Co-Authered by Kitra and Omicron
Full Summery:
Wheeljack stumbles onto slavers, who were holding hostage a fellow Autobot. He also finds a frigidity-winged, and wide, golden optic neutral stranded on the sandy, desert word. The Wrecker does the only thing he can think of and is to take them with him back to earth. Unaware of Wing's creators or who the consort is bonded to.
Just to complicate things, Wing finds himself caring for the worn and struggling Autobots. Not to mention the tired, yet still caring War Prime... and who is that Decepticon Deadlock?
Wait... Crystal City is on earth?
Atlantis
Stepping Away
The camp could be called the start of colony to some, given how it was starting to sprawl out from the ships. Only most of these organic and techno organics, weren't really there on their own accord. It was getting harder to find any organic life these vorns, or much life at all really. Something other than the Cybertronian wars had gone through the galaxy, a few mechs here and there worried about unicorn. But it was likely just the course of life tapering off before a new start, something that had happened before in Cybertron's memory.
So to see a collection like this was... odd. With many if not most of those beings down in the camp were led into cages or staked bonds into the ground, it was clear this group wasn't some straggling survivors taking refuse on a half grassland, half desert planet.
There was a blip of a signal, from the camp that was Cybertronian, and then another ship descended. Only this ship was barely picked up on the scanners of the living city, and not at all from the two cargo ships.
It was a few mega cycles, when the planet had settled into night, and though the several moons gave reflected light, it was still dark enough that none of the slavers noticed the pale mech stalking into their camp. Except another mech that was up on a rise, who could see the white mech drawing one of the two swords off his back before vanishing into the camp despite his size in comparison.
Wing was hidden in cloth, it simply was easier to hide his frame in the brown simple organic stuff against the desert and rock than with his pristine white and red gleaming armor. Dai Atlas would probably have his aft for sneaking out like this again, but he just couldn't stop trying to find a way into the slavers camp. When the unknown Cybertronian ship had flown in he'd been surprised to find that its owner obvious thought the same way about slavers as he did.
The Knight made his way down the ragged rise he was on, making sure to be as quick and silent as possible as he approached the camp, he could hear the alarms blaring. Purring to himself he made his move, pulling his own swords out of their hidden sheaths as he stalked into the camp, taking out any slaver on his way on his search for the stranger.
Wing then came across three dead slavers, one with the head missing, the other had been slashed across the front, and the last seem to have a broken neck. The stranger had passed by here, not hesitating in killing, but also keeping them quiet for now.
At least until something on the far side of the complex of a camp suddenly blew up in a wall of fire, sound and heat.
The young jet could appreciate the swordsmanship of the stranger, even if he disliked the killing blows, he understood it was better this way, they were organic, they wouldn't survive crippling blows in most cases. The explosion had him freeze mid-motion. Wing took a moment to get his priorities rearranged and started moving towards the blown area. Who else could've caused it than the stranger?
Nobody.
So that would most likely be the best place to start looking for the other mech. Shifting his cloak a bit, Wing moved quickly, surprising a group of slavers who were running the same way he was, this group of reinforcements would not arrive there though. He closed in on the complex, freeing any slaves out of their cages on his way there, hoping they would find their way to safety on their own.
One of the rock-armored slavers was thrown from the next row over, landing in an opening. The slaver-guard was scrambling at a grenade half imbedded into its chest, as it rapidly clicked before detonating; there was a flurry of movement. The explosion had been a main distraction, as the stranger really started.
He was seen through a cage holding delicate looking organics, moving in both an aggressive way, but seemed to be defending something on the ground, moving around it to block and attack with his long swords.
"Come on yea slaggers, time for some fun!" A rough voice laughed, followed by a smaller Cybertronian voice yipping, "Oy, get away from her!"
Wing stayed hidden for now, he definitely didn't need to be attacked by accident. Since the stranger seemed well capable of defending himself and his query. Instead Wing occupied himself with taking out reinforcements and freeing other slaves as he could around them, showing them the way out. One slaver managed to rip into his cloak, not exposing the sleek white frame beneath but making it nigh impossible for the jet to hide himself much longer.
