long and winding
by: Fancyspinner
feedback: please.
disclaimers: The characters and concepts of the transformers are not mine. I am not making money off of this. I just want to explore what if?
Pairings: there will be some. I will state right now that as tf is mostly a mech or male dominated society and I will be using no OC's if I can help it, in the strictest sense, there will be slash, however, if one takes into account the fact that these beings are metallic life forms and they do not have the same body parts who knows?
decided: irnhide/ratchet to be seen in section 2 already in progress
Jazz/Blaster: eventually.
Author blather: I will be using movie verse and g-1 sensibilities and things from other verses here and there.
I like the idea of Megatron being Lord high protector and I have wondered what it would take to get him back there.. Also, Jazz and Ironhide are alive. I have vague ideas of back stories and what not but we will see.
story warnings: redemption, angst, romance, rebuilding societies., intervention by higher powers...
some characterizations inspired by "the Diego Diaries" and "An adjustment of plans" Both stories rock. Go forth and read and encourage the writers.
Summary: Peace is not just a treaty written on paper it is a path that is chosen daily.
1: starting out
they stood across from one another the two huge mechanisms still to outward appearaances. One of them stood at around 35 feet tall and the other slightly shrter at 28. Fanned out behind each figure was a small retinue watching one another with feirce consintration. The slightly shorter of the two figures standing so very still tillted his helm the barest centameter and the figures behind him relaxed. On the other hand, the mechsbehind the taller figure remained alert and tence.
It was to be expected, after all, millions of years of war would not be undone even if their creator god had literally come down on them like a tun of bricks or a falling planet. No one claimed to be perfect and agreeing to try was not the same as actually follwoing through. there was also the very mportantt fact that those who remembered a time when war had not desomated their population were less willling to engage in peace than those who had only known war. It should be the other way around but war had been cruel and everyone had been effected and not in good ways.
While no verbal communication had occurred in the last little while much had been shared through personal communication channels. For Megatron, Lord High Protector, and Optimus prime, moral leader and all around final decision maker, it had taken but a moment to unpack old programming to facilitate. initial talks.
"all right, high protector, I believe we should start by quietly removing everyone on both sides of this who will not directly be involved in talks to the remains of cybertron up there."
"and I suppose that we should each pick an officer that we trust to ride herd on the lot of them."
:and that is why you were primus chosen as Lord High Protector and I am just the prime." the battle mask obscured expression but the tone was filled with amusement.
"so you say, prime." the mirth was not returned but was matched with an icy calm stillness.
Optimus wished he could sigh. Humans were a young organic species with much to learn but they had such wonderful expressive gestures and vocalizations. He wanted them. He vented air as quietly as he could. He was so very tired.
War had wearied him before it had even started. Being the greatest fighting prime in the history of Cybertron was no complement from where he stood. Now if he were ...
"are you even paying attention?!"
"I was lost in thought, apologies. now, if you could repeat your last statement?"
It was easy to be angry, to continue blaming that inattentiveness for starting the war. There had been so very much wrong and optimus had been off in some dream land and he, Megatron, seemed to have been left to make all the choices alone. That had not been true but at the time it had felt very much to be reality. He had used his feelings of abandonment convincing himself that any worthy prime would focus on all the horrible things going wrong. He had forsaken his vows and promises to his prime
as he was about to indulge in a temper tantrum his h.u.d. lit up making him face the underlying frustration, fear and guilt that were the true cause of his rage - well of his current rage at least. He had been as helpless as Optimus and even less respected by those in power because he had been a gladiator. It was going to be his undoing, this peace they were forging - or trying to forge.
The servo that pressed against his almost had him jumping out of his exoskeleton.
"now who is miles away?"
There was no way to argue the comment so he ignored it.
"I said we can meet mid day tomorrow to continue this discussion.
"mmm. that would b wonderful."
