hold up!"
The doors reopened.
“One more.” Carrying a crate that took two bots for moving, was a striking magenta bot with emerald optics, easily lifting and placing said crate down. You heard a intake of breath from Orion and Dee, both sharing a look of panic. Whispering in concern, this other bot switching a device as all crates shone red.
“So, you know that supervisor I may have gotten,”
“Definitely.” Dee shushed, carefully hiding behind a tower of cates.
“Fine, definitely got fired?” You looked back at the bot, who was now staring at the still open latch. Her emerald gaze hardened.
“Thanks for being an idiot, whoever you are. Turning you in will definitely get me promoted back up a rank or two,”-
"I got her!" Dee exclaimed, only to be body slammed back onto the floor. Bee tried well, whatever it wad he tried, before joining Dee on the ground. Orion at least managed to dodge.
"Elita Stop!"
"Orion?!"
Before getting punched again.
Elita made a sprint for the door closing door calling for security, thankfully missing be kilks, slamming and trying to pry it apart.
“You guys ok?” Your question answered from ‘not really’ to ‘of course not’. “Great, because she’s making a run for it!”
“She’s headed to the engine!”
“Don’t worry I got this!” Orion quickly gave chase along with Dee and Bee. “Hold on, let me explain we’re on a mission!”
"So am I - to ruin your life." Elita was leaping over crates like a professional hurdler, sweeping over and above all of them, still keeping ahead. No wonder she was a supervisor. Then she just sat down on a crate.
Then the train turned upward.
Orion, just out of reach arms reach of her, began to fall.
"Look out below!" Your voice the only warning given to the others. Dee reached out to catch you both, only to buckle under the weight loose grip and slam into Bee before reaching the ground in a cluttered pile.
“Elita wait, we found a message, we know”- Reeling from the fall you caught a flash of green coming down to join you.
"Below look out!" Elita had already jumped from the falling crate upward still. Thankfully Bee was faster pushing Orion out of it’s way.
"This bot is crazy who is she?" He managed to exclaim.
"Dead end Elita, there's no way-" the hatch reopened as Elita jumped out.
"Uhh- and she’s gone." Moving up the jenga style crates upward to the, thankfully, still open latch. You caught a glimpse of the outside.
“Ok, just like getting inti the archives, if it was moving!” You warned. Orion nodded before going up. Bee loosing balance for a kilk before being followed by Dee, mumbling, ‘why am I doing this?!’
Thankfully, while Elita had agility, speed and strength, Orion had past experience in break ins and escape. Catching up as said bot picked up the pace. The train began to straighten. Then hail.
Fleck of fragments whizzed past fast bullets of fragility easily broken. One broke upon the compartments door nearly taking you with it. Orion’s servos holding you and onto Elita, who was raising a fist up. You flung your hands open.
“Stop! Wait!” Your voice barely heard above the clearing shard storm.
“What the fff-face…” Her eyes barely catching sight of you, before being captured by something else.
The Surface of Cybertron.
The train eased into a slow pace, tracks hovering above the crystal surface of Cybertron itself. Maintains of copper stained by the skies hue, rocks reaching upwards as natural as the ribbons of aurora dancing across a still sunny evening. One filled with slowly glowing moons and glittering stars.
“The surface…” Dee breathed.
“…It’s beautiful.” Elita sighed. Truly beautiful. A landscape so alive and always climbing, yet nowhere was there rumbling or signs of Earthquakes. Both stable yet volatile, shinning but rusted, frozen and constantly moving.
"I am speechless." Bee murmured.
“Elita. Listen to me… We know where the Matrix of Leadership is.” Orion gently nodding for you to come out.
"Oh sure, and I'm really a Prime I just prefer loading crates of toxic waste…” Elita froze.
"Pax, what is that in your shoulder?"
Cautiously stepping further into the days dusk, giving a small wave at the very shocked and slightly perturbed gaze of Elita One.
