p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"There were old places in Simfur where wall-clingers grew wild, crusting the high walls with rough mineral deposits. From afar their stalks formed an iridescent curtain, hanging over the eaves of the temple like a beard. Here inside the temple the metal was old, bearing the dark stain of oxidation and the scratches of a thousand years of worshippers and the drip-drip of corrosive water following the pull of gravity./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Megatron led Soundwave through the dim entrance hallway of Anu Temple. They regarded the wall panorama amusedly. They both had a collected way about them, unflustered by its subject matter./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The passage they were standing in was decorated with images of lovers in flight. And there was no doubt the paired mechs were lovers - legs splayed apart and in mid-rut, pressing their mouths, their sparks against each other. There was something beautiful, sacred in the way their bodies clung sensually together, limbs tangled against a backdrop of sculpted clouds and spires. Soaring over the entire world, unashamed of who might witness their coupling./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The Primes had gifted their creations with the ability to join with each other, to know each other. Divine union. The two of them were no stranger to the act./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Do you remember our nuptial flight?" Megatron asked, looking at the artificial sky above them. There was a gentle light shining from above, casting dark shadows on the images on the walls./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Of course, my liege."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"It had been a chaste affair, overseen by a priest who had painted matching runes in yellow and blue on their foreheads. They had exchanged vows to a sea of onlookers./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"There was a thronging audience on the public plaza where the ceremony had taken place. Sentinel Prime had been there, and Optimus as well. Soundwave remembered the expression on Optimus' face; resigned, bittersweet. But the Prime watched the two of them take off and vanish from sight, never taking her eyes from the sky./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Soundwave held on to Megatron's shoulders as they transformed and took flight. The sky was dark and clear as they ascended, and the stars glinted off their silver bodies. Soundwave's slender surveillance cruiser form was so small clutched against the might of Megatron's stately, pronged ramship. Megatron engulfed the other mech in her embrace, and Soundwave was propelled into the upper atmosphere by the sheer force of the other's thrusters./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Soundwave felt the lurch of joy in her spark as they tumbled through the air with the wind whistling through their vents. Iacon shrank out of view, and soon they were so high above the world that she could see the latticed surface of Cybertron on one side, and the darkness of space on the other./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She had flown before - she had wings on her back and engines that let her skim through the air - but never felt the way she had felt that day, holding on to Megatron and looking down at the world that had birthed them and feeling the pulse of the other's body against her own, spark chamber spiralling open and brilliant light spilling forth./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Megatron, who could fly so swift and far, who had chosen her. Lord High Protector, who had been courted by the future Prime and ultimately refused. Soundwave had no claim to divinity or power and yet in this moment, when their sparks were pressed against each other, like two bright stars locked in orbit around each other, she felt exalted, overflowing and warm./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Megatron held her steady as they re-entered the atmosphere. When they touched down at Iacon, there were many well-wishers to welcome them back. The crowd was ecstatic, eagerly recording this moment as the two of them flew past. Optimus stood in the distance, waving when she spotted the two of them./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Later, in Megatron's chambers, the Lord High Protector showed her a great many things. Lying on the berth, Soundwave cried aloud and buried her face in the crook of the other's neck, hoping that - Primus, yes! - the years to come would be like this night. Megatron nuzzled her cheek, promising that much./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Megatron led Soundwave through the dim entrance hallway of Anu Temple. They regarded the wall panorama amusedly. They both had a collected way about them, unflustered by its subject matter./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The passage they were standing in was decorated with images of lovers in flight. And there was no doubt the paired mechs were lovers - legs splayed apart and in mid-rut, pressing their mouths, their sparks against each other. There was something beautiful, sacred in the way their bodies clung sensually together, limbs tangled against a backdrop of sculpted clouds and spires. Soaring over the entire world, unashamed of who might witness their coupling./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"The Primes had gifted their creations with the ability to join with each other, to know each other. Divine union. The two of them were no stranger to the act./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Do you remember our nuptial flight?" Megatron asked, looking at the artificial sky above them. There was a gentle light shining from above, casting dark shadows on the images on the walls./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;""Of course, my liege."/p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"It had been a chaste affair, overseen by a priest who had painted matching runes in yellow and blue on their foreheads. They had exchanged vows to a sea of onlookers./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"There was a thronging audience on the public plaza where the ceremony had taken place. Sentinel Prime had been there, and Optimus as well. Soundwave remembered the expression on Optimus' face; resigned, bittersweet. But the Prime watched the two of them take off and vanish from sight, never taking her eyes from the sky./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Soundwave held on to Megatron's shoulders as they transformed and took flight. The sky was dark and clear as they ascended, and the stars glinted off their silver bodies. Soundwave's slender surveillance cruiser form was so small clutched against the might of Megatron's stately, pronged ramship. Megatron engulfed the other mech in her embrace, and Soundwave was propelled into the upper atmosphere by the sheer force of the other's thrusters./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Soundwave felt the lurch of joy in her spark as they tumbled through the air with the wind whistling through their vents. Iacon shrank out of view, and soon they were so high above the world that she could see the latticed surface of Cybertron on one side, and the darkness of space on the other./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"She had flown before - she had wings on her back and engines that let her skim through the air - but never felt the way she had felt that day, holding on to Megatron and looking down at the world that had birthed them and feeling the pulse of the other's body against her own, spark chamber spiralling open and brilliant light spilling forth./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Megatron, who could fly so swift and far, who had chosen her. Lord High Protector, who had been courted by the future Prime and ultimately refused. Soundwave had no claim to divinity or power and yet in this moment, when their sparks were pressed against each other, like two bright stars locked in orbit around each other, she felt exalted, overflowing and warm./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Megatron held her steady as they re-entered the atmosphere. When they touched down at Iacon, there were many well-wishers to welcome them back. The crowd was ecstatic, eagerly recording this moment as the two of them flew past. Optimus stood in the distance, waving when she spotted the two of them./p
p style="border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 15.4545450210571px; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', 'GNU Unifont', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; list-style: none; margin: 1.286em auto; padding: 0px; line-height: 1.5; color: #2a2a2a;"Later, in Megatron's chambers, the Lord High Protector showed her a great many things. Lying on the berth, Soundwave cried aloud and buried her face in the crook of the other's neck, hoping that - Primus, yes! - the years to come would be like this night. Megatron nuzzled her cheek, promising that much./p