When no more was to be done from his hideout he moved forward, taking out a score of the brutes in clean view of the other swordsmech, though he was far more graceful in moving his plasma blades than the stranger.
The new mech growled seeing him, pause for a moment as the much smaller Cybertronian climbed up to his back. Then he was moving again, almost charging before jumping and landed on another guard that was coming up on blind side of the cloaked mech. A swift stroke of the long sword and he turned to throw it at another brute, the last, impaling it.
Wing quirked an optic ridge, not that the stranger could see it, impressed with the mechs control of his frame. Though he was sure that this wasn't one of the major martial arts the mech practiced but rather a mixture of all and lots of self taught moves. Considering his sureness it worked well for the grounder.
The knight quietly padded into the opening and eyed another set of still closed cages, cleanly cutting the locking mechanisms apart, making the force fields dissipate. He watched the cowering slaves for a moment, amused when they figured he wasn't a foe and ran for their freedom, those weapons their size were seized as they made their way to one of the large ships the slavers had initially come with and Wing pointed them to, knowing that by now, not one slaver would still be alive on it.
One big, freed being came in to the fray, using its brown bulk to bowl into one of the last slavers, keeping it off the strange mech. It confiscated a blade and with apparent glee, managed to get in two kills before it was over as suddenly as it all started.
The pale mech gave a bark, then flawlessly started talking in strange barks to the brown, lizard like being. There was some arm waving on both parties, and it settled down with the techno-organic and the new sword mech clasping both arms, with a head dip. Then this big reptile being marched towards the bigger ship, barking what had to be orders as it tried to take control over the panicking, freed slaves.
"Next time stranger," A low rough voice growled out as the grounder pulled his sword free, shaking both and sliding them back into the sheaths behind his shoulders, not worried about cleaning them. The mech grunted, eyeing the barley controlled chaos, "Never start freeing slaves until after the dirty work is done," he ducked to the side, pulling off a primal beast off a mute-terrified being, breaking its neck to save the smaller one. "Get your aft in gear and help clean up your mess!"
The cloaked mech snorted amused, Wing wasn't stupid and it hurt him a lot, knowing he'd freed helpless creatures into the fangs of the surviving slavers. But the distraction had been needed. He might have grown up sheltered, but both his creators were military mechs and he had inherited their reasoning, even if he was considered an adult sparkling most orns because of his adorable not really adult behavior.
He didn't deem it worth an answer as he went back into the fray with his natural flyers grace and the one trained into him as a knight. It did not take long until there was nothing hostile left alive around them, and judging by the primitive comm signals he got from the slavers, he suspected they had retreated and were licking their wounds, hoping to get away with a tiny score of still trapped slaves.
"Get to my ship Blaster," The grounder said as he stopped and knelt down, looking over his shoulder, letting the small femme jump off, "I'll meet you there, have one more thing to do." he eyed the second smaller, still slaver controlled ship.
"Be careful Wrecker!" the femmie yelled after as she scrambled out of the camp, ducking between Wing's legs as she left, "Come on you, we have to go now."
Wing blinked and glanced down then after the femme, considering the explosion from earlier he thought better of it to just follow her. Ripping the rest of his cloak off to make maneuvering easier, the jet used his engines to bolt after her, picking her up mid flight, knowing they'd be able to take the direct route by flying the short distance.
The minibot yelped, flailing reflexively before curling over Wing's arm with a pained sound as she stressed a wound. "...did Wheeljack save you too?"
"No. And I can't tell you where I come from." He replied, "It was foolish enough of me to reveal myself to you and Wheeljack." He added in a slightly saddened murmur. He had no idea how to get out of this mess without alerting the others to the hidden city, he'd never reveal it to them. But he hadn't been able to just stand by as the slavers erected their outpost. He hoped to be able to slink away unnoticed and hide before the grounder would be able to use his ships scanners to detect him.
"That way!" Blaster gripped Wing's hand and pointed, "Over the rise, there's only a few klicks left!"
The jet adjusted his course accordingly, forcing another burst of speed from his engines to get them over as fast as he could, happy that he was a stunt jet, otherwise that maneuver would not have worked.