“Sooo, you remember that odd garbage pile in sector 83?” You stopped on Orion’s palm. “Yes?” Her optics fixed on you.
“This, was inside it!”
“And you didn’t report it?”
“We decided to help them.”
“Mainly him.” Dee added.
“All I’m hearing is that you both keep breaking protocol.” Elita unfreezing just to glare at Dee. “And they have a message.” Grasping the device stuck to your arm.
“And, that I should have punched harder.”
One smooth click out shone the map, now with a tracker slowly moving forward.
“Woah… Where did you get this?” Elita asked.
"My friend Steve Orion killed him." Bee popped out from behind.
"I did not kill Steve."Orion murmured.
"It was a pretty brutal beheading." You chimed in.
"He was never alive" Dee explained.
"What?" Was all Elita could muster.
"Look. Sentinel told us he was going to the surface and then we found this message, on top of an alien. It can’t be coincidence. We figured that we could hand deliver the Matrix to him or scout the location ourselves whichever comes first.”
Despite her heavy reluctance, Elita leaned forward, servos swiping over the map from location to track and journey, her emerald optics shifting. Her expression softening ever so slightly.
“This was too important to wait. It will change all our lives.” Orion concluded with a look of earnest determination that you had scarcely seen on him, but it suited him well. For a few moments Elita seemed to be considering, optics flickering between yourself and the map.
"No no no no - I’m not going to get demoted again because of you, I'm turning this rig around and notifying the proper authorities”-
"Hey guys?" Dee's voice wavered, "what is that?"
You squinted, nothing was there.
"It it getting bigger?" You kept scanning but couldn't see what Dee was focused on. Asking Orion didn't help, he was just as transfixed.
"Or closer?" Elita asked.
Still squinting into the distance of moving mountains. Moving mountains. Ah! Ahhh…
"Both."
"What?" Orion turned, Bee sprinted back, alarms shrieking.
"IT'S BOTH!"
Every bot sprinted against the crashing crystals reaching toward the train. Ear splitting crashes of metal and mountain. Every blink of your eyes only drew the image of oncoming disaster faster. This one was nothing like the one of your first day of Cybertron.
It was worse. Bee was the first to make it back, pounding and pulling on the roof, Elita and Dee on heated pursuit. A pillar slicing into the side of the train. Orion fell only a few steps behind, the three bots a head still prying at the only safety from the danger, finally joining his servos at the door. Nothing opened.
“Ohh, now I know why no one comes to the surface…?” Dee shouted.
Orion sheltering you into his shoulder compartment before grasping the rails. Jerking from side to side in a manic tide. Your last glimpse of the wave, towering and toppling the trains line, holding tighter onto anything for dear life.
Your last thought before going airborne
‘I’d rather do the Iacon 5000 all over again.’
——
Circuit shield sphere activated, Do you wish to deactivate?
Still curled up with your knees kissing your chest with a soft pink aura shimmering and encompassing your form. The beacon on your arm flashing the question once more. Nothing moved, no sounds and… oh no.
Pressing frantically, shield dispersing, you lifted the latch open. An evening of softly glowing metallic land now calm and quiet.
“Urgghhh!”
Thankfully not too quiet.
The shadow of a servo reaching out and rubbing a thankfully un battered helm.
“Still alive Orion?”
“Yep,” said bot steadily leaned up, before immediately groaning his helm downward. “Dee?”
"Wish I wasn’t!" Catching sight of a grey servo in in a pile of rubble with a thumbs down.
"Ok but is anyone one actually badly injured?" You seriously inquired.
"Nah, definitely had worse mining shifts," Orion’s optics adjusted before frantically searching. "Dee you see Elita One or Bee anywhere?!" Still rubbing his own helm, Dee shook his head. "Scrap, look you stay here, I'll go look for Bee I saw him land not to far away, Dee you find Elita-One!" Nodding Orion quickly disappeared behind a maze of pillars.