Optimus reached into his subspace and came out with a round shape and slowly held it out. Megatron flinched away from it. If he excepted what was being held out to him, that symbol of his office the very one he had worn over his spark chamber, it would make this real. There would b no turning back. There would be no more self delusion. There would be only truth and honesty and ... emotions other than hate and anger and blind rage and fury. He would have to be reasonable and he wouldn't be able to beat on Starscream and that really just wasn't fair.
"Spark cib."
"Don't call me that! You have not earned the right."
"you should be honored you pitsponned."
"ironhide, enough!" the crack of command in the voice brought every bit of movement and internal com chatter on both sides to a total stop.
Ironhide gave a great impression of a human pout.
"hide, u don't want me to get ratchet over here, do you?"
"He sold us out!"
"We all made mistakes. We all did!"
"Yah so, doesn't mean he should treat you like that." Ironhide moved towards Optimus almost too fast to track and in that instant Megatron reacted.
he yanked the prime into his own body with one arm grabbing the symbol of his office with his other Servo and pressed it on himself without much thought and spun so ironhide's grab for the prime latched on to him instead.
the universe paused in that millisecond of time. In that very instant, when the three mechanisms were in physical contact a current ran between them connecting their thoughts. Ironhide's grab suddenly turned into an embrace. Optimus was stunned and wondering what in Primus' name was going on and then he felt the minds brush his and welcomed them. He tried to relax leaning into his high protector and reaching over to embrace his weapon's master and trainer of troops. Megatron was still for an instant and then relaxed. He couldn't help but bask in the warmth and welcome.
"If you ever screw us over like that again I'm going to kick your aft all over everywhere."
"You can try and do that while I'm beating on you with your weapons."
"behave. both of you before I call ratchet over here. He's just a call away, you no?" Both mechs quieted instantly.
"does he no you use him to keep ironhide in line."
"Oh he doesn't mind."
The three of them stood for several moments, leaning into one another their physical systems slowly coming into alignment. It was far from perfect, mechs that had formed their command staff and family were missing and their was a great deal of anger and lack of trust but the fact that within a few moments their bodies and processers had known what to do was comforting to the prime.
"we'll figure it out don't you worry, Megsy."
"are we sure I can't even smack starscream around?" It was wrong but anyone who had dealt with the sic of the decepticon army understood.
"You need to start getting rid of knotty behaviors and as disruptive as he can be Starscream is not a punching bag."
"how about we transfer him over to prowl?" Ironhide suggested.
"I thought you liked him?"
"I do but if I suggest Jazz then well ... that wouldn't work would it?"
"he could go with you, Ironhide."
"why?"
"because you deserve him and Ratchet can throw wrenches at him."
the three mechs suddenly started laughing while still holding on to one another.
"I'm a good negotiator, optimus. I don't no why he assumes I'm going to be the one that goes up there."
"You are a great many things, many of them pains in my aft but negotiator, only if we want to blow things up."
Optimus had been starting to calm down, but at those words from Megatron he started laughing again and the others joined him.
They let go of one another but didn't move too far away. the remaining mechs had relaxed but were still ready to act or react in a split second.
"you will come to Diego Garcia?"
"I will. I have already asked Soundwave to change the beacon location for where mechs should arrive."
"I will let Blaster no to cooperate."
"tomorrow then?" and with a wave of his servo he gathered up the contingent that had come with him and transforming they sped off.
Optimus stood a moment and then motioned for Ironhide, Jazz, Sideswipe and Hound to move out.
tomorrow would be a new day. They would start working towards peace and reintegration/ Tomorrow he would see if all of the prodding from the matrix meant anything but for tonight there was much to organize and as Optimus prime drove off he prayed to Primus and asked for guidance and promised to truly listen.
TBC
Note: I have not written in 4 years. This story is an exercise in fun for me and trying to recapture something wonderful in my life. I am not going for realism just a bit of wish fulfillment. If human kind would get a wake up call that said love one another and get over yourselves. LOL I guess this could sort of be one of those crack fics but with a sort of plot. (grin)