"Who are you?" Blaster asked once they were safely under the hull of a personal and completely different style of Cybertronian ship. It had a few burn marks, but was kept in exhalant mechanic shape; at least it seemed so other then the cosmic damage.
"My name is Wing." The white jet smiled softly, anyone who could read designations would know who his sire and carrier were, that he came from New Crystal City and that he was a Knight of Light. He examined the ship curiously, though refrained from moving too far or touching anything.
The little femme tilted her head this way and that before hopping down, going back and forth under the ship before climbing a landing gear and reaching in, "Oh thank Primus he still does it," She slid down with a can of energon, downing it in a starved way, but happy as there was a semi-distant rumbling like thunder.
Wing watched her amused. "You could have just asked, I keep spare rations in my subspace." The white helm tilted at the rumbling. "I take it the second ship and it's unfortunate owners just met their demise." He stated rather than asked, plucking a box from his subspace and popped a treat in his mouth. He wasn't hungry enough for a normal ration so instead took the boost that was the sweetened goody.
The jet scanned his surroundings thoughtfully and sighed softly, none of the city entrances were close enough for him to vanish inside, there simply was no way he would make it back without either Blaster or Wheeljack knowing that there was a city beneath them. He couldn't bring them, else they'd never be allowed to leave again. And he couldn't go back, else he'd betray what his creators worked so hard to achieve.
"No just forcefully convinced to land again," Blaster was giving Wing a very strange look, "He's a Wrecker but Wreckers aren't cruel despite what you civilians think, those other slaves need the ships to get off this rock." she grinned, "But I can forgive you this time, you weren't apart of the war."
"Never saw a thing of it. My creators left when it started." That was about all the information Wing would give her, unwilling to say where they had gone. "I actually have about as much clue about how you or him work as I have of the war. I don't even know what faction you belong to, nor do I know the names. It never was part of my education." He responded softly.
"I'm an Autobot," Blaster said drawing herself up in pride, and even more with her next words, "I worked with Optimus Prime himself, and... well, I had been on a mission before those squishy bags of mush caught me off guard. I'm so happy Wheeljack fallowed my signal."
"If he hadn't come before me, I would have found you most likely, but with far less explosions." He grinned, very sure of his abilities, "Though I would definitely not have revealed myself to you. This wasn't the way I planned this. But I couldn't just watch helplessly, I know I shouldn't have interfered..." He mumbled, trailing off to silence, obviously chastising himself over something.
"What are you talking about," Blaster half huffed half demanded, "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings, like Optimus says. And with the universe starved at life right now while Primus sleeps," She tossed her arms up.
"Don't get her started, or you'll have your audios talked off." The rough voice said, and Wheeljack came out of the dark, kneeling down to let Blaster run over and hug him, patting the mini a little awkwardly, getting some purple and red fluid on her and the ground. "Good to see you again femme! I found the Prime, he's stuck on a back water world with a few mechs. Load up, I need to get them the energon in the ship before they starve."
"I would have freed all of you, but without letting anyone knowing who I am. I did not intend on staying with you. Now I don't have any choice not to." He gave her a wry smile, watching them interact quietly. He fidgeted unsure of his place, he really hoped they would leave him behind, but doubted it. There was no obvious place he could go back to, for all they knew he had stranded here not long ago and had wanted to leave with one of the ships himself.
"Uh huh," Wheeljack look at Wing confused, then like he was bonkers a bit. Only after Blast insisted did he sigh and the ship lowered its ramp, "Look, I promised to find energon and mecha, if you heard the call of the Prime your welcome to answer with us, don't have to get involved in the fighting, but I can't leave you stranded."
The jet twitched uncomfortably, casting another glance over the plane and the fairly distanced mountain the city was hidden under and sighed. "I know. Got no other choice anyways."
He quietly padded after them, looking absolutely lost, something between sadness and maybe fear tugged at his features though the jet resolutely forced himself to suppress those feelings. Wing really hoped he would be able to find a way back before anything happened to him. He really hoped his creators didn't do anything stupid over his absence.
This time he should really have listened when Dai Atlas had said it wasn't their concern. Now the young Knight would actually pay a price for not following strict orders that drove the point home far too well.