“You ok?” Dee checked, giving him another nod, though he still looked concerned. “Look just stay in sight, unless another mountain decides to fall on us.” He muttered.
Meanwhile Orion was still exploring those mazes. Just able to see his murky reflection in the light, this whole place could be way to easy to get lost on, turning on the map and surprised that much of the distance had been covered.
Only a couple days from here to the Matrix.
Shutting off the beacon, pink metal rocks shone in your peripheral. Nothing moved not rocks.
It was a leg.
"Ok good news, the trains caught up between boulders like a strat ball game and Dee's still searching,"
"Orion."
“Still no Bee, has Dee found,” Orion followed your gaze.
“Elita!”
Both sprinting for the unconscious bot. Orion reached first, clearing rubble and carefully lifting her onto uncrowded grounds.
“Is she alright?” You looked, she seemed fine but not moving was never a good sign.
“I don’t know.” Orion was checking for any injuries. Curiously, you reached for the beacon.
“Uhh, perform maintenance check for Elita-One.” Your words launched a green light from the device. Orion stumbled back, letting the machine work it’s magic, scans loading up steadily.
“I’ll go tell Dee we found her.” You began waving for the bot now steering toward you.
“Elita, Elita, you ok?”
BAM!
Yelping at the sound of Orion now on the ground, rubbing his cheek, with Elita clumsily finding her balance. Behind you a pair of legs cried for help.
Well Bee’s been found. Dee immediately darted away and began pulling the bot out of his predicament.
Maintenance complete. No grievous damages detected
“Speak for yourself! Uuurgh, please stop punching me in the face!" Orion complained. Elita ignored him, head frantically searching.
“Iacon huh, the Train, where’s the train!?” She demanded.
"Relax," Orion picked you back up, "here it-"
The train flew right past.
"…And there it goes." servo rubbing his helmet, "Ok I was wrong about that. It was going”-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
With a scream that could wake Primus, Elita went from screaming to punching the nearest pillar, like it owed her money. At least Bee was finally free. Orion was still awkwardly standing by at the bots rage. Switching the device and showing him the amount your group had been propelled past, he smiled.
Still Elita tried sculpting the pillar to dust, with her fists.
"Ok, so this is us and if we follow this path”- Barely getting the words out before Elita snatched the beacon from Orion.
"Now you listen here, Mr-Zero-Kilks-Since-My-Last-Accident! I'll go on your little quest ‘cause I don't have a choice. But I carry the map, I navigate, and if this leads to nothing, then I'm dragging you, those two idiot go bots and that outer space trespasser, back to lacon City and to the first supervisor depot we see, at which point you will explain everything that's happened using words that reflect me in a very positive light! GOT IT!?”
“Yeah, ok, deal, great, fine.” Orion quietly mumbled.
"Let's go!" Elite marched forward.
"She's - she's joining us?" Bee was practically vibrating from excitement "Fantastic!"
“Ok,” head shaking in of the lecture Elita just gave. “was it just me or did she look really hot the whole time she was scolding us?” Your question getting a laugh out of Orion.
“Ha, why do you think I let Dee scold me so much?” He joked.
“What?”
“Wha?” Orion stammered, “Uhh, Dee! We’re waiting for Dee!”
D-16 had been slowly catching up, still staring at the belt of stars from above, rippling tapestries of auras brightening in the night sky. Lying back on Orion’s shoulder, catching breath for your starving lungs, wisps of cool wind drifting through the canyons. Every colour and hue stained the landscapes in a lovely iridescent shimmer. The shapes and formation reminded you of bismuth, while formations hanging above had the look of a colourful quartz. Wishing you had your sketch book and pencil to capture all of this.
"Hey, you're thinking about what you'll say when you hand the Matrix to Sentinel, aren't you?" Orion nudged his friend.
"I can't help it!" Dee breathily laughed.
"Dee, we're really doing this!" Orion giddily exhaled.
"So glad i'm out here with you two. This was a great idea." Dee grasping his shoulder, Orion patting his Megatronus shoulder in return and smiling at the both of you. Smiling back as the world got a little darker. The sun already dripping into the horizon.
"You guys, know what might be a better idea?"
"Yeah?" Both asked in unison.
"Camping under the stars."
——
5 against 1.
Despite Elita’s insistence on traveling more, the sky was already dyed in it’s colder and darker hue. Especially after the impact of the landslide, every bot was exhausted, even finding a safe place to rest was difficult. But thankfully, a stable ledge leading down a clear pathway was enough to quell Elita One’s complaints. Instead of joining she had chosen a corner to fidget with the beacon. Orion gave a worried look before sitting down around the illuminated crater that seemed to everywhere once the sun was gone. Well a campfire is better than no campfire, even if this was definitely not a campfire.
"So, now that we have a camp site, what do we do now?" Dee asked.
“Ohh, we could play I spy, chat about secrets, share our deepest fears and insecurities?” Bee shot off suggestions by the kilk, to Dee’s light dismay.
“Stowaway, got anything else, literally anything?”
“Well, I guess we could do star gazing, try and find constellations.” “Awesome! What are constellations?” Bee asked.
“Well, on my planet they’re stars that stay in a constant shape and we give them names, like Taurus the bull, Hydra the dragon, the hunter Orion-“
“I’m a constellation!?” Orion exclaimed.
“A constant pain more like,” Dee dodged a playful shoulder bump, “you’re messing with us.”
“No I’m serious, mainly he was used to map out the seasons, but there’s a whole story behind him if you want to hear it.”
All three bots stayed quiet and enraptured at the tail of the great hunter Orion. His friendship with the great Goddess Artemis and the tragedy of his death.
“Artemis missed him so much that she crafted the constellation in his memory.” You concluded. While Dee still seemed sceptical the other two were thoroughly impressed.
"Wow, a friendship strong enough to create a constellation!" Orion murmured.
"Is that story real?" Dee asked.
"Well the story might be more fiction than fact, but the constellation is very much real." Reaching your transmitter to bring it up on screen only for the signal to be pretty much gone. Only a white light pointing to the transmitter Elita was fiddling with.
"Uhh, give me a kilk." The other three murmuring as you threaded lightly to the fussing pink bot.
“Dee would you,” Orion wasn’t even sure how to ask, “ever name anything after me?”
Dee gave a chuckle, but looked up at the sky thoughtfully.
“Hmm, sure, would have to be something pretty important, although,” offering his closed fist, “I like Orion just meaning you.”
Had the world still shone with the sun, Dee might have captured the deep blush on Orion’s cheeks as he fist bumped him with a laugh.
Meanwhile Elita still had a look far too familiar, one you’ve made when a login hanst worked without clarifying if it was a wring password or email. Still she slowed her movements and muttering, posturing herself against the wall. Hesitantly you cleared your throat.
‘Thirteenth times the charm’ the thought angrily covered her mind. Elita had been trying to get any kind of information from this old beat up beacon.
“Good for nothing piece of junk old tech!” She muttered, along with a few more cybertron swears. Having done the old restart constantly since camp was set up. Each time managing to get a crumb of information only for it to freeze or switch off. She was just about to throw it into the distant before hearing footsteps.
At first her mind went to that leader of idiots, Orion with his smile far too optimistic and always being so nice to everyone, but such a disrespectful miner to those above him.
But, these steps were far too quiet to be his.
'Oh no' Elita pleaded.
The steps were still quiet but closer.
'Not that thing!’
"Uhh, Elita.One was that it?" That tiny alien spoke. Elita half scowled and leaned away. Seriously keeping an alien secret and for what? They'll both be lucky to be sent back to waste management.
"I just wanted to say,"
‘And only then did I learn that there where ten extra levels! Seriously, I only find out when I get demoted not when I'm about to be promoted-‘
"Thank you."