Blaster waited for him and once shown a seat he could take, Wheeljack thumbing to it as he took the left side front seat. She came over to touch Wing's thighs, her wide blue optics soft, "Doing the right thing, like helping those in the cages- if not really graceful, is never easy. Nor is anything worthwhile to the spark, 'easy.' If I can, I'll help you find who you lost. But I need to help my friends too."
Wing smiled ruefully. "I know where they are, I just can't go back with strangers in tow. Must not let anybody know where my home is. We live very secluded and are proud we managed to stay hidden so well. If I bring someone with me, I doubt they will be allowed to leave again. Nobody wants the war on our doorstep and I refuse to be the one to bring anyone there." He shrugged and sank into the indicated seat. "It really is a complicated mess. Though I really do hope my creators won't give away the City's location just to get me back."
"You mean you live in that Metrotitan," The little femme asked, blinking, "Huh, I wasn't too far off tracking another one." she beamed, "Wish they wouldn't hide from friends..."
"I'll let you know this kid," the Wrecker said as he glanced back, "Speaking from experience, you can't hide anything from that wide optic bundle of energy, good luck holding it in."
"I'll have to come back to this planet," the femme was saying as she climbed into another chair before the ship started vibration a bit. Wheeljack tossed back a look before focusing on his ship, "Jackie! I'm hunger and starving and I want some energon!" Blaster yelled once in space, and had a cube tossed at her, knocking the minibot out of her seat. "Thank you!"
The jet raised an optic ridge, somewhat amused as Blaster was knocked over. He glanced around, then carefully fished another goody from his subspace nibbling it thoughtfully. He knew his creators would refuse to give the city away just to get him back. He just wasn't sure if they could keep the Metrotitan himself from doing that. The ancient one was possessive of what he owned, and not very patient when it came to this wayward consort. He could feel the titans spark thrum against his, knowing that Achat was deep in recharge for the time being and probably would be for a bit. Depending on how far away this 'Earth' planet was, Achat might only wake up by the time Wing arrived there. And if the Knight didn't have a way of getting back by then, Achat would without a question rise and follow.
"This I can't hide, no. But it doesn't mean I will give the location away freely. I'll have enough penance to last me a lifetime just for this stunt. And that's just part of the problem."
"Where's the fun in just being told," Blaster waved a pede at the mech from her spot, then the next words were garbled as she bit the edge of the soft cube and just drank. Seeming to be content to lay on her back and let the energon flow like an endless well of a sorts.
"If I did, I'd be in more trouble than a ship racing straight into the next sun. How long until we're on that planet you mentioned Wheeljack?" He asked quietly, quirking an amused smile at Blaster. There was no use dwelling on what he couldn't change so he might as well enjoy this adventure.
Wheeljack chuckled as he turned partly in his seat, the mech wasn't like anything Wing had met before. The scars he had where made of groves in the armor, and on his face. Some spots looked like rough wield marks, like he did them himself, though there was a few newer fixes that were neater on his stomach and chest. Dirt had mixed with the blood into ribbons of darker muddy past on his pale form, but how he just wasn't bothered by the grind and grime, it was somehow... not charming but that kind of attraction to dangerous things a mech had at awkward moments.
"Long enough to know if we can be friends or if I have to eject you from my ship," The mech grinned, wondering what the reaction would be, he glanced a muffled giggle came from the now happy femmie.
The jet pinched the nasal guard of his helm armor and glanced down to where Blaster was giggling. "If you're asking whether I'm going to be trouble, I have to deny that. The worst I'll do is sit here or start getting twitchy from lack of space to fly around." He gave Wheeljack a level look, obviously not phazed by the Wreckers smugness. "Depending on how well we three get along, Blaster might find herself cuddle most of the time. At least if she keeps acting like an adorable sparkling." He grinned right back.
"She's good at that," Wheeljack paused at a sound that was exactly like a sparkling kreeling for attention, "Case in point." he stood, holding a hand to the consol and folded a small part from it into his arm. "I'm getting clean, Blaster, the ship hasn't changed so have fun." He glanced at Wing as he passed, then pointed to the comm station before leaving to the back of the ship.
"Size of a sparkling, sounds like a sparkling, almost behaves like one. Must be one." Wing concluded, giving the console barely more than a side glance. It was too dangerous to try, he didn't know if either of the others could trace it if the signal was answered and he definitely did not want to take the risk. It was a nice offer none the less.
He decided to wait for Achat to wake. The old Metrotitan would have a looot to say over the consort bond. Wing briefly wondered if it was possible to get whacked over the head by the bond, then dismissed that thought as he pulled his legs up onto the seat, curling up there as he watched Wheeljack leave the cockpit and Blaster move about.
"Don't worry," The minibot said as she rolled over, the sealed cube behind her, her gold-orange helm just visible around the chair, blue optics wide and innocent looking. "I'll protect you Wing!"
"With that look all you can do is make mechs and femmes alike short circuit from a cuteness overload. I think you do need a good dose of snuggles though." He teased her and grinned back.
"I'd say its you who needs hugs," Blaster got up, giving herself a shake and brushing herself off of the desert dust, "Now you have me feeling we're holding you hostage, with how you curl up like that."
"It's not that I feel hostage, more the knowledge there's no way I can go back without actually trying to escape like a hostage." A sad smile tugged on his features, he huffed softly. "I can't go back without serious consequences for you, and the city. Either I go back with you two and you both won't see the outside world again, or I run and risk that you track me and find the city, which would mean it would relocate and hide again and if they can't get you off their trail you'll probably get blown to smithereens. Neither my creators nor the Metrotitan would want to risk being found again." He explained, voice soft but obviously distressed.
"Nothing can hold a Wrecker long," Blaster said softly, looking to the back like a crushing young mechling. "And its near the time the you civilians don't have to hide anymore..."
The jet hummed non committal. "Trust me, if they want you two contained, they will have you contained." He glanced to where Wheeljack had vanished, then to her. "Oh, someones got a crush, eh?" He teased he gently, trying to lighten the mood, more for his own benefit than anything else.
"Who wouldn't, and you don't know the Wreckers, let along Wheeljack," Blaster grinned and came over, pulling at Wing's legs then pulled herself up into his lap with her back to his front. Less then half his size she was light and really just hugable size. "I hope you give us a chance before going back home, you should really meet the Prime- have you ever met one before?"
He blinked and let her tug his legs down, purring softly and easily slid his arms around her for a hug. "I'm not sure about my creators, at least my carrier, he's fairly illiberal with his opinion that the city should stay out of this mess. How Achat sees it? I don't know. He might decide to return to the Prime, if he's worthy in his optics. Otherwise he'll just turn around and go back to hiding." He snorted and gently petted her head. "I never met a Prime, I was created long after the Exodus. And what I know about the Primes my creators served under, they're not the most likeable figures at times."
"Depending on how old they are, your creatures likely didn't meet Optimus," Blaster said, and then she smiled, leaning back on Wing, "Optimus is one of the kindess mechs I ever met, and I've seen him fight. He's not the biggest of mechs, but still very tall," Blaster explained to give this mech a view point of someone who didn't dislike or hate the older false Primes, and how she first met Optimus after the loss of Elita One, how she had come across him in the archives of all places.
"They left well before he became Prime I think. Under Sentinel if I'm correct. I'm not afraid of him, nor do I resent him. I have no reason, nothing to judge him on. I simply have no opinion in regard of the title." Wing explained, chirring softly. "I will judge him when I get to know him."
"That's good," The femme smiled, snuggling the mech's the front as they heard some grumbling in the back from the open door to the living area and washrack. "I think you'd like him."
The jet smiled. "I don't doubt your judgment, there's few I can't get along with." He chuckled. "I assume he hates sticky fluids mixed with sand and dust?"
"He doesn't care in battle, but if we're going to be spending time in ship then he wants to be clean." Blaster wiggled and looked over at the mech's seat, then got down to clean it up. After coming back to eye Wing up and down thoughtfully, putting a hand on his knee, showing the difference of his pristine condition to the warn and scraped up look of even her. "Let's see if Jackie still has a spare berth in the back, and then get some stories!"
The jet nodded and quietly followed her, "I think this will work out somehow." Though he sounded far more sure than he was.