—
It was her first day and Elita One was shaking. Not from fear, but from the enormous cavern walls threatening to crush her and fellow first day miner Arcee, to dust. Light shone, weight lifted and there she was, Laneliner, her supervisor. Shame and horror stole her voice as LaneLiner was berated in front of a crowd of onlookers and squad mates. When the transformer guard had finally left and their supervisor turned to the pink pair, Elita’s optics squeezed shut. LaneLiner placed a servo on her shoulder, smiling at her.
"What matters is yer both ok, ey new spark?"
Laneliner had been demoted after doing the same thing during another collapse. This time L-93’s arm had been crushed and stuck. Energon and equipment were lost. Eventually so was L-93, his injures too severe.
"Flita-One!" The pink bot quickly stepped foward, “Due to your supervisors questionable values, you will be performing as a supervisor." The transformer guard glared, "For now."
A shining badge of gold adorning her now, Elita took to it like a wheel to the road. Able to make decision under pressure, resourcefully aware and quick with strategies for her squad. Despite loosing her mentor, she had managed to not only fill her first shift quota. But double it.
"Is that all no cog?" The question struck Elita’s very spark. Each supervising bot she was shoulder to shoulder with was silent.
"Sir?"
"You performed a basic shift and got lucky," Darkwing put the tablet sheet down, without another glance, "honestly, you no cogs should be pulling these number daily!" He muttered to himself.
"I just-“
”What, you want Primus to rise again and thank you?" DarkWing went on, "You and all your useless kind are lucky we found any use for you. You should be thanking us."
Heat was stinging in her optics.
"Now go see Ratchet and clean up."
She hadn’t even remembered what she said before sprinting out the room, her exhaustion and frustration leaking down her face.
"Stupid fragging Darkwing!" She screeched hitting the bag a tad to hard, bumping it into Ratchets tool table.
"Elita I needed those!" Ratchet scolded. The pink bot merely gave a frustrated grunt before sighing and helping him pick up the stray tools. Trying to ignore the feeling his green optics on her.
"I am sorry Elita." Ratchet said, "but bots don't get thanked for doing their job."
She threw the rest of the tools on the table and stormed out.
"You better get used to that."
—
"Huh?" Elita looked very unusually stunned.
"Uhh, I said thank you. For coming with us I mean." A metallic eyebrow went up at your words. "What I mean is, after all the chaos that’s happened today thank you for agreeing to come taking charge of the map. I feel a lot safer having someone who honestly was really badass on the train before, you were so fast and agile it was amazing." Realising you were gushing and straightened back up.
"I was just wondering if I could use the map cause my tech is a bit on the frits without it, but it's ok if-"
"Take it." Elita kneeled down with the map between her digits. You turn to look bewildered.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, it's not really working for me either. Just bring it back when you’re done." Was all she said. Grabbing and staring at for a second, before smiling and thanking Elita once more, running back to the trio.
Missing the small smile on her face that refused to go away.
——
“Orion is a prominent set of stars visible during a Winter in the northern celestial hemisphere. It is named after the Greek hunter Orion.”
Within the darkness of night both the moons shining above, a group of stars shone against metallic rock, white lines forming from a man with a bow and back to the form of a constellation.
“We have at least 88 constellations recorded in the sky, along with many others from different cultures.” Explaining as the device quickly shifted between images of different ones. Orion was enraptured, Dee nodded with a tilted helm and Bee looked very much overwhelmed.
“Pretty light show got any music to go along with it?” Dee teased. "Ohh does it have games!?" Bee interjected. Before you could poke a tongue out at him, you looked through and suddenly there was your entire playlist, minus the ads and all for free. Smirking before choosing the perfect song.
“Why yes Dee, yes I do.” You said, before hitting play.
A sphere of red instead of pink emerged with a musical note symbol and audio waves pulsing to life. A familiar melody and beat began to echo perfectly into the night. Feeling that sweet instrumental beginning and rhythmic beat overtake your body. Hips began swaying and arms swinging, you stared back at the trio. Orion was moving his shoulders before the movement rippled into his arms, giving Dee a gentle nudge. The silver bot, while keeping still, was tapping a pede to the beat. Apparently that wasn't enough for Orion, who proceeded to grab the bot and swirl him around at the songs first chorus.
You began laughing before fully loosing everything to the sound. Twirling and clapping at each note and badly singing the lyrics. The two bots above clumsily but passionately dancing, servos pointing upwards, Dee fully smiling and dancing with Orion. Song slowing into a rippling crescendo, as a pair of servos extended out to you.
“May I?” Orion invited. Primus above this bot.
Everything brightened into a kaleidoscope of colour. The music had never felt so sweet to your ears. Taking the pair of digits while the unoccupied pair acted as dancing legs. Waltzing you around and around, the whole world spinning wonderfully in this moment, the colours of the sky melting into the grounds embrace. Somehow this bot managed to manoeuvre his servo to pick you up ballroom dance style, smiling above you, before seeing second pair of servos laying on the rocky dance floor. Running over to grab them as Dee messily followed along your steps, guiding him slowly but rhythmically to the music’s melody, staring at those lovely pair of amber optics, seeing Orions expression drinking the pair of you in.
Suddenly you stopped at a very bizarre sight.
Bee was absolutely killing it. Fluid movements matching the songs tempo perfectly while shaking and grooving, he could certainly give some dancers on Earth a true run for their money. Having caught sight of the jazzing bot, both Orion and Dee stopped and stared for a solid while before looking back at one another and shrugging. Restarting into the chorus last encore drifted into the wind.
"Having fun over here?" Came the voice of the now present Elita One.
"Elita! C’mon and join the fun!” Orion jeered.
“You know, if you have energy to dance, you have energy to keep going on your little quest Pax?” The sound bubble burst. Orion sheepishly tried to think up an excuse.
“I’m taking first watch tonight.” Was all she said, picking a spot further away. Still she seemed less tense than before.
"Sure thing, but I don't think after all today's excitement I'll be able to fall-" As soon as Bee sat down, he was instantly asleep and snoring. The three of you giving a good laugh, finally feeling the days exhaustion catch up to you. Iacon, Cybertrons surface, what a day. Orion kneeling down first to sleep, with you in his palm, followed closely by Dee. As, soon as your eyes closed, sleep overcame you, but, you could have sworn a second pair of optics was protecting you from the cold.
And that left a smile on your face.
—
Orion optics blinked slowly open, a complaint of 5 more cycles on his mouth, before remembering yesterdays events. A warm sun waking alongside him and melting the nights cold with a brand new day. Light bouncing into iridescent glows upon Cybertrons rocky land scape. Carefully lifting himself up, so as not to disturb Dee and the little alien in both their servos, he turned to the others. Elita was sleeping soundly crouched against the same rock as last night. Bee still slept, somewhat soundly, his pede twitching every once on a while.
“First time I’ve seen you wake up early Pax?” Came the yawning voice of D-16, gazing at him with those sunny warm optics.
“Yeah, well this time I’ve really got something to wake up too.”
Even half risen the sky melted back to it’s cerulean shade though oranges began spilling against the clouds of the morning. Dee kept his gaze on Orion for a few more kilks before taking in the whole sight.
“Are my optics really?” Dee began, before stopping, your body shifting before snuggling further into his palm.
“The surface, searching for the Matrix and even,” Orion smiled at your sleeping form. “It just feels like everything is. Ah, I don’t even know.”
“Changing.” Dee said. Orion stared back and nodded.
“Yeah changing, but no matter what happens, we can face it together.” Holding his free servo out as Dee did the same.
“Yeah, together.” He agreed.
While the sun rose above fully in the distant, bright yellow warm orange, it still cast creeping shadows upon the path ahead. The only path they could all follow.